The Beauty of a Nothing Weekend

I have been looking forward to a Nothing Weekend all summer. For those of you unaware, a Nothing Weekend consists of two blissful days where you have zero obligations. You are not expected to be anywhere, do anything, keep any appointments, agree to commit to any favors. You don't even have to answer the phone, the door, email. Nothing. For two straight days it is allll about you.

Now granted, being single and relatively unencumbered save for the canine, my whole life seems like it's all about me, but that's really all smoke and mirrors. I still have a family and they still need things from me, although probably on a much lower level than people with kids. Even so, you still reach a point when things build up, you're being pushed and pulled in several directions by family obligations, work obligations, and a list of things that you just need to get done, attend to, show up for.

Some people handle this better than others. I can handle about a month of it and then I need time for me or I'll go completely postal (this is a sure sign my position on not having kids was the right one for me). There are a lot of women out there that feel guilty over taking time for themselves when they could be devoting it to others. I've never been one of them. I know I function better if I refill the well. If you don't, eventually it'll run dry, and then you're no good to yourself or anybody else.

This summer has been particularly busy with family things, Reno, weekly softball games, the retreat, etc. I'd about reached my limit and knew it was time to carve out a weekend for myself. When I heard we didn't have ball this Sunday, I knew this was it. My chance. My escape. I had nothing pending. No one needed me for anything, there was no where I had to be, no favors to take up my time, na da. The weekend stretched out before me with no obligations--

The phone rang. I picked it up. What's that? Cat sit for the weekend? My sister was having company and didn't want her two cats bothered by a few extra pair of bodies in their relatively small house. I contemplated saying no. Dammit, I have a Nothing Weekend planned! I'm not supposed to do favors! But considering the amount of times my parents or brother dog sat for me this summer, it didn't seem fair to say 'sorry, no can do' when my only excuse would be, 'uh, no. Can't. I have nothing planned.' Luckily the cats are low maintenance so in the end it isn't that big a deal.

But that's it. I'm not doing anymore favors. Every time my phone rings though I have to squelch the urge to screen the call. I'm afraid someone else will ask for something and I'll cave because the best I can come up with is, 'nope, sorry, I plan to nap Saturday afternoon, you'll have to find someone else'; or 'no can do, I'm busy kicking up my feet and reading a book'. I know it makes me look selfish but you know what, sometimes you just gotta make it all about you. Or in this case, allll about me.