backwards day

I think I wore my clothes both backwards and inside out.  Turned my desk and chair around.  I doubt I walked backwards in the hallways, and I’m not sure who started it.  Backwards day.  I know how "opposite day" originated.  "You know Mrs. Zlokhower, I think you’re the greatest teacher."  Then in a whisper to your friend, "It’s so opposite day."   But who came up with backwards day?  And why?  I’ll tell you why.  I’m doing it today.  Because it’s fun.  I awoke and ate dessert, and before I fall asleep tonight there will be breakfast.  Maybe a waffle with some scrambled eggs.  I love breakfast for dinner.  I’m not sure how useful backwards day is, but it is fun.  I think too often in my life lately, I’ve been focused on what’s productive or useful, but sometimes it’s just about fun.

Here’s what’s not fun.  I’m actually sick in Austin.  It’s hot as balls out.  You’re not supposed to get sick in this weather, yet here I am, shacked up in bed.  I’m bored (and bored leads to boring, or is it the other way around?) and can hardly even stand the television anymore.  As soon as I begin to read, I feel guilty that I should be writing.  I’m currently in the middle of three writing projects.  The Pilot.  Book Two.  And an article about miscarriage and abortion for the UK.  I feel too sick to write or read or do much of anything.  Which seems backwards to me, because this isn’t me, it’s a pale imitation of me, in bed, beneath covers.  Booh.

It could be worse though.  I could be in New York, with this as my highlight: "This evening from 6pm to 10pm there will be a number of swim wear designers showcasing their 06′ lines on the roof at Bed.  Over 60 models wearing bikinis, silk beach scarves and tops, and dozens of one of kind hand painted items will be on display.  You must rsvp to gain access to the roof."  I’d rather die.

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COMMENTS:

  1. Stephanie,
    When I think of your writing nothing but words of admiration and praise come to mind. But please move back to New York so you have something to write about.

  2. Kriss Kross will make you…JUMP JUMP. I know the feeling, siser. The long weekend is here and i'm ready for some fun. Thanks for breathing out for us.

  3. Please, please, please accept that you are obsessed with food and be whatever size you are. And then please don't complain about being fat. OR, alternatively, please stop being obsessed with food and then maybe you'll be slimmer.
    But as it is, you are horribly boring (though I find it all very amusing, especially the banal kiss-ass comments from people in XXX)

  4. I wore my sweater backward last month.

    It was an accident.

    Hot porridge for dinner. The best!

  5. i read the sentences in your post from last to first. you know, to be backwards on backwards day. surprisingly, it almost made perfect sense.

  6. When the teens were babies, we moved into a new house. It was a warm summer day, and when they took an afternoon nap, so did I. I didn't wake up until 4:25, and had to be at the bank before they closed at 5:00. I threw on my clothes, got all the babies loaded and in the car. Zoomed to the bank. Went in with my 0, 2 and 3 year old, which usually attracted smiles and friendly glances no matter what. Got a few funny looks. Finally, the looks got to be quite pointed, so I looked at myself – and yes. My shirt was on backwards, and inside-out. So I hurriedly asked to go in the safety deposit room, brought all the babies in, shut the door and whisked off the shirt to put it on the right way, only to knock a sticky lollipop off my butt. It was a great day. No really.

    Memories like that make 3 teens seem like a walk in the park.

  7. I love breakfast for dinner too! Bacon…mmmm. And this morning my dry Berry Burst Cheerio's just weren't doing it for me sitting at my desk. So now I am having a second bowl of salted peanuts in the shell and making a mess!

  8. Stephanie

    I have a question for you – what is the best gift you've ever gotten?

    I need to buy a bday gift for my girlfriend and am looking for creative ideas – so what's on your wish list?

    Come on – this could be fun!

  9. would be interested to know what the article about abortion/miscarriage is…i know they are connected. i.e. if you have an abortion there is a much greater chance of miscarriage with the 2nd pgcy.

