This is not a full post - just an update.
I had a difficult time sleeping last night. I truly thought upgrading my phone would be ok to do in this situation. But after much thought, I realized that I would be very disappointed in myself if I did. So, for free, I was able to get the same iPhone I have now, with a 2 year contract. No upgrade, no extra space, just what I'm currently used to having. Also, I will be able to sell my current iPhone and probably make $150ish, even though it's not working (my husband just had this identical problem with his phone last month).
Since I'm always running out of space on my iPhone, this will give me an opportunity to purge a lot of things I think I need on it. This will help me to recognize what is really making my life better and what is getting in the way. I'm not at all happy about my decision, but it was the right thing to do. I AM really glad, though, that they had the refurbished iPhone 4 as an option. Otherwise I'd be carrying a flip phone again, and I wouldn't be able to make the decisions of what was really needed and what wasn't. I simply wouldn't have any of it. So, lucky me. :-(
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
What if I Must Purchase???
The unthinkable has occurred. My iPhone has perished. Well, the actual cell phone feature of it is no longer functioning. I can still text and use all my apps, but the primary feature of the phone has passed on to the next life.
Here's my problem. As you all know, I made a promise that I would buy NOTHING for myself in 2013 that was not a complete necessity. A cell phone IS a necessity these days, but a smartphone is not. Whatever decision I make for a new phone, it is going to be my phone for the next two years, not just 2013, so I would hate to go backwards and either get the same model phone I have now, or worse yet, a (gasp) flip phone. I use my iPhone all. the. time. I mean, it's my mapping device, weather-checker, iPod when I go running, lesson-planner for teaching the wee ones, games for said wee ones when I need to shush them in a pinch, my go-to for recipes when cooking dinner. This list goes on. And on. When I promised not to purchase anything for myself, I did not intend to go back to the dark ages. So I think I've established I need to at least get the same model phone I have now.
So back to the problem. For over two years now, I have bitched and bitched and bitched about not being able to have the majority of my music on my iPhone (which also serves as my iPod, remember?) because it is so darn small. If I am to get a new one, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to get a mac daddy size so I can finally put all my music in one place. I'm getting all swoony just thinking about it. And we no longer use cameras or video cameras - we use our iPhones. So why wouldn't I want to upgrade to the latest technology so as to improve these features?
I don't want to buy a new phone because the latest model just came out and I must have it. This is not a purchase for the excitement of purchasing something. But it is, in fact, a not-that-necessary purchase (assuming I upgrade). So am I going against my promise? Is this the beginning of the end? Do I unravel from here and slowly go back to my former self?
I think the real reason this is so difficult for me is because I do nothing half-way. When I make a decision, I go big or go home. People always say it's so easy for me to lose weight and/or keep it off, and that's true, because when I decide to exercise regularly, I do it every day. When I decide to eat healthy, not a morsel of negative food will pass my lips. I don't cheat. Not at anything. So it IS easy for me, but not because my body has a "fast metabolism" or "the scale likes me." It's because I dedicate myself to the task at hand - all the way. That's what this project is for me. Something to dedicate myself to all the way. I want real growth, not just a topic for blogging. But I didn't realize it may impact my life in a truly negative way. Or, maybe a better way to put it, I didn't realize I may have to make decisions that would drastically change the way I live my daily life (taking away my technology). When I came up with this idea, my husband's initial response was that maybe I should just reduce spending, not cut ALL spending. His m.o. has always been "everything in moderation." And really, that is the healthiest way to be. I know this. But I don't know how to BE this. I am an "all or nothing" kind of gal. I always have been.
So maybe the real solution to the problem is to upgrade after all. Maybe that's my growth for this moment. Or am I just trying to talk myself in to the iPhone 5?? :-)
Here's my problem. As you all know, I made a promise that I would buy NOTHING for myself in 2013 that was not a complete necessity. A cell phone IS a necessity these days, but a smartphone is not. Whatever decision I make for a new phone, it is going to be my phone for the next two years, not just 2013, so I would hate to go backwards and either get the same model phone I have now, or worse yet, a (gasp) flip phone. I use my iPhone all. the. time. I mean, it's my mapping device, weather-checker, iPod when I go running, lesson-planner for teaching the wee ones, games for said wee ones when I need to shush them in a pinch, my go-to for recipes when cooking dinner. This list goes on. And on. When I promised not to purchase anything for myself, I did not intend to go back to the dark ages. So I think I've established I need to at least get the same model phone I have now.
