Well, on the advice of Ella and her sister, I've started a detox diet. It's very short term and so far so good. It's a fruits and veggies only diet. I figure a couple days of this, loads of water and juice and my system will be flushed of bad things that are hurting me.

I had a salad today on an empty stomach and polished it off with an all natural fruit smoothie. I feel fine. The gas is still here, but there is significantly less and I'm feeling no pain. Life has become good again.

I got my first pay stubs today. Again, life is good. I can be superstitious about New Years. I don't like to start the year in debt, with a messy home, with people I don't like, without the one I love, and other things. My check clears in my account on the 31st. Woo!

Now, be it known that I am a product whore. I love beauty products. My favourite magazine is Glow (a Toronto based gem that I'd love to write for someday.) Anyhow, today I redeemed my 34,000 Shoppers DrugMart points, giving me $75 worth of stuff scott free. Yeah, 100% off up to $75.

I bought expensive moisturizer that I've never been able to justify buying for myself, plus cleanser (also in the non-justified category) and two lipsticks (cheap�on sale actually� but free, so good.)

I was also given samples. I love samples. I love everything to do with skin care. I'm going to start getting regular facials. I can afford to now.

I loathe feeling like I have to explain myself for that. North America is all about making women feel high maintenance for wanting to take care of themselves. European women are big on fashion and spas. They take long lunches, long holidays and extend their incomes to quality skin care and high fashion.

Here, you buy moisturizer that's over $10 and people look at you like, "Buzuh?!" Is it high maintenance to feel my skin is worth $40 instead of $10? It's not as though I've chosen moisturizer over... I don't know, eating food this week.

I don't want wrinkles. Sun damage accounts for something crazy like 90% of premature aging. Smoking is right up there too. If you avoid these things you avoid premature aging. If you take preventative measures and moisturize and take care of your skin, you can delay aging. Sometimes I forget that there are people out there who don't know these things, which has become basic knowledge to me.

Regardless, I hate getting on the defensive about wanting to look nice and have nice things. It happens all the time.

But screw it. I'm going to have nice clothes, get facials and manicures, buy quality products for my skin and nuts to anyone who thinks I'm foolish for doing so.

Odds are the people who shake their heads at me will have wrinkles long before I.

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