33

The Call of the Peanut

If I had to choose one edible item to spend the rest of my life consuming, dry-roasted peanuts would be the clear winner. Wait. Maybe cashews. No, pistachios…I don’t know, the point IS that I love nuts. (Insert 8th grade jokes HERE.)

The problem is – my stomach most definitely does NOT appreciate nuts. Nope, no sirree bob. Nuts AND vodka? That will guarantee me a trip to the Emergency Room. (No really. Last month, I endured 7 hours of CT scans, ultrasounds and excrucating pain at my local ER. All because of some nuts and vodka. I HATE YOU, STOMACH.)

I know what you are thinking…Sarah, just GIVE UP THE NUTS. But I can’t GIVE UP THE NUTS. I try explaining this to my husband, who is simply horrified that I would subject myself to harrowing bathroom visits over a couple of (what I like to call) “salted miracles”, but he just doesn’t get it. I’m an addict.

However, I am working through my peanut issues. I have introduced a Peanut Maintenance Plan at Casa Whoorl. It started recently when I allowed myself to eat one single, solitary dry-roasted peanut. My stomach did not protest. GLORY! Now, ever so often, I will introduce an additional peanut to the current tally, carefully building up my peanut allowance until the inevitable day when my stomach lining decides to explode. That day will be an emotional one – knowing that I shall never again be able to exceed that specific number of peanuts, but I will rejoice in my steadfastness.

I am currently able to eat six dry-roasted peanuts per day. This is perhaps one of my greatest life achievements to date.

Yesterday, I put eight peanuts in my mouth, chewed them carefully (they were truly delicious), but quickly spit them out in the trash before swallowing. This might seem a little mentally “unbalanced” to some of you, but obviously, you do not understand the Call of The Peanut. Also, I am not the cheating kind, people. I would never skip seven. Steadfast.

Could you do me a favor and send good thoughts as I approach the unchartered double digits? It could be a rough ride.

4

No-Splurge January Meets the Product Aisles

Lindsey is in her mid-twenties and hails from the Midwest, a land second only to the South in Really Bad Hair. Having spent much of her youth supporting that title, she feels compelled to help others escape a similar fate, and is convinced salvation can be found in department store product aisles. Lindsey hates seeing people with wet hair in public and is suspicious of shampoo that costs more than $20.

After the excessive spending of the holiday season, I’ve determined that January will be No-Splurge January.   Sadly, very sadly, that applies to my limitless need for new products.  I could try to rationalize my need for organic lemongrass shampoo, but the reality is I can live quite happily in the drugstore aisle.

I have relatively thick, fine hair that is naturally very curly but also straightens easily with a flat iron.  If you even think of saying “lucky” to me, then I have YEARS of hideous hair in pictures to show you.  Good hair is owed to me, at this point.  And since I’m a complete and total product junkie, I’d like to think that in the depths of my bathroom drawers is a little something for nearly everyone.

For hair that is rather flat on top or simply needs some volume, Redken Workforce 09 or Guts 10.  Lovely names, those!  No-Splurge January insists on the more sensible purchase of  Tresemme Volumizing Mousse.  For finishing creme, I love the Hair Thursday cult favorite of Frederic Fekkai Glossing Creme.  Even though the travel size is manageable at $9,  John Frieda Satin Shine finishing cremes are more bang for your buck, and even come tailored to your particular hair color.  Unless you have black or gray hair, in which case John Frieda apparently does not care about you and should be written a strongly-worded letter.  For shine spray that won’t turn hair into an oil slick,  Frederic Fekkai Glossing Sheer Shine Mist is a great choice.  However, so is Citre Shine Shine Mist, Anti-Frizz Spray Laminator, despite its unfortunate name that conjures up images of high school girls from Jersey in the 80’s.

For fine curly hair, I’m a fan of Redken Fresh Curls Curl Boost Spray Gel.  Rather than shelling out almost $17 every time it runs out, Garnier Fructis has some great options– such as their Curl Scrunch Gel or  Curl Shaping Spray Gel.  Another inexpensive option is John Frieda Dream Curls Curl-Perfecting Spray.

So how much can be saved by going the drugstore route when the collapsing economy bank accounts demand it?

Salon products: $74.09

Drugstore products: $19.76

You do the math.  Especially since I repeated my college mathematics course.