. . . and maybe more than one at a time.
i’m on day two of a stay at home in my jammies streak. the world is crazy, chaotic, overwhelming, loud, boisterous, jumpy, depressing. i don’t understand how anybody actually gets out of bed and manages to slog through the next twelve hours without screaming.
so for the past two days, i haven’t tried. well, i’ve tried. and then failed. and put my jammies back on and gotten back into bed. hulu.com is very good for a pajama day. so is a book. so is a copy of vogue and a candy bar.
last year, i made a commitment to meet all 325 of my facebook friends. some were people i hadn’t seen in years. some were people i had never even met. some people lived in my sleepy little town of winnetka, some lived in countries i couldn’t locate on a map. i learned a lot of interesting skills: karate chopping a wood block, opening a champagne bottle with a saber sword, boxing, and tolerance for people who try very very hard to forget that the world is crazy, chaotic, overwhelming, loud, boisterous, jumpy, depressing.
last year, i flew to anchorage on a thursday, rented a car and drove five hours south to homer, had dinner with a facebook friend, drove back to anchorage, flew up to nome, spent time with a facebook friend, flew back to anchorage and then onto chicago in time for sunday dinner. today, a trip to the grand grocery store four blocks away sounds too daunting.
there are a lot of people like me, i’ve discovered. some take pajama days and some take pajama months and some just call it a pajama lifestyle. i also have acquired new friends, enough so that facebook has shut down my account for receiving new friends. when i click confirm on a new friend, i receive this message: Individual Facebook members can connect to a maximum of 5000 friends and Pages. To do this action, you’ll need to remove a friend or unlike a Page you’re already connected to. i’m now thirty five messages behind on emails through facebook. i might have to solve these problems. . . . after this last pajama day!
arlynnpresser 
March 13th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Hope it all calms down soon for you!!
March 13th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
thank you so much i’m really hoping it calms down for me too!
March 13th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
I would try a ten minute walk out. In this exercise, you put on a shirt, jeans (or other pants), and shoes, and then step out the front door and walk down the street and away from your house for five minutes, and then turn around and walk back to your house for a total “adventure time” of ten minutes.
Then I would ask myself: What really changed in my environment (or world, or surroundings) in that ten minute period?
This exercise might help stabilize things in your mind.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
that’s a really great idea!!!! do you think the neighbors will mind if i just put a sweatshirt on over my pajamas?
March 15th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
That is such a great idea. I suffered like Arlynn for years. I was able to overcome it eventually but it was quite a struggle.
Arlynn, you can do this. There are so many people who are pulling for you. It is hard but it will get easier.
After 25 years of being free, I go out without even thinking about it. You will get there, too. Just keep it up one day at a time.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Followed by the next questions:
Do I have slightest clue what my neighbors are even thinking if they see me walk down the street? Would they even know that a pajamas top is underneath my sweatshirt?
But try it. Maybe you’ll feel better.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
And if you do try it, I would love to know the results.
(1) What were you thinking and feeling during the ten minute period?
(2) Did my any of my neighbors see me during that ten minute period?
(3) What did you think and feel when you arrived back home?
March 13th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
walked out the door. indecisive about which direction to go in. felt chest pain. concluded i was having a heart attack. then decided on anaphylactic shock. wondered how embarrassing it would be to drop dead on the sidewalk. felt dizzy. considered a brain tumor. aneurysm. stroke. also remembered i wasn’t wearing a bra under my pajamas. and hadn’t brushed my teeth. got to the grocery store and remained undecided at the deli counter for several minutes… wondered how embarrassing it would be to drop dead in front of the deli counter. wondered if i were having a stroke would i still be able to order tuna salad or would my words come out garbled. ordered tuna. guy behind the counter seemed to understand every word i said and didn’t seem to notice my braless, dentally deficient state. at the cash register the clerk said i always made his day because i was nice. walked out of the store feeling actually sort of proud for having gotten tuna salad. now that i’m back home i’m actually grateful i got outside. and grateful for your suggestion. i’m still going to lay in bed and read today. . . . but i am planning on getting out of the house tomorrow. and i’m going to do my best to enjoy this pajama day instead of thinking about heart attacks, failure, strokes, aneurysms, and the hideousness of it all. thank you very very much wordpress friends!
