Author Topic: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!  (Read 189692 times)

HappierAtHome

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #800 on: May 09, 2018, 07:07:49 PM »
I’ve been dreading telling you all that I didn’t make it last month!

Caved right near the end because DH strongly suggested buying me a piece of jewellery for Mother’s Day. I am only human! Haha. Oh well. I’m staying strong on the clothing front.

But I do find it hard to find new enthusiasm to continue, now that the floodgates gave opened.

How amazing would it be to make it through the rest of the year without caving (and having to confess it here!) again? Have you ever made it through a full year only buying one piece of jewellery before?

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #801 on: May 10, 2018, 01:16:48 PM »
I’ve been dreading telling you all that I didn’t make it last month!

Caved right near the end because DH strongly suggested buying me a piece of jewellery for Mother’s Day. I am only human! Haha. Oh well. I’m staying strong on the clothing front.

But I do find it hard to find new enthusiasm to continue, now that the floodgates gave opened.

@lifejoy - AHH, so we are truly gem geek sisters:) - I knew it! See, now we can hobble along together in May - staring down those pretty sparklies that managed to temporarily defeat us in April. We are in good company and it does help a bit to listen to all the supportive comments.
We can do this!

Regroup - we just lost a battle, but not the war:) - don't dwell on this one month of caving. Change strategy if we must! We had three good - no jewelry buying months already, that is something, right!?
It is already ten days into May - one third-victory:) - let's not give up now.
I'm not happy that I caved either, but hey - think about it, we already won three out of four months so let's make it four out of five! GAME ON!

If we were perfect we wouldn't be here struggling even though we know we are out of control:)

Progress report:
temptation never ceases:) and yes, like you, the moment I caved I was tempted to just keep going and buy whatever my little heart desired - which is more jewelry - which I do not need!
Dammit!
I do know now, why it is so hard for me to stop and it isn't something that I can make go away, I just have to accept it and find a way to live with it. The trouble is I don't trust myself yet to just change strategy and allow myself to buy something occasionally. I know what you mean about the floodgates have opened - well, we just have to see it as releasing pressure and capping the damned dam once again!:)

I am super busy with family/guest at the moment so I don't have time to look at jewelry which makes it easy to stay on track at least until Tuesday.

diapasoun

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #802 on: May 10, 2018, 04:00:07 PM »
Fellow gazingus-ers, I am happy to report that I resisted a real moment of temptation the other day, in part because I imagined how sad I would be to lose my star for May. I was in the bookstore (it's a local hangout for us -- I think I'm in there one day a week just to browse, and to catch up with friends who work there) and came across an old hardback volume by Kahlil Gibran. I love Gibran's work, and this was one I hadn't read in a cool old volume. It was under $10, and I thought "but, maybe this one?"

However, I thought about my star, and thought about how long it would take me to get around to this beautiful old book, and how impulse buying pretty things is not what my library should be about. And so I put it back, so that someone else could have it and enjoy it in their library.


HappierAtHome

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #803 on: May 10, 2018, 06:32:47 PM »
Fellow gazingus-ers, I am happy to report that I resisted a real moment of temptation the other day, in part because I imagined how sad I would be to lose my star for May. I was in the bookstore (it's a local hangout for us -- I think I'm in there one day a week just to browse, and to catch up with friends who work there) and came across an old hardback volume by Kahlil Gibran. I love Gibran's work, and this was one I hadn't read in a cool old volume. It was under $10, and I thought "but, maybe this one?"

However, I thought about my star, and thought about how long it would take me to get around to this beautiful old book, and how impulse buying pretty things is not what my library should be about. And so I put it back, so that someone else could have it and enjoy it in their library.

Yay! Good on you!!

I too am very motivated by those stars :-P

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #804 on: May 10, 2018, 10:16:52 PM »
Thank you so much, diapasoun, well-respected man, inkedup, Happier, and rosy! Your words of wisdom and encouragement mean so much to me! And for everyone who is staying strong - your strength inspires me!

The good, bad, and ugly:

DH offered me jewellery ($). I said no thanks.
He offered again, ($$$$), I said nope - jewellery challenge.
He offered again, for Mother's Day, ($$$$x4) and I said no thanks! Go me!

And then a week later, I said, ok YES. Because I am human and jewellery is my weakness and DH very seldom (if ever) wants to devote our shared monies to jewellery and I wanted to seize the opportunity while it was still there! And then DH said, oh - uhh, well that's a lot of money! Maybe we could just get something $$$$?