So back to the problem. For over two years now, I have bitched and bitched and bitched about not being able to have the majority of my music on my iPhone (which also serves as my iPod, remember?) because it is so darn small. If I am to get a new one, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to get a mac daddy size so I can finally put all my music in one place. I'm getting all swoony just thinking about it. And we no longer use cameras or video cameras - we use our iPhones. So why wouldn't I want to upgrade to the latest technology so as to improve these features?
I don't want to buy a new phone because the latest model just came out and I must have it. This is not a purchase for the excitement of purchasing something. But it is, in fact, a not-that-necessary purchase (assuming I upgrade). So am I going against my promise? Is this the beginning of the end? Do I unravel from here and slowly go back to my former self?
I think the real reason this is so difficult for me is because I do nothing half-way. When I make a decision, I go big or go home. People always say it's so easy for me to lose weight and/or keep it off, and that's true, because when I decide to exercise regularly, I do it every day. When I decide to eat healthy, not a morsel of negative food will pass my lips. I don't cheat. Not at anything. So it IS easy for me, but not because my body has a "fast metabolism" or "the scale likes me." It's because I dedicate myself to the task at hand - all the way. That's what this project is for me. Something to dedicate myself to all the way. I want real growth, not just a topic for blogging. But I didn't realize it may impact my life in a truly negative way. Or, maybe a better way to put it, I didn't realize I may have to make decisions that would drastically change the way I live my daily life (taking away my technology). When I came up with this idea, my husband's initial response was that maybe I should just reduce spending, not cut ALL spending. His m.o. has always been "everything in moderation." And really, that is the healthiest way to be. I know this. But I don't know how to BE this. I am an "all or nothing" kind of gal. I always have been.
So maybe the real solution to the problem is to upgrade after all. Maybe that's my growth for this moment. Or am I just trying to talk myself in to the iPhone 5?? :-)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Root of the Problem
My skin has been going nuts for several months now. Way back in good ole' 2012, I was throwing money at the problem. Sephora and I became good friends. And after a couple of tries, I seemed to have found a decent cleansing routine to get the problem under control. Just in the nick of time, too, seeing as I've allowed myself to continue purchasing my "normal skincare routine" items. But now here we are in the shop-free year of 2013, and my skin is out of control again. Peter Thomas Roth is no longer serving me well, and I am unable to purchase a slew of new products to trial and error the issue. So what does a girl do? Two "ah-ha" moments came from this.
Many months ago, I became a gluten-free vegan. I lost the last 5-10 pounds I had been battling with and never felt better. But this was the beginning of the skin issue. Honestly, I thought being vegan, I'd have the prettiest skin around. Dairy is known for aggravating skin. So, thinking back, when I took gluten, meat, and dairy out of my diet, what did I ADD to my diet that may have caused my skin to flare up? I added tons of extra fruits and veggies. That's not going to cause break-outs. If anything, it would help, what with all the extra vitamins and nutrients. Something else I began eating more of was corn. I switched from pita chips to corn chips when dipping into hummus. I also began snacking on popcorn because it's high in fiber. And I began using corn tortillas regularly in my cooking, since I had completely eliminated breads. So maybe I'm allergic to corn? Another thing I added a bit extra of is sugar. I mean, if I'm going to cut out all meat, dairy and gluten, I'm going to treat myself to gluten-free dairy-free cookies! I have a handful of other treats that are filled with sugar, but are gluten-free and vegan. So I know I've upped my sugar intake. Obviously, being a health nut, I know refined sugar is enemy number one. But thanks to cutting out the other stuff, I was still looking and feeling great. Except when I looked at my face in the mirror, lol.
Several days ago, when my skin seemed like it was at its worst ever, I decided just to stop using all fancy products and stop wearing make-up. Just use plain old soap 3x a day and see if it would settle down at all. This is where my ah-ha moment #2 comes in....I was terrified to leave the house with such horrible skin and NO MAKE-UP. What would people think?? Then I got to wondering, is this why I buy so many clothes? Why do I always want to look my best? Is it for me or is it for others? Why should I care if others agree or disagree with my fashion sense? I want peoples' opinions of me to be based on how I act, how I treat them, how I interact with the world around me, NOT what I'm wearing or whether my skin is perfect. And do I judge others in accordance to what they are wearing? I can honestly answer that with people I know (friends, family, etc.) absolutely NOT. But with strangers and acquaintances? Yeah, maybe I judge a little. And I guess THAT is why I care so much about how I look out in public. So going forward, I am going to make it my personal quest to not pay attention to what people are wearing when I'm strolling the isles at Target and not purchasing anything fun. I am going to look into faces and smile.
