An Indulgence a Day: 365 Simple Ways to Spoil Yourself

an

indulgence

a day

365 simple ways to spoil yourself

ANDREA NORVILLE & PATRICK MENTON

Copyright © 2009 Simon and Schuster

All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any

form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are

made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by

Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-60550-152-2

ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-152-9

eISBN: 978-1-44051-345-9

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

is available from the publisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the

American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.

For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

Pop-Pop, this is your book. You’re my favorite.

I miss you and I love you more.

—A.N.

To Mom and Dad, for always encouraging me

to take risks and believe in myself.

—P.M.

Andrea’s Acknowledgments

As a book fanatic, being able to call myself an author is a dream come true. More importantly, I got to do this with my best friend. Patrick, I’m so glad we could share this together. Thank you for always being there. I love you.

Jonny, thank you for being so proud of me you told complete strangers I was writing a book and for pushing me every step of the way. I love you so much.

To Mom and Dad, thank you for teaching me the importance of matching undergarments and movie marathons, two very important indulgences.

Eric, Think, McFly, think. I’m grateful for our inside jokes.

A big thank you to the Adams team: Karen Cooper, Phil Sexton, and Paula Munier for saying yes and Meredith O’Hayre for not being afraid to edit a friend’s first book.

Patrick’s Acknowledgments

Andrea, you are a true blessing in my life. I am so proud of us.

Mom and Dad, thank you for your guidance, unyielding support, and teaching me the most important indulgence of all: family.

Jacquie, you have always kept me grounded and continue to keep me laughing. You are truly the best sister any brother could ask for.

Thank you, Evan, for loving me and encouraging me throughout this entire process. I couldn’t have done this without your patience and support. I love you.