And so then I was upset, and we had discussions. Because I then felt like it was a disingenuous offer etc etc and who was he to tempt me anyways? Blah blah blah we eventually compromised with $$$$x2. So I chose something beautiful. I haven't received it yet, and I COULD return it, but I would lose probably around $300-500 due to shipping and duties fees. Probably not worth it. And FWIW the expenditure was a very small percentage of our income, we have savings, and it is for my first Mother's Day.

Other jewellery: my friend found that tiffany's bracelet for my bride friend - $125, pre-owned, worn only once, she was selling it because it was from her ex. The box and bag and bracelet were pristine! my friend even got it re-wrapped for me at Tiffany's! Why they were willing to do that, I'll never know. Anyways I'm pleased as punch to be giving my friend this bracelet (regular like $350+ tax) for an on-budget price (that's how much I wanted to spend on her shower gift) and given that my bride friend threw my bridal shower (Tiffany themed!) it's just the perfect gift. Yay!

Found a 10k gold ring for a different friend for $30 total (score!) for her 30th bday in the fall. We have a $30 budget set for each other for this bday, so that makes me happy.

Bought a ring I didn't have to (not great...) I think I will give it to a different bride friend for her shower - it is gold with aquamarine's so it could be her "something blue" and it was $20 so that's something I can live with. Giving it away will help me because part of this challenge for me is to stop accumulating!!!

I put a ring on layaway for myself. It was $300 and I *Love* it. It was a major break of my challenge and in part a result of the floodgates opening for a minute. It made me feel ok about SHOPPING and looking at places I normally don't.

How I'm going to plug the leak:

-focus on painting my nails instead of adorning them with rings! (Thanks Iowajes, I'm having trouble successfully responding our your PMs, I keep getting error message, but thank you so much for the nail polish shade ideas! I love them! And I'm really into the royals so Essie's ballet slipper pink interests me greatly).

-Strongly consider returning any rings I don't LOVE

-Focus on making it the rest of the year

-Celebrate the fact that I haven't bought any clothing this year. I have bought sunglasses, walking shoes, and a bridesmaid dress and bridesmaid shoes. All completely necessary purchases, as far as I'm concerned! And with the exception of the bridesmaid dress, none of them "clothing".

-I am also going to UNFOLLOW any jewellery accounts on my facebook and instagram (*cries*!). This is a big deal for me. Gah. Should be helpful though. And I will focus on unsubscribing from anything jewellery-related on all social media.

-Not read books about jewellery. The book "Brilliance and Fire" was AWESOME but way too "triggering".

Ok. Time to dole out stars. No star for me for May, but as for the rest of the year: bring it on!


« Last Edit: May 10, 2018, 10:49:40 PM by lifejoy »

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #805 on: May 10, 2018, 10:23:40 PM »
I’ve been dreading telling you all that I didn’t make it last month!

Caved right near the end because DH strongly suggested buying me a piece of jewellery for Mother’s Day. I am only human! Haha. Oh well. I’m staying strong on the clothing front.

But I do find it hard to find new enthusiasm to continue, now that the floodgates gave opened.

How amazing would it be to make it through the rest of the year without caving (and having to confess it here!) again? Have you ever made it through a full year only buying one piece of jewellery before?

Oh, and, uhm, no. Haha I have been a jewellery lover for a long, long LOOOOOONG time. I even remember when my mom gave my sister and I (as kids) each a dollar to buy each other something from the dollar store. She bought me a pink snail-shaped squirt gun. I bought her stick-on earrings. LOL and definitely because they were what I would most want for myself!!

Part of me is considering making like some of the book people on here and limiting myself to one piece of jewellery a month ;)

But by the same token, I had a great chat with an old friend of mine (herself a jewellery lover) and she asked me if I had insurance. Nope. She doesn't either. We talked about the pros and cons and essentially I realized that it's kind of dumb of me to own a bunch of jewellery to have to worry about it or pay to insure it. So I may consider more pro-actively selling some stuff. I've had bites but it's been hard for me to meet sellers (due to new baby) but I can work on it.

@Rosy - do you have insurance? Do you worry about the cost of keeping such a great collection? And please feel free to stay mysterious, but you've twice vaguely mentioned being aware of your reasons for collecting jewellery - do you want to go into more detail? I'd be interested. For me, jewellery is inherently beautiful, it lasts longer than other things I like (clothes wear out, food gets eaten, etc etc), it is often meaningful, and I can pass it down the generations. It is also a status symbol and can be an expression of love. I think those last reasons explain why I crave jewellery when I'm feeling insecure. Do you go through anything like that?

lifejoy

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No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #806 on: May 10, 2018, 10:32:20 PM »
PS - technically the Mother's Day ring was purchased end of April. The other things were bought in May. So I lose out April and May. But ready to fight another day! :)

#stayinghonest
« Last Edit: May 10, 2018, 10:35:35 PM by lifejoy »

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #807 on: May 10, 2018, 10:34:33 PM »
And rosy - you are so right. Lost the battle but not the war!!!

