AUBREEVISION - Observations from the far side of the dial

It's a national holiday and Canadians coast to coast are gearing up for outdoor concerts, fireworks, meat-grilling and beer-drinking. Me? Not so much. My plans for the perfect day off include the following:

• hair dyeing
  
• leisurely blogging
  
• watching The Bold and the Beautiful and a veritable smorgasbord of daytime TV for the first time in weeks
• savouring a glass of red wine on the balcony
  
• enjoying a hard-core fat-burning, heart-thumping, shin-splinting, leg-sculpting, sweat-drenching rollerblade or run
• cleaning up my pigsty of a room
  
• playing plug-and-play TV arcade games
• whipping up a yummy taco supper to share with Eric upon his arrival from New Hampshire this evening
• if we're lucky, front porch fireworks -- last year's suburban light show was perfectly placed for our viewing pleasure
  
• cuddle time!
• and horrors, I almost forgot -- no day would be complete without savouring the latest installment of Pink is the New Blog!

One of my gym co-workers and I had an interesting discussion about what I've just now labelled Holiday Expectation Syndrome -- the pressure to have Big Plans and the Ultimate Good Time that accompanies statutory holidays and occasions like New Year's Eve. It's a small-talk staple -- "So, any big plans for the long weekend?" And for many folks, long weekends are the ideal time to go to the cottage, get rip-roaring drunk or spend the day at an outdoor concert. But what if that's just not your thing? Shouldn't a day off be about doing what makes you happy, even if it's not someone else's idea of Big Plans? Yet I still feel a bit sheepish saying "ummm...I'm staying home to read and watch soaps." But what's wrong with that, really? Fact is, I'm all about small pleasures.

While I'm keeping things low-key today, though, tomorrow will be pool-party-riffic -- Sophie, as one of the few home-owners among our group of friends, has invited the gang over to her place on the Quebec side of the river (it's like a whole different country!) for bbq and swimming. I'm greatly looking forward to a (hopefully) sun-drenched afternoon of burgers, bikinis and girlie drinks. Throw in some pool noodles and things could get crazy!