“I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the years’.”

~ Henry Moore

So I realize this post is a little late in coming all things considered as here we are in mid January and I'm just getting around to writing a post regarding resolutions (or as I'm calling them this year: declarations!). But there's been quite a bit of noise in my head as of late and getting everything out and down on paper or typed into something has been a long time coming (and truthfully, it's still not even done; my head is a very noisy place to be right now). But I wanted to shake some stuff loose and here it is.

Mo's 2012 Declarations

For starters, my parents instilled a sense of social responsibility in me at a very young age. With the exception of groceries, it's been drummed into us to use "the little guy" whenever possible. Frentz and Sons Hardware in Royal Oak or True Value Hardware in Mancelona always got our business (I also recommend Busy Bee in downtown Detroit at the corner of Gratiot and Russell). Shop at farmers markets. Buy gifts at craft fairs. The list goes on and on. And sadly I realize I've gotten away from that. So I vow that this year, I'm going to use "the little guy" whenever possible.

I'm going to make more use of Etsy to buy gifts if I'm not buying from The Strawberry Hill or TobieGirl Creations. I'd love to say I'd shop at local boutiques for clothes, but being plus-sized, most local boutiques don't cater to a larger woman except for the plus-size resale shop Have Hips in Clawson (if you haven't already been there, go! They've got good stuff starting with size Large and up). And as far as groceries are concerned, we have some really great local grocery stores, but I'm also going to make a more concentrated effort to go to farmers markets. Whether it's in Royal Oak, Eastern Market in Detroit, or Cherry Street Market in Kalkaska (check out their online store; their preserves are out of this world and I love anything from Alden's Mill House), I want to support local farmers.

As long as we're on the topic of groceries…. As I mentioned in Monday's post, this past weekend  I found out Preston has a new dating interest. I was at my mom's house beginning the arduous task of packing up stuff I still have at my mom's. So as if the news about Preston wasn't bad enough, I made the mistake of stepping on the scale I found behind my bed within minutes of finding out.

Thank God my mom and sister weren't home when I read THAT number.

So that number was 260. Don't you love my honesty? And as long as we're being honest, admit it…. My number makes your number look just a little bit better, doesn't it? So in light of my weight being what it is, as well as the fact that I don't like the way I look, add in that my knees hurt going up and down stairs, well yeah… it's time to lose some weight. My plan right now is to use my old Weight Watchers Momentum program as a) I already have it on hand and b) I have about 10 WW cookbooks with the old Points program information.

Losing weight of course implies that I'm going to need to exercise. I hate exercise. Unless it's a nice, leisurely stroll around the block, I usually don't like it. And then I discovered Vixen Fitness. I equate Vixen Fitness as "a feminine movement studio" whose sole purpose is help Mo release her inner vixen (and yes, that's their motto as well). I originally found the fitness studio when I was looking for a belly dancing class. I took one and had a lot of fun, but I haven't taken another; I think I may start a full series in March. I'm in the middle of my "Sensual Movement" series though, which is a lot of fun despite having difficulties with my "sexy face."  I'm also signed up for a lap dance workshop in early February and want to sign up for the strip tease workshop in late February.

Why all of these "erotic" fitness classes? Well, feeling sexy has a lot to do with confidence. And confidence it would appear has more to do with a man finding you attractive than your actual "attractiveness." No joke. I saw an article about this earlier this week but of course I can't find it now. So in addition to my Vixen Fitness classes, I'm starting to read more of the books that cause my family to proclaim me the most self-helped girl in America (if you ever see my bookshelves, you'll understand). These books include How to Be Adored by Caroline Cox and Seven Days to Sex Appeal by Eva Margolies. Just a side note… if you're ever in need of a quippy self-help book, hit me up. Chances are I own it. Anyways, I'm hoping to improve my self confidence and make those around me green with envy.

Not really, it was just a good lead into my next declaration.

For 2012 I really want to work harder on developing a greener life style. While I can't always afford to buy organic meats and vegetables, I can afford greener cleaning and beauty products. This fits in nicely also with my stand against testing cosmetics on animals. The problem with this little vow though is this lifestyle can be a costly one. So I'm trying to find products that are kind to Mother Earth, animals and my budget. It's not necessarily an easy task.

While all of these declarations are things I'll be working on adapting as part of my ongoing lifestyle, there are a few things I need to work on immediately.

First, I need to get the rest of my stuff from my mom's house. This includes books, clothes, my computer, and my cats (yes, my poor cats have been cooped up at my mother's 3-story, 1800+ sq. ft. house instead of my 900 sq. ft. apartment). Once that's accomplished, then I plan on moving my crafting things over so I can make my beautiful handmade cards (more on that some other time). And finally, I need to start saving up for a dining room table.

That's going to take awhile.

But all good things are worth the wait, correct?