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #808 on: May 10, 2018, 10:37:40 PM »
I bought some pajamas and shoes for our toddler, and it seems to have scratched my clothes-buying itch for now. They were reasonably necessary - all he has are footed fleece jammies, which are very summer-inappropriate, and one pair of Keens that he wears ALL THE TIME.  Now he has cute new (to us) dino jammies and some red sandals that he loves, and I still haven't bought myself any clothes, yay!

Do I owe you some stars? You only have two (including April).

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #809 on: May 10, 2018, 10:40:15 PM »
I'm still on the wagon and, to be honest, have not really been that tempted.

Except when I saw the socks with pictures of a goth/punk version of Rosie the Riveter giving the finger. I mean, seriously!! Didn't buy them though.

I only have three stars for you (including April) - did I miss one?

Anyone else missing a star?

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #810 on: May 10, 2018, 10:41:34 PM »
I've been following this thread all year and finally thought of my gazingus pin!  Mine is fun, colorful pens.  Luckily I'm not into any that are too fancy/expensive, but am always tempted to buy them even though I have about 30 already.  I realized this on vacation last week (man does Germany have a lot of nice stationary stores all over the place!) and managed to think of this thread and resist buying any.

So, no buying new colorful pens (or any pens) until I actually run out.  I think this will take at least through the end of the year, based on my current stash.

Added you! Are you also Mezzie or do you two just have a common gazingus pin? Glad you guys joined us!

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #811 on: May 10, 2018, 10:46:41 PM »
Well, that was ridiculously motivating to hand out stars! ✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Please take pity on me - I am a sleep-deprived new mom, and need your help! If I missed giving you a star, so sorry, please let it be known and I will get to it ASAP.

What a great cohort we have here. You guys are really great. I'm so inspired! Bring on the rest of May, the rest of 2018!

HappierAtHome

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #812 on: May 10, 2018, 10:59:32 PM »
Thanks for my stars! I love the one you choose for April :D

The good, bad, and ugly

I really admire how you're working through what went wrong and how you'll move forward. This is great stuff!

lifejoy

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No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #813 on: May 10, 2018, 11:03:02 PM »
Thanks for my stars! I love the one you choose for April

The good, bad, and ugly

I really admire how you're working through what went wrong and how you'll move forward. This is great stuff!

Oh, and I should add that I made DH VERRRRRY aware about this challenge! I had casually mentioned it in the past but now he REALLY knows.

Thanks so much for your support <3
Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’m moving in the right direction. And 3.5 months is longer than I’ve lasted in a LONG time!

HappierAtHome

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #814 on: May 10, 2018, 11:28:45 PM »
Yes - 3.5 months is AMAZING compared to more regularly buying your pin!!

mspym

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #815 on: May 11, 2018, 03:53:32 AM »
Very much in the gazingus whack-a-mole stage: one of my older ones [bags] popped up again. I've been stressed at work, got a headcold, and generally feeling unloved and I found myself with 10 different tabs open looking at shopping sites and reviews and flipping bagforum and I just had to close everything down and take myself for a walk outside to break the pattern.

Rode home and mentioned I'd been looking at bags - keeping it honest- but that I was going to rotate through my current bag collection instead. Because if I can donate multiple items of a brand and STILL HAVE >1 of that brand in my collection, I don't need any more flipping bags. Even if I am really really good at scoring them for very little money. *sigh*

Lifejoy: please add bags to my list?

SquashingDebt

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #816 on: May 11, 2018, 05:00:40 AM »
I've been following this thread all year and finally thought of my gazingus pin!  Mine is fun, colorful pens.  Luckily I'm not into any that are too fancy/expensive, but am always tempted to buy them even though I have about 30 already.  I realized this on vacation last week (man does Germany have a lot of nice stationary stores all over the place!) and managed to think of this thread and resist buying any.

So, no buying new colorful pens (or any pens) until I actually run out.  I think this will take at least through the end of the year, based on my current stash.

Added you! Are you also Mezzie or do you two just have a common gazingus pin? Glad you guys joined us!

@lifejoy Nope, just a common gazingus pin!