My skin is still a wreck, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Something tells me it's the corn. As for my insides, I'm pretty sure I've grown a bit today.
Many months ago, I became a gluten-free vegan. I lost the last 5-10 pounds I had been battling with and never felt better. But this was the beginning of the skin issue. Honestly, I thought being vegan, I'd have the prettiest skin around. Dairy is known for aggravating skin. So, thinking back, when I took gluten, meat, and dairy out of my diet, what did I ADD to my diet that may have caused my skin to flare up? I added tons of extra fruits and veggies. That's not going to cause break-outs. If anything, it would help, what with all the extra vitamins and nutrients. Something else I began eating more of was corn. I switched from pita chips to corn chips when dipping into hummus. I also began snacking on popcorn because it's high in fiber. And I began using corn tortillas regularly in my cooking, since I had completely eliminated breads. So maybe I'm allergic to corn? Another thing I added a bit extra of is sugar. I mean, if I'm going to cut out all meat, dairy and gluten, I'm going to treat myself to gluten-free dairy-free cookies! I have a handful of other treats that are filled with sugar, but are gluten-free and vegan. So I know I've upped my sugar intake. Obviously, being a health nut, I know refined sugar is enemy number one. But thanks to cutting out the other stuff, I was still looking and feeling great. Except when I looked at my face in the mirror, lol.
Several days ago, when my skin seemed like it was at its worst ever, I decided just to stop using all fancy products and stop wearing make-up. Just use plain old soap 3x a day and see if it would settle down at all. This is where my ah-ha moment #2 comes in....I was terrified to leave the house with such horrible skin and NO MAKE-UP. What would people think?? Then I got to wondering, is this why I buy so many clothes? Why do I always want to look my best? Is it for me or is it for others? Why should I care if others agree or disagree with my fashion sense? I want peoples' opinions of me to be based on how I act, how I treat them, how I interact with the world around me, NOT what I'm wearing or whether my skin is perfect. And do I judge others in accordance to what they are wearing? I can honestly answer that with people I know (friends, family, etc.) absolutely NOT. But with strangers and acquaintances? Yeah, maybe I judge a little. And I guess THAT is why I care so much about how I look out in public. So going forward, I am going to make it my personal quest to not pay attention to what people are wearing when I'm strolling the isles at Target and not purchasing anything fun. I am going to look into faces and smile.
My skin is still a wreck, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Something tells me it's the corn. As for my insides, I'm pretty sure I've grown a bit today.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
What Do We Really Need?
I don't know if I'm better at this than I thought I would be, or if this is the calm before the storm, but I am totally fine with not buying anything. Really. Hence my lack of blogging. Sorry readers!
I'm actually taking this to a whole new level that I didn't even intend for. A few days ago, my darling husband busted our tire pump that we use for the joggers. My first thought was, well, now I guess we won't be running with the boys anymore once the tires start to go flat, because we're not replacing that pump! But I quickly realized that things like tire pumps are necessities and not luxuries, especially when we both run (with the boys) on a regular basis for our form of daily exercise. We don't belong to a fancy gym, we don't attend regular yoga or pilates classes. We run. So the $15 hand pump will be replaced.
Seriously, though, I am thinking about every. single. purchase. Is this necessary or luxury? Can I live without it? Is it about my ease of lifestyle vs. must-have? Thanks to questioning every freaking item I put in my GROCERY CART for crying out loud, I haven't even begun missing clothes shopping. What's next? Will I start making my own laundry detergent so that I don't have to replace the Tide when it runs out? Will I begin sewing my kids' clothes? To what end do I continue to fret over all the trivial things I purchase?
