Why "Sometimes I Like to Build a Tent"?

When I was younger, during the summers, my parents would run the air conditioner. The main vent for this air conditioner was located in the dining room downstairs. In order to remain cool during the blistering 85 degree Orange County, CA summers, my sister, Tart and I would build a tent out of sheets, using the dining room chairs for reinforcement. This tent was perfectly engineered to maximize air flow, structural strength and "good memories" efficiency.

Fast forward fifteen years. Although I no longer use my Smurf, New Kids on the Block and Little Mermaid sheets, I have managed to recess back to my kidish ways of summer. My apartment has no air conditioning and is considerably cooler in the West facing dining/living room/kitchen than in my South facing room. Last week on Sunday, Tart and I were having a modern day sleep over ie. we moved my queen size mattress into the dining/living room/ kitchen and strategically positioned it in front of the T.V.

My laziness and lack of caring where I sleep led me to consequently sleep on the mattress, on the floor, in the middle of the room, not in my bedroom, for the next six nights. I was asked to move the mattress by "the elusive roommate" on Saturday in order to sweep/mop our tile floor. Post cleaning of the floor, the mattress resumed it's location and Triscuit eating, movie watching and cat napping resumed.

I have realized that in addition to enjoying various activities, like the occasional tent building, I gain great happiness from those events and activities which people think they would enjoy, yet would never take the effort involved in making those events a reality.

For instance, a queen size mattress in the middle of the floor, 10 yards away from it's original resting place. Another notable event I occasionally partake in is that of a glass of red wine in the bathtub. Amazing. Very cliche. Very "Mulholland Drive" meets "Sleeping with the Enemy." Others include fashion magazines and a Miller Lite, riding beach cruisers on the boardwalk, watching every episode of a television marathon like Project Runway, to name a few.

I am a woman of simple pleasures. That gives me an idea.