Resolution Blog Day 2- January 2, 2010

I have decided to give up shopping for the month of January. I am mostly doing this to support my boyfriend’s efforts not to drink alcohol in January. It seems that if he is going to give up something so near and dear to his heart, the least I can do is do the same. I am hoping for some kind of personal and financial growth in the process.

I don’t really think I have a problem. I am not going to go on record and admit that I am a shopaholic at this point. I am not sure whether there is an actual definition or warning signs to let you know you are a shopaholic. It’s not quite as black and white as say being an alcoholic. I kind of knew I might be on an unhealthy path with alcohol when I started taking the bottle of vodka to the bathtub with me so I wouldn’t have to get out to refresh my bathtub cocktail. It was apparent at that time that I was not on a healthy path. And I don’t really drink vodka now unless it is a work related event (a necessary exception) or special occasion. This shopping issue is far less clear.

I do have a lot of clothes and a lot of shoes. I’m not overly extravagant though. I don’t care so much about designer clothes or shoes. I do not own Jimmy Choos. I do not own Prada. I do own some upper end jeans but that is largely because they fit my upper sized rear end. With that exception, I stick mostly to what I consider to be practical necessities. My issue is I may have more than I need of many of these “practical necessities”.

For example, I am a runner. I am a “for real” runner. 6 full marathons. More than fifteen half marathons. I am legitimately entitled to running shoes, running clothes and running gear. But, I arguably don’t need the 5 drawers and entire armoire full plus almost an entire hall closet of running shoes, running clothes and running gear that I currently possess. Running shoes that are too cute to run in are probably not a “practical necessity”. I probably don’t need running shoes that are too cute to run in. Nevertheless, I have three pairs that fall into this category. One pair I can justify as “charitable shopping”. I have a super cute pair of Nike running shoes designed by a teenager with cancer through a kind of “make-a-wish” type Nike charity. They have embroidered hearts on the toes. Those however, are legitimate as a portion of those proceeds did go to the charity. The other two pairs I cannot justify in this way. Three pairs of running shoes that are too cute to wear running are perhaps beyond the scope of “practical necessity”.

Similarly, I live in a cold climate so I am legitimately entitled to warm puffy parkas. However, I probably cannot justify as necessary 5 such warm puffy parkas. Although I will say that they are all in very practical, necessary, basic wardrobe colors. Black, white, white, white, and pink. Also, it seems practical to have a pair of Uggs to keep my feet warm. Arguably, it is not practical or necessary to have 9 pairs of Uggs. Again, three of the pairs are the basic wardrobe color of beige and go with everything. But…three pairs are pink. Three other pairs have flowers all over them. They are all amazing. None are practical or necessary.

Thus, upon reflection, taking some time off from my favorite pastime of shopping altogether for at least a month is a good idea. I am faced with some immediate concerns and challenges which is why I have decided to publically document this personal journey.

My first challenge is to avoid the overwhelming need to track down the sequin- covered sparkly boots that I saw on a complete stranger in a friend’s pictures from New Year’s Eve posted on facebook last night. They were pretty damn cute and certainly a practical necessity. But no…I will resist a full scale, time consuming internet search for these practical amazing boots.

I am also going to resist going in search of the metallic gold puffy parka that I have been patiently waiting all season to go on sale. As mentioned above I have a lovely selection of puffy parkas and the gold metallic is not really a basic wardrobe color.

Further, I am not buying what seems to be the most legitimate necessity of new running gloves and will wear the goofy fleece gloves I have until February. Although I could probably justify the new running gloves under the above mentioned charitable exception since I gave my good running gloves with the hidden key pocket to a homeless person during the Las Vegas Half Marathon because my hands got to hot and I didn’t want to carry them another 6 miles. I am going to choose not to make such excuses and simply wear the gloves that I have, which I kind of prefer anyway.

That’s it for day 2. So far, so good.