Necessary Luxury

I've been dwelling on the nature of Christmas, about how it's a fuck of a lot of work for those of us in the sandwich generation. I feel this more and more with each passing year. By the time January arrives, one is tired from all of the responsibility. And, then, it's freakin' January...

So this year - and possibly for all the years to come - I've decided to make January the month of necessary luxury. December was all about everyone else. January's about me.

Alas, the weather is shit and the nights are long and the natural world, to the outward gaze, is temporarily dead.

Which is why "necessary luxury" is so readily achievable! In January, from pity or empathy, you wish me luck with all of my mini-lavishments and urge me on. In June, you secretly think I'm just a bit too spendy.

So here's how I'm improving the quality of my daily experience by spending money:

• I've bought a metropass for the second month in a row (and I may choose to continue till March). A few months ago, I opted to walk only one leg of my work commute. I've found that I benefit from an hour's walk (to work and errands at lunch) but not 2 - especially if I want to have energy to do yoga thereafter. I can get home on the streetcar in 15 min. Or take the bus to the dentist when it's -13. Or share it with M on the weekends (it's transferable).  It costs $140 a month and one must use it 14 times in a week to break even on the single fare model. I'll likely not use it more than 8. But I don't care. It makes me feel like I can get on the subway at any time, even for a stop. It's liberating.

• What is it with me and the juicing in January? I've built on last year's juice cleanse experience. This year, I've opted to drink some juice and eat some food and to benefit from their gracious coexistence! In January, I will order juice for delivery - whenever the fuck I feel like it. After all, I all-too-often buy it at the shops at the same price (minus delivery charge). Why shouldn't I have someone else bring the heavy bottles to me? It's a bit like having a milkman. True story: In today's delivery, an aloe juice shot arrived broken. (All of juices in that order froze on the doorstep as it's rather cold now, and the aloe, while expanding into ice, shattered its bottle.) You've gotta love an industry that caters so sincerely to entitled white women. I called the shop to let them know at 8 am and, within 30 minutes, I had a new bottle. (The shipping cost them more than the shot.) Plus they apologized profusely over the phone and then again via email. You'd have thought I was Madonna having a shit fit in 1990. (Seriously, it was a shot of juice and I swear I just politely requested a replacement.) But that's my kind of client service. It's why I'll go back again. Not to mention that I can place an order at 9pm and it'll arrive by 8am the next morning.  So it's instant, healthful, tasty gratification. For now, I'm sticking to the unsweetened vegetable juice, shots (concentrated immune boosters) and coconut milk/meat. No cashews for me...

• I bought a new yoga prop I've been looking at forever: the Three Minute Egg. (Actually, I got two of them to facilitate Scott's and M's emergent practices. They've both decided to start doing yoga with me so, it seems, I've got constant company in the sewga room.) Interestingly, the Egg works best of all for me because, while all peeps can benefit from most props, this one (by its dimensions and application) is geared to a more experienced student. 

• I'm spending with largesse on food. OK, you may wonder: How this is any different from regular Kristin? and, really, the answer is not very. But I'm putting the emphasis on elegant, appealing and healthful items that's good for managing inflammation. For example: Baked salmon and butternut squash with orzo chicken soup from Holt's. Yes I could make this but no I won't so it's good to know that I can have it regardless.

• I'm indulging the occasional sartorial treat, for example, a new pair of cashmere-blend pants or a bra (or 2 - ok, 3). What? It's blog fodder! 

• I added another subscription online yoga website to my cache. I've newly joined YogaDownload and I'm having tons of fun figuring out how it compares with Gaia (My Yoga Online), my old standard. I intend to do a post when I have a good grip on the similarities and differences between the two. Weirdly, I bought this new subscription via Groupon (for a disturbingly low cost) on Jan. 1 - the best day of the year to get a fitness deal. I've bought maybe 2 things on Groupon in the past: a manicure (my friend at work wanted to do this with me) and a 5-class pass to a local yoga studio I never went to (just a bit too far away). Don't worry, I gave the pass to a work friend and he used it happily.

So really, is this luxury? Or mood management necessity? I defer to you.