Daily Prompt – Pride and Joy

What’s your most prized possession? GO!

Hmmm… this is a tough one… there’s so many of them.

I think that it would be a tie between my MacBook Pro and my PS3.

Daily Prompt – Saturday Night

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT! What’s your favorite way to spend Saturday night?

Given that Hulk and I both work two jobs, Friday night is the only night that we don’t work, so that’s usually either our night at home so we can veg-out, or we’ll have a low-key date night and head off to the movies.

Seeing as how Hulk works on Sunday morning, it makes it a bit harder for us to do anything on a Saturday night, however in saying that, the last couple of weeks have seen us going out with a couple of friends to a certain nightclub on a Saturday night to see some international performers… that then turns into our friends coming back to our place for ice-cream and / or nacho’s and a very, very late night. Then on Sunday morning, we have a big breakfast for the four of us, and Sunday becomes a bit of a write-off.

Sometimes we’ll have a proper date night, where we’ll get a little bit dressed up, and head to our favourite sushi place in the city, and then go and see a show somewhere in the city, and that’s always something nice for us to do, but because we’re a couple of nanna’s, all we really want to do is just get home, put on our PJ’s and have a cuppa.

Sometimes all I want to do on saturday night is just curl up on the couch in my pyjamas and play video games. I think if I was to find myself being single, then that’s probably what I would be spending my time doing… isolated and completely engrossed in one of my PS3 games like Tomb Raider or The Last Of Us.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/saturday-night/

Daily Prompt: Nothin’ But A Good Time

Imagine that tomorrow, all of your duties and obligations evaporate for the day. You get the day all to yourself, to do anything you please. What types of fun activities would make your day?

Does that day also happen to be about 48hrs long, so I can actually fit in everything that I would like to be able to do on a ‘day off’? A day off really should be longer than all the other days, especially given my list below… or I’ll need to have two consecutive days off for pure indulgence.

1. SLEEP

Yes.  I put this as #1, and all in caps because it’s the most important and my absolute FAVOURITE thing to do on a day off.

The day would start off with a wonderfully luscious sleep-in. One of those mornings where it’s a bit chilly, but the sun is warm, and beaming in through a bedroom window, and you wish it was possible for these already fluffy pillows and doona just to get that little bit fluffier and softer, so you could just disappear into them for a couple more hours of slumber-heaven.

2. Breakfast

The one thing that I absolutely love about travelling, is a free buffet breakfast. Oh, it’s HEAVEN!! Moreso when there’s no agenda. I think the best time I had with a buffet was, surprisingly, at an airport in the Virgin lounge. The airline had completely messed up my flight home, and told me to be at the airport at 8am for a re-scheduled flight at 9am, only to turn up and have them say that there’s been another change and I’m not on a plane until 2pm. I then demanded lounge access, which they gave me, and it was fantastic.

I got myself set up at a table, watched a Harry Potter movie with Hulk, and basically ate myself silly.

So. Much. Food!!

3. The Beach

What better way to enjoy a relaxing day, than heading off down to the beach for a bit of a swim, and a nap in the sun… then more swimming, and more napping, followed by more swimming and some more napping.

4. A Massage

Now, I’m not talking about a quick 30min neck and shoulder massage, I’m talking at least a 90min – 120min full body, deep-tissue oil massage. I’m the sort of person who puts their body through quite a lot, but then neglects it, and then I complain like a whiny little kid when I’m in pain from sore muscles. (SIDENOTE: Must get back onto my foam roller and look for my spiky-ball.)

What I love, is being able to have a long full-body massage just to really work out all the knots throughout my body, and put things back in some kind of alignment again. Granted, most of the time I find myself falling asleep – it’s quite embarrassing because I snore, but I find that I’m just in such a deep state of relaxation… I love it.

