Guilty Pleasures

As I secretly indulged in some of my favorite things this morning, I started thinking about guilty pleasures. The urban dictionary says a guilty pleasure is something that we shouldn’t like, but we like anyway. I think this is a contradiction in terms. If we really like doing something, we shouldn’t feel guilty about it, right?

CNN did a story on this last year entitled why men don’t have ‘guilty’ pleasures. According to that article, for men, “obsessions are points of pride, not shame.” I don’t think women should hang their heads in shame either.

So here is a list of a few of my so called guilty pleasures.  What are yours?

1. Taking my nightly bubble bath

This is by far, my most favorite guilty pleasure.  Thank goodness we don’t pay for water at our apartment.  I just feel so relaxed and all my worries and anxieties dissipate into the bubbles.

2.  Reading Gossip Magazines

They are so bad they are good. It is one of the easiest guilty pleasures out there. Just grab one at the supermarket for a few hours of indulgence. I don’t care that most of that celebrity stuff isn’t true; I just want to look at all the pictures and dream that I owned as many pairs of shoes as Suri Cruise.

3. Google

What and the heck would I do without Google. I Google just about everything, any subject that I am clueless about is just a Google away. Never fear…Google is here!

4.  Getting a Massage

Although I don’t get a chance to do this one as often as I like this is my favorite guilty pleasure. Doing a little research on the topic, at least this one is good for me. Several studies show that massage reduces levels of stress-inducing cortisol and increases the levels of stress-reducing serotonin and dopamine, slowing the heart rate and reducing blood pressure. Massages are particularly effective for back pain, working better even than chiropractic therapy or acupuncture, according to researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle.

5.  Smell Goods

 I am absolutely obsessed with anything that smells good. My favorite perfume is Light Blue. I love the smell of eucalyptus, apples, citrus, and warm vanilla sugar, I mean nothing is better than the smell of an apple pie or fresh cookies right out of the oven.  I love scented candles and hand lotions! I love to change scents for the seasons. Plus, I like to have a lavender scent in my bedroom to help with sleep.

6. iPhone

I know I just did a post on the evils of technology, but that is why this one is a guilty pleasure.) Who isn’t obsessed with their iPhone. It’s always in my hand and when it isn’t I’m looking for it. I tend to sometimes set it down and forget where I put it.  Love all my apps and always looking for new ones.  Apps I frequent…, Facebook, Blogger, Words with Friends, IMDB, Pinterest, Scramble with friends, and too many more to name.

7. Chocolate

What woman doesn’t love chocolate? I am particularly fond of Ghirardelli chocolate in various forms. One of my biggest treats is white chocolate honeycomb, it’s amazing. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think I probably actually HAVE done that before, lol!

8. Flowers

I love flowers, all of them, in every color.  It’s sad when they start to die in the vase which often happens sooner than I would hope.  I found that the flower Astramaris (below, comes in multiple colors), when bought from the store, lasts a long time 3-4 weeks, so I will usually look for those. I like to place them near the front door so I see them every time I come or go, that way I can see them throughout the day.

9) Nora Roberts books  and Watching LMN

I love to read and her books are all exactly the same.  Man meets woman, they have issues, they tip toe around each other, they accidentally fall into bed together, they have a fight, they make up, he proposes.  Sometimes you just need to get caught up in someone else’s life for awhile (even if it isn’t real). I’m always going to be a hopeless romantic. LMN- It really doesn’t even matter what movie is on.  They are all equally good and bad at the same time.  I can get lost for hours and I always find it funny to see what washed up TV and Movie actors are playing the starring role, because somehow everyone always ends up on Lifetime.

10) Basking in the sun

This pleasure, just like chocolate can be good for you. Bright days really do lift our moods -- sunshine is the ultimate natural antidepressant, triggering our bodies to nip production of the sleep-stimulating hormone melatonin so we're alert, energized, and ready to face the day. Exposing bare skin to the sun also triggers the synthesis of vitamin D, a hormone that may reduce your risks for cancer, heart disease, fragile bones, and other problems.