Reverb 10: One Word

So remember last December, when I blogged every day as part of Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge?

Remember how awesome that was?

Remember how it was just a handful of us at first?

Well, now it's called Reverb 10, it has its own website, and it has well over 1,000 people participating. And this time, it's not just about looking back, but also about looking forward.

How could I not do it again?

And the truth is, you should too. If you don't have a blog, do it somewhere else! Respond in a journal, post your answers on Facebook, discuss the prompts over the dinner table with your family, write it on the side of that abandoned warehouse in spray paint.

Really, it's up to you.

Read all about it here.

And now, for the first prompt, from Gwen herself:

December 1: One Word.

Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you're choosing that word.

Now imagine it's one year from today. What would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

I read the prompt at 7 AM this morning in bed. It may have been the sleep deprivation talking, but my first response was "fucking crazy". But, you know, it's not one word (unless you say it really fast: "fuckingcrazy"), and it's not very eloquent.

So I decided to change it to:

*DRUMROLL PLEASE*

Important.

Important shit happened this year.

I met important people.

I made important decisions.

Important people donated/exchanged important organs.

I started flossing on a regular basis.

See? Important.

And? FuckingCrazy.

As for 2011? I sure hope it's AWESOMETASTIC because it's my favorite word and it would be awesometastic (see?) if the next year was great enough to be described as such.

So, what's your word for 2010? For 2011?

(PS: Tell me if you're doing this too, so I can stalk support you.)

I Like

I like holding a hot cup of tea when my hands are cold.

I like to change the words to songs so that they include my dog's names.

I like to walk into my favorite coffee shop and ask the barista to make me his or her favorite drink.

I like to lie under 3 blankets instead of turning on the heat.

I like watching movies on my dad's couch.

I like to reread my favorite book series, in order, over and over.

I like hot chocolate from gas stations or football games.

I like to paint my nails with clear nail polish, just so I can pick it off.

I like to listen to sad music, even when I'm depressed, and even when I know that the sad music is making me more depressed.

I like Australian accents.

I like to think that dogs have accents. (Australian and other.)

I like to write in coffee shops, and not at home.

I like superfine tip pens.

I like dangly earrings.

I like soup with rice noodles.

I like tea with steamed milk and sweetener.

I like to have the TV on when I'm at home alone, even if I'm not watching it, because the noise and movement makes me feel more comfortable.

I like new wallets.

I like clicking the next button on my e-reader.

I like cake on a stick more than cake that's not.

I like when dogs wiggle or wag their tails so hard that they look like they might fall over.

I like when little kids giggle at stupid things.

(The last time I babysat, the kids laughed for 20 minutes when I said my shoes smelled bad.)

I like really long pants.

I like to eat the inside of breakfast burritos, but leave the tortilla.

I like flowers in bright colors.

I like wearing scarves indoors.

I like rain.

I like sleeping on the couch.

I like to watch reruns of sitcoms that I've seen 35 times.

I like pouring milk on chocolate ice cream.

I like this:

I like ordering Indian food at my mom's house.

I like vintage (or vintage looking) jewelry.

I like day planners and school supplies.

I like lying on the couch when I'm sick.

I like pomegranates, even though they stain my fingers when I eat them.

I like slipper booties.

I like women who write and sing music that's so amazing it makes my body hurt.

(There are oh so many.)

I like waking up on Christmas morning.

I like making chili when there are clouds in the sky.

I like the feeling when all of my clothes are put away from the dryer.

I like wearing sunglasses on cloudy days.

I like dancing with boys who wear glasses.

Sometimes it's nice to write what you like.

So what do you like?

NYC, The Bloggess, and Dild0s. Yeah...

I've been home from NYC and BlogHer for almost two weeks and I'm still having trouble digesting it all. The different parts of the trip have been bouncing around my head since I got home, and getting them all on the page has proven to be a challenge.

So I've settled for a list of my favorite highlights. Maybe you don't care and you won't find this entertaining at all, but for the sake of posterity I'm choosing to not really give a shit about that.

(If this doesn't appeal to you, might I suggest you head on over to my other blog with my mom, She Thinks? Today's topic: "Is there a correct answer to the question: 'Does my ass look too big for these jeans?'" Trust me, you want to check it out.)

And so I present:

Ally's Highlights from BlogHer '10 & New York City
or
What Ally Can Remember
(not because she was drunk (the whole time) but because NYC and BlogHer always tend to end up blurryish...)
("blurryish" is totally a real word.)

The hotel bathroom. If you read about my last BlogHer trip, you know why this is a highlight. As I walked toward the ballroom for a party, I saw the closest bathroom and immediately turned for it. Of course, my most favoritest writer/blogger/comedienne/crazypersonEVER, Jenny The Bloggess, was there. What's more, she remembered me. She hugged me. She was happy to see me. It made me feel like I mattered. And I never even made it into the actual party, because I was right where I wanted needed to be. Later she called me her personal Sarah Silverman (of the bathroom). My mom hates Sarah Silverman, but I'm pretty sure Jenny loves her (as I do), so I'm taking that as an amazing compliment. Or maybe Jenny hates Sarah too and I've completely misinterpreted our relationship.

Going to Bloomingdale's. My grandparents were New Yorkers through and through, no matter where they lived. Even though they loved Colorado, New York City was a huge part of their identity. And Bloomingdale's in NYC is a big fucking deal. So when Mike bought a pair of shoes, and they put them in that famous Brown Bag? It meant something to me. Especially since it was the day before my grandma's birthday, and I think she would have been thrilled.

Seeing some amazing girls from high school. Because Mike came with me, a pseudo-high school reunion happened in the city while we were there. One of his friends lives in Manhattan, another in Brooklyn, one came down from Boston, and another made a last minute trip in from St. Louis. I was a little nervous because I didn't actually know these ladies in high school. I knew who they were, but I never talked to them or hung out with them. (I suggest you read this to get an idea as to why I don't know many people in my graduating class.) I was afraid I wouldn't be comfortable with them. But the time spent with these girls were some of my favorite moments in NYC. We laughed our asses off. We drank our asses off. I felt like we were ALL old friends, which was wonderful.

Getting to spend time with Angela and Crystal (AKA Perckle). These ladies made me laugh and reminded me why I love to go to these blogging conferences.

I thought I saw Toby from The Office eating pizza by himself at 3 AM. Thankfully Mike convinced me it wasn't him before I asked Fake Toby if he wanted company and if he could sign my bra...

I decorated a dild0. (See how I spelled it with a zero? I'm being sneaky.) Yep, it totally happened. I fell in love the awesome girls from Eden Fantasys, and they hosted a dild0 decorating party on the last night of the conference.

I was going for "Lady Gaga" but ended up with "Drag Queen". (Yes, those are two different looks.) But trying to make a bubble dress on a sex toy is fucking hard - er, difficult - y'all. Crafts have never been my strength. This party also involved spending some more time with Jenny, Angela and Perckle, plus the awesome ladies from Twitarded. (In case you're wondering, being at a sex toy decorating party with Twilight freaks led to some interesting and awesome conversations.)

Eating with the lovely, amazing, AWESOMETASTIC Tara on the last night of BlogHer. We laughed, we walked through Times Square, and we made Mike feel uncomfortable with talks about pregnancy and vaginas. (Are you seeing a theme to my weekend?)

Seeing Wicked. This was my third time seeing it, and it's still amazing and magical.

Having dinner with my cousin and his fiance. It was the first time I've met his future wife, and it's nice to know I'll have a new cousin who I adore. Plus, we had cheese fries, which is always a big fat bonus.

Spending time with Mike. After all these years, he's still my favorite person to explore with.