new addictions...

confession: i have an addictive personality.

i take that to mean that i pick up habits easily and those habits turn into addictions. in turn, some of these addictions have lasted years while others fizzle out in days/weeks/months. throughout the years, i have been addicted to sex, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, shopping (clothes and the like), shoes and now, makeup (specifically nail polish). there are other things (like specific people), but the ones i listed were the most significant.

over the past week, i have become the proud owner of 26 bottles of nail polish. in addition, i have bought countless nail art supplies over eBay. friends and family have all asked jokingly, "are you planning on opening a salon?" and i just laugh.

it started with me getting my nails gone every few weeks, over the past year. time and time again, i go this route to help my nails grow so my midget hands aren't as apparent at first glance. as the tips and crystal powder helped my soft and brittle nails grow, i began to allow my nail technician to experiment with polish colors and designs. now that fever of experimentation has spread to me.

i saw some designs on the internet about nail stamping (the art of using a steel plate, etched with designs) to add pizazz to bland nails and i just had to order one off eBay (waiting on it to come from China). then, i read somewhere about nail foils (which mimic the Minx nail system) and i decided to try it out also. i bought some off eBay, again (waiting for them to come from Britain). i thought, "why pay Karen to add designs to my nails when i can attempt to do it myself and i might actually be good at it."

somewhere in between, i got obsessed with nail polish. i saw bottles everywhere. next think i know, i'm the proud owner of a Sally Beauty Supply Discount Card and 26 bottles of nail polish. they all didn't come from Sally's though. i bought some at CVS, Rite Aid, the dollar store that was on my way to Taco Bell, Claire's, Forever 21 and Fashion to Figure (the new "big girl" store) in the mall near my house.

i haven't gotten the stuff i ordered yet, but when i do... i will be a polishing fiend. trying out something new excites me. eventually i want to soak off my tips and do the whole process over, myself. it's a new undertaking for me, but it's giving me a happy-go-lucky feeling.

i'm finally ready to admit...

that i have a problem.

i have a shoe thing. i go into stores to "look" at shoes and walk out of the store with 2 or more pairs at a time. i try not to spend too much, and i usually succeed. but i NEED to STOP buying shoes! perfect example... i have 2 pairs of 9 West black sling-backs that are pretty much identical except for a small detail here and there. of all my heels, only 3 of them are brown. all the 20 some odd others, are black. all are no less then 3 inches high. i have open-toed peek-a-boos, strappy sandals, stilettos and pointy toed pumps. and that doesn't include the flats, sneakers/tennis shoes and boots. what i have with me here in Miami is only a small fraction of what i used to have. i think knee surgery helped control the addiction because i couldn't wear a lot of my shoes. now, the fascination has returned... with a vengance.

now that i know i have a problem and admitted to the obsession... i can begin working my way through recovery. NO MORE NEW SHOES... well, unless it's absolutely necessary!

i'll let y'all know how the 12-step program goes, once i figure out the steps ;)