Tuesday, October 09, 2007

how do you reward yourself?

I've got a gift certificate for a massage at Burke Williams Spa. It was a present that was given to me a long time ago and I have yet to use it. Jim and I usually go to Pho Siam for Thai massages, but the BW massage I save for when I want to just treat myself. The gift box it came in is pretty beat up, it's been sitting on top of my desk, underneath about a foot tall pile of books, scripts, notes, business cards, pens, newspaper and magazine clippsing, invitations, and rubble. I also have bottles of champagne around, just in case something comes up that we have to celebrate immediately. There is, however, a very special bottle tucked away, reserved for really special celebrations. Then there are the cigars. Cuban, and reserved for when I want to reward myself greatly, health issues be damned.

I thought that by now, since I've sent off my screenplay to my producer, that I would've already smoked a cigar, drank some champagne, or had these knots in my back worked out and taken a steam. I will probably have to make some minor changes or a polish before the next phase in the project, but it was a major milestone for me. And yet the cigar, champagne and massage gift certificate sit untouched. Am I waiting for more notes and complete another rewrite before I feel comfortable popping the cork? Or is actually going into production the only thing that will make this all seem real enough to light up a Cohiba and then get a deep tissue massage?

I want to celebrate. Besides completing the screenplay, I'm enjoying the process of writing again. I feel like I'm in a groove, like I'm hanging out with the Muse again. We've been walking around downtown Los Angeles, picking up an avocado shake at Lost Souls, nibbling cheese and sipping wine at Banquette, staring at the downtown skyline from our patio. It's been nice. But I want to mark this victory, even if it's just a small one. So how do you guys reward yourselves? Any suggestions that don't involve Cuban cigars, champagne or a deep-tissue massage?

2 comments:

Happy said...

I go to Target or CVS with a $300 budget and buy crap I "think" I need (or need to try).

Nanette said...

New clothes, although I seem to reward myself for getting out of bed these days. ;) And my husband wonders why we keep running out of hangers. Oops!