RetiredAt63

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #817 on: May 11, 2018, 06:38:38 AM »
I have all 4 stars - pretty stars, I am rocking it.  Most is staying away from temptation, the rest is looking but not touching (nice fibre is so tactile, the squish of wool, the smoosh of alpaca).  And I have had exposure to temptation, this is hard work.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #818 on: May 11, 2018, 04:29:13 PM »
Feeling pretty good about the line-up of stars next to my name.
[why yes, I *do* want a sticker, thank you :) ]

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #819 on: May 11, 2018, 09:07:52 PM »
A fail early in the month!  My son wanted a mouse pad for his birthday and so I made him one out of cool fabric and cork board that I had lying around. But I couldn't find the spray adhesive... looked everywhere. So I went and bought some, and while I was there my daughter managed to beg me into buying some glitter glue.  Which was foolish, because we have lots of glitter glue somewhere. But I just can't find it.  Possibly because my house is too full of crafts materials. 

d'oh!

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #820 on: May 13, 2018, 11:55:07 PM »
I returned a ring :)

Laura33

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #821 on: May 14, 2018, 12:06:08 PM »
I returned a ring :)

Yayyyyy!!!  You should give out partial stars for folks who succumb to temptation but then think better of it.  Good job!

I am still drinking down my teas, but it's funny:  I am almost done with the "meh" ones, but I still haven't touched the really nice ones (e.g., I have a few that you serve in a glass pot and that open into a flower as they steep).  And I'm finding it really hard to force myself to do so -- my knee-jerk brain says it's just not a special-enough occasion!  So I'm not quite sure what to do.  Do I make myself finish those off as part of the challenge?  Or do I say it's ok to keep a few special teas back? 

I think the answer is that I make myself drink almost all of them -- that whole scarcity mindset is still strong, and I totally hoard things I think will be hard to replace (ask me about the bottle of 50-year-old balsamic that I got in Italy in 2011!).  But I also don't want to get into a habit of drinking my really expensive teas just because they're there.  So maybe I let myself keep one variety of "special" tea, just like I plan to let myself keep one variety of other categories, and I drink down all the rest.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #822 on: May 14, 2018, 12:14:11 PM »
I returned a ring :)

Yayyyyy!!!  You should give out partial stars for folks who succumb to temptation but then think better of it.  Good job!

I am still drinking down my teas, but it's funny:  I am almost done with the "meh" ones, but I still haven't touched the really nice ones (e.g., I have a few that you serve in a glass pot and that open into a flower as they steep).  And I'm finding it really hard to force myself to do so -- my knee-jerk brain says it's just not a special-enough occasion!  So I'm not quite sure what to do.  Do I make myself finish those off as part of the challenge?  Or do I say it's ok to keep a few special teas back? 

I think the answer is that I make myself drink almost all of them -- that whole scarcity mindset is still strong, and I totally hoard things I think will be hard to replace (ask me about the bottle of 50-year-old balsamic that I got in Italy in 2011!).  But I also don't want to get into a habit of drinking my really expensive teas just because they're there.  So maybe I let myself keep one variety of "special" tea, just like I plan to let myself keep one variety of other categories, and I drink down all the rest.

:) honourary imaginary stars for me!

Definitely drink the special-occasion tea. Save some if you want... but life is short! And you never know how short! Bring the little luxuries into your life without making them habitual :)

That’s my vote!

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #823 on: May 14, 2018, 12:16:05 PM »
PS - if you deplete your tea collection, imagine how thrilled you would be to receive tea as a gift?

Btw - My friend bought me a pair of Theory pants at a rummage sale ($5!) because she knows about my challenge and thought I would like them. I love them! But I love them way way more than I normally would, because I can’t just go out and buy some.

Anyways, this challenge is enriching my life already!

diapasoun

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #824 on: May 14, 2018, 12:16:51 PM »
@Laura33, would going an entire month without buying tea and getting another star be an acceptable occasion for your special teas? :)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #825 on: May 14, 2018, 12:21:24 PM »
I would really like to buy some nail polish. I've been really down lately and don't have time to do anything so I want to either buy or eat my feelings. I don't really want to be fat, so the buying thing seems to be the way to go.

Really, I need time to go to therapy and REALLY need time to sleep. But buying nail polish seems to give me a few seconds of happy. If I could just keep doing that non-stop.... 

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #826 on: May 14, 2018, 12:31:34 PM »
@Laura33, would going an entire month without buying tea and getting another star be an acceptable occasion for your special teas? :)

Ooooohhhhhh, brilliant!! 