I don't know the answers to those questions, but I am finding that we have a lot of stuff. Just stuff. Even as a self-proclaimed non-hoarder, man do we have stuff in this house. How much stuff does a family of four really need? Why do my kids have 78 puzzles? And 600 books? They have six types of blocks. SIX. Had we taken the Lincoln Logs home from G.G.'s house last weekend, they'd have seven. So I'm figuring out that this isn't just about me and my love for new clothes and books I'll never get around to reading. This is about the whole house and everyone in it (minus my dear husband's wardrobe, he never gets new clothes because I can't shop for him and he never has time to shop for himself). As we spend the rest of 2013 cleaning and organizing room by room, AND not buying new things to replace the things we ditch, it will be interesting to see what we're left with. Aside from the proverbial health, safety and happiness, what will end up being the most valuable to us?
I'm actually taking this to a whole new level that I didn't even intend for. A few days ago, my darling husband busted our tire pump that we use for the joggers. My first thought was, well, now I guess we won't be running with the boys anymore once the tires start to go flat, because we're not replacing that pump! But I quickly realized that things like tire pumps are necessities and not luxuries, especially when we both run (with the boys) on a regular basis for our form of daily exercise. We don't belong to a fancy gym, we don't attend regular yoga or pilates classes. We run. So the $15 hand pump will be replaced.
Seriously, though, I am thinking about every. single. purchase. Is this necessary or luxury? Can I live without it? Is it about my ease of lifestyle vs. must-have? Thanks to questioning every freaking item I put in my GROCERY CART for crying out loud, I haven't even begun missing clothes shopping. What's next? Will I start making my own laundry detergent so that I don't have to replace the Tide when it runs out? Will I begin sewing my kids' clothes? To what end do I continue to fret over all the trivial things I purchase?
I don't know the answers to those questions, but I am finding that we have a lot of stuff. Just stuff. Even as a self-proclaimed non-hoarder, man do we have stuff in this house. How much stuff does a family of four really need? Why do my kids have 78 puzzles? And 600 books? They have six types of blocks. SIX. Had we taken the Lincoln Logs home from G.G.'s house last weekend, they'd have seven. So I'm figuring out that this isn't just about me and my love for new clothes and books I'll never get around to reading. This is about the whole house and everyone in it (minus my dear husband's wardrobe, he never gets new clothes because I can't shop for him and he never has time to shop for himself). As we spend the rest of 2013 cleaning and organizing room by room, AND not buying new things to replace the things we ditch, it will be interesting to see what we're left with. Aside from the proverbial health, safety and happiness, what will end up being the most valuable to us?
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Oh Costco, How I've Loved Thee
For her birthday, I gave my mother-in-law a membership to one of my favorite places on Earth, Costco. Today, the two of us went and signed her up, then spent an hour (at least) exploring the store. For the first time ever, since I normally have two small boys in tow, I had the opportunity to walk down every. single. aisle. Wow. What a store. Really. They carry everything!
Costco is a really difficult store in which not to spend money for a few reasons. First, the stuff they sell is GOOD STUFF. Plus, they rotate merchandise frequently, so something you see today may not be there next time, or ever again for that matter. Get it today or risk never getting the same deal again. Last, the prices are outstanding. How do you say no to such great deals, even if you don't need these items right now?
I really had an opportunity to see the store today in a new light. First off, like I said, I didn't have the boys with me, so we were able to take our time. But also, for the first time, I wasn't allowed to throw whatever I wanted in my cart. As we all know, there is an allure about the things we cannot have. Multiply that by, well, a zillion. I passed by this pack of felt floor protectors for just under $10. This was a ginormous pack of like 50+ multi-sized pieces, the majority of which I would have eventually used (I think). For under ten bucks! A tenth of that package at Target would have cost $5. Then I came upon my favorite Ticonderoga pencils. I don't need pencils right now, but these are really good ones and who knows if they'll still carry this brand the next time I need pencils. But I didn't need them, so I didn't get them. I completely passed by the book section, even though I could hear it softly calling my name. Lord knows, with 300+ unread books on my shelves, I really didn't need to even browse.
There were temptations surrounding me from all sides. Bluetooth speakers (which I wanted for Christmas but didn't get), iPad accessories, really cute puffer jackets (which I almost talked myself into needing, but then reassured myself the 12 jackets I have in the coat closet really should be sufficient). Rather than being sad for each item I wanted and couldn't have, though, I decided to be proud of myself and take joy in knowing I was strong enough to easily pass them up and move on.
My mother-in-law didn't fare so well. But then, she hasn't taken any sort of pledge, so in retrospect, she didn't do too terribly. She didn't even fill one cart. Thank goodness we had breakfast right before going, otherwise I am CERTAIN had she sampled the crab dip, chicken sausage, brie cheese and all the other assortments of goodies being handed out, she would have caved to many more treats.