  10. So you added that last paragraph after receiving the comment from Amanda. Gimme a break. You got something to prove?

    I'M CONSTANTLY POSTING, ADDING WHEN THE MOOD STRIKES. PERHAPS THIS IS THE ONLY TIME YOU NOTICED THIS. AS YOU SAID "GIMME A BREAK". HAVE A GREAT JULY 4TH WEEKEND.

  11. At Camp Wishe for Girls (a horse camp) we had Backwards Day. They blew Taps first thing in the morning, we had dinner for breakfast, everyone wore their underwear outside their regular clothes, our schedule of activities was completely backwards, breakfast for dinner, then Reveille right before bed. It was a blast.

    We also had Spook Night, Hawaiian Luau day, Indian Naming Day (a girlfriend who would sometimes pee in her pants if she laughed too hard was named Princess Laughing Waters), Camper-Counselor day (the campers became the counselors and vice versa), and probably a dozen more that I don't remember now.

  12. So it's hot in Austin in the summer. Who'd have thought? Still, NYC is usually fairly humid in the summer as well. Only NYC is almost always cooler in the AM and evening.

    And is the dessert for breakfast consistent with WW? Points, points, points…

  13. Hey, I love dessert for breakfast! I don't consider it backwards, though.

    But what do you have against models who are over age 60?

  14. Also, to comment on Anon's comment: I believe that Stephanie's article regarding abortion and miscarriage is one that describes her personal experiences, and is not an exploration of their possible association with one another.

    With respect to the medicine (I am not an Ob/Gyn, but I do have a medical degree), the medical literature does not really support an association between first trimester termination of pregnancy (colloquially, abortion) and subsequent spontaneous abortion (known by laypeople as a miscarriage), unless the interpregnancy interval is very short. That is, unless a pregnancy occurs fewer than 3 months after the terminated pregnancy, there is not a statistically significant increase in risk for spontaneous abortion with the second pregnancy.

  15. M.D. regarding your first post, I'm guessing that by saying "over 60 models" Stephanie meant over 60 in number – not over the age of 60

  16. Indeed, Heather, I recognized her meaning. I was merely making a (very) feeble attempt at humor.

  17. Thank God for the comment by MD. Abortions and miscarriage are NOT linked in this day and age. Decades ago, when an abortion meant forcibly opening the cervix, sometimes that soft tissue was damaged, increasing your risk for early labor. But not miscarriage. Facts like this out there were why I created my miscarriage web site. I remember reading a book that said drinking milk could cause miscarriage and I said ENOUGH. After a number of losses myself, I knew how sensitive we were at second guessing the reasons for our miscarriage and we did not need some unsubstantiated guesses making us think our loss was our fault. Good luck on your article, Stephanie, and I hope you feel better soon. It is hot here and summer colds are the worst!

  18. Oh no! I was just going to check to see when you wanted to play this weekend! Feel better. Need anything?

  19. I think if you check the "breakfast at night" rulebook, it calls for soft boiled eggs. Not sure if Backwards Day trumps that, tho.

  20. HA!

    I'll see your "sick in Austin", and raise you a "sick in Vegas while on vacation."

  21. I didn't wear anything backwards today .. but I felt slightly off all day .. my kids do opposites to me all the time!
    I love, love, love breakfast for dinner! When it's just me and the girls we love to have srcambled eggs and french toast … yum, I think we'll have it tomorrow night!

  22. I think Backwards Day started at camp, as did a counsellor calling "Freeze" and whoever moved wound up doing dishes for eight spoiled slobs with runny noses and dirty sleeves. A friend of mine mentioned something a few days ago and it brought me back to that whole Color War/Freeze! camp aesthetic, and then this post reminded me of 8-year-old kids, myself included, wearing white undies over sweatpants.

    The dessert for breakfast thing isn't a problem — that one I've got down pat. The briefs-over-sweatpants thing, even for the block-and-a-half walk to the grocery, not so much…

  23. breakfast for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is the right way to do it. Pancakes, french toast, omelettes. I want it all.

    Sorry to hear you're sick. Hopefully you're better now.

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