Perhaps you’re wondering why I’m wasting my precious blog time talking about the likes of my friend...Christina Dodd. Let me tell you a little bit about Christina and perhaps you’ll understand. She may rise at 5 a.m. while on deadline but the rest of the year, we all know not to call her house before 9 a.m. (I don’t know if she has one of those little black satin sleep masks but it wouldn’t surprise me.) When her husband goes out of town, she regales us with elaborate menus of the gourmet foods she’ll be preparing for herself--most of which involve fresh cloves of garlic and Balsamic oils imported from the south of France. (When my husband goes out of town, I usually treat myself to an entire box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese and a can of Pringles.) She can often be found lounging in one of her favorite possessions--one of those amazing massage chairs from the Brookstone catalogue. (I tried it when I visited and it’s only flaw is that the seat doesn’t vibrate.) An evening at home might involve sitting on the balcony and watching the sun set over the lake as she sips her favorite wine and enjoys the company of husband and dogs. My favorite story about Christina is that when she moved away from Texas, she missed Blue Bell ice cream so much that she ordered it over the internet. That’s right--ice cream. Over the internet. Which meant that the shipping cost more than the ice cream. Even the Fed Ex man giggled over that one.
So is Christina a hedonist? Is she self-indulgent? Is she spoiled? After much contemplation (and more than a little envy), I’ve determined that Christina is that rarest of creatures--a woman who knows how to take care of herself. She sleeps well, she eats well and in general, she treats herself as the precious commodity that she is. Let’s face it--she’s already raised two kids and she’s currently one of the hardest working women in show business. To be able to do that work, she understands that massage chairs and the willingness to cook herself a gourmet meal aren’t indulgences but necessities that nourish both her body and her spirit. And even better, she never, ever apologizes for honoring the gift that she’s been given.
Most of the time we women are too busy taking care of everyone else to take care of ourselves. Even the smallest of indulgences are postponed and as a consequence, we sleep too little, we eat too much, and we stumble from task to task with a strangling sense of desperation and a vague feeling of discontent. So I’ve decided to declare today CHRISTINA DODD DAY and I urge all of you to do the same! I’m going to spend an hour curled up in a chair with a wonderful book. I’m going to fix myself something healthy but delicious for lunch.
And if Christina should call this afternoon, just tell her I’m off to get a pedicure.