March 13th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
There are 2 things I find that help me.
1) Don’t pressure yourself. It is OK if you need to spend that time in your PJ’s. Don’t let anyone or anything tell you otherwise.
2) Celebrate whatever you can, even if it means you have to pat yourself on the back for doing something as simple as brushing your teeth.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Regarding your Facebook problem, perhaps you could simply create a new user account and simply remove one friend join the accounts to gather and Bingo, Loving Kindness and happy healing.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:39 pm
I love this post! Well-written, amusing, and I can SO relate to pajama days! Thanks for making me smile, Arlynn, as you always do! You’re a gem! xoxo
March 13th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
that’s a really interesting idea and i wonder how to implement it!
March 13th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Well done on getting your thoughts together long enough to write a blog post. When I have days like that I can’t concentrate long enough to read a book or even to watch TV – I end up flicking through the channels looking for commercials to watch.
March 13th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Dear, Arlynn,
you are really very brave to admit, that “the world is crazy, chaotic, overwhelming, loud, boisterous, jumpy, depressing”. I often feel like that too, but force myself to meet the world anyway. I think we should have a pajama day when the whole world would stay at home, wearing pajamas! 🙂
Warm regards,
Bojca
March 13th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
I think you totally deserve a pajama day or 2.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:15 pm
I agree with posters above. I would love, and do when I can, a pajama day. i too,think the same things about the world. I have a job that makes me work 4 days a week,and sometimes it is so difficult to get myself there. I know i should find a different kind of work,but I live in NH, and there isn’t much available for decent pay here. So,when i can i do PJ day,read,do my Sodoku,FB,watch Househunters,The Baby Story,and I am happy. Take care, everyone. We are all ok, and we admit who we are……Marianne B.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:15 pm
I like your post. I’ve had quite a few pajama days…and am having one now, coincidentally. You are very brave 🙂
March 13th, 2012 at 11:33 pm
let’s make a deal that we’ll try to make sure tomorrow is a regular clothes day. . . . i’m even planning on taking a shower. watch out world!!!
March 14th, 2012 at 12:23 am
Deal…I will try as well 🙂
March 14th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
how’d we do? i got out of the house by seven o’clock for running and working out. i made a few business phone calls and blogged and yes, i’m thinking it’s time to retreat, but i did get out the door for a while. . . . how about you butterfly jewel?
March 15th, 2012 at 5:12 am
Wow, you did a lot today. Yes, I got out today, a late start. I don’t think I accomplished as much as you did today though, daily reading, drove around, checked E-mails and spent some time with family. Thanks for the deal. I think it gave me an extra push, though I was planning on getting out after being in the day before, having set a commitment didn’t even let me think about staying in.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Pajama Days are good. Very, very good.
March 14th, 2012 at 1:03 am
Arlynn,
Thanks for trying what I suggested. And thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. You went that extra mile. I’m glad it made you feel better. And it was nice that the clerk had something uplifting to say to you.
Also, just to let you know, there are days when I don’t even want to get out of bed. It’s just one of those “I want to lay in bed all day” kind of thingy.
Enjoy whatever it is you are going to read or watch on Hulu. I usually go for a “Crackle” or “Youtube: movie.
Sweet dreams, and think pleasant thoughts.
March 14th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
thank you so much!!!
March 14th, 2012 at 2:37 am
From someone who suffered many years of panic attacks and agorophibia, it can get better and you can have a life again… believe in yourself,
March 14th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
i do my best every day. today is sort of a half in my pajamas, half in the world day. progress, progress, progress!
March 15th, 2012 at 5:14 am
I feel that way often! I like your list of new skills you’ve acquired. I found your blog on Freshly Pressed and I must say I’m impressed with this project and your accomplishments. Hats off to you for facing your biggest fear!
March 15th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Hey, I live in Anchorage, Alaska, and I too am an agoraphobic. It’s so nice to hear from someone who understands. Homer is so beautiful! I haven’t been to Nome but I’ve been watching the Ididarod on TV and yesterday they had a winner! If you ever come back to Alaska I would love to say hi and thank you…….. for being you. Pajama days are OK 🙂
Love, Donna