“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” - Albert Einstein


EXERCISE 4: Pick a Color (“I am blue”):

I am red. I am passionate and feisty. I am bold and in your face. I am not afraid to be notices and shy away from the spotlight. I am often misunderstood though. I stand out but not always on purpose.

EXERCISE 5: The Private-Eye Game

List of Qualities:

Lots of Books
Organized
Lots of Clothes
Plenty of Beauty Products
Classy Wall Art
Smells like Vanilla
Sociable
Quiet and Relaxing
Prefers Ipod over Cds
Cluttered Desk
Color-Coordinated
Open Space
Comfortable

Analysis:

My mother has always called me a pack rat but I don’t think that’s it at all. I just always feel like I need to be prepared for anything and my room displays that. Its organized but it does have extra “stuff” that I may or may not need but I’m always prepared.

EXERCISE 6: Seeing Yourself as Others See You

VERSION NO. 1: PRAISE BE!

My Granny (my biggest cheerleader):

“You’re my baby. Always will be. You take family very serious and you have always been that way. You never allow someone to come talk ill about your family. You would have some choice words for them Tradition is also very important to you. You’ve always been so sweet and affectionate. You’re never afraid to tell someone you love them and show them. That’s a great quality to have. You have a pretty good relationship with God that you’re constantly trying to improve. One my favorite things about you is that you’ve always had a mind of your own. Never let anyone tell you how you should feel or think. You make up your own damn mind about things. Ok. That’s all I have for you right now sweetie.”

EXERCISE 7: Twenty Things You Like to Do

1. Reading
2. Shopping Online
3. Buying Shoes
4. Sleeping
5. Eating Ice Cream
6. Getting My Hair Done
7. Volunteering
8. Putting on Make-up
9. Spending Time with My Family
10. Tormenting Our Dog
11. Going To Open Mics
12. Watching Tv
13. Cooking
14. Spending Time with My Friends
15. Watching Romanctic Movies
16. Exploring New Neighborhoods
17. Shopping for Books
18. Listening to Music
19. Riding the EL
20. Going to Museums

From looking over my list, I noticed that I like to indulge. By indulging, I’m referring to the fact that I like to enjoy everything I do. Whether I’m shopping, being with friends and family, being with my peers in a classroom or a open mic or just sitting my bed reading a new book, I like to treat myself. I never deny myself anything that I really want or enjoy. I have classes, work part-time and make sure I handle my business but I always like to have a good time. I’m not really sure if that’s a good quality or not but I do know it’s a consistent Leo trait.

EXERCISE 8: Your Ideal Environment

For me in my ideal environment, respect is essential. I need to be surrounded by people who before anything. You’re never going to agree with everything that people do, say or think but all about mutual respect. I need my closest friends, family and boyfriend to have unconditional love. Unconditional love doesn’t always mean backing someone up in mess but supporting one another through everything. My ideal environment wouldn’t involve me being filthy rich but I don’t want to poor either. I’m would want to be upper-middle class. My home needs to relaxing, comfortable and ultimately somewhere I can unwind and center myself. I need to be surrounded by beautiful art, modern and comfortable furnishings and have a large diverse music and book collection. Music is apart of my daily life. I listen to music when I’m getting ready to go out, on my way to class, in the car, while I’m cooking and while I read. If I don’t have some beautiful melody in the background, I’m typically annoyed by the silence. As an educator, I know that my life will involve some stress but I look forward to everything that comes along with it. As long as I’m able to step away from the stress of work and outside and come home to my private, warm and loving home then that’s my ideal environment.

EXERCISE 9: Your Ideal Day

I wake up around 7 on a beautiful Saturday in June in my beautiful condo in Hyde Park. My two adorable puppies Chocolate and Cinnamon are sleeping at the foot of my bed. I throw on some sweats and walk them around the block and take in the morning air and think about my day. After I return to my home, I hop in the shower and throw on some lounge clothes and prepare myself a breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, bacon, toast and a large cup of coffee. I curl up on my couch in front of the TV with my laptop and check my e-mail. After breakfast is finished, I load up the dishwasher and go to my bedroom, turn on some music and decide what I’m wearing for the day. I decide on some jeans, a cute t-shirt and some flip-flops for right now. I cuddle my babies for a moment, make sure they have fresh water and take off for my mani/pedi appointment with my mother and couple of girlfriends.

I hop into my red BMW Mini Coupe and head for day spa just a few minutes away from my apartment. When I arrive at the day spa, my mother and friends are already there but just getting started with their pedicures. We sit back, relax and gab about lives, loves and jobs. That takes a total of couple and then I’m out the door to meet up with my grandmother out in the south suburbs. She needs me to take her to run a few errands and it gives us a chance to spend some time together. We run to the drugstore, a couple department store and Wal-Mart for some household items. We have lunch at Olive Garden and I drop her off at home and promise to by tomorrow for Sunday dinner.

Its just after 2 and I’m on the expressway back to my place to let my babies out when I get a call from my boyfriend to meet up with him at the DuSable Museum to see a new exhibit I should see in a little while. I take my babies out for a quick walk so I can change and freshen up. Its 3:30 when I arrive at the museum and stroll around for just over an hour. We make plans to for dinner later on the evening for dinner and some club hopping. He says he’ll pick me up at 7. While driving back to my place I make a mental list of everything I need to do around my place. I take my babies out for another walk and play with them for a little while before I start some quick house cleaning. I put away the dishes in the dishwasher; wipe down the bathroom and Swiffer the floors.

I notice the clock says 5:45 and I need to start getting ready. I pull out one of my boyfriend’s favorite outfits and take a quick shower. Of course I’m running late and he’s early. I let him and he doesn’t complain about me not being ready. I finish up my make-up, fluff my hair and put on my clothes. He’s made reservations at one my favorite restaurants downtown Ben Pao. Dinner is excellent and so is the atmosphere. We head off to a great little lounge and enjoy some drinks and converse. After being at the lounge for a while, we head to a packed club to do some dancing and a little more drinking. We stay at the club to just after two and then head back to my place. He takes my babies out for a super quick walk while scrub my face clean and change into my PJs. He comes back from the walk, changes and we head to bed.

FANTASY ANALYSIS: GETTING DOWN TO BASICS

Questions 1-3:

INDISPENSABLE

What:
Great kitchen and bedroom
music to listen to
my car
my income
my puppies
Where:
My comfortable apartment
Somewhere clean, spacious and safe
Living close to my family
Who:
my close friends and family
understanding and intelligent boyfriend

OPTIONAL BUT DESIRABLE

What: the type of car I have
Where:
Who:

FRILLS

Nothing. I don’t think my day was unrealistic at all.

Question No. 4: What happens when you walk through an adjusted fantasy day with only the indispensable elements in it?

Nothing would be that different. I would probably being driving a Ford Focus or a Saturn.

Question No. 5: What—if any—elements of that day do you already have?

I have close relationships with my family and friends. I don’t see myself distancing myself from family anytime soon.

Question No. 6: What elements of the adjusted ideal day are conspicuously absent from your life right now?

The boyfriend. I would like to have someone to share my life with. Maybe one day…. The biggest element that I don’t have is the independence and a place of my own that I make my personal sanctuary. That’s the thing crave the most.