Seriously, this is one of the areas in which I take delayed gratification well past any logical end point -- I mean, I have literally kept some imported pate my mom gave me in my pantry so long it went bad, you know?  So I really do need to retrain myself to find reasons to enjoy the little special things like that.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #827 on: May 14, 2018, 12:34:22 PM »
I would really like to buy some nail polish. I've been really down lately and don't have time to do anything so I want to either buy or eat my feelings. I don't really want to be fat, so the buying thing seems to be the way to go.

Really, I need time to go to therapy and REALLY need time to sleep. But buying nail polish seems to give me a few seconds of happy. If I could just keep doing that non-stop....

I'm so sorry!  But don't give in!  Because you know exactly what happens:  you have that second of happiness, and then you have the guilt hangover that leaves you feeling even worse!  Can you find time to take a walk in some nice sunshine maybe?  Find some other way to give yourself a little peace, even if it is only for a few minutes.  Step outside, take some deep breaths, even do a sun salutation and stretch a bit.  5 minutes, I guarantee you will feel at least a teensy bit better.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #828 on: May 14, 2018, 12:38:02 PM »
I would really like to buy some nail polish. I've been really down lately and don't have time to do anything so I want to either buy or eat my feelings. I don't really want to be fat, so the buying thing seems to be the way to go.

Really, I need time to go to therapy and REALLY need time to sleep. But buying nail polish seems to give me a few seconds of happy. If I could just keep doing that non-stop....

I'm so sorry!  But don't give in!  Because you know exactly what happens:  you have that second of happiness, and then you have the guilt hangover that leaves you feeling even worse!  Can you find time to take a walk in some nice sunshine maybe?  Find some other way to give yourself a little peace, even if it is only for a few minutes.  Step outside, take some deep breaths, even do a sun salutation and stretch a bit.  5 minutes, I guarantee you will feel at least a teensy bit better.

Let me know if you find any sunshine.... it has been so dreary here.

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #829 on: May 14, 2018, 01:19:23 PM »
I would really like to buy some nail polish. I've been really down lately and don't have time to do anything so I want to either buy or eat my feelings. I don't really want to be fat, so the buying thing seems to be the way to go.

Really, I need time to go to therapy and REALLY need time to sleep. But buying nail polish seems to give me a few seconds of happy. If I could just keep doing that non-stop....

I'm so sorry!  But don't give in!  Because you know exactly what happens:  you have that second of happiness, and then you have the guilt hangover that leaves you feeling even worse!  Can you find time to take a walk in some nice sunshine maybe?  Find some other way to give yourself a little peace, even if it is only for a few minutes.  Step outside, take some deep breaths, even do a sun salutation and stretch a bit.  5 minutes, I guarantee you will feel at least a teensy bit better.

Let me know if you find any sunshine.... it has been so dreary here.

Sending you a hug!

Would playing with your current polishes help? Making an inventory? Doing swatches? Mixing colours? Learning new techniques off YouTube? Calculating how much your current collection cost?

Sometimes listening to a really peppy song helps my day :) I’m currently enjoying french electronic music: Polo & Pan!

What were your original reasons for cutting back on nail polish buying? Buying a new one sounds like very fleeting happiness (I know the feeling well). Decades from now, it will serve you better to have found some extra free ideas on how to get that happiness surge :)

(Easier said than done!)

Anti-Gazingus-Pin-People - how do you stay strong? Let’s share tips and tricks!!! I’ll post mine this afternoon when I have a moment.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #830 on: May 14, 2018, 01:22:35 PM »
@lifejoy thanks for the great ideas. I've actually been painting my nails every Thursday which is nice. I wish I had time to change the color daily.
Cutting back, mostly because I have over 100 polishes and who really needs that?

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #831 on: May 14, 2018, 01:34:29 PM »
@lifejoy thanks for the great ideas. I've actually been painting my nails every Thursday which is nice. I wish I had time to change the color daily.
Cutting back, mostly because I have over 100 polishes and who really needs that?

I’d say that sounds like a lifetime supply! Could you layer over your current polish? Or is that lame? Lol

I’ve seen cool stuff with a sponge. Myself, I’m painting over my grown-out shellac manicure. It looks good from far away ;)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #832 on: May 14, 2018, 01:36:42 PM »
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xJSjYReQoMc

Just curious - what is it about buying a new polish that feels good? The newness? Perception of filling a void in the collection?

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #833 on: May 14, 2018, 01:44:13 PM »
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xJSjYReQoMc

Just curious - what is it about buying a new polish that feels good? The newness? Perception of filling a void in the collection?

