The problem I have with the term “guilty pleasure” is that I don’t think you should feel guilty for enjoying the things you like to do. Whatever you read, watch, or do in your free time is your business (so long as it’s legal and, ya know, not hurting anyone). Enjoy it. Embrace it. Forget those people who don’t approve of it!
I’ve watched plenty of movies and TV and read plenty of books that others might consider guilty pleasures, but I certainly haven’t felt guilty about it. I’m more likely to feel guilty about not doing something. (Like when I read a book while the boys are having quiet time instead of doing, say, the laundry.)
Okay, I might feel slightly guilty when I hide in the kitchen enjoying the last chocolate muffin while the boys are busy playing in the other room. A mom’s gotta have a treat once in awhile, and kids can be real mooches. At least I haven’t resorted to eating in the bathroom to be alone.
Time to fess up! What is something you enjoy that might be considered a guilty pleasure?
#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (August is all about guilty pleasures), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. Be sure to check out Kai’s and Mary’s posts this month. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.
Chocolate, Cheese, reading romance and gaming.
Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
All worthy guilty pleasures, Juneta!
Here’s an example: I really should add a few hundred words to that first draft today to make my word count, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. I could finish that audiobook (only 30 minutes left). I rationalize it by unloading the dishwasher while I listen so I can claim I’m doing real work.
That part about hiding in the bathroom to eat alone was LOL funny! True, kids can put on such pathetic faces when desserts are on offer. Strangely, they never try to mooch your vegetables.
Not writing (and/or not doing writing-related things) gives me unending amounts of guilt as well. It’s the job that never sleeps.
I’m totally with you on feeling guilty for things I DON’T do. For example this very moment, I’m sitting here drinking coffee, reading your blog – in my workout clothes. Because I fully intended to go for a run/walk, but I woke up late and chose to enjoy my coffee first. Now there is less than a 1/2 hour before I have to get ready for work and I didn’t make it outside to workout – I feel guilty. Sort of. Kind of. But, yeah…I’ll live.
Designated exercise time has definitely taken a backseat for me over the last few years. And I was a super athlete as a kid and into my teens. Even in my 20s, I used to play soccer 3 times a week. C’est la vie!
The “guilty” part originated, no doubt, from religious prodding to engage in spiritually elevating pursuits. So hovering in low-brow territory became “guilty pleasure.” Literate folk call formula genre books such, and it conveys how absurd this is outside of religious context… They enjoy it, so it is a joy, IMO.
So my NOT guilty but not elevated pleasures are old TV sitcoms. Some were innovative in their day, but now they are undemanding cozy time sucks. They go well with munchable foodstuff 😉
TV and snacks…I can get on board with that!
I like the thought of guilty pleasures not needing to be something to feel guilty about. So true! I have a few TV shows that I enjoy watching (when I should be reading/writing/working/running, to name a few), but some evenings all I can do it turn on Netflix for a few minutes and let my brain rest 🙂
I hear ya! I always have good intentions of writing in the evenings. But then once the boys are asleep and I hit the couch, it’s like all I can do to keep from drooling all over myself.
Eating a whole mango all by myself. I hatehatehate to share mangos, even with my own family 🙁 Thanks for reminding me that I need to go to confession 🙂
I’m lucky to get a bit of mango here. The boys love mango!