My Gazingus Pin, My Weakness, My Love- Lip Stick

I blogged about my gazingus pins in 2010 when I acknowledged that acquiring lip products was a problem for me. 

Lipstick is a quick pick me up.  In less than five seconds I can slick on some lip goo and feel better.  It always perks me up.  So, when I started my makeup buying hiatus last month I knew it would be hard to quit buying more and it has been. 

But, I'm also noticing a trigger.  I have a close family member who is not behaving responsibly lately and is doing some very destructive behaviors.  In fact, they have told me that they can't help themselves and have hinted at me helping them or taking care of them.  Which would be all fine and good if it was give and take relationship but I know for a fact how draining this person can be on one's patience, resources and well, everything.  I can't do anything but tell them how I feel and warn them that I am not their soft place to fall and they need to stand on their own two feet.  I have my own family and I can't borrow their problems and I don't need another child.  Especially a grown one who will suck the life out of me.  I can't say more about it than that.  I know worrying will do nothing to help them or me.  And I feel incredibly helpless. 

This week was a worrisome week.  I ate more crap that I should.  I bought two lipsticks.  I can't fix them but I can have pretty lips.  I can't make them be a grown up but boy will that chocolate make me feel good for five seconds. 

I'm putting a rubber band around my credit card so I have a reminder when I go shopping.  I don't want to numb myself with consumption and candy.  I need to find a healthier way to deal with my own issues- especially since I can't solve other's.

That 24 cent clearance lipstick that I rationalized buying because it was so cheap is still in it's package.  I'm going to pass it on to someone else.

Conquering Clutter and Conquering Bad Habits

I love to recycle.  I love to reuse anything that comes into my house that isn't garbage.  Ribbons from packages, unused envelopes, address labels from junk mail- you name it.  I think it's a combination of my hoarder tendencies plus the abhorrence of throwing out usable items.

I have made piles out of the same bits of ephemera in my living room over and over again.  I take the garbage bag and the recycling bag and sit in the middle of mess and work my way down.  Always there is a pile of leftovers that I cannot bring myself to toss.   Today I took the trash can and asked myself what's the worst thing that can happen if this thing gets tossed.  Half the pile went into the can.  I am not organized and I don't have enough room for all the stuff that isn't good enough for Goodwill but is still good. 

I feel like I'm on my own little 12 program to regain my life.  My next question is going to be, "Is this a want or a need?"   Tonight this question kept me from driving to the Dollar Tree.  I came home and did homework with my son and made muffins instead. 

It works if you work it. 

Makeup, I Just Can't Quit You. Believe Me, I'm Trying.

I have no cheating to report.  Well, okay.  I did break down and spend a dollar on a vanilla candle at Dollar Tree.  But, I wanted the jar.

Anyway,  it seems as if I will continue to get Ipsy for a few months.  Apparently, I signed up for a year's subscription.  Sigh.  Birchbox is over though so that's good.  But, I will continue to get a monthly box of four or five products.  On a good note, maybe that will help with the need to shop.
I think I'll save the boxes until I have a low point.

Weight Watchers is going well.  It has only been five days but the first few days were so hard.  I am not used to getting a hungry feeling.  And I am relearning to eat until I am sated and not until I can't stuff anymore in my gob hole.  I've even been eating restaurant meals and keeping it reigned in.  Tonight my daughter and I had Thai food and I substituted my normal coconut curry sauce for glass noodles and tofu cooked in a light broth.

I've been purging my closet ruthlessly of anything that doesn't fit well.  I don't have any skinnier clothes.  I hate the idea of buying new clothes when I've just gotten my wardrobe fixed.  However, I would actually like my driver's license weight to not be a huge lie.

Update- Two Cheats and Weight Watchers

This cosmetic/book/candle/purse/shoe purchasing hiatus is going well.  I am almost finished redoing my tiny walk in closet on the cheap.  I hung a mirror above my dresser, added a velvety scarf for decoration and put some pretty containers on top.  I'm in the process of changing over to the thin velvet covered hangers to free up some much needed space on my side of the closet.  I put a vintage lamp my Mom gave me in there too.  I just need to find a extension cord for it.

I took many bags of cast offs to the thrift store yesterday.  Most of it was my daughter's clothing.  She is becoming very picky and instead of fighting it I am helping her minimize and define her wardrobe so she only has what she loves in there.  I bought her some velvet hangers too.  She doesn't fight me nearly as much about putting away her clothes because she loves her stuff.

I am getting ready to the shoes nearly every day.  I have a primping system in place now and and finding that I enjoy getting ready more.  I lotion  and do nighttime facial care now where I was very bad at it before.  My nails are always done.  I love using my stuff.  The more I use my stuff the less I want to buy different stuff.

Now is where the cheating part comes in.  I just bought a book at the Dollar Tree.  It's so hard to justify not buying books for a dollar.  I did just donate three books to the thrift shop.  But, still.  It counts.
Also,  I bought a nail polish I'd been wanting for a while when I saw it on sale at Dollar General.  I'm looking forward to painting my nails with it tomorrow for my movie date night with my husband.  We're going to see Pompeii.  Pompeii has a special place in our hearts as we spent an entire day wandering around there holding hands and exploring.  It was truly a trip of a lifetime.

Currently, I am hungry.  I started Weight Watchers online this morning after I got off the scale.  I use my clothing as a guideline and they still fit so I was upset when I saw that I was about five pounds past my normal high.
Which is fat.  But, I'm not name calling myself.  I just need a healthy change.

I think that about covers it.
I need to run my little monkey boy to the pediatrician because he's feeling a bit poor.