Real Lives

Thursday March 5, 2009

Celebrate yourself on International Women’s Day

By G. Nair

Have you always wished there was a day dedicated to you? A day to acknowledge your hard work, your achievements, and a day to celebrate yourself?

Mark this very important day on your calendar, girls. March 8 is International Women's Day, and it is a day to celebrate – YOU!

International Woman's Day has been observed since the early 1900s and March 8 is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. It opens up the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men.

In short, this day is one of global celebration to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

On this day, too, we at CloveTWO want you to truly celebrate. So go out there, and be as feminine as possible!

50 things to do – just because you CAN!

1. Put on a dress or a skirt today, instead of pants or jeans. Only we womenfolk can wear dresses and skirts, so knock yourself out today – be proud.

2. Put on make-up! Bring out the different shades and colors and beautify yourself.

3. Wear high heels. Grab the highest heels possible from your shoe rack and put them on today. Go Carrie Bradshaw on yourself!

4. Wear jewellery. Put on those fancy earrings, those pearl necklaces, bangles, bracelets, rings – all the bling you can find.

A new haircut

5. Carry a fancy handbag or wallet or even better, go out there and buy yourself a brand new handbag and strut your stuff.

6. Wear hair accessories, head bands, scrunchies, hair clips … dress your hair up as you wish.

7. To support No. 6, go to the hairdresser and pamper yourself today. Get a haircut, or colour your hair, or just get highlights, anything you wish.

8. Go for a facial.

9. Go for a manicure and a pedicure too if you like.

Manicure and pedicure

10. Dress up in your finest clothing, even if you're going to the corner store.

11. Go for a massage along with a mud bath – pamper yourself away to relaxation.

12. Watch chick flicks all day, and all night.

13. Eat chocolates. Chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate wafers, triple chocolate chip cookies.

Shopping Spree

14. Go shopping! Buy anything you want, max out your credit card if you like, it's your day today, who cares!

15. Cry as much as you want, cry while watching American Idol, or cry just because you want to, you don't need a reason to cry today, just do it.

16. Meet up with your girlfriends and celebrate the day together. Go for dinner or a movie – make it a girl's day out.

17. Cook your favorite dish, forget calories, protein, carbs – or dieting!

18. Bake cookies, cakes, pies, quiches – go all out a la Jamie Oliver.

19. Get an aromatherapy bath, whether at home or at a spa – go all out.

20. Throw a tantrum (or tantrums) for no reason at all. You have every right to do it today!

21. Paint your nails. Paint them red, green, or blue – go crazy.

22. Go partying. Pick from a variety of hip clubs around town and dance the night away with your buddies.

23. Take pictures of yourself! Time to change your profile pictures on Facebook, Friendster, or MySpace.

24. Propose that idea that has been sitting in the back of your head to your boss, finally, today! Who knows, luck may be on your side this week (or throughout the month).

25. Flirt! Stop being shy and bat your lashes at your secret crush today; better yet, ask him out!

26. Do something more daring than just flirt. Make the first move on a guy at a club/bar. Get your Creep Radar up and running first, though!

27. Eat fast food. McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, A & W, whatever it is…go all out. 28. Give to charity – What's more satisfying than giving to others when celebrating yourself.

29. Pick a fight with your boyfriend or partner just for the heck of it.

30. Watch re-run marathons on DVD – Sex and the City, Friends, Desperate Housewives etc.

31. Suggest a romantic night out with your partner, and insist he pay!

32. Facebook all day long. Catch up on games with your list of friends – Sudoku, Scrabble, Lil' Green Patch, etc. Tag your friends in pictures, upload more pictures and have fun all day. And if you haven't got an account yet, time to sign up!

33. Start your very own biography today. Who knows, it might end up being a bestseller years from today.

34. Create new recipes and pen them down – always thought of writing your very own recipe book? Today is the day!

35. Exercise – Yoga, aerobics, dancing, Pilates – they can all be fun workouts.

Indulge in ice-cream

36. Eat ice cream! Go to Haagen-Daz, New Zealand Ice Cream or Baskin Robbins and try out as many flavours as you can.

37. This is also the day to finally start your very own rock band! All those karaoke sessions will come in useful now.

38. Start jotting down your ideas on campaigning to be the first woman prime minister of Malaysia.

39. Appreciate your children and pamper them. Be proud that you have been given the gift of bringing life into this world.

40. Take up a daring new hobby today, stick to it and tell yourself, if a man can do it, so can I!

41. Spend time with all the women in your family – mother, sister, grandmother, cousin and daughter.

42. Redecorate the house or apartment according to your liking instead of your partner's!

43. Go shopping for the furniture you'll need to accomplish #42.

Shopping for household items

44. Watch football and completely disagree with everything your partner, brother, or a male friend says and then create a sport only women can play in!

45. Throw a party just for the girls. Invite your friends, family and relatives.

46. Write a joke insulting the opposite gender, mail it to all your female friends and then hope it gets published in Reader's Digest.

47. Tired of your current job? Need a new career direction? Today is the day you quit, and finally make that change!

48. This may be a little too far fetched, but you deserve it, so go ahead and do it. Get a new ride. Yes, buy a new car!

49. Surf the Internet all day and don't forget to read through the entire CloveTWO site!

50. Last but not least, wish all the women you know "Happy International Women's Day!"