Buying stuff is fun. And it takes less time than DOING stuff. 

I am SO bad at gradients. I have sponges and liquid latex to try it.
I do sometimes layer over what i have- I like stamping, so after a week of wear sometimes instead of painting fresh.

I like the colors on your nails.  I've learned that a clean up brush and acetone go a long way towards making a home paint job look better.  I also notice the really good swatchers leave a line around their cuticle, where yours "flood" it a bit. I'm not great at doing that though, I tend to flood the cuticle, but sometimes can clean it up alright.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #834 on: May 14, 2018, 04:11:22 PM »
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xJSjYReQoMc

Just curious - what is it about buying a new polish that feels good? The newness? Perception of filling a void in the collection?

Buying stuff is fun. And it takes less time than DOING stuff. 

I am SO bad at gradients. I have sponges and liquid latex to try it.
I do sometimes layer over what i have- I like stamping, so after a week of wear sometimes instead of painting fresh.

I like the colors on your nails.  I've learned that a clean up brush and acetone go a long way towards making a home paint job look better.  I also notice the really good swatchers leave a line around their cuticle, where yours "flood" it a bit. I'm not great at doing that though, I tend to flood the cuticle, but sometimes can clean it up alright.

You’re so right about leaving that line and not flooding!!!! When I was a girl my grandmother taught me that trick and I either forgot or got lazy or both, haha. Thanks for reminding me!

You could host a manicure party and make your girlfriends very pleased to be guinea pigs for you, haha.

I’m trying to make my hands look very pretty so I can focus on that change and appreciate the jewellery I have with my “new” hands modelling the rings lol

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #835 on: May 14, 2018, 04:15:07 PM »
I agree about buying stuff being fun! Sometimes I buy stuff and return it because I enjoy the buying but don’t need the stuff. Such a waste though!

Things that help me resist my GPs:

-talking to friends about my goals
-posting in here
-watching Netflix
-doing chores
-having a shower or a bath
-baking
-planning ways to improve other people’s days (messages or care packages or whatever - thinking about others distracts me from my own “needs”)
-listening to audiobooks or podcasts about saving money
-taking photos or cataloguing the jewellery and clothing I own
-finding new ways to use those items
-selling clothes and jewellery I own - paring down my collection helps me appreciate the remaining stuff even more
-organizing my stuff in a new way
-reading about overcoming addictions

Ok people, share YOUR tips! :)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #836 on: May 15, 2018, 06:46:41 AM »
I bought some pajamas and shoes for our toddler, and it seems to have scratched my clothes-buying itch for now. They were reasonably necessary - all he has are footed fleece jammies, which are very summer-inappropriate, and one pair of Keens that he wears ALL THE TIME.  Now he has cute new (to us) dino jammies and some red sandals that he loves, and I still haven't bought myself any clothes, yay!

Do I owe you some stars? You only have two (including April).

Maybe?  But honestly, probably not, because I've definitely bought chocolate/ice cream for myself at the store more than once.  I'm doing really really well not buying clothes, and I'm honestly not even that tempted (other than wanting some ankle boots so I can wear leggings at work), but those dang chocolate covered almonds get me ever time.  I'm re-committing, now that I've confessed, lol.  Mostly because the sugar cravings are killing me.

ETA: Does anyone have any suggestions for where to reliably find secondhand shoes?  I've found shoes occasionally at the ARC or Goodwill, but usually they're cheap Target shoes or something.  I'm willing to eventually pay retail or sale price for really good boots, but I'd prefer to look at secondhand first.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2018, 07:03:02 AM by chaskavitch »

lexde

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #837 on: May 15, 2018, 09:25:59 AM »
I’ve successfully cut out most junk food, but have not been as successful with diet soda. Bummer. My gazingus pins only crop up when I am on the road for work and I feel compelled to buy a soda and chips for a long drive. Now I still get a soda when filling my tank but have been much better about not getting junk food or snacks on the road and I pack my own. So I’m about halfway there!

RetiredAt63

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #838 on: May 15, 2018, 09:57:28 AM »
Strategies?

Avoidance. Avoidance. Avoidance. 

Seriously, no window shopping, no on-line shopping, no looking at catalogues, nothing that will start up the "I WANT" part of my brain.  And fibre is tactile, so definitely no touch.

Figure out ways to be successful at avoidance - stop catalogues or put in recycling immediately.  Block on-line sites.  Avoid places that carry the good stuff.

