on>
First published in 2003 by Conari Press,
an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
York Beach, ME
With offices at:
368 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Copyright © 2003 Cynthia MacGregor
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
MacGregor, Cynthia.
Little indulgences : more than 400 ways to be good to yourself / Cynthia MacGregor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-57324-873-8
1. Conduct of life--Miscellanea. 2. Quality of life--Miscellanea. I. Title.
BF637.C5M32 2003
646.7--dc21
2003008484
Typeset in Deepdene by Kathleen Wilson Fivel
Cover design by David A. Freedman
Printed in Canada.
TCP
10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter
Contents
Acknowledgments
In alphabetical order, thanks to: Andrew Brownlee, Cindy Crawford (not the famous one), Norm Edelman, Lars Hanson, Andrea Kalina, Jesse Leaf, Bob Lebensold, Bess Metcalf, Lori Paige, Mari-Jean Phillips, Zac Phillips, Ken Pinkham, Jennifer Radalin, Bruce Wallace, and Ruth Wenig.
Indulge Yourself Today
Today is a special day.
Okay, so maybe it's not your birthday. Or the anniversary of your wedding (or divorce). Or the day you start your dream job. Or your child's birthday. Or a national holiday. Or any other milestone.
But why can't it be a special day anyhow?
Any day can be a special day if you want it to be. You give special treats to the other people who are important to you. You buy them little gifts or cook them special foods. But aren't you important too? Certainly you deserve special treatment sometimes.
This book is filled with indulgences—treats and activities for every taste and budget. Open it up at random when you're feeling down. Use it as a planning tool. That's right, you should actually plan to be good to yourself. Keep it handy for that inevitable day when you want to treat yourself but you're feeling so blue or bored or tired that you're fresh out of inspiration.
Feel free to improvise. Start a list of your own indulgences. But, whatever you do, be good to yourself. Today can be your special day. (And so can tomorrow, if you want.)
Throw yourself a half-birthday party.
Call an old friend you haven't talked to in ages, catch up, and yak at length.
Write a poem about someone you love—your beloved, a close friend, a family member. As you write it, you'll remember all the things you love about that person, and why he or she is so special to you.
Exercise. Do your regular exercise routine or start a new one. Rent or borrow exercise tapes, go for a walk,