Contents

Introduction

1. Make Snow Cones with Fresh Snow

2. Take a Sick Day for Sex

3. Make Your Own Sugar Body Scrub

4. Host a Dinner Party with Your

Favorite Film as the Theme

5. Have Lunch in the Park

6. Take a Morning Walk

7. Start a Vacation Savings

Account

8. Have an Afternoon Tea Party

9. Buy a Removable Showerhead

10. Have Thanksgiving Dinner in

the Spring

11. Put Flowers on a Stranger’s

Grave

12. Eat Your Favorite Kid Food

13. Get a Reiki Treatment

14. Go Apple Picking

15. Learn How to Knit

16. Buy Expensive Sheets for Your

Bed

17. Test Drive a Car You Can’t

Afford

18. Have Breakfast for Dinner

19. Join Paperbackswap

20. Collect Shells at the Beach

21. Forgive Someone

22. Wash Each Other in the

Shower

23. Restock Your Fruit Bowl

24. Wear Fluffy Socks

25. Bake a Birthday Cake for a

Coworker

26. Have a Sleepover

27. Get a Tattoo

28. Cut Down Your Own Christmas

Tree

29. Take a Cooking Class with a

Friend

30. Buy a Star

31. Make Homemade Fruit

Popsicles

32. Cut Coupons

33. Have an ’80s Movie

Marathon

34. Get Your Tarot Cards Read

35. Buy Lingerie for No Reason

36. Buy Flowers for Every Room

37. Shower Until the Hot Water

Runs Out

38. Pamper a Pregnant Friend

39. Build a Fort

40. Treasure Hunt on the Beach

41. Buy Yourself a Christmas

Present

42. Cook Sunday Dinner for Your

Family

43. Visit the Zoo

44. Make a Recipe from Your

Favorite Cooking Show

45. Buy a Lottery Ticket

46. Go to the Movie Theater

Alone

47. Tell Someone You Love

Them

48. Have a Sex-Toy Party

49. Rearrange Your Bedroom

50. Moisturize with Warm Lotion

51. Give Your Leftovers to the

Homeless

52. Camp Out in the Backyard

53. Dig for Gemstones

54. Decorate Your Cubicle or Office

for the Holidays

55. Have an Ice Cream Social

56. Lay Out under the Stars

57. Have Dessert for Dinner

58. Create a Budget

59. Spend the Day in Bed

60. Apologize to Someone

61. Spend the Day Naked

62. Buy New Bath Towels

63. Make an Appointment for a

Physical

64. Donate to Your Favorite

Charity

65. Take a Trip to Walt Disney

World

66. Take a Cheap Flight on a

Whim

67. Send Holiday Cards

68. Dress Up for Your Favorite

Award Show

69. Go Camping

70. Set up a Taco Bar

71. Get a Copy of Your Credit Report

72. People Watch

73. Meditate Before Bed

74. Swim Naked

75. Decorate for the Holidays

76. Get Your Teeth Cleaned

77. Spoil Your Lover

78. Make a Snowman

79. Buy Yourself a Diamond

80. See Fireworks on the 4th of

July

81. Have a Jewelry-Swap Party

82. Watch the Sunrise and Sunset in

One Day

83. Celebrate with Champagne

84. Keep a Journal for a Year

85. Enjoy a Day of Silence

86. Go to an Open House for Your

Dream Home

87. Go to a Nude Beach

88. Clean Out Your Refrigerator

89. Take a Daily Vitamin

90. Donate Old Clothes to

Charity

91. Make Marshmallow and Rice

Cereal Squares

92. Spend the Day at a Water

Park

93. Start Holiday Shopping in the

Summer

94. Have a Traditional Summer

Cookout

95. Dance in the Rain

96. Have an Exotic Meal for

Dinner

97. Clean Your Desk Before Leaving

Work

98. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast

99. Create a Goal Board

100. Kiss Passionately Before You

Leave for Work

101. Have Your House Blessed

102. Get a Hot Stone Massage

103. Make a Mix CD or Playlist for

Your Best Friend

104. Play on a Swing

105. Ride a Rollercoaster

106. Eat a Boiled Dinner on St.

Patrick’s Day

107. Have a Series Finale Party

108. Go to an Outdoor Concert

109. Eat Brownies for Breakfast

110. Keep a Food and Exercise

Journal

111. Take a Nap

112. Learn about Another

Religion

113. Get a Brazilian Wax

114. Repaint Your Bedroom

115. Get a Manicure

116. Hold the Door for a

Stranger

117. Jump in a Pile of Autumn

Leaves

118. Gamble at a Casino

119. Make a New Year’s

Resolution

120. Spend the Day at the

Aquarium

121. Go Out for Drinks or Dinner

after Work

122. Clean Out Your Purse or

Wallet

123. Savor Some Cotton Candy

124. Play Mini Golf

125. Write a Letter to a Deceased

Family Member or Friend

126. Have a Nude Self Portrait

Taken

127. Create a Relaxation Room

128. Let Someone Brush Your

Hair

129. Buy Candy for Coworkers

130. Put Together a Puzzle

131. Go Scuba Diving

132. Don’t Use Electricity on Earth

Day

133. Throw Yourself an Un-Birthday

Party

134. Sleep on the Beach

135. Make Homemade Pizza

136. Back Up Your Work

137. Have Breakfast in Bed

138. Learn How to Play a Musical

Instrument

139. Have Sex in the Woods

140. Hire a Landscaper

141. Buy a New Toothbrush

142. Share a Taxi with a

Stranger

143. Carve Pumpkins

144. Visit a Different Country

145. Kiss Someone on New Year’s

Eve

146. Start a Neighborhood Baseball

Team

147. Watch the Tides Change

148. Make Homemade Donuts

149. Turn Off the Television

150. Use the Snooze Button

151. Write a Thank-You Letter to

Your Parent(s)