Enjoy what I already have - inventory.  Play with it.  Do things with it.  I'm learning a new technique tomorrow. 

What else in life do I want to do instead of focusing on the gazingus pin?  Right now it is late spring/early summer so the gardens are calling - so giving in to gardening instead of yearning for the gazingus pin.

This is what usually works for me, YMMV.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #839 on: May 15, 2018, 10:19:06 AM »
Enjoying what I already have is a super helpful thing for me, and in particular approaching it as respect for a physical object -- easy to do with books, but I think it's possible for many objects. This is an object that cost resources and time, that represents the labor of authors and editors and production, and mindlessly acquiring it to leave it sitting unused and unappreciated feels so, so disrespectful to me. (Not a judgment on anyone else here -- just my approach to physical objects, which has helped a lot over the years.)

It's also helpful for me that my gazingus pin is freely available for short periods of time from libraries. If I want to experience a particular new-to-me object, I can, and then I can give it back. A variant on this for someone else might be a swap (clothing swap, shoe swap, snack swap even?).

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #840 on: May 15, 2018, 10:34:43 AM »
Avoidance is definitely helping for my clothes buying, but I need to get better at meal planning so I don't go to the grocery store so often and see treats everywhere.

The one thing I want to buy right now, short boots, is because I want to wear my leggings at work, but I work in a lab, so I have to have my feet covered.  It's in the rules.  Wearing ballet flats with socks tall enough to connect with my leggings looks...odd, we'll say.  I have one pair of red velveteen short boots, which I should probably get rid of because I wear them maybe twice a year, and one pair of "cowboy" short boots.  They're not incredibly comfortable, but I could wear those more often!  I'm glad I'm writing this. 

They might get me through, we'll see.  It helps that I'm also committed to buying well-made, ethically made clothes/shoes if I can't buy secondhand.  It will take me a while to find something that fits the bill AND meets my aesthetic desires.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #841 on: May 15, 2018, 10:40:29 AM »
I think it is easy for me to avoid my gazingus pins when I have time. When I have time I do other things than shop.  When time is the limited resource, and it is coupled with depression (but time limits my ability to get to therapy)- then I struggle.

I actually haven't bought fabric in awhile, but right now I have zero time to sew, so if I want to "enjoy" my hobby, the only way to do it is to shop for fabric. 

(You might ask how I have time to shop. Well, I'm sitting up with a baby from 2 am to 4 am almost every night recently. My phone is the only thing I have. It's too late at night to concentrate on a book even if I wanted to use my Kindle app.)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #842 on: May 15, 2018, 12:39:48 PM »
Hey @lifejoy, there you are! I've not seen much from you lately and was wondering how you are. I now see I just wasn't looking in the right place. Whew! I'm glad you're still around! I hope you and babyjoy are doing well and that there is more sleep for both of you these days.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #843 on: May 15, 2018, 03:53:27 PM »
@lifejoy , babyjoy will one day treasure the jewelry that you got for your very first Mother's Day - in honor of her!  The necklace and earrings I got for my first Mother's Day will go to my daughter one day.  And if they don't appreciate them, well, fie on them.

I lost May already.  The kids begged to go to the bookstore to spend their allowances and I got weak.  I bought 2 books.

I justified this because
a) It was Mother's Day and this was my tangible present to me (the kids washed the car)
b) I didn't buy one last month
c) We're going through some stressful family things and books are my security blanket.
d) The bookstore actually made an effort to stock "African American romance" and shelve it with "regular" romance and I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth is and try one.

I put the third book back on the shelf and will buy it next month.  That decision actually made the mild guilt go away.  I was still purposeful, just not within star-earning guidelines.

I did throw away the Yankee Candle coupons.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #844 on: May 15, 2018, 05:58:28 PM »

(You might ask how I have time to shop. Well, I'm sitting up with a baby from 2 am to 4 am almost every night recently. My phone is the only thing I have. It's too late at night to concentrate on a book even if I wanted to use my Kindle app.)

I remember those days.  No smart phones, no temptation. Can you avoid the phone while you are up with baby?  Seriously, the more you avoid, the easier it gets to avoid.

RetiredAt63

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #845 on: May 15, 2018, 06:04:25 PM »
Enjoying what I already have is a super helpful thing for me, and in particular approaching it as respect for a physical object -- easy to do with books, but I think it's possible for many objects. This is an object that cost resources and time, that represents the labor of authors and editors and production, and mindlessly acquiring it to leave it sitting unused and unappreciated feels so, so disrespectful to me. (Not a judgment on anyone else here -- just my approach to physical objects, which has helped a lot over the years.)

