Friday, May 22, 2009

Cravings and Resistance

When I'm craving naughty food I read recipes. I pore over the pictures, the ingredients becoming the most delicious poetry to me. I read them out loud, with a reverence usually reserved for Wordsworth (or Roald Dahl in my case, A Hand in the Bird being the only poem I know by heart).


This habit bemuses the boy (unless he's hungry, in which case it just annoys him) because he's never met anyone whose cravings are appeased by looking at pictures of crème brûlée and reading litanies to chocolate cake. But it works. When we're in the supermarket and I'm desperate for something naughty, something delicious, something that will leave me feeling utterly bloody awful if I eat it, just standing infront of the chiller cabinet and looking at the triple chocolate explosion with whipped cream makes me feel a little less desperate and then I'm ready to move on to the wholefoods aisle to add a little wheatbran and dried kidney beans to the basket (yum).

I was curious as to whether or not this approach would work with clothes. If in the midst of my vow not to buy stuff I can't live without looking at the things I want, looking but not buying (not even just a little, to try on and then send back) would help.

It doesn't.

These are some of the things I've been lusting after this week. None of them are strictly unaffordable but none of them are things that I need and none of them are things that will help with the Great Escape plan. And strangely enough looking at the pictures just makes me want them more...





. click on the items for image source links


11 comments:

  1. Ahh good choices! I love those sandals from office! Think i have the bracelet version of that ring...lovely!

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  2. I can't take my eyes off that flower necklace! I think I've seen a not-as-pretty but passable version of it at Diva and also on Etsy. But I do know Michelle Jank makes beautiful things like it! It's gorgeous.

    I relate to your recipe story. I cannot cook and barely bake but I have a lot of pretty cookbooks I like to leaf through and look at.

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  3. We are kindred spirits indeed, lovely Peonies. "Buying just a little"--yes, my deepest weekness. And Roald Dahl? *sigh* I could not love you any more.

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  4. i totally used to do that in college - when i couldn't afford to buy more food i would walk through the grocery store and dining hall just to get my fill by looking and smelling it.

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  5. a. that dress is GORGEOUS!
    and,
    b. you lost me on the whole "looking at food = no longer craving food". that must be some sort of super human power you have.

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  6. Oh striped blue dress, you are the love of my life... sigh

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  7. I am not surprised but totally delighted to learn you know A Hand in the Bird by heart, you charming thing.

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  8. Sometimes just looking at things does work for me. I like to go into Selfridges where all the lovely shoes are displayed on plinths like exhibits in an art gallery and I pick them up and sigh softly to myself. Sometimes I even stroke them lovingly. Then gently and reverently I put them back down and walk away, with my plastic still firmly tucked away in my purse.

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  9. I love your taste. Will you please come to my house every morning to dress me?

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  10. i love all of these picks! yum. :)

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  11. oh dear - I clicked and now I know how many pretty flowery dresses are waiting in Warehouse my resolve at just walking past will be weakened!

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play nice.