4a. Spa / Sauna / Steam

The other side to a treatment like this, is being able to have a spa / sauna / steam session either before, to help relax and loosen up the muscles, or after a long massage. It can be pretty awkward if it’s done afterwards, because I end up like a rag doll, and struggle to a) keep myself upright and b) conscious – too much time in a steam / sauna room, tends to make me really hot and sleepy… which then brings me to the brink of fainting / passing out. And let’s face it, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

5. A Nap.

This is probably THE BEST part of the whole day… being able to do everything listed above, and then come back to either lay on a sun-saturated bed (or couch) and curl up for a lovely arvo nap. But, one that’s at least 3 – 4hrs long. Anything less than that is a waste of time, and it just makes me feel even more tired than I was before.

6. Gaming

Now that I feel quite refreshed and relaxed, it’s time for a gigantic cup of tea and about fifteen biscuits (or a block of chocolate) and then the PS3 goes on, and I fire up one of my games. At the moment I’m right into Lego Marvel Super Heroes, but at the same time, in the back of my head, I’m completely aware that I’m not giving any time to my other favourite game, Tomb Raider. This game is so good, and so addictive, I usually find myself sitting there, tears streaming down my cheeks because I can’t even bring myself to blink because I find it so engrossing.

Alternate 6. A Bath

By this stage, I’ve woken from my nap and had something to eat for dinner. Then I think one of my favourite things to do is run a bath and use something like a fancy bath bomb, or some relaxing bath salts, and then I’ll either get in (and feel myself slowly broiling from the inside out because the temperature is so hot) and I’ll already have my laptop set up to watch something. Sometimes it’s a couple of episodes of a TV series I’m watching, or it might even be a movie.

And then, when the water has gone cold, or the show / movie has finished, there’s only one thing left to do…

7. Go To Bed.

It’s been a long day of pampering, and self-indulgence, and you know what, it’s exhausting. So all I need to do now, is go to bed and sleep for about 10 – 12hours, so I can wake up all nice and relaxed and refreshed tomorrow – ready to take on the world!

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/daily-prompt-good-time/

Day 2 – Favourite Character

Who is your favourite character of all time?

This is actually quite difficult question for me to answer. How do you narrow 30years of characters from movies, television and books to pick just one??

What would your answer be??

I’ll have to get back to you on that….

update…

after having a chance to really think about it! I realised just how difficult this is to answer… I have so many favourite characters from so many different areas. I. Old have picked somebody like Astro Boy, because when I was a kid, Astro really was the shit. Come on, he was a robot boy who always saved the day… And he had ROCKETS FOR LEGS!!! Then I was thinking maybe along the lines of movies and I thought perhaps my fav movie character would be James Bond… But then I thought, well, it would be much easier if I did like my top 5 of each and then selected characters from each of those… All the while in the back of my head there’s a tiny voice saying “diagram! Chart! Mind map!!”. Hmmmm. Or do I do a favourite genre, like fav reality show star, or fav talk show host, or fav comedy show star? That might be easier:

• Favourite tv drama character: Emily Thorn – Revenge; almost everybody from Brothers and Sisters; almost everybody from Grey’s Anatomy;
• favourite tv comedy character: Edina Monsoon from Ab-Fab; Jerri Blank from Strangers With Candy; Whitney Cummings from Whitney, Max from 2 Broke Girls; almost every single character from Big Girls Blouse;
• favourite tv cartoon character: Jake & Finn from Adventure Time; Stewie Griffin from Family Guy; Roger from American Dad; Linda from Bobs Burgers
• favourite character from Sex and the City: Samantha.
• favourite ‘Friend’: Phoebe
• Favourite Real Housewife: NeNe (Atlanta)
• favourite Seinfeld character: Elaine
• Favourite SNL sketch: Oreana and Craig the Cheerleaders (Cheri o’teri & will ferrel) “cha-cha-boochie, cha-cha-chaboochie, ROLL CALL”
• favourite game character: Lara croft – Tomb Raider; Chase McCain – Lego City
• favourite comedian: Kathy griffin;
• favourite talkshow: Chelsea lately

Well, those last two don’t actually count because they’re real people, I guess. As you can see, it’s hard to define a favourite character, let alone a favourite genre – and these are the ones that I just listed off the top of my head. What other areas would you like to ask me??