It's also helpful for me that my gazingus pin is freely available for short periods of time from libraries. If I want to experience a particular new-to-me object, I can, and then I can give it back. A variant on this for someone else might be a swap (clothing swap, shoe swap, snack swap even?).

If it were not for a good library at hand, my major gazingus pin would be books.  I've hardly bought a book in years, but the 50 books a year challenge is not for me, I can do 50 books in half that time.  I'm decluttering now to get my house ready for sale, and as I sort books (keep or donate) I am looking at just how much money I spent over the years.   Ouch.

Enjoying what I already have is part of my avoidance of buying more - when I look at my stash, I can see it will take a few years to use most of it.  It isn't meant to just sit there, it is meant to be enjoyed.  So appreciating and enjoying what we already have, whether it is books, nail polish, jewellery, yarn, fleece, whatever, is part of learning to incorporate our gazingus pins in our lives in a meaningful way.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #846 on: May 15, 2018, 06:13:12 PM »

(You might ask how I have time to shop. Well, I'm sitting up with a baby from 2 am to 4 am almost every night recently. My phone is the only thing I have. It's too late at night to concentrate on a book even if I wanted to use my Kindle app.)

I remember those days.  No smart phones, no temptation. Can you avoid the phone while you are up with baby?  Seriously, the more you avoid, the easier it gets to avoid.
I worry I'd fall asleep on her... I don't know how people did this without phones!

I haven't bought any so far...

RetiredAt63

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #847 on: May 16, 2018, 06:07:51 AM »

(You might ask how I have time to shop. Well, I'm sitting up with a baby from 2 am to 4 am almost every night recently. My phone is the only thing I have. It's too late at night to concentrate on a book even if I wanted to use my Kindle app.)

I remember those days.  No smart phones, no temptation. Can you avoid the phone while you are up with baby?  Seriously, the more you avoid, the easier it gets to avoid.
I worry I'd fall asleep on her... I don't know how people did this without phones!

I haven't bought any so far...

Well if she was sick we were both wide awake. Middle of the night nursing we often both fell asleep. Big easy chair, she was well supported, when I  woke up we had not moved.  Plus even if we didn't fall asleep  I was  sleepy enough it was easy to get back to sleep once she was back in bed.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #848 on: May 16, 2018, 07:23:18 AM »

(You might ask how I have time to shop. Well, I'm sitting up with a baby from 2 am to 4 am almost every night recently. My phone is the only thing I have. It's too late at night to concentrate on a book even if I wanted to use my Kindle app.)

I remember those days.  No smart phones, no temptation. Can you avoid the phone while you are up with baby?  Seriously, the more you avoid, the easier it gets to avoid.
I worry I'd fall asleep on her... I don't know how people did this without phones!

I haven't bought any so far...

Well if she was sick we were both wide awake. Middle of the night nursing we often both fell asleep. Big easy chair, she was well supported, when I  woke up we had not moved.  Plus even if we didn't fall asleep  I was  sleepy enough it was easy to get back to sleep once she was back in bed.

I had the fear of God put in me about falling asleep with her on a couch or padded chair. So I only sit up with her in a rocker. Now I just worry if I fall asleep she'd rolling off the pillow and fall. I won't use my phone in MY bed because I have really bad insomnia and don't want to make it worse.

Collecting is just easier than doing.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #849 on: May 16, 2018, 01:14:31 PM »
The one strategy that works the best for me is:
Chanting:) - silently in my head of course, “I am re-directing my money and it works - I see real $$$ lounging about where I want to see them stacking up - higher and higher”.
(You know that tune, that goes ... higher and higher:)

@lifejoy - wow, I'm impressed you returned a ring:) One step at a time!
1. You asked about insurance - you know the old saying, "If you can't afford to replace it you should insure it?"
At present, my most valuable pieces and one gemstone collection are in a safe deposit box and yes, I have photos, descriptions and invoices, including a chip of my inventory in my emergency folder in case we need to evacuate due to a hurricane.
The plan is to decide on some changes incl. insurance by March 2019.

2. Let me reiterate, I am dead serious about this challenge, my jewelry buying and gemstone collecting days are over for a variety of reasons. It's just that my lizard brain - look shiny - want!!! hasn't quite got the message yet.
It's downright painful to resist and it doesn't make me happy to say NO - but there is such a thing as discipline and common sense and knowing when enough is enough.
My lizard brain will, eventually, get the message  - especially if I promise it the occasional earring down the line if it behaves now so I can reach my other goals in the meantime.


 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!