[caption id="attachment_11975" align="alignnone" width="574"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11975" rel="attachment wp-att-11975"><img class=" wp-image-11975  " alt="My Favorite Playdate of 2012. Which was as simple as singing with Melanie at her house. When I was a child, I sang my heart out every chance I could get. When time vacuums rob me of those chances as an adult, I get cranky and want to throw temper tantrums. Play: It does a soul and psyche good." src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/PA210003-1024x768.jpg" width="574" height="430" /></a> My Favorite Playdate of 2012. Which was as simple as singing with Melanie at her house. When I was a child, I sang my heart out every chance I could get. When time vacuums rob me of those chances as an adult, I get cranky and want to throw temper tantrums. Play: It does a soul and psyche good.[/caption]

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Hello, friend.  How have you been?  How is the New Year treating you so far?

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As you may or may not have noticed, I haven't posted since January 1st.  Oopsie!

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I decided to take a Blogcation.  And then promptly forgot to tell you about it.  I am so sorry!

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<strong>Here's the scoop:</strong>

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<strong>As I mentioned in the <a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/" target="_blank">Zumbalicious post, </a>there are ch-ch-changes brewing behind the scenes at Diary of a Late Bloomer.</strong>

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What are these changes, you ask?  I would tell you, except that I am a big fan of surprises.

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All I can reveal to you now is, "Coming Soon To a Blogosphere Near You".  I realize that this is a bit corny, but I'm also a fan of corniness.  I was raised by a father from Kansas.  I can't help myself.

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Do I have a date for The Big Reveal?

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Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!  Uh....no.  I'm as behind in my New Year's Resolutions as you are.  ☺

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But I <em>promise</em> that you will be the first to know.

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<strong>In the meantime, let's continue celebrating <a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/52-playdates/" target="_blank">The Year of Play.</a>  </strong>

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As we <del>grow older.</del>...<del>age.</del>... <em>evolve</em> through the years, we often lose touch of our sense of playfulness.  Play brings us back to our innate sense of wonder that we delighted in as children.

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<strong>Have you felt less playful lately?  Is life getting in the way?  Have you wondered where your "spark" has gone?</strong>

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<strong>Well then it's time to light your inner sparkler, sister!  To get you started, I am assigning you one mini-adventure that's easy peasy. </strong>

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YOU CAN DO IT! And I will have a gold star and smiley face waiting for you to prove it!

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pewari/3609957389/" target="_blank"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-11986" alt="3609957389_405f7e818f" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3609957389_405f7e818f-300x236.jpg" width="300" height="236" /></a>

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I was a teacher for 16 years.  I can't help myself.

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<strong>Here's the instructions for your sparkly, easy peasy lemon squeezy mini-adventure:</strong>

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I could set this up with a warm and fuzzy ritual such as asking you to unearth your journal, choose your favorite pen, light a candle, brew a spot of tea in a special mug, play a relaxing instrumental tune in the background, blah, blah, blah . . . .

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Which is all fine and dandy, but this is all you really need to do:

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<strong>1.  Close your eyes.  Breathe.  Think about your FAVORITE childhood pastime.</strong>

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What comes to mind?  Riding your bike?  Jumping rope?  Hoola hooping?  Walking barefoot through the grass?  Dancing with your friends?  Singing your little lungs out along with Olivia Newton John?  Listening and heart pitter-pattering to Shawn Cassidy while jumping on the sofa?  (I just <del>aged</del> <em>evolved</em> myself, but it's all good.)

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<strong>2.  Once you are reminded of your FAVORITE childhood pastime, get thee to a calendar.</strong>  I don't care if it's old school papery or techy-gadgety.  Just get thee to it.

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<strong>3.  SCHEDULE a playdate with yourself.</strong>  That's right, girlfriends.  Set it in ink or cyber-ink.  It's a date.  And dates can't be broken.  That's just rude!

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<strong>4.  On this date, you will someway somehow blissfuly dive into your FAVORITE childhood pastime.</strong>  Invite a friend to join you if you are so inclined.  Playdates are double!!....triple!!!....quadruple!!!!....the fun with friends!

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5.  After your playdate -- when your heart is still sparkly from the play endorphins -- share your experience in the comments section below.  <strong>OR . . . . EVEN BETTER . . . . Write a guest blog post about your playdate.</strong>  I would be happy to post it right here on Diary of a Late Bloomer.  Feel free to include fabulous photos or videos of your playdate.

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<strong>Common Inner Critic Objections That Need to GO AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK ON ANY DAY!</strong>

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<strong>Objection A:</strong>  But, Michelle.  Hoola hooping?  I don't have one anymore!

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<strong>Easy Peasy Solution:</strong>  Oh, the glories of the Interwebs!  Skip that Starbucks tomorrow and treat yourself to a hula hoop.  Your waist will thank you.

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pic of me with hoola hoop.  credit melody and pinterest.  two ponies -- buns

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<strong>Objection B:</strong>  But, Michelle.  Shawn Cassidy?  I no longer have an 8-track player/cassette player/phonograph.

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<strong>Easy Peasy Solution:</strong>  Oh, the glories of YouTube!  Da doo ron ron ron, da doo ron ron!

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<strong>insert vid instead</strong>

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<strong>Objection C:</strong>  But, Michelle.  I work 2,654 hours per week.  Who has time for play?!?!

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<strong>Easy Peasy Solution:  </strong>Bopping and singing along to Da Doo Ron Ron will take you 2 minutes and 43 seconds, and I will GUARANTEE that it will add an extra smile and several endorphins to your day.  How much time did you spend watching TV, catching up on the news, surfing the Internet, and/or posting on facebook today?

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<strong>Objection D:  </strong>But, Michelle.  My mother always reprimanded me about jumping on the sofa!!!

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<strong>Easy Peasy Solution:  </strong>Come on!  Jumping on the sofa is the FUNNEST!  If you're as neurotic about your furniture as your mother, you can always pop in on a friend who has young children and corrupt them in the name of play and good memories.  You can see me ruining my dear friend's sofa <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/27/day-180-i-crashed-a-slumber-party/" target="_blank">here.  </a></strong>

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<span style="color: #008000; font-size: medium;"><strong>Say say my playmate.  Come out and play with me?  If so, please say, "Yes!" or "Yipppeeee!!!" or "Yay!"  in the comments section below.   </strong></span>

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