Resolutions

i don't really make new year's resolutions. i haven't for years. but this year i find myself striving towards change.

i'm trying not to put an official name on anything and largely i am just grateful for my much improved health as compared to this time last year when, if memory serves, i was dealing with a bowel infection along with the as yet unnamed salmonella bad menstrual cramps and the beginning stages of reactive arthritis and a totally unresponsive doctor. BUT, because there is always a but, i'm not totally happy with myself. my belly is too damn big and i've got an unhealthy relationship with jammy dodgers, sugary coffee and coca cola. i'm a bit smaller than i was when we moved here due to change in lifestyle, i walk more, portion sizes are smaller, stuff like that. but by last summer i weighed considerably less, and yes it was due to illness, but i liked it. i liked being that size. i was happy with that size.

now that my digestive system is back to normal and the left side of my jaw is no longer in near constant arthritic pain i need to keep myself in check. i can no longer rely on intestinal distress and arthritis as my weight loss method, nor do i want to rely on intestinal distress and arthritis, they suck!

so, to that end, i am:

1. drinking more water
2. not snacking between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner
3. cutting back on the coffee
4. taking a yoga class with a couple friends

i like to think that none of these are resolutions, they're just better choices. although i admit, the timing is suspicious.

and seriously, if i could just get over this whole cancer hang up and start smoking regularly again, i'd lose the weight in a jiff!

speaking of, i need to quit doing that entirely too. but that's for april.

new year's dress

I was going to share the exciting news that i found a really great dres for new year's eve by going to the top shop website and posting a picture of it, but my dress is so exclusive (read: on sale or last season) that it is not on the website any longer. however, they did have a picture of a skirt in the same color with the same print.



Behold:

the dress itself is knee length with a high waist and a scoop neck with straps about an inch wide. i have also purchased sparklygold tights and some gold beaded yarn to knit a necklace from (knitty's Knecklace pattern in case you were wondering) jeremy thinks i ought to wear a red or orange belt or hair accessory but i don't know if he's right about that, but then i'm kind of crap with mixing 'unlikely' colors so i may give it a go. and by unlikely i mean anything that is not really really obvious. i write stories, i don't paint pictures!

i am pleased with the dress though, it isn't at all what i was expecting to buy and is at the same time very similar to my usual style while being just different enough to make me feel fancy(the cut, sort of 1960's ish is a very common look for me but the color is not my norm at all) i thought i'd be buying something strapless but nothing available looked like it would support the curves i am currently blessed with. this was a good compromise.

i don't usually give much of a care about my new year's fashions but this year feels a bit different to me. i have a spectacularly crappy new year's to make up for after last year (spent watching taxi driver and running to the toilet often thanks to the salmonella). i don't need this to be the best night ever, but a really nice night that doesn't involve food poisoning, crippling anxiety and plenty of good music and dancing doesn't seem like it ought to be too much to ask for. and the first step to acheiving that is having a really nice dress.