February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

(I did this in 2008, too!)

I really need to get my ass in gear and get back on track with both Demand Studios and Textbroker. I really like Textbroker, because despite the lower payments for articles, the requirements are a lot less strict. Demand Studios is about high quality writing that requires strict writing styles and references out the wazoo, while Textbroker is more focused on SEO writing, which I am damn good at (I should be, seeing as how I’ve been doing it nearly full-time for almost three years!).

But right now I don’t feel like doing squat. I had a bit of alcohol last night, in the form of three or so ounces worth of a white gummi bear. It was delicious, and I drank just enough to get a nice buzz going on. What’s funny is I sort of staggered off to watch House (the last episode of season 2, which, by the way, was freakin’ awesome — total Jacob’s Ladder type of thing going on there!) and go to sleep, and a little bit later Dan came in to go to bed. He’s all, “Wow I’m drunk, wow I’m tired, I need to sleep NOW!”, and next thing I know we’re ringing in the new year just like we used to. Rawr.

Speaking of sex, according to Bedpost, we got it on 113 times in 2009. I know I missed at least a handful of occasions, but still, 113 times averages out to once every 3-4 days. Go us!

So anyway, now that I’ve blogged up a storm in the last day or so, I’m going to jump into some article writing. Bills never take off for the holidays.

This is my fourth attempt at 365 Days, and this time I will succeed. It’s a new year, I’m losing weight and I want to document how I change, and I have two digital cameras (the Nikon D40x and my little HP r967), a video camera that takes stills (the Kodak Zi8), my cell phone, and a webcam with each computer. In other words, I have no damn excuse NOT to take a self-portrait once a day, every day, for 365 days in a row.

Maybe I’ll make this my 2010 resolution.

We never used to have little parties on New Year’s Eve. This whole food/snacks/alcohol thing is fairly new. We used to simply ring in the new year with sex. Although each year, without fail, my mom would call right around 12:02am and interrupt us. It got to the point where we knew to expect her call, so we wouldn’t get too into things, lol.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful & safe New Year!!!

2000: I met Daniel, we flirted, went on a date, committed ourselves to a relationship, fell in love, the end. ♥

2001: Semi-independence: I traveled to Pittsburgh and back several times every few months to spend weekends with Dan while he was in Pittsburgh. During that summer I experimented with punky hairstyles and jewelry.

2002: Dan and I moved into an efficiency apartment in Pittsburgh. Freedom!

2003: Dan and I move home just before Christmas. Literally, two days before Christmas.

2004: I get pregnant, a few months later Dan and I move into a small 2-bedroom place, we get married, and Alyssa is born.

2005: I total our car in an accident that was not my fault, we buy a new car and a used car (my Kia), and in late October we conceive Ryan.

2006: We move, and Ryan is born.

2007: We buy a house!

2008: I purchase Leah.

2009: I have gastric bypass surgery.

So there you have it, the last ten years of my life in pictures!

2.Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes and no. Same as it is every year, lol. And of course I’ll make more resolutions! That’s what the new year is all about.

3.Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4.Did anyone close to you die?
My grandfather.

5.What countries did you visit?
None.

6.What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
More stability.

7.What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
It’s a toss-up between June 11th, 2009 — the day my grandfather died — and November 18th, 2009 — the day I had my surgery.

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Losing 45 lbs. the “old-fashioned way” (prior to surgery).

9.What was your biggest failure?
I’d rather keep this private.

10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
Several upper respiratory infections after another between October and December.

11.What was the best thing you bought?
My HP dv7t.

12.Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ryan’s. He has been progressing so well with communication. He talks non-stop these days!

13.Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My mother’s, to a certain extent. But more importantly, the behavior of the state agencies that are supposed to be unbiased and focused on returning my brothers home. Instead, it’s more about ignoring the 50 things my mom does right and going nuclear over the 1 thing she does wrong.

14.Where did most of your money go?
Bills, where else?

15.What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to the beach at the end of June, Ryan’s third birthday, Alyssa’s fifth birthday, my surgery, and Christmas!

16.What song will always remind you of 2009?
Good question… there are several! I’d have to say “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, but only because I heard it so many damn times on the radio.

17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? Happier.
ii.thinner or fatter? 78 lbs. thinner.
iii.richer or poorer? Poorer, lol.

18.What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleep & work.

19.What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stressing out.

20.How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with my family. ♥

21.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Once again, my mother. I don’t really call anyone else!

22.Did you fall in love in 2009?
I only fell more in love with Daniel.

23. How many one-night stands?
Zero.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
House!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
There are a few new people on the list.

26. What was the best book you read?
I’ll get back to you on this one… though NurtureShock is certainly a candidate!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
Blue October. The more of their stuff I listen to, the more I really like them!

28. What did you want and get?
A new laptop, a nice Christmas gift for Jason, and my surgery.

29. What did you want and not get?
A million bucks. Pfft. Maybe next year?

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Watchmen fucking rocked.

31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I sat around all day, since my grandfather’s viewing was the day before, and he died the day before that. I turned 25.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having my surgery a bit sooner, so I would have been further along by now!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Bright and dark colors FTW!

34. What kept you sane?
Dan and Jason giving me kid-free breaks whenever I needed them. Seriously, those weekly & bi-weekly Panera Bread runs I was doing for a while? LIFE SAVER.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
I’d still happily bang Robert Pattinson.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Eh, none in particular that I can think of at this moment.

37. Whom did you miss?
My grandparents.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Did I meet anyone new this year? I seriously can’t remember! Haha.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Good things come to those who wait.

40. Do you have any lost feelings of others.
This is the fourth time I’ve done this survey, and I still don’t get this question?!

41.Quote a song that sums up your year:
I don’t do song quotes.

(I did this in 2008, too!)