Every Time I Think I'm Out...

...they pull me back in!

Twelve Step Program

Hello. My name is Larisa. I am a shoe addict.

And DSW is my enabler.

Yesterday was the start of their week-end 50%-off sandals sale. I went in, not because I needed more shoes, but because this is my happy place and everyone could use more trips to their happy place, am I right?

I walked in and quickly found these babies:


Okay, this is forgivable. Not only can I wear flip-flops almost every day this summer, but they were only $11. And I can replace a cruddy, old brown pair with these. Win-win! Go me!

I was almost out the door after this find. All rows had been thoroughly scoured. I was ready to hand over my 11 dollars and escape with very little damage. But... then I checked the clearance rack and found these!:


Okay, no, I do not wear high heels every day. No, I do not necessarily need these. But come on! How beautiful are they?! And they make my tootsies look all delicate and cute, no small feat for my size 10 canoes! Plus, I can kinda justify them for an up-coming wedding. Yeah, there we go! Just the excuse I needed - the wedding... :)

(Greg, don't kill me. They're hot and you know it!)



So usually - you might not believe me but it's true - I don't have to spend a single penny at DSW to have a worthwhile experience. They have some pretty amazing shoes, the entertainment value of which are priceless.

Take these, for example:


If you were ever in a street fight and had to defend yourself, the heel could, of course, serve as a good self-defense tool. But you could also wrap those straps around your fist for ready-made brass knuckles.
I actually really like these, by the way... But I'm a total sucker for red shoes. (See, Greg. Restraint.)


These remind me of Michael Jackson:


You can't tell from this picture, but the sides are totally sparkly and glitterized - not unlike:



What is going on with the sneaker-come-wedges?:


Why, Steve, why?!


Or worse, the sneaker/high-heel platform hybrid:


Unless these are part of some disco-dancing costume, no! Just. No!



I'm sorry, but shame on the person who dropped $148 on these rainbow flats just because they were Coach:


It may be time to step back and seriously re-evaluate your label relationships.


But the worst were these:

Chartreuse flats with a shoelace-type pom-pom on top! Ew! (also available in white)


If you own these shoes, I'm pretty sure you and I - well, we couldn't be friends. I'm just saying...

Thirty-One, O.M.G...

I'm turning thirty-one tomorrow. Holy crap!

Thirty-one. Three One. 3-1.

Deep breath. Its only a number. Its only a number. Its only a number...

This morning as the realization sank just a bit deeper, I started taking stock. Its only natural that since I'm here at work and feeling swamped that I immediately focused on the negative aspects. Here goes:

• I'm still in grad school, nervously & anxiously fretting about the outcome of this loooooong interlude in my life.
  
• I'm still running experiments that probably will not work.
  
• I need to be writing my dissertation at the same time.
• I may or may not have bitten off more than I can chew with this class that I'm taking over.
  
• Soon I'll be out - one way or another- and I'll have to find a "real" job.
  
• I'm surrounded by pregnant women.
• As of tomorrow, we will be sharing our house with my little sister for some months, which is not really a negative until I remember how bitterly we used to fight as kids. And this worries me.
• I'm a full-blown allergy sufferer now.
  

I am one overwhelmed, sometimes-frantic, often-crying stress-ball.

The most logical short-term remedy? Pampering. Definitely.

Yesterday I had my hair cut and highlighted. (Yes, Mom, I highlighted my hair! No lectures!) Tomorrow I'm getting a pedicure, a gift from my birthday last year. (Thanks, Claus & Morgan!) And my lovely husband has organized a little party for later that night. This week-end I'm hoping to relax and catch up with the family - my mom, brother and sister will all be here- and take a little reprieve from the worry.

And I'm also going to force myself to come up with a more positive list for taking stock. This is no way to start a new year in my life.



p.s. Ewa, I got your birthday card yesterday. Thank you! It had a big sparkly high-heeled shoe on it surrounded by little (shoe?) fairies. Plus, I have a $10 discount at DSW. I think that's a sign if I've ever seen one.

Shopaholics Anonymous

It is a sad fact that when shopping with my mother-in-law, I often covet those little treasures that she seems to effortlessly pluck out of oblivion while I am blindly fumbling through all the crap hanging on the racks. The woman seems to have a 6th sense that allows her to spot the fabulous little things that I overlook or dismiss without a second glance. And even better, she always manages to find them at 50-70% off! This must be a talent that I either do not posess or have not honed to perfection as she has.

During this visit, we dedicated two full days to outlet shopping. Eventually I just gave up and began following her around, conceding to her obvious superiority in the realm of fashion and bought several duplicates of her finds - a pair of lovely leather boots, a fuschia top, and this little brown number. And under her influence, I also finally replaced my 10-year-old black peacoat with a new sexy gray one. And miraculously, Greg never even lifted an eyebrow at my shopping spree. Perhaps Ewa should visit more often. :)


Oh, and for the record, I have no reservations about wearing the same clothes as a woman twice my age. She looks damn good for 62! And dresses a hell of a lot nicer than a lot people I know.

Too Much Shoe For You

Chris S just sent me a picture on myspace of the most amazing pair of stilettos I've ever seen.


That inspired me to look up more crazy foot gear. Check it out...

Impressive, no?

Shoe Whore

So my self-imposed shoe-buying moratorium. It lasted all of... um.... ...well, nevermind.

But come on! 80% off at DSW! How do you expect me to pass that up? A person can only be so strong! So, babe, if you're reading this...

...the devil made me do it.

Honest!



***UPDATE***

Greg won poker Thursday night! So he got home last night - I had been home for hours because I lost early - and informed me that his winnings financed my new shoes. What a good husband. :)