Just say yes, at least once in a while

I am a true homebody. I like nothing better than a quiet evening at home. Just me and the dog. And the cat. And the rabbit. And sometimes my SO.

But there is a fine line between being a homebody and being a stick in the mud. Consequently, I have been making a conscious effort to get out more by saying yes when the opportunity to go somewhere and do something arises.

And no, my change of heart is not because of "Yes Man" which I have not seen. I will acknowledge that I might have been somewhat influenced by The Year of Yes. Also, I am reading Plant Seed, Pull Weed which, it turns out, is not about gardening.

Examples of my willingness to leave the yard:

Reunion luncheon with some former co-workers: Ordinarily, I don't go out for lunch, period. But the opportunity arose to meet with some people I had not seen in ages, and I went. And people remembered who I was. And I had a good time.

Company holiday party: We have our holiday party after the holidays, and usually my attitude is Why would I want to spend more time with people I already see forty hours a week? Also, when I did go, I never won any of the door prizes. I still did not win any prizes, but I did have two wonderful martinis (after one, my nose went numb; after two, my lips went numb), and the food was quite good as well. Entertainment included Little Vegas. I just don't get gambling. Probably just as well, because I suck at it.

Live music at Come2Go: Many years ago we saw Rachael Davis when she fronted for Patty Larkin. Rachael was young but had a powerful voice. She's all growed up now - mostly - and still has that voice. Steppin' In It played as well. And Sunny Taylor. A lot of music for little money.

Live drama at the Arts United Center: Occasionally, my employer offers a limited number of free tickets to this or that. Recently, it was a local production of "The Glass Menagerie". We went to that last night. I saw a television version of this Tennessee Williams classic many, many years ago, and all I can remember is I hated the mother, identified with the daughter, and found it to be incredibly sad. Last night's production was actually humorous, the mother was likeably annoying, and the son came off as shallow and self-absorbed. After the show, all I could think was, How did the mother and daughter survive after the son left?

More live music: In a couple of weeks, there will be a fundraiser for the Embassy Theater, featuring local bands paying tribute to musical legends. Down the Line 3 is rumored to be featuring Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, and Jimi Hendrix, among others. We went last year, and we plan to be there this year. Again, a lot of music for little money.

So, I have been enjoying all my outings of 2009. But you know what? I would be just as happy staying home.