TOP 10 WAYS I KEEP MYSELF RELATIVELY SANE AND ...HAPPY

As a nation, we are overworked, completely stressed out, depression drug overused and simply...unhappy. This is how I am fighting back.

1. I don't clean. Of course there is the general dishes and laundry upkeep (I am not an animal), but my house generally looks like an organized disaster. I could give rat's ass about my dirty floors if instead I get an hour of care free time with my family.

2. I don't cook. Well...I cook once a week. On Sunday, I send my better 2/3 to the park for 3 hours, blast off way inappropriate for my age music and cook for the whole entire week. It's therapeutic and all I have to do for the rest of the week is pour a glass of wine with my warmed up dinner.

3. I have a standing date with one of my friends. Once a week, I spend a care free evening wine drinking and gossiping with my friend Lisa. We've being doing this for years and somehow we still manage to non stop talk for hours on that one night.

4. Once in a while I call in sick just to stay home with my husband while our girl is in daycare. We have a huge breakfast, go to the movies or simply stay in bed. After my boss reads this, I might have whole bunch of those days coming up, also known as "unemployment".:)

4 1/2. To immediately cover my ass:)...I love my job and people I work with. It's true and it's a very important aspect of my sanity. Everytime I get stressed out, I remind myself that generally I get paid to be around very cool people who do very cool shit for living.

5. When my daughter wakes up around 8 on the weekends, we put in "Sesame street" DVD on repeat, give her some snacks with milk and go back to bed for another blissful hour.

6. I buy a lottery ticket a couple of times a week. Just one at a time. The pleasure I get from day dreaming about winning all those millions and moving to Tuscany with my family is well worth $1.

7. I listen to my I-Pod. Subway, close my eyes, music... It is simply my #1 drug.

8. I pray. I do. Every day. Mostly, just to say "thank you".

9. I eat my dinner AFTER my daughter goes to bed. Yes, it's late by american standards, but the anticipation of adult conversation, slow chewing and wine sipping makes kiddie bedtime routine that much stricter and more organized. P.S. Extra points if you serve your dinner on the fancy plates.

10. I get on all fours and chase my girl around the house every chance I get. Something about her squeaking and non stop laughing makes me forget about work, recession and that dirty bathroom.