guilty pleasure (noun): something pleasurable that induces a usually minor feeling of guilt; something that you shouldn’t like, but like anyway.
I’ve never understood why we should be “guilty” about our pleasures. How did those two words even get linked together in the first place? I don’t know about you, but I’ll never apologize for listening to too much Justin Bieber, watching Nicholas Sparks movies, or consuming a pint of ice cream. Obviously, I’m not going to make a lifestyle out of constantly indulging, but I’m also not going to feel guilty when I do. Here are a few of my {not so} guilty pleasures:
The Cookie Cafe Edible Cookie Dough in Chocolate Chip
I love a warm chocolate chip cookie but if I’m being completely honest, sometimes I really only make cookies for the dough! I’ve eaten my fair share of cookie dough over the years, despite my mother’s efforts to scare me about the raw egg. I’ll never ditch the dough and I’m overjoyed that I found this brand because not only does it taste like real cookie dough, but it’s safe to eat. Plus, now I don’t have to spend time making dough for cookies I’ll probably never put in the oven. You can find this product at Gelson’s Market and online.
The Bachelorette/Bachelor
When I watch this show with my friends, sometimes I feel ancient because it’s been a {not so} guilty pleasure of mine since 2003. The show didn’t really get mainstream until recent, so I consider myself a true fan because I was there since the beginning. I was in middle school when this reality show first aired and I remember begging my parents to let me stay up and watch; I’d always miss the rose ceremony and have to get the updates the next morning. Trista will always be my favorite bachelorette!
Throwback Party Anthems
Sometimes you want to be able to sing along at the club to the classics you remember from high school dances and house parties. Spotify’s playlist “Throwback Jams” (mostly 90’s & 2000’s hits) has all of my ideal dance songs like “In Da Club” by 50 Cent, “Yeah!” by Usher, “Gold Digger” by Kanye, “Ignition” (Remix) by R. Kelly, and “Get Low” by Lil’ Jon and the Ying Yang Twins.
Movie trailers
Most people skip the fifteen-minute long sequence of upcoming movie trailers at the theater, but I love them. They excite me about upcoming films! A few that look good to me include: A Dog’s Purpose (here), The Good Neighbor (here), American Pastoral (here), Bastards (here), and Fences (here).
Ice Cream Pints
I’ve managed to (sort of) replace this one with the cookie dough, but I still have a fondness for ice cream. My favorites are McConnell’s Peppermint Stick and Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (this one offers more cookie dough than its competitors).
Netflix TV Shows
Isn’t this everyone’s {not so} guilty pleasure?! I rotate between Friends, American Horror Story, Bones, and Food Network/HGTV shows because you need balance, right?
Self-Improvement Books
I think there is always room for self-improvement in our lives and it shouldn’t be something we are embarrassed to admit. A few personal favorites include 20 Something 20 Everything by Christine Hassler, which addresses the pressure twenty-year-olds put on themselves to enjoy “the best years of their life” while also stressing to secure their dream career and possibly a relationship. I Had A Nice Time and other lies by The Betches centers on dating and relationships, and is written in that honest best friend voice that is sometimes borderline-brutal, but usually always right. At Left Brain Turn Right by Anthony Meindl is an empowering book that details how to shut off that inner critic that lives inside each of our head’s.
Paper Source Speciality Gift Wrap
It may sound nerdy that I adore speciality gift wrap, but I actually take individual sheets and frame them as art. Nifty, right? I recently bought a sheet of this “Hollywood Glamour Map” paper, which is a print from the 1940’s, and have it framed in my kitchen.
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