Happy 8th Birthday, Bloggie!

Back in the saddle. After a marathon work day and an exhausting work week (try working 12 days back-to-back in the office with no break), I slumped to sleep at 10:30pm last night after propping myself up by watching Zero Dark Thirty. While I can’t stand movies that go past the 2 hour mark, I didn’t seem to mind the 2:40 depiction of the Osama Bin Laden hunt. I was engrossed.

I still think Vanity Fair’s factual narrative on the Hunt for Geronimo was way more thrilling. If you haven’t read the article, I urge you to. Even better than watching a movie. In fact, I’m going to read it again, it’s THAT good.

Yesterday, my blog turned 8. Eight is certainly great. From a handful of readers to over 10,000 page views / 5,000 unique visitors a month. The blog has gone through a redesign with all the bells and whistles, and a couple expert guest posts. I’m hoping to feature more from my extensive network. Oh, can’t forget the revenue. Can’t say I’m turning a profit yet, but I’m certain that, along with more great things, are just on the horizon. I hope you’ll continue with me on this journey. Lots of ice-cream today to celebrate!

Modus NonOperandi

Yesterday, I felt like a little rice cooker completely under pressure, with its cover bubbling up and down from the steam. I felt hot when I woke up so I took my temperature which was 101. I considered calling in sick again, I could barely walk in a straight line, but what was I going to do? Lay in bed for the 4th consecutive day in a row? I forced myself into the office and I have to say, I started to feel better as soon as I started responding to emails and being my productive cubicle-sequestered self. I felt alive, like, thank God I have a brain to use.

In addition to catching up on work, I reviewed and signed the listing agreement for the sale of my condo. Looks like I’m selling since I autographed all those pages yesterday. In the end, I realized it’s better to be completely free of the condo. It’s not in a hot neighborhood. Who knows how long rents will remain high? I might as well cash out and be done with it. Sayonara!

Selling brings a whole host of decisions and tasks that make me want to jump off of the soon-to-be-dazzling Bay Lights Bridge. But I will save all that goodness for another post.

It was a jam-packed work day. Mind you, I have the flu. I only want to go to bed after work. Instead of heading home, I take the MUNI cross-town to my acupuncturist appointment. Dean has the appointment after mine. When I finish, Dean greets me and the acupuncturist says, “Feel better, Catherine, I’ll see you next week.”

I’m confused because Dean’s supposed to be doing acupuncture too and instead we’re both walking out the door. He explains that it’s too stressful for him to get to the appointment in time given his commute. Fine, I get that. He adds that she asked if he wanted a referral to an acupuncturist close to his work and he said no.

That’s when I lost it.

I cannot single-handedly conceive Ghost Baby when the 2 of us both have infertility issues. I have done everything in my power to correct the situation. I have undergone more than my fair share of blood work, procedures, prescriptions, injections. I do acupuncture. I have completely (and unhappily) examined every ingredient that goes into my body. I submit the receipts. I fill out the paper work for reimbursement. None of this stuff is free. I am not going to say I do everything, but damnit, I do a good majority of it.

Where has all this gotten me? Let’s check the stats.

79 pounds (thank you tasteless, disgusting, gluten-free, alcohol-free, sugar-free diet for putting me nowhere close to my goal of 91 pounds)

1 influenza virus

0 ghost baby

I do feel self-conscious airing my dirty laundry publicly, but at the same time, I feel like other people never do. So there’s this perception that people who write blogs it’s all about travel and design and unicorns. Next thing you know, you read that some famous blogger is getting divorced and you wonder was she ever for real? With all her gazillion posts, was she ever upfront about her genuine life. I mean, these are not fairy tales we are writing. These are factual accounts of our lives.

My blog is real. Like this is me. The real, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, always OCD me. We do a lot of fun stuff. We travel, do staycations, enjoy all the amazing things that San Francisco has to offer. But we also have problems just life everyone else. And it wouldn’t make sense if all I wrote about was Disneyland. If you haven’t noticed, this ain’t utopia.

