Hi Sheila -- I am so glad you are joining us. I so look forward to getting to know Forum members better. Challenges are the best way for me to get to know them because we communicate so much. I have special love for all things WHITE. I use oxyclean religiously and have had much luck keeping my whites pristine. I'll reach out to you in the future if I encounter a stain that I can't handle. Did you see Kiwigal's question regarding sunscreen on her white top?

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-white-top

I went into deep shock when someone said that oxyclean might set the stain even deeper. OMG!

And I did want to comment on makeup. I have this thing. Whenever I am the least bit depressed, I go buy a red lipstick. I don't know why, but I do. I have a nice collection of red lipsticks that I rarely wear. I once set a challenge for me to wear lipstick every single day. It didn't last two days before I forget about it.

Cynthia -- I think archery is beyond cool. I used to do it decades ago, but then there was a move and new job, and I forget about it. What kind of bow do you have? Where do you practice?

Carter has always been a shiny beacon of hope/information to me (a former Northerner transplanted to the South). Her most recent post once again illuminated just why I don't need to be shopping for anything winter-related.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....er-capsule

I think because of this I have a slightly unfair advantage in this challenge. I am not the least bit tempted to shop in January because there is nothing (literally nothing) I need or can use. Coats, blazers, sweaters are all out. I shop them because I love looking at them. But with the help of Carter and others (Suz) I have finally come to understand I'll never really wear them. I want to wear them. I just don't actually do so.

One last note. I meet with a financial advisor yesterday. He offhandedly said I didn't seem like an extravagant spender. I was actually insulted. I felt I was dressed really well yesterday. No jewelry, but still I felt I looked good.

Bravo!

Like AM, my focus is on other things. I do browse online shopping sites out of sheer boredom, but can't think of a SINGLE thing I need!

I'm focusing on:

1) Exercise. I dress for it everyday! But then I'm a disciplined soul. If I'm wearing something that I can't exercise in, I WILL change.

2) Cooking. I plan meals for the week and really enjoy my 'cooking time'. It's been great.

3) Reading. I love to spend a couple of hours lounging in the sun on cold afternoons, reading a book. I'm doing pretty well!

4) Netflix. New shows, new movies, and my evenings are sorted.

I'll now WAIT for summer. To review what I have and might wanna add, since everything is packed away right now. It's been COLD here this week (well, by our standards, anyways).

Hi Maneera -- Yay for you. It sounds like you are doing life well. Congratulations.

Sterling, I don't know how I missed this update. I've found some sanity by ruthlessly unsubscribing from all the retail mailing lists. FaceBook still gets me with the targeted ads, though. But I will try to limit my time on the computer--it brings nothing but bad influences my way: recipes and tasty food pictures, fashion advertising, tempting purchases....AArrrgggghhhh. And, really, I should be working out instead of plinking away at he computer, anyway--putting down the computer is a huge boost to my weight-loss and exercise regimen. It's amazing, really. Other than the one shoe purchase (from back-order) I'm still hanging in there!

Hi EMILY K. I agree that putting down the computer has a major impact on how active we become in other areas of our life. I become so much more engage in real life when I close the computer .... having said that, I secretly love the computer. I feel it is my gateway to the entire world (only limited my imagination).

Emily -- best wishes on your exercise program. I'd like to hear more about it. Cardio? Weights? Combination?

Sterling--my exercise regimen is rather "proposed" at this point. Fictional, really. I do walk outdoors for about 5.5-7.5 miles daily. Dog-walking, mainly, at a quick pace plus a mile-long round trip to the grocery, daily. I've participated in many exercises in the past: yoga, free-weights, running (5 miles daily), and Insanity. I LOVED Insanity--it's a CD-based home exercise regimen of calisthenics in a high-intensity-interval-training style. The sessions are about 45 minutes in length and you go all out, so you do what you can to start and you can ALWAYS do more by doing more reps in the time allowed, or by executing each move higher and better. As long as you are giving it your all, you can continue to challenge yourself. I've also been poking around the internet looking for a sun-salutation flow yoga routine that I can do daily. I want to get back into both things and I am OK with working out at home VS group classes at a gym. I've been a little lazy about the yoga and a little scared of the Insanity because...well...it can test you. And I am no where near as fit as I was when I did it last.

You have inspired me, though. TODAY, I will find a yoga routine so I can have it ready-to-go tomorrow morning.

ETA: I really SHOULDN'T be apprehensive about the Insanity because, if you are unfit, you still give your all, it's just less. You do the utmost that you can.

Hey sterling, congratulations on the first hurdle. Even if small things like not wanting to buy anything because of lack luster things in store is still an accomplishment.

Thank you, Ledonna N. Taking the time to encourage us when we all know how busy you are means a lot to me. And I would love any one that vacuumed curtains. My house needs a deep cleaning .... so perhaps this weekend.