Tuesday, March 2, 2010

To Cast Divine Arrows Into Her Soul

Nathan and I have been living in a very small space for a lot longer than we intended to for various (and largely irritating) reasons. But we make due. Honestly, I’m pretty proud of how much personality we fit into such a small space. I’m a bit of a homebody. I’d rather you come spend Friday night round at mine, eating take away, watching DVDs or listening to records than almost anything else, to be honest. And I’m very particular about the living room.

Until now, I have forbidden exercise equipment from this space. But last weekend, I admitted defeat. I have found one exercise, ever, that I don’t hate, and that’s my Tony Little Gazelle. Yes. It is. And last weekend I shuffled things around an already tight space to make room for mine in the living room. I’m not happy about the look of it. But I am past caring. I know if it’s in there I can make myself do it while catching up on Life Unexpected or the ridiculousness that is “The Secret Life of the American Teenager*. So my battle into taking better care of myself has begun. Portion control has been enacted, and the Gazelle is being used. I’m feeling good about it.

March 2

We went to two different Targets this weekend, armed with my birthday gift cards. As soon as we passed this display of tie dyed v-neck tees, I knew $10 would be going to one of those. In fact, I might go back for a back-up. I am a sucker for anything black and white and anything tie dyed, so this tee is just perfect for me. And you can’t beat $10.

March 2

I’m giving Douglas Coupland one more try. Everyone seems to just love him. I’ve tried two of his books** before and not finished either, so I am not sure WHY I am trying him again other than I got it at Half Price Books and it was cheap. I’ll let you know. It’s off to an OK start, but the Goodreads reviews indicate it might be all downhill from here.

March 2

I also picked up a plaid shirt and a great basic black skirt that is neither too long (and has to be hiked up to my boobs) or too short (and can only be worn with leggings). I was really excited by that find! And two tie dyed crew neck tees from the men’s department, which had much better color options than the ladies’.

March 2

The shopping ban is over, BTW. I cheated twice, right at the very end. Once on a pair of shoes last Friday, I saw them a week ago that day when I was spending birthday money and could not stop thinking about them. So I bought them and justified it as a birthday gift to myself. And a second time on Saturday when I was feeling sorry for myself (hey, it happens!) and bought a $5 Maybelline lipgloss at the CVS. It was worth every penny and it is the best lipgloss I have had in ages. I will probably go right back on a ban very soon, out of necessity and also just because it felt good to challenge myself. But I’m going to take a breather just for a minute. I feel pretty good about how I did.

(I've noticed a lot of comments about going out to look for things, and to help you know when you might be able to do that, I'm going to start noting recent purchases in the outfit details at the bottom. If I got something within the past couple of months, I'll note it as recent.)

*simultaneously one of the best and worst shows on TV. No one can act, not even Molly Ringwald seems to remember how, but the dramatic plots twists are delicious in their levels of ridiculousness, and we just can’t seem to stop watching.
**”Girlfriend In A Coma” and “Microserfs” I can’t even remember what I didn’t like about them.

Jacket, Bona Drag, customized by me
Tee, Target (recent)
Trousers, Wal-Mart
Socks, Payless
Shoes, Target
Necklace, self made from vintage and craft store parts
Cuff, Vintage, gift from Mikal
Bag, Nordstrom Rack
Book, The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland

20 comments:

Jess said...

I have never been able to get into Coupland either...don't know why, but he just doesn't do it for me.

I really love that cuff!

Sabrina said...

Love the tie-dye!

LOL, I too am addicted to Secret Life of American Teenager. Even though the show went downhill after the first season, I can't seem to stop watching it. Damn teen soaps always suck me in.

Life Unexpected is surprisingly a good show!

La Loca said...

I've always been drawn to well-appointed small spaces, actually. But not as much as I'm drawn to that t-shirt, necklace and shoes!!!!!

Linda said...

Good On ya! I am also on portion control and P90. I hate P90 because Tony Horton is effin annoying, but I have to make myself do it because it is a good work out. I have always wanted a Gazelle though...are they expensive?

Jodie said...

Red shoooooooeeeeeeees! Falls in love.

hillary said...

The thing with Coupland is. Well his stuff isn't the best story ever. Well the Gum Thief in particular but his wit and style of writing sucks me in and his twitter kills me. I find his sense of humor attractive (not like hot but as in draws me in)

FutureLint said...

Ooh, I might have to go get a few tie-dyed shirts at Target - I love that one! And the shoes! Red and shiny = yay!

hillary said...

forgot to subscribe to comments. dang it.
So I will add more.
I feel you on the small space. That gazelle physically wouldn't even fit into my apt. It's 300 sq ft and we didn't intend on staying there long but we also didn't realize that after we moved in Dave would go back to school so we've been there 6 years so far.

Emily Kennedy said...

The shoes and shirt are way cute! Love them! And welcome to life after the ban!

Amy said...

I have a ton of Coupland books but my favourite by far is "JPod". "Hey, Nostradamus!" is a very close second.

Love the outfit. Your new bag is so nice!

Audi said...

I have a tiny space as well, and yet I keep trying to cram more pieces of furniture into it because, well, I like furniture. But I also appreciate my small space because it literally can be cleaned top to bottom in less than an hour.

BTW I LOVE that t-shirt; that's tie-dye done RIGHT!

myedit said...

Yes! About 'The Secret Life...' I can't stop watching it and yet I'm embarrassed to be addicted to that crap. I like that the plot actually moves a bit slower. In 90210 (not like I really watch that) one show will have a pregnancy, the birth, some cancer and a heartbreak... I can't keep up!
Nice tie-dye shirt. I need to renew my passport (oops) if only so I can make a stop at Target again...

A said...

OMG I love that shirt. I was JUST in 2 Targets this weekend and didn't see that at all~! >:( I think I purposely manage to miss the cool stuff.

I am forever jealous of those shoes. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

And waow, you have a Gazelle! Hardcore.

C said...

I like Coupland okay, but I'm not crazy about him. What I AM crazy about is that shirt! :)

WendyB said...

I'm not giving Coupland any more chances.

Sheila said...

Ah, red shoes!

I just read "Girlfriend in a Coma" - eh, it was okay. I bought a bunch more of his books, so I'll see how that goes.

Ginger said...

Girlfriend in a Coma and Microserfs are my two least favorite Coupland books. And Hey Nostradamus! left me curled up in my bed for a week crying...I'd suggest reading All Families are Psychotic. That was my introductory Coupland novel, and to date, it's still my favorite.

Tira said...

Those tees are on sale for $8 this week!!

Lou said...

Oh how the titles of your posts can take me back… The Smashing Pumpkins’ concerts pretty much defined my teenage years.
I also gave in a while back and got an exercise bike for the living room. It makes you feel less guilty about watching the crap TV!
And I’m a sucker for tie dye too so an all round fabulous post I guess.

Anonymous said...

Coupland is just one of those writers, his themes repeat, it is metronomic, his books all carry a vague sense of having been read before. You relate or you don't, but for me, Life After God is his finest work. I turn back to it often, those melancholy, is this really how life turns out days. But if you really want to appreciate him, read Gen X. All the quippy fairytales and "definitions" are what made him literary famous afterall.