About 6 years ago, I discovered the surprising yet encompassing bliss that is the Solo Outing. My man was out of town on business... on a weekend! What was I to do? I was not yet a mama, so my expectations for Friday night were high. (Boy, did the punk do a number to my weekends when he came along!) I suddenly had a dangerous idea. I would go see a movie. Alone. Dun! Dun! Dunnnnn!That night, I arrived solo at the movie theater. I bought myself a popcorn and a Coke. (The man never splurges on treats during a movie, so I was walking on the wild side.) I sat on the end of a row, and proceeded to enjoy a life-changing experience. I don't remember now which movie I saw, but I know it was something my man wouldn't have watched with me. I laughed, I cried, I smirked, but I didn't have to worry what anyone else thought of the movie. It was all for me. All for my own personal enjoyment. And enjoy I did. Immensely.
Today my wonderful and kind brother David gave me a priceless gift: two and a half hours to myself! He came over to play with the punk and put him down for his nap while I left. To go anywhere I wanted! For one hundred and fifty minutes. As I was driving away, I actually said out loud, "I'm free!"
I enjoyed a solo lunch at Citrus Grill. As I ate my sourdough turkey sandwich, I perused my fat book entitled 501 Must-Read Books. I skimmed the synopses in the Classic Fiction and Modern Fiction sections, and checked off the books I've already read. After lunch, I took my reference book to Barnes & Noble, where I spent the next hour and a half sipping a Starbucks hot chocolate (WITH whipped cream) and reading about these must-read books and marking the books I want to read now. (I am in a desperate book drought. I am in the middle of a novel that I am just not interested in finishing. That does not happen to me very often; in fact, I feel incredible guilt whenever I think about the very few books that I've chosen not to finish. Add this one to the list of shame.) After deciding on 4 prospects, I went on a search and discovered that 3 of the 4 books were not on the shelves. Not to worry. I found 2 others on a table marked Reading Group Favorites, and bought them instead, along with a membership to B&N. It's my go-to gift stop; I might as well be a member.
All in all, the perfect afternoon.
Why is the solo outing a social oddity anyway? Have you been fortunate enough to discover its merits?
3 comments:
That sounds like a great day, I haven't really tried the solo outings but I did spend a little extra time alone tonight at the grocery store and decided to get my flu shot and then go get a car wash. It was nice just sitting there wish the peace and quiet and listening to music in my car while it was being washed. I will have to try your idea though, that sounds like a lot more fun. Also, I LOVE citrus grill but the one in Draper closed. They have the best artichoke dip.
solo outings=my sanity's savior. I've watched movies alone, shopped, hit the book store, and eaten out alone all on different occasions. The hardest part for me is to sit back and enjoy it, experience it without checking the clock and seeing that I've got 15 minutes, ok now 14, ok now 13 minutes before I have to leave in order to get home to relieve the babysitter....
as I said recently to EB, a little R&R for the mama does wonders for the health and happiness of the entire family.
Solo outings are great - kids or no kids. I went and saw "Enchanted" by myself. There was only 1 other couple in the whole theater. I sat in the back alone and laughed through the whole thing. So good.
Let me know what books I have to read. Now that I am done with the Hunger Gamse I need something else to catch my interest.
Finally - you know how iI love Citrus Grill - I just really miss those risotto cakes!
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