Day 1 – One Million Dolllllars

*insert Dr Evil maniacal grin here*

If you found one million dollars in the morning and had to spend it by nightfall, what would you do with the money?

Well, let’s assume that if we found it, we were responsible citizens and went to the police first, and the cops turn around and say “Well, nobody has reported it stolen, so it’s all yours to do with as you wish”… Then it would begin.

In the grand scheme of things, yes, a million dollars is a lot of money, but at the same time, doesn’t really get you very much for your money. People talk about winning lotto and how they plan on buying houses and cars and trips overseas… yeah, that’s a great idea, but then what? Did you think about what happens after you do this? Did you factor in what it would cost in upkeep for all your houses, and how much your insurance is going to be for all your Ferrari’s and Lambo’s? 

Of course not. Fool.

I would be a lot more responsible with a million dollars. Growing up and not actually having money, I grew to value it a lot more than other kids did. Whilst they were all focused on getting the bestest brand new label backpacks / shoes / clothes; I on the other hand, was more concerned about whether my various fees were being paid. They were all wanting the latest Nike Air Max for sport (granted, for the sports they didn’t actually play!), whereas I chose to go without because I knew if I wanted fancy new footwear, I’d have to miss out on going to camp – and I couldn’t have both.

And camp was MUCH more satisfying than trying to keep up with the Jones’ at school.

You’d think that this appreciation and value for money would have continued into my adult life, right? Wrong. Once I moved interstate and started working and earning my own money, I still paid all my bills first, and then got to enjoy whatever was left over – whether it was a fancy dinner, or that pair of fancy shoes I’ve had my eye on for a few months, or saving for my next new electronic device (read: Playstation). Over the years though, as my income has increased, I find myself doing the complete opposite… buying first, bills later.

DISPOSABLE INCOME!! SO MANY SHINY PINK DOLLARS TO DO WITH AS I PLEASE… *ugh* Bills. Maaan, bills are such a pain! Meh, they can wait.

That became a mantra of mine for a while, before I found myself eating nothing but 2minute noodles and tinned tuna for a fortnight – wondering what the hell I’d spent all my money on… oh yeah, that’s right, paying ALL my bills, (both current and overdue), and rent, etc etc.

“I need to start a budget”, I’d tell myself. “I need to be smarter with my money. I need to SAVE”.

6 years later, nothing has really improved. well, It’s a lot better than that, but it’s got a lot of room for improvement.

Not having savings really depresses me, but at the same time, I have credit cards. The root of all evil. 

Feeling a little sad? Why not shop yourself a little happy?

Feeling a bit bored at work? I wonder what’s new on Amazon.com?

iTunes credit low? Best you get a couple of iTunes cards when you’re out at lunch!

Adventure Time Monopoly?? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!

 

Whilst I became of the mindset that I wanted to be able to enjoy my money here and now, in this moment, others were busy putting all their savings away into loans and mortgages; bumping up their superannuation; investing in stock portfolios. Me? I was hanging out for the Tomb Raider pre-order date from EB Games, or buying tickets to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball tour… but oh my that’s a whole other story!!

And now that I’ve conveniently gotten myself well and truly sidetracked – this is my writing problem – dealing with tangets (DAMN IT – I’m doing it again!!)  where was I again…?? Oh yes… that million untaxable dollars.

(and in saying that, reminds me of this. skip to the 2:53 mark…)

 

But yes, a million bucks. I wouldn’t go crazy with it. I’d pay out all my bills, pay off my credit cards, buy myself a nice apartment or something, and with whatever was left over, I’d donate some money to charity and put some into savings / term deposits. Given that an average apartment (well, one that I would actually like) would go for anything between $500 – 700k, it’s not much left to play with when talking about investing. 

 

Although I wouldn’t mind some shares in Apple…!!