Anyway, here’s what’s new with me:

• I am making my Halloween costume this year. Originally, I wasn’t going to dress up because I feel like I’ve already done all my good ideas (Leeloo from the 5th Element being my favorite – maybe I should just be her for Halloween every year), and I refuse to take the easy way out and go as Lady GaGa like every other girl. BUT – I thought of a good idea and I’m going to sew my costume tonight! It is very me and involves yards and yards of sparkly tulle. Pictures to come!
• I have been reading a lot lately, whenever I have time. I just finished Lolita (one of those books I’ve been meaning to read forever), and I enjoyed it. Like everyone, I felt pretty conflicted while reading it, but I’m glad I did. Next up: finally finishing The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. I’m halfway through but my attention span is poor and it’s a LONG book. So it’ll probably take me a month to finish.
• Bought a pair of Burberry rain boots. I’ve been looking for the perfect pair of rain boots forever & I love them! They’ve actually been making me excited for rain!
• There are so many projects I want to work on but I never seem to find the time to get as much done as I’d like. My inbox is nuts as usual and it keeps getting to the point where I won’t even look at it because there are so many messages and it’s overwhelming. I need to hire someone to do email for me. Any volunteers? I will pay you a lot.
• The bf (I should ask him if he cares if I use his real name here. Or maybe give him a nickname. Calling him “the bf” is boring.) has been working 12 hour days on account of the team unexpectedly making the playoffs. Which means I am basically working 12 hour days now. I kinda base my work hours on his – makes it easier for me to separate work and down time that way.
• Exciting things are in the works! I may be going to NYC soon for a big meeting with a rad company. That’s all I can really say, but it’s very cool and if things work out, it’s gonna be goooood.
• CF received over 1 million pageviews this month (!!!) and is now averaging over 100,000 unique visitors a week! Because of this, the site has been going down like crazy and we just had to upgrade to an even bigger server to handle all the new traffic!
• I need to customize the theme for this journal. It is boring. No bueno!

And lots more stuff that I’m sure I’m forgetting. What’s new with you?

And anyway, I’m way too high maintenance to survive on a desert island, “must-haves” in tow or not. True story.

HI AVRIL IM ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS AND WOUL LIKE TO MEET YOU SOMETIME IM FEMALE AND NOT LESBIAN SO DON’T WORRY NO FREAK, I LIVE IN SA AN MY BIGGEST DREAM IS TO MEET YOU BEFORE I DIE “SOMEDAY”

Yeah. My favorite part is “I’m female and not lesbian so don’t worry” – um, what about being a lesbian would be “worrying” anyway? It’s 2009, come on.

Based on that email as well as the crazy comments on the blog post I wrote, I’m going to go out on a limb and say Avril fans = the craziest fans ever. Yes, worse than fanatic Martha Stewart-ites and JoBros fans. Sooo bizarre.

The views. It doesn’t get much better than having the following as the view from your apartment. Beats graffiti-ed buildings by a mile.

Seeing my pets. They are uh door able.

And seeing family, obviously.

Reasons I Hate Going Home:

Feeling like you’re getting sucked into the same old drama you thought you were done with. People change, but hometowns never seem to. It’s like a really bad time warp.

Low tide smell. Because seriously, it’s just foul.

Having my boyfriend sneeze for the next month because I hugged my cat at some point during the weekend.

Meh.

That about sums up my feelings about the past weekend (or was it two weekends ago? I’ve lost count). It was nice to go home, but even nicer to come back to Boston. I don’t hate it here as much as I thought. It’s still not New York, but for now, I’m just happy it’s not Cape Cod.

Yes, these exist. And they’re awesome.

• FASHION WEEK craziness – amazing clothes, taking everything in, seeing old friends, meeting new people, press passes, 6 inch heels (and the blisters to go along with them), free drinks, celebrity sightings, total exhaustion but not minding.
• Getting pushed in line for Vivenne Tam by one of the Real NYC Housewives, then stifling laughter as long as possible (read: .05 seconds).
• My sandal breaking in the middle of Union Square & having the bf piggyback me to sit on some steps while he went and bought me a cheap pair of reefs. Aw.
• Developing an extreme hatred of everything Times Square. ‘Cept maybe the bright lights.
• Cupcakes at Sugar Sweet Sunshine (finally!!). Well worth the wait.
• Fries and a trio of dipping sauces at Pomme Frittes. (Sweet chili – so good!)
• James Bond/spy-style trick wall in a phone booth entry to a secret bar (PDT). Watermelon cocktails & secret business cards.
• Spending $30 on candy at Dylan’s (so typical but it had to be done).
• Rooftop parties in Williamsburg, rooftop bars in the West Village. Rooftops in general.
• Seeing “The September Issue” (verdict: underwhelming but fun nonetheless).
• Free wi-fi in airport terminals. Gotta love JetBlue.
• Making it back to Boston but missing NYC like crazy.

It was such a crazy 4 days (felt like 4 weeks and 4 minutes all at the same time) but in the best possible way. I can’t wait to go back. Maybe even permanently?

If Today is Your Birthday: August 29

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The Year Ahead

Forecast for August 2009 to August 2010

A trine between the Sun and the Moon in your Solar Return chart this year is a fortunate aspect. It suggests that your domestic and career needs are not in competition with one another in the year ahead. Your inner needs tend to be mirrored by external events, and vice versa. This aspect is very powerful and rewarding. It suggests that you will be on top of your game this year, for the most part, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. A comfortable level of personal popularity helps to keep conflict to a minimum. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you!

With Mars in opposition to Pluto, you have powerful, transformative energy at your disposal this year, and much will depend on how you handle it. Channeled positively, you could move mountains when it comes to pushing your projects ahead. If mishandled, however, you could be argumentative, stressed, and hell-bent on having your way! Avoid taking extreme measures to make things happen your way, and avoid people who might be doing same. Deliberately trying to maneuver things in order to get the upper hand will be a lesson in frustration.

Mercury is square Mars and Pluto, and your thinking (as well as speech) can run ahead of yourself at times! This can translate to having too many ideas to implement, or expressing yourself too hastily. Outside interferences with your projects is another possibility. It will be necessary to center yourself from time to time, as you have a tendency towards one-track-mindedness and perhaps even obsession. These are good energies for research or energetic mental work. It’s possible, however, that you are argumentative and irritable under this influence, and particularly impatient with vagueness. This can be a good year to eliminate wasteful activities. Be careful to avoid cutting words and aggressive driving. You may be involved in frequent lectures, debates, and discussions during the year. You can convey your ideas more powerfully. You are quick to take the initiative and to put your thoughts into action.

Venus harmonizes with Mercury in your Solar Return chart, adding charm to the way you present your ideas this year, certainly helping to smooth over differences in your personal relationships. This influence also helps you to express yourself more creatively, and can bring mentally stimulating friendships into your life. The lines of communication are open in personal relationships, and you’re bound to enjoy exchanging ideas with friends and romantic partners this year. Venus joining with the South Node of the Moon in your Solar Return chart suggests that you’re also liable to review relationships to see if they are contributing or hindering your personal growth, and/or dealing with past loves. The desire to cling to the past may be strong, but not necessarily good for you!

Mercury trine the Moon’s North Node suggests making contact through learning, communicating, and mental pursuits. It suggests an intellectually stimulating year in which the exchange of ideas with others figures prominently.

Jupiter conjunct Chiron and Neptune in your Solar Return chart suggests that idealistic and humanitarian goals or impulses have more significance in your life this year. You may experience an increased need for greater understanding, wisdom, and awareness, as well as increased interest in the healing arts and holistic health this year. It may be a time during which you reconsider or revamp your personal belief system. Everyday, ordinary life may not always satisfy, as you hunger for a more idealistic life.

You are likely to enjoy many opportunities to learn about yourself and your relationship needs, as well as to expand your horizons, through contact with others in the year ahead. New and mentally stimulating friendships are in your forecast. An enterprising spirit is with you, although you might be overzealous at times. Intensity and focus are themes, but sometimes to an extreme!

2009 is a Number Three year for you. Ruled by Jupiter. This is a year of sociability. It is a friendly time, when it is easy to enjoy life and other people. Focus is on personal freedom, reaching out to others, making new friends, and exploration. You are more enthusiastic and ready for adventure. It is likely to be a rather lighthearted year, when opportunities for “play” time are greater than usual. It’s also a good year for expressing your creativity. Advice – reach out, but avoid scattering your energies.

2010 will be a Number Four year for you. Ruled by Uranus. This is a year of work and development. It’s “nose to the grindstone” time. It’s a time to deal with practical matters, and it’s not a time to be lazy or especially gregarious. Sometimes, it can be a year that feels hard, monotonous and routine, and/or lonely. Positive new relationships are generally not formed in a Four personal year. Advice – get yourself organized, work to build your resources, keep busy.