How often do you have this conversation?

“What do you want to do tonight?”

“I don’t know; what do you want to do?”

Since my boyfriend and I hold the title of Mr. And Ms. Indecision, I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve had this discussion. Let’s just say it occurs at least three times a week. For us, the dilemma is three-fold, A) Usually we only get to see each other after 6:00 pm B) We have a very limited spending budget and C) We are not very inventive.

Luckily for us summer is the season of movies.

Hopefully though, most of you have a little more time and can enjoy some of my fun-day suggestions— but worry not thou 6:00pm-or-later gators, I’ve included a few options for you as well:

• Pack a picnic basket and spend some time in one of the local parks. Picnics are the dark wash must-have jeans of summer, easily dressed up with wine and cheese for a romantic encounter or dressed down with KFC for a fun afternoon.
• Frisbee and tennis are great ways to get moving and can be fun in pairs or larger groups.
• Chalk. Yes, chalk. The same sidewalk chalk you used when you were in elementary school is still fun today, doodling on your sidewalks provides a creative release that’s easily washed away by the garden hose.
• Painting is a fun way to pass the time and can also be used as a great stress reliever and a fun cheap date idea.
• Do the Rubaijat. Ok, so this suggestion is better for couples, but a poetry loving friend will work as well. The Rubaijat is a poem originally written somewhere around the 1st Century A.D., but the most popular English translation of it includes these lines, “Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough,/ a flask of wine, a book of verse and thou/Beside me singing in the the Wilderness/Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!” So, gather a loaf of bread, a book of poetry, a bottle of wine and a lover (of poetry) and have a heavenly afternoon..
• Try an ice cream crawl, similar to a bar or pub crawl this is a day long tour of multiple ice cream establishments. Try to sample a children’s size cone at a bunch of different places… and then head for a gym.
• Geocaching. Ok, so geocaching is like a treasure hunt for adults. With the use of a GPS system and a few hours you can turn a hike in the woods into a treasure hunt. Follow the rules at www.geocaching.com to find local coordinates and learn the rest of the rules.
• Go Stargazing. Perfect for those 6 or laters, just make sure you check the weather for a clear night and bring a jacket. A clear sky always makes the night air a little cooler.
• Go for a walk. My boyfriend and I do this all the time, we pick a direction and try to find various ways back to the apartment. Not only do we get to spend some time together without any distractions, but we also get to spend some time outside.
• Have a dessert night. This idea is relatively simple and inexpensive, but will make you feel like you’re indulging in a big way. The directions are simple: 1) Pick your favorite dessert menu from a restaurant. 2) Grab a few friends, in my experience I’ve found that 3 is a good number. 3) Order one serving of all the desserts on the menu that look appetizing. 4) Dig in.
• Visit your local historical society. Not only will you learn a little more about the area in which you live, but most historical societies are free of charge.
• Take in a play. Or a musical. NEPA has a lot to offer in the area of community theatre, check out the WaitingintheWings section of NEPABlogs to find show times and locations and support your friends and neighbors.
• Learn something new. Thanks to Dancing with the Stars there are a variety of local dance clubs and schools that offer free or cheap dance lessons, often on a pay as you go scale. For those who’d rather not break a sweat (or a hip), local craft stores also offer a variety of classes on different crafts from crotchet to jewelry making.

There are a lot of very interesting things to do to occupy your time in NEPA, you’ve just got to be willing to step out of the box (or the movie theater) to give them a chance. At least that’s what I plan to tell my boyfriend when I sign us up for dance lessons…