Fabulousity

I got tagged! Thanks so much for tagging me for this, filoli - and sorry it's taken me so long - it pulled me out of my blogging funk. I'm a little dubious about whether any of these addictions are actually fabulous, (TV! Food! The Internet! Craft! More food! That woman really DOES lead a fascinating life!) but hey, I'm going with what I've got.

My current top 5 addictions are:

1) The West Wing
I know, I know, everyone else discovered this in about 2002. I thought I was immune - in fact, I thought it looked pretty stupid - but a critical mass of my friends told me 'wow, you should really see the west wing, it's amazingly great, although it's not as good after Aaron Sorkin leaves' and suddenly, a moment of madness during my Christmas shopping saw me adding the complete seven season box set to my trolley. (It was very, VERY heavily discounted, she said hastily). I was with a friend at the time and he said 'hey! The west wing! That's so great! You're going to love it! But it's not as good after Aaron Sorkin leaves.'

I went home, time passed. I watched a few episodes. I liked it quite a lot but wasn't raving, until suddenly a few discs in I was hooked. As in, H.O.O.K.E.D. So much so that i had to call the original friend who recommended it, just to tell her how right she had been.
'I know!' she said. 'It's so great! But enjoy these first seasons, because it's really not as good after Aaron Sorkin leaves'.

I cannot tell you how much of my time over the last few weeks and months has been spent on my sofa, knitting and watching this programme. Life has been not the funnest, lately, and it's really good to know that whatever happens, Josh, Toby, Leo and CJ will be there for me. (If one of them dies / leaves, I am going to be SO MAD. I wasn't sad when Sam left - his pretty-boy hair was annoying me).

I'm on series five now, and I'm still really enjoying it. I think you should all watch it too. But you know what? I feel I need to warn you about one thing - it's really not the same after Aaron Sorkin leaves.

2) Oreos.
As the future white mother of a black child*, I have major guilt feelings about loving oreos so much. I worry - does this love affair reveal some kind of subconscious unresolved issues about race? And then I eat one and think - gosh, no. I love these because they taste so darn YUMMY! And because they come in handy snack packs.

Ironically, (and yes I believe I am using that word correctly) I got hooked on oreos because of WeightWatchers. Two cookies is only 1 1/2 points. Considering a slice of bread is 1 point, and so is an apple - that's pretty fan-spanking-tastic. Bring it on. I might have another one right now.

*I'm already white. It's motherhood that's in the future. Just in case you thought I was going all Michael Jackson on you. And also - 'black' is the correct, PC term here. AA is all wrong (for very obvious reasons). I hope it doesn't offend anyone. If so, please suggest another word that isn't US-centric!

3) Reading all your blogs
Do I have to explain this? No, I thought not. Suffice to say that my husband REALLY rues the day he encouraged me to buy an internet phone, because now I can do it anywhere, anytime.

4) Buying beads on the internet.
Oh, wow. This one sure snuck up on me. It all started so innocently. I thought beads were for, you know... other people. But then I discovered the world of semi-precious gem beads and I'm just... a goner. I've become like some kind of cartoon character with a chest full of treasure - I keep opening up my packets of beads so I can just... hold them. This is especially the case with a set of 14mm amethysts I ordered- I keep on stroking them in a way that is probably not entirely healthy. I'm not even sure I want to make a necklace out of them because then I won't be able to trickle them through my fingers anymore. And, of course, one thing leads to another. What these amethysts need is some smaller amethysts to put between them, and some black onyx to set them off. So I bought them too. And isn't that a gorgeous string of faceted purple jade? Oh, here I am again on the website of my favourite supplier again. How did that happen? That rock crystal sure is pretty! And will go with everything! Oh hey, these guys don't sell silver beads. But hey - here's someone who does! And look what else they have!

I ordered some more beads yesterday (rose quartz, since you ask) and already, I'm smacking myself on the forehead and saying to myself: 'Iolite! I didn't buy any iolite! Well, one strand can't hurt. Better go back and get some, because a nice blue really is incredibly useful. And while I'm here, let's see what else they've got....' AS IF IT HAS CHANGED SINCE YESTERDAY.

Of all my addictions, this is the only one that is likely to see me default on my mortgage payments.

But really, it's fine. I can stop anytime. Anytime.

In fact, I have bought so many beads recently, and made so many necklaces, that I'm never going to get a chance to wear them all unless I sprout another neck. Or three. Turns out it's the making I really like, rather than the wearing. It's therapeutic, and I'm too repressed to get actual therapy so that's very handy. It's definitely time to set up an etsy shop. Actually, I've already done that. I guess it's time to actually take the photographs and write the descriptions, rather than rely on buyers' psychic powers to sell these objects. And then I HAVE to buy more beads, because it's actually a business expense. Right? You don't have to sell anything to actually be a business, do you? Right? Right???

But really. I can stop anytime.

5) Two food addictions is a little embarrassing. But if you asked me what I wanted, right NOW, what would add most to my happiness, I'd have to say:


A handful of these guys. I'm a fickle person, and my addictions and obsessions wax and wane over time. But M&Ms have been a staple craving for about the last ten years, and I don't see them being bumped off this list anytime soon. I have to tightly ration myself (if I told you how tightly, you'd mock me, so I won't) but it's good to know that whenever the going gets REALLY tough, they'll be waiting for me.

Now - some fabulous blogs. You're ALL fabulous! But today I tag:

CINDY - partly because I want to know how many times 'cheese' can appear in a five-part list

AMY - because her blog is a hilarious, marvellous public service and I think the whole world should read it - it would definitely become a much chic-er place,

ANNA - because she always lifts my spirits

COLLEEN - because I think you should all visit her blog and check out her cute new haircut

MISTY - because it might give her something to post about while she waits six more days for court!

The rules are pretty straightforward - list five of your fabulous addictions, and tag five blogs that you think are ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.


**Updated a day later to say** - I bought the iolite. So sue me.