Living life to the fullest means you should take pleasure in everything you do. The term Guilty Pleasures no longer mean to me as something to be hidden or to be guilty about, for who cares for others' opinions anyway. It just means exploring the things that make you who you are, someone unique and interesting. I am my own person, someone who’s comfortable in my own skin and my own eccentricities. I am celebrating all my flaws and imperfections.
1. AUDIO BOOKS-
I once said I will never ever do Kindle because I would rather smell my books and dog-ear the pages. Well, not only did I do Kindle, but I switched to Audio books. As I drive to and from work, I switch on the Audible app on my smartphone and listen along to versatile narrators bringing my favorite books to life. I have listened to Watchers by Dean Koontz, and although I have read the book many times before, I thrilled to the spoken words. I laughed, I cried, and I squealed in suspense. What would have been a trip of road rage against reckless drivers turned into a pleasant stress-reducing journey, I did not mind the vagrants crossing the streets against the traffic lights along 125th Street in Harlem.
The audio book also doubled as my pronunciation tutor. I learned to pronounce words like “brusque”, and “Worcestershire” and finally learned the difference between “Bon Mot” and “Bon Appetit”. However, I gave up with “Otorhinolaryngologist” and just called it as ENT.
I have enjoyed other Dean Koontz books like “Lightning” and “From the Corner of His Eye” and they sounded as fresh as when I read them years ago. My next audiobooks will be the Harry Potter series; I have read all of JK Rowling's books but it would be magical to re-imagine them again through the narration. Then, I will get the “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. I cannot wait!!!!
2. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
Brooklyn Nine-Nine found its second life in NBC after Fox canceled it. The show continues to thrive in its new environment with a raucous cast of characters set in an NYPD police station in Brooklyn’s 99th Precinct. Who knows that goofy detectives can be also amazing in their job? The ensemble cast is quirky and irreverent. I love Jake, Amy, Rosa, Terry, and the inscrutable Captain Holt with his deadpan reactions.
I would love Brooklyn Nine-Nine even with this one line-up episode. I sang the chorus with Andy Samberg with the same gusto. I really like it that way.
3. JIGSAW PUZZLES
After a hard day’s work, I wind down the day with the online jigsaw puzzles. Much more convenient than the 500 or 750 tile pieces that used to litter my dining table. About twenty years ago, I spent countless of hours assembling the tessellating pieces, while my son was contentedly singing along to Barney.
Now, the online jigsaw puzzles are my de-stressor. I forget about work and just concentrate in moving the classic-shaped tiles around, as the full picture emerges. I visualize my neurons working, making their stand against Alzheimer’s. A research study actually confirmed that “lifelong jigsaw puzzle experience might be one out of many cognitive activities that may contribute to a delayed clinical manifestation of neurocognitive disorders” (Fissler et al, 2017).
Hmmm, not bad as an inexpensive way to protect the brain.
4. VIDEOS OF CAKE DECORATIONS, SEWING HACKS, AND NAIL ART-
I confess that I get mesmerized with videos that I have no plans of doing. I don't bake since I almost burned my eyebrows, I hate sewing, especially since I cannot thread the thread into the needle, and I would rather pay money than mess up my cuticles again. Maybe, it’s what I do in an alternate universe, but not in this reality. Maybe I should stop making fun of my friend who loves watching chess moves online; maybe the chess master’s droll voice is his own guilty pleasure. Like watching paint dry.
https://www.facebook.com/tastemade/videos/479403805941590/
https://www.facebook.com/5min.crafts/videos/887066671625257/
https://www.facebook.com/yatinaildesigns/videos/1971710606465956/
5. DRAWING CARTOONS
I would love to publish a Nursing Comics Cartoons book. I dreamt of having a panel of comic strips showing a nurse in her milieu. Sadly, I am not any near as good as I want to be, so I just draw for pleasure. Maybe someday?
Guilty Pleasures Part 2- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2012/12/guilty-pleasures-part-2.html
Guilty Pleasures Part 1- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2010/12/on-not-feeling-guilty-about-guilty.html