Costco is a really difficult store in which not to spend money for a few reasons. First, the stuff they sell is GOOD STUFF. Plus, they rotate merchandise frequently, so something you see today may not be there next time, or ever again for that matter. Get it today or risk never getting the same deal again. Last, the prices are outstanding. How do you say no to such great deals, even if you don't need these items right now?
I really had an opportunity to see the store today in a new light. First off, like I said, I didn't have the boys with me, so we were able to take our time. But also, for the first time, I wasn't allowed to throw whatever I wanted in my cart. As we all know, there is an allure about the things we cannot have. Multiply that by, well, a zillion. I passed by this pack of felt floor protectors for just under $10. This was a ginormous pack of like 50+ multi-sized pieces, the majority of which I would have eventually used (I think). For under ten bucks! A tenth of that package at Target would have cost $5. Then I came upon my favorite Ticonderoga pencils. I don't need pencils right now, but these are really good ones and who knows if they'll still carry this brand the next time I need pencils. But I didn't need them, so I didn't get them. I completely passed by the book section, even though I could hear it softly calling my name. Lord knows, with 300+ unread books on my shelves, I really didn't need to even browse.
There were temptations surrounding me from all sides. Bluetooth speakers (which I wanted for Christmas but didn't get), iPad accessories, really cute puffer jackets (which I almost talked myself into needing, but then reassured myself the 12 jackets I have in the coat closet really should be sufficient). Rather than being sad for each item I wanted and couldn't have, though, I decided to be proud of myself and take joy in knowing I was strong enough to easily pass them up and move on.
My mother-in-law didn't fare so well. But then, she hasn't taken any sort of pledge, so in retrospect, she didn't do too terribly. She didn't even fill one cart. Thank goodness we had breakfast right before going, otherwise I am CERTAIN had she sampled the crab dip, chicken sausage, brie cheese and all the other assortments of goodies being handed out, she would have caved to many more treats.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Cleaning Up
I am the opposite of a hoarder. Clutter drives me nuts. Our house is virtuously undecorated because I can't stand having things lay around. If I haven't worn something in a while, I sell it or give it away, depending on its value. I probably reorganize my closet and drawers two times a year at least. I've never had any problem getting rid of something because if it turns out I need it again, I just go get a new one. Well, those days, at least for the next 364, are gone. I am TERRIFIED to throw anything out all of a sudden. My husband said to me the other day, "You know, you could fill your shopping void with organizing and decluttering." My first thought was, "Sounds like FUN!" followed immediately by my second thought, "NO WAY! I MAY NEED SOMETHING LATER!!" This challenge may just turn me into a hoarder after all.
As much as I pride myself on being this way, we do have some, well, "cluttery" areas in our home. The biggest glaring one is our basement. It is known as the "gym/office/brewery/second kitchen/storage room." Needless to say, we've got a lot going on down there. And now we've decided we want to turn it into a guest room. So that means we've got a lot of things we need to either find new homes for within our house or get rid of completely. This would be a lot of fun except that I'm not sure how to part with any of it, and as far as relocating it, we can only do so much with the space we have. This is going to be my post-vacation project (yes, I'm sitting on the beach right now) - going through all the crappy-crap in my basement and finding new uses for it or getting rid of it. If only I could go to The Container Store and buy a bunch of cool organizing systems to help with the project. But, alas, I will be relying on Pinterest to assist me with all things organizing this year.
Spending total today - $25 on a flu shot - go me!
As much as I pride myself on being this way, we do have some, well, "cluttery" areas in our home. The biggest glaring one is our basement. It is known as the "gym/office/brewery/second kitchen/storage room." Needless to say, we've got a lot going on down there. And now we've decided we want to turn it into a guest room. So that means we've got a lot of things we need to either find new homes for within our house or get rid of completely. This would be a lot of fun except that I'm not sure how to part with any of it, and as far as relocating it, we can only do so much with the space we have. This is going to be my post-vacation project (yes, I'm sitting on the beach right now) - going through all the crappy-crap in my basement and finding new uses for it or getting rid of it. If only I could go to The Container Store and buy a bunch of cool organizing systems to help with the project. But, alas, I will be relying on Pinterest to assist me with all things organizing this year.
Spending total today - $25 on a flu shot - go me!
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