Well, I ended up cancelling my birthday plans because I wasn’t feeling good. That sucked a lot. I’m hoping to reschedule soon and get all my girls out!

The following day, William took me out to dinner for my birthday. I chose Hot Chocolate. Let me start off by saying, I’m not much of a foodie. I don’t have a refined palate. I’m a simple girl, I don’t need fancy stuff. But OMG, can we pretend I do more often? Seriously, I don’t think I have ever moaned and groaned while eating before. It was delicious. I’m planning on going back soon to try their mac and cheese and another dessert I missed out on.

Anyone in Chicago up for a Hot Chocolate date when I get back?

Get back from where you ask?

On Thursday, I leave for Florida for a few days. I’m really excited about getting out of Chicago for a little while and into some warm weather. And obviously, Mickey Mouse and roller coasters. Duh. Jenn hasn’t been there since she was little so it’s time to show her the way of the Mouse. We don’t do that space center bullshit (ahem).

Also, I’ll be (hopefully) meeting up with a few of you Orlando people. If you haven’t heard from me and would like to grab dinner or drinks, email me!

There will be a few guest posters while I’m away too so play nice.

Time to pack.

(And by pack I obviously mean: time to put in Twilight and laugh at the ridiculousness of it. It’s just so bad it’s good.)

Today is my 25th birthday.

(I wish I was a little more excited)

Edie plays soccer.

She runs full speed at the ball, pushes it around with her nose and kicks it along. It’s the cutest thing in the world. I need to take my Flip Video out with me next time she does it.

I took this on my iPhone this weekend. There is so much shadow from the fence but it’s too cute not to post.

P.S. Go look at my cute new Twitter background. It matches my blog. Follow me if you don’t already!

I’m almost done with answers to your questions (parts one, two and three). Hope these have been letting you all get to know me a little better.

Rachie asks: How did you get so many followers?
I’m going to share my secret. Blogging is about community. You need to be visible, comment, follow others and interact. No one likes to be talked at. You need too engage people if you want to be noticed. So many people complain about no comments or followers but you need to make yourself visible. How else are people suppose to know you are there?

Maxie asks: How do the people in your “real” life handle your involvement in the blogging world?
I don’t think it affects them too much. It’s a big part of my life but I don’t really write about them. They just know it’s what I do and it’s opened some doors for me. They think do it’s pretty cool though when I get to host things like Nintendo parties for having a blog though!

Travis asks: How did you get involved with The Printed Blog?
I found an ad on craigslist about it and the rest was history. And well, now it really is history for me. I’m no longer involved with it as I mentioned yesterday.

Brandy asks: AHHH! It’s your lucky day! You find $5,000 on the sidewalk and no one claims it. What do you do with it?
Spa day! Shopping! Trip to somewhere exotic and beautiful!

Meghan asks: What haircare products do you use?
Right now, I’m using some green tea shampoo and conditioner. I plan on switching that up soon though. I follow that up with Weightless Smooth No Frizz Hydrating Balm by Jonathan before air drying or blow drying.

LizSara asks: What three things are you looking forward to most about 2009 and why?
New career opportunities so I can finally have some financial stability. Traveling because I need to go somewhere new this year. Finding myself and learning how to be me again after being “us” for so long. I need some confidence on my own.

Rosier asks: Would you date yourself?
Right now? No. I’m just getting out of a long term relationship, very uncomfortable in my own skin and need to figure things out.

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One last part coming up and then I’m done!

In November, I came across an ad looking for team members for a new media start up for a newspaper that would be printing out blogs. I sent an email and the next day heard back to come in from an interview. I was offered the job right on the spot. It was an internship but it didn’t pay but I could use the experience.

And that is exactly what I got.

I was there since day one. I got some of our most popular contributors. I created networks. I spread the word. I brought on new team members. I was in the New York Times. I worked 12 hour days and weekends. I spoke on camera which I hate doing and posed for pictures. I flew to New York. I passed out papers in the cold. I did everything because I thought it could be really cool if it took off.

But now it’s time for me to move on.

I’m happy I got the experience though. I met some amazing people from this. I am bummed about how things turned out because I feel like I did do so much. I’m leaving on my own terms though and am this close to finalizing a great new opportunity (keep your fingers crossed for me on that). I’m ready for bigger and better things.

It’s been a good run, The Printed Blog.

Friday will be the 4th anniversary of my 21st birthday. Exciting, right?

Not really but I’m planning on being too drunk to notice how old I actually am.

Anyway, what’s a birthday without a wish list?

- cupcakes from Swirlz. Red velvet, please!
- another set of recycled wine bottle glasses and set of the tall tumblers (both clear) from Rewined Recycled Glassware
- I would like the possible new career opportunity I have to come together nicely (more on that soon…maybe)
- an iMac
- some really great mac and cheese
- a WiiFit
- to travel out of the country
- money to grow on tree to fund me and my jet set life.
- a work appropriate wardrobe from J.Crew and Banana Republic for the possible new career opportunity.
- a personal trainer to yell at me for eating birthday treats and so I will have the needed motivation to lose 5 million pounds (as if being fat isn’t enough) to look hot in my new wardrobe.
- and as always pretty much everything on Oh How Lovely Shops!

Feel free to spoil me on my birthday because I’m getting old, dear blog friends.

This past Saturday at a big loft in the West Loop, Jenn and I hosted a party.

A Nintendo DS party called Girlfriend’s Guide to Gaming. We invited a bunch of Chicago ladies (and an our of towner!) to game it up. We had yummy food, stocked bar, dessert, video games and great company.

Our lovely guests played Brain Age 2, Crosswords, Guitar Hero, and Mario Kart, collecting charms for our pretty, shiny, Nintendo bracelets at each game station. Guitar Hero seemed to be a huge favorite.

I spent most of my time mingling and talking rather than gaming but trust me, I’m killer at Mario Kart. (such an unflattering photo, I hate pictures!)

At the end of the night if you got all four of your charms, you got to take home a brand new DS and a copy of Brain Age 2.

Sweet deal, isn’t it?

Moral of the story: when Nintendo and Brand About Town email you asking if you want to be a Brand Enthusiast, always say yes.

More photos can be found here on Flickr.

Time for round three of answers to the questions you asked me (here’s part one and two).

Mandy asks: Do you always want to live in Chicago? If you had to move somewhere else, where would it be?
I love Chicago. I’ve lived here all my life but I can see myself moving eventually. Maybe somewhere warm like Florida. Or San Francisco. I would love the opportunity to live in another country too! I need to live in a city though. I’m a city girl and can’t do small town. Chicago will always have my heart though.

Lovesfool asks: What was your best blogging experience? What was your worst?
Best was definitely volunteering for BlogHer last year. It was such a great experience and I’m so happy I was able to attend. I met so many of my favorite bloggers, people I’ve been reading since I started blogging and so many new people. I can’t wait until this year’s!

As for worst, I don’t know if I have a worst blogging experience. I mean, I have the occassional negative or mean comment but nothing to serious. I think everything is a learning experience for me, bad or good.

Katelin asks:
When are you coming to California?
Soon! It’s next on my list after Florida and Vegas!
And ummm why are you so awesome?
I learned from you, duh
And seriously, how do you have time to blog in so many different places and stay sane? haha.
I’ve definitely slowed down. Right now, I’m only doing this blog and Oh How Lovely Shops. I was so busy when working with The Printed Blog that I just didn’t have time and was neglecting everything. I was stretched way to thin when it came to writing and figured it was time to go back to basics! I’d rather have a couple things I feel like I do really well at maintaining than try to do too much and have it all be lackluster.

Mishi asks: Do you have two jobs now that you work for The Printed Blog? How do you balance your work life with your blog life?
I am actually transitioning away from The Printed Blog. It was a great stepping store for me but it’s definitely time for me to move on. That’s another post though.

Princess Extraordinaire asks: How honest are you on your blog and do people in your life read it?
My sister and my boyfriend at the time read it and we are still friends so I don’t mind if he still reads it. I think my brother has the link but probably doesn’t read it often. I’m always honest on my blog though. You have to remember that what I do share is only a small part of my life but it is very much me.

Andhari asks: How do you get a lot of great ideas for your posts? How do you predict what people like to read so easily?
Most of my posts are real life experiences, silly things, questions or just random thoughts. I don’t necessarily try to predict what readers would like. If something happens that is “blog worthy”, I’ll definitely write about it but I don’t really go out of my way to write for my readers. I started this blog for me so I always try to remember that.

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Only two more parts left. I’ll try not to wait so long in between them next time. I’m trying to break them up as to not bore the hell out of anyone haha

Happy Wednesday!

Don’t you just love when that happens?

This past weekend I was looking in this box for some notecards and found a hefty amount of cash I had obviously been saving for a rainy day. I awesomely managed to forget about this money I had stashed away and found it just when I needed it.

Like now because I’m broke, dudes.

I just threw down $305 for my BlogHer conference pass. Planning a vacation to Florida with the BFF for early April. Then last minute on Friday, Nicole and I teamed up to throw together a fabulous vacation to the happiest place on earth for early June. No, not Disney World again, silly.

Vegas, baby!

I’m not at all complaining because I want all of these things. I just have awesome timing and choose to plan it all in like a two week period.

I am smart about money managing, duh.

Anyway, then I stumbled on some more cash. Well, not actual money but some pretty fast cash. Remember when I got my shiny pretty iPhone? Well, I still had that god awful Blackberry Pearl laying around too. There are plenty of sites that buy your old cell phones and recycle or use them for parts or whatever so I decided to try to see what I could get for it.

In the end, I went with ibuyphones.com. I just really liked the idea that they teamed up with AmericanForests.org and for each used phone that someone sells to them, they plant one tree. Kind of neat, huh?

Basically, I went to their site, told them what phone I had, they sent me an envelope (and paid for shipping back to them), I popped my phone in and soon after I had a check for $50 sent to me.

Recycling old cell phones. Planting trees. Money in my pocket.

I just can’t go wrong with that, especially since now I think I’m some kind of jet setter who needs to travel every few months.

Pretty soon I’ll have my own travel show. I mean that broad from Girls Next Door got one, right?

Pillows…Check
Blankets…Check
Hoodie…Check
Puppy…Check