Money Monday: the $1,000 Blog

9 days sick and counting. Working very hard. No time-off allowed. Congested, sneezing, sexy voice. Every work day, I’ve escaped the office only once, to stand in line at the San Francisco Soup Co. for my beloved Tomato Bisque. Tasty, hearty, soothing goodness! Forget coffee or caffeine, this is a true cup of happiness. The line is 30-people deep. I feel camaraderie. I am not alone, I’m not the only one sick.

Because of the NYE and New Year’s Day posts I missed my Money Monday series, but will capture it today.

Come February, this blog will be 8 years old. I’m extremely proud of the strong, devoted readership I’ve developed, but even more proud of the fact that I’ve continued writing for all time. Yey me! I’ve had many requests over the years to advertise on my site, but until now, I haven’t felt the desire. I don’t need the money and this was always my passion and craft anyway. I do it for fun and for myself, not for commercial purposes.

But lately I’ve been thinking, why not? I deserve the monetization my blog can court. And so, this is the year I’m finally going to make money on my blog! Holla! By February 1st just in time for the 8 year anniversary, the site will be completely redesigned. I’ve loved the current design of my blog, but think that it’s finally time for a change. It’s going to be clean because that’s the aesthetic I prefer, with a font that’s easier to read. You’re going to love it.

I am brimming with excitement for the new developments my blog will take, but know that you will always have little me writing, doling out my opinion, and sharing my experiences here with you. We are on an online journey together.

Fashion Friday: The Olsen Twins

I was up until the wee hours drawn into the Olsens Anonymous blog last night. Maybe because the Olsen Twins are my size. Maybe because they’re California girls living in NYC and I’m heading there next month for 9 days. (Yipper-doodle!) Or maybe because I was utterly bored and suffering insomnia. (I’m trying to see what life is like without Ambien.)

I’m not really a fan of the boho chic style. The baggy stuff doesn’t do it for me. But I do have to say I like the twins’ style. Kind of eclectic.

All photos from the Olsens Anonymous blog.

Enough about friends splitting up, here is a gorgeous romantic picture from the Sartorialist blog that makes me sing!  Read some of the background here.

My Blog and the Terminator

You know what I like about my blog? (Yes, I’m patting myself on the back.) I like that I tell you what I think. Like what I’m really thinking about people, issues, the world. I know very few blogs that do. Bloggers will talk about which shops they go to, where to pickup cute apparel, which recipes they’re cooking, but their readers know nothing about what they think. What’s really going on back there in your head? I think it’s sad to follow a blogger and not know where they fall on the political spectrum or what they believe in. I am very proud of the fact that I write about all of that. That you know very clearly my religion, my views on politics, and what I’m thinking. Because isn’t that what’s most important? Not which wallpapers you’re deciding on, or whether to try bangs, or what the people on the street of Milan are wearing. Yet those are the most followed blogs. Sad face. If you know of anyone who has a personal blog like mine, please comment and share! I’d love to read more blogs like this.

Anyhow, I must weigh in on the Schwarzenegger scandal. The Terminator proves again, my theory that all these high and mighty republicans running on a platform of family values need to shove it. They’re all a bunch of lying scoundrels who need to have their pee-pees chopped off. I tremendously respect Maria Shriver for walking out on 25 years of marriage knowing that she deserved, deserves better than that. The horror, seriously, the horror. But she is a smart, very attractive (that body for a 55-year-old, are you kidding me?), successful woman who should find a real man in no time.

Happy Birthday Bloggie!

Dear Bloggie,

Yesterday was your 7th birthday. I’m sorry I only realized it now when I remembered I had started writing years ago sometime in April. I checked the backlogs just now and it looks like it was April 12th. I guess that means I should be saying…Happy Belated Birthday, Bloggie!

I went back to the Ofoto archives since I lost all my pictures when my first laptop crashed. I found a picture of me in 2005 on my birthday. Thank God it’s blurry. I don’t know what’s worse: that eyeless face or the fact that I’m completely sober on my 30th birthday.

Well, Bloggie, it’s been a fulfilling seven year journey with travel, romance, heartache, tragedy, friendship, achievement, depression, celebration. All the ingredients for one good long story.

Always there to listen, you’ve been a loyal friend. Thank you.

Wishing you a wondrous year and many more to come!

xoxo,

vixen

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