Friday Fun is a group post from the writers of the NHWN blog. Each week, we’ll pose and answer a different, get-to-know-us question. We hope you’ll join in by providing your answer in the comments.
QUESTION: How would you define the perfect day?
Lisa J. Jackson: Oh, my, the perfect day for me is waking up at sunrise in the most comfortable bed in the most beautiful cottage on the edge of a beautiful lake (in NH, most likely). I’m able to see the sky brighten as the sun finds its way over the mountain, and I take my time getting up. I get my iced coffee and go out to the deck to watch the sun rise higher into the sky. Maybe I’m motivated for an early morning kayak trip. Maybe I write. Maybe I take pictures. Or maybe I just sit and enjoy the quiet that slowly moves aside as the birds and squirrels and other forest critters wake up and welcome the new day with me. I love long days and perfection comes when I can wake at sunrise and move from the fuzzy fog of sleep to the full awakeness just as the day does. Anything after that is gravy. My perfect day is a day that starts like that – the other details just don’t matter as much. I find more joy and serenity in a sunrise than I do in a sunset, so if that’s what you were thinking…that maybe I look forward to sunsets just as much, nope. Give me a new day and I’m grateful to know it’s going to be what I make of it.
photo: M. Shafer
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Deborah Lee Luskin: The perfect day is one of balance: time to write and time to walk, time alone and time with others, time of activity and time of rest, time to read and time to weed, time outdoors and time inside, a time for coffee and a time for gin. . .
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Jamie Wallace: I have to say, I like Deborah’s style. Though, my perfect day would be one that includes time for tea (or chai) and whisky. 😉 My perfect day is not defined by any particular activities. My perfect day is more about having breathing room and a sense of accomplishment. Most of my days are so full that I’m halfway to dreamland before I get a chance to quiet my mind and remember who I am for a moment. I love a day with time for noodling and meandering and just being present. I also love a day with time to create, especially if it’s a day on which I ship something – a blog post, a column, a client copy deck, a poem just for me. Those are the two things that bring me a sense of calm and happy purpose.
Susan Nye: I’ll rise early and ease into the day. For years I thought I wasn’t a morning person. Then I realized that I just wanted to meet the day on my own terms in my own way. I like solitude in the morning and don’t want to talk with anyone. After a coffee, I’ll head out for a walk around the lake while the air is still fresh and cool. Home again, showered with a fresh cup of coffee, I’ll have a fabulous four to six hours of uninterrupted of writing time. The work will, of course, go beautifully. I’ll reward myself with a book on the porch for an hour or two. Next, it’s off to the beach and friends and family to watch the loons with a glass of wine followed by dinner. The day would end watching the moon rise over Mount Kearsarge.
Live to Write - Write to Live 
Im with Lisa.
Jamie – I chose “gin” for the rhythm and sound of the word. I’m an equal opportunity drinker, and would be happy with a single malt scotch or small batch bourbon! – DLL
My perfect day is one in which I get to create all day long. I feel happiest when I’m doing anything involving any kind of creative process – art, stories, cooking, etc. In my ideal world, I have a tiny house (very minimalist) with a GIANT art studio (not so minimalist). A large kiln, paints, all the art fixin’s I need. And part of that studio would have my writing desk (gotta have) amidst GIANT bookcases (um, you got it – filled with the best books and reference materials for easy access). BIG windows in that studio too – so while I’m creating I can look out into the trees and watch the birds!
And a deck like the one Lisa described…and the wine….always the wine. Ya know, for sipping when I take a breaks in the creative process…and…lots of artsy-fartsy people to share and co-create with!
The best part is always sharing.
Oh, for the love of daydreaming…I better stop now!
This was a pleasure to read. Thanks.
For me, it’s up early and a mug of Yorkshire tea, no sugar, followed by an hour’s walk around our Spanish valley as the sun rises in the sky. Then home for 1000-1500 words, lunch on the terrace – probably tortilla and green salad – a post-lunch snooze in the sun. Repeat for the afternoon.
My perfect day is every day I wake up. It doesn’t have to be perfect just that I have the chance to live it no matter what may come my way. Enjoy the moment.