152. Give a Hands-Free Massage to

Your Lover

153. Buy One New Piece of

Furniture

154. Change Your Hair Color

155. Shovel Your Neighbor’s

Driveway

156. Watch Disney Movies

157. Drive Across the Country

158. Play an April Fool’s Joke

159. Let Someone Set You Up on a

Date

160. Ride a Horse in the Woods

161. Have Frozen Hot Chocolate in

the Summer

162. Buy New Workout Clothes

163. Heat Up Your Sheets Before

You Go to Bed

164. Write Your Memoir

165. Go Commando all Day

166. Clean Out and Organize Your

Closet

167. Take a Bath Filled with

Flowers

168. Pay for a Stranger’s Meal

169. Have a Board Game Party

170. Go Snorkeling

171. Send Out Valentines

172. Have a Tree-Trimming

Party

173. Go Fishing

174. Eat Juicy, Ripe Fruit in the

Shower

175. Start a Piggy Bank

176. Make a Lottery Wish List

177. Change One Thing You Don’t

Like about Yourself

178. Make Out at the Movies

179. Take Inspiration from Home

Magazines to Decorate

180. Splurge on a Pedicure

181. Make Your Neighbor an Herb

Box

182. Play Your Favorite Childhood

Video Game

183. Take a Hot Air Balloon

Ride

184. Color Easter Eggs

185. Set Single Friends Up on a

Date

186. Find Shapes in the

Clouds

187. Drink Good Coffee

188. Get a Library Card

189. Fantasize about Your

Wedding

190. Keep a Book of Funny Quotes

from Family and Friends

191. Buy a Waterproof

Vibrator

192. Get a Pool

193. Get a Free Makeover at a

Cosmetics Counter

194. Volunteer at a Nursing

Home

195. Play Catch

196. Get Tickets to a Playoff

Game

197. Create Your Own Holiday

198. Play Poker with Friends

199. Lay in the Light of the Full

Moon

200. Make S’mores in Your

Backyard

201. Take a Class for Fun at a Local

College

202. Take a Mental Health Day

203. Count Your Blessings

204. Have Sex on Your Lunch

Break

205. Declutter Your Attic and

Basement

206. Buy Cashmere

207. Make Dinner for the Local Fire

Station

208. Finger Paint

209. Swim with Dolphins

210. Dress Up for Halloween

211. Have a Candle Party

212. Build Your Own Bird

Feeder

213. Sample All of the Flavors

at Your Local Ice Cream

Shop

214. Put Photos in Albums

215. Give a Foot Massage Using

Reflexology

216. Make a Playlist of Relaxation

Music

217. Take a Belly Dancing

Class

218. Grow a Vegetable

Garden

219. Have an Acupuncture

Treatment

220. Donate to the Make-a-Wish

Foundation

221. Sculpt with Playdough

222. Visit an Amusement Park

223. Bake Christmas Cookies for

Your Neighbors

224. Hold a Reunion

225. Adopt an Endangered

Animal

226. Bake Your Own Bread

227. Organize Your Computer

Files

228. Listen to Classical Music

All Day

229. Wish Upon a Star

230. Have Sex in Water

231. Make Your Home More Energy

Efficient

232. Make Your Own Body Oil

233. Walk for a Cause

234. Color

235. Go Skydiving

236. Buy Your Favorite Candy on

Halloween

237. Take Ballroom Dancing with

Your Partner

238. Take a Walk at Sunset

239. Make Your Own Ice

Cream

240. Clean Up Your Personal

E-Mail

241. Be Late for Work

242. Take a Yoga Class

243. Cook Dinner Naked

244. Make Your Own Candles

245. Wear Matching

Undergarments

246. Create a Scholarship in a

Loved One’s Name

247. Build a Sand Castle at the

Beach

248. Go Snowboarding

249. Go Ice Skating on Christmas

Eve

250. Celebrate TGIF

251. Plant a Tree

252. Drink Warm Apple Cider

253. Create a Filing System for

Important Documents

254. Make Up Baby Names

255. Spend the Day with Your

Pet

256. Have Anonymous Cyber

Sex

257. Feng Shui Your Home

258. Power Walk at the Mall

259. Volunteer at an Animal Shelter

for the Day

260. Have a Snowball Fight

261. Go Parasailing

262. Make a Haunted House for

Neighborhood Children

263. Eat Out on a Wednesday

264. Walk Out on a Jetty

265. Make Homemade Hot

Chocolate

266. Make a Scrapbook for the

Year

267. See a Broadway Show

268. Get a Photo of Your Aura

269. Take a Pole-Dancing

Class

270. Plant a Rose Bush

271. Get a Wax

272. Spend Time with a Sick

Friend

273. Have an Adult-Themed

Scavenger Hunt

274. Kayak in the Ocean

275. Take a Haunted Hayride

276. Join an Adult Intramural

League

277. Canoe Down a River

278. Concoct a Crazy Combination

at Cold Stone Creamery

279. Buy a Dry-Erase Calendar

280. Drink an Expensive Bottle of

Wine

281. Take a Tai Chi Class

282. Try a New Position

283. Make Your Bathroom

Shine

284. Get a Chair Massage

285. Donate to a Food Bank

286. Go Sledding

287. Visit a Renaissance Faire

288. Deliver Christmas Gifts to

Needy Families

289. Have a Cheese and Wine

Party

290. Go Pumpkin Picking

291. Incorporate Chocolate into

Every Meal

292. Get Your Car Detailed

293. Spend the Weekend with Your

Favorite TV Series

294. Hug Three Different

People

295. Make Time for a Quickie

296. Fill a Room with Lit

Candles

297. Buy New Makeup

298. Adopt a Pet from a Rescue

Shelter

299. Build a Tree House

300. Backpack Across Europe

301. Celebrate First Night in the

City

302. Speed Date

303. Go on a Whale Watch

304. Have Dessert at the

Cheesecake Factory

305. Take a Staycation

306. Catch Up on Celebrity

Gossip

307. Do Something That Scares

You

308. Watch Porn

309. Buy a Hot