Battling the Bulge...

I've been taking pics these past couple weeks at different angles and this is my first try at having the camera lower to the ground for a different perspective. I decided I needed a little bit more variety in my day to day "photo sessions". Whatcha think? Everything needs a little mixing up now and again.

The top and "necklace" are from a little trip to Kohl's recently. The necklace is an extra small belt that I wanted to rock as a necklace, crafty right? I don't know if I would have thought out of the box like that if I hadn't started this blog. It makes me think a bit differently. I like it.

Why I love Kohl's - If a customer hasn't been into the store for a bit, they send the $10 gift card in the mail. WHAT?! A free $10?! thanks - don't mind if I do...It's quite possibly the most effective marketing technique that Kohl's has. I never really plan to go in and browse, but with free money I can make the stop (which is also easy cause I pass it everyday on the way home- yikes). I always find something, and generally spend over $10. It must be expensive to alotte $10 per customer, but I wouldn't have even stopped in and spent over the $10 if I hadn't received it. So BRAVO Kohl's. And thanks for making those clearance racks so full!

I've been a bit sluggish this week. Not too inspired. It might have a little to with the upcoming beach trips we have planned...I really haven't been eating too healthily lately and my emotional opinion of my body is overly critical. Thus, I feel the need to lose a little weight, which is "impossible" for me. It's so hard to lose that last bit. Maybe another stationary bike trip will make me feel a bit better. Get those ol' exercising endorphins, that never seem to last long enough :), going. I always feel like I could lose another 10lbs. Rationally I know I'm fine the way I am, but it's those damn swim suits! I haven't decided if it's a bikini beach day on Saturday or a full piece one. We'll just see what mood I wake up in... Wish me luck! I do hate feeding into the skinny/fat debate, but I've been battling it since I was a girl. My struggles are much less as I get older, but it bugs that I still feel fat, just 'cause. However, there has to be an up side this little dip in the road. Hopefully this feeling motivates me to get my booty in gear and tone up and be healthier.

Something I've been pondering recently: I have a cousin whose a model and her agency requested she lose 25-30lbs. She is 5'10" and was about 135lbs. (Super skinny already.) She's now about 110lbs. Isn't that ridiculous? The answer - YES! Now her agency is happy she's so skinny and wants to send her to Europe to walk in shows, etc... I am so torn about how I feel about this. (Not to imply that my feelings really matter in this particular situation...) I want my cousin to be happy and successful in her professional endeavors - which are coming pretty fast ad furious at this point, but she was beautiful before she did her weight drop - and of course she still is. My question: Why does the modeling industry mess with what is already perfect? Why not play up what is already present and innately awesome without dropping large amounts of weight? The answer is a full thesis I know, but I wonder it every time I open a magazine and now that I'm only a couple of degrees from it, I wonder it even more.
On a brighter note, I can walk, write, talk and think so I shouldn't worry about my weight. There are far more important things to nag myself about.
Good day all!