Just For Fun

We need a resolution

I’ve heard that 80 percent of people give up their New Year’s resolutions within a few months. Seriously? I know it’s easy to fall back into bad habits, but I suspect someone in marketing invented that statistic. They make us feel bad about ourselves so they can sell us things we don’t want or need. I know plenty of women who set and achieve their goals.

A still shot of singer Aaliyah from the We Need a Resolution video. I love the song and the makeup in this video (check the blue on the lower lashline). I miss her and wonder what her New Year’s resolutions would have been if she were still alive.

When you think about it — big goals are really just little goals stitched together. You can say that you want to learn how to do an uber-hot smokey eye this year, but it ain’t gonna happen if all you do is buy a pot of black eye shadow and use your pinky finger and some spit. You’ve got to figure out where to apply the color, what brushes to use, how to use those brushes, how to blend the colors without overblending … you get the picture. You have to put the time and effort into the little steps.

So, this year, even though I’m going to focus on the end game, I also plan to devote 110% to all the small goals along the way, ’cause a bunch of well executed little goals result in a big goal achieved in the end.

I’ve also felt a real urgency to make things happen, moreso than I did when I was younger. I don’t just want to pass through this life without making my mark, ya know?

Anyway, have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions? Here are mine:

1. To work on my fitness.

In 2005 I started lifting weights and watching what I ate. Initially, all I wanted to do was lose weight for my wedding, but weight lifting and eating right changed my life forever. It wasn’t just a matter of dropping a few dress sizes. As I started building muscle and getting stronger, I stood taller, felt tougher, and gained more confidence in myself. It’s weird, but the day I was finally able to bench press my body weight on the Smith Machine, I felt truly beautiful.

Unfortunately, my schedule’s been crazy lately, and I haven’t been disciplined about lifting weights or eating well. I’m looking forward to getting back into fighting shape again. Yes, it’ll be nice to fit into my skinny jeans again, but what I really miss is how both my body and my mind felt balanced when I was taking better care of myself.

Oh, and if one of your goals is to get into shape this year, let me know! I would love to be your cheerleader. It always helps to have a friend remind you that you *can* do this!

2. To get to appointments early.

There are things I know I do well, like sarcasm, leg waxing and detecting B.S. from a mile away. There are also many things I know I don’t do well, like estimating travel time. I can never seem to get where I need to be on time! I used to believe that a gypsy cursed me to be at least 15 minutes late for anything, but deep down inside I know it’s because I don’t manage my time efficiently. Face it, Karen, it takes more than five minutes to do a complicated smokey eye.

So, this year I’m going to make the effort to get to my appointments 15 minutes early. Granted, for most people, showing up early is not as hard as running a marathon or becoming an astronaut, but for your girl it will be.

3. To learn a few new things.

On my list so far: how to play acoustic guitar, learning a martial art and digital photography.

4. To not let what haters think/say/do bother me.

I’ve always admired people who can just let all the bad stuff roll off them like water off a duck’s back. I know learning how to “just let it go” will take some time, but one thing I’ve started doing lately is asking myself, “Will this same thing bother me in one year?” It helps to put things in perspective.

5. To push myself creatively as a writer.

Write hard, die free. ‘Nuff said.

What are your New Year’s resolutions? I can’t wait to hear ’em.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Confession #1: I had my first makeup nightmare last night.

I stayed up really late last night to write the Chanel Aurora Blues Spring 2008 review. I went to bed at 2 a.m., only to have a Chanel makeup nightmare in the hours that followed.

In the dream, I was running around and caught within a swarm of people and getting really upset because no one would listen to me. I kept yelling, “The dark blue in the outer V! We’ve got to use the dark blue in the outer V!” But it was like I was invisible.

I considered the symbolism. Was the dream a window into my current psyche? That, or I guess it could’ve been indigestion (I ate a bag of caramel corn around midnight). Hmmm….

Confession #2: I’m wearing stretchy pants right now.

I had to bust out the stretchy pants before I sat down tonight to write this post ’cause I’m stuffed to maximum capacity.

I spent the day driving and eating all over the Bay Area. I went to San Jose for brunch with friends, and then to Berkeley for my mom’s birthday dinner. Now, I’m home and tired. Why is the repetitive lifting of my fork to shovel food into my gullet so exhausting? I don’t know.

Confession #3: I’m in fight mode.

I recently watched a show on TV where a professional BMX biker talked about what makes a person a champion. He said that when most people feel like they’ve hit their maximum limit — whether it be in sports, academics, or whatever — they give up. Champions are the few who hit that limit but have the will to push past the challenges and pain to achieve more than they thought they could.

It’s kinda been a challenging few weeks (I’ve had writer’s block the size of ALASKA), so one thing that’s been helping me is listening to music that helps me push past the pain.

No, I’m not listening to Eye of the Tiger.

Several Kanye West songs are on heavy rotation, like Touch the Sky, Stronger and Champion.

This is the story of a champion
runners on their mark and they pop their guns
Stand up stand up here he comes
Tell me what it takes to be number one
Tell me what it takes to be number one

An awesome video of a live version from the VMA’s of Kanye West’s Champion

After I listen to that song I feel like telling the world to FEAR MY WRATH!

Do you have a favorite fight mode song?

Hope your Saturday was chill (and that your pants fit, oy!).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Dear New York,

You know how much I enjoy your show. I always look forward to seeing your over-the-top makeup looks.

I’m guessing you’re a MAC girl

I know it’s hard to look for love in all the wrong places (shoo’, if you thought finding it on reality TV is difficult, try finding it in San Francisco). Even though you realized that you and Chance can never be, please, for the sake of reality television man and woman kind, stop trying to date guys like him! It’s a recipe for a broken heart.

It’s obvious that the only reason why Chance isn’t locked up is because his brother, Real, keeps him in check.

Has it ever occured to you that Real frickin’ rules? He seems nice, yet still has the edge you like so much. Plus, he’s got some fierce hair (I had the same haircut circa 2005-2006).

He seems like such a cool guy. I always thought you should’ve ended up with him.

Godspeed, New York. May you find true love someday, somehow, somewhere.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen