So yeah, January 14 is a tad late for the new year traditions but what can I say it's been a bit insane busy what with being a national land baron, working in hell corporate america, being a part time student and oh yes trying to have a social life as well. 

It's funny...I predicted that as soon as we signed on our new house that all of a sudden our social calendar in NYC would fill up and it's totally happening!  Don't get me wrong - we have zero buyer's remorse and have come to terms with the possibility of having to eat ramen and goverment cheese for a few months should we find no renters.  But it's a phenomenon that's happened both when I left CT and then when we went from our apt in JC to our house in Bayonne.  We are bonding with people, old friends and new...hey why the hell not!?  The great news is unlike Bayonne, we've already bonded with some peeps in NOLA and we're not even there yet...WOO HOO...pass the Crystal and pour me an Abita!

But this post is not about moving or friends..it's about 2007.  In general - good times I say!!  It was a pretty great year overall and Chaz and I are leaving the dreaded 7 year mark - SCORE!

For more deets, read on.  I did this last year and liked being able to refer back to it so if it ain't broke, don't mess with it.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? - Well I stuck through a real icky time in my corp america reality and it will pay off in 08.  I also got to meet and work with Tim Gunn...how many people can say that?!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? - I don't make resolutions per se. Generally I write a letter listing some feelings over the year and goals for the following year. I did keep most of my resolutions.  The thing I am truly the most proud of (like wanting to scream from the rooftops proud) is that I started the year weighing exactly what I did at the start of 2007 (203)... I KNOW!!!!  I was able to maintain for A WHOLE YEAR within a five pound range.  Of course I would love to lose a bit more..I'm not perfect and I'm currently over the coveted onederland.  But I'm in such a great head place right now and am thrilled to have a handle on the whole food/excercise/weight balance.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? - No but a hell of a lot of celebrities did.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit? We visited no other countries!  I am shocked and it's the first year we didn't travel ...I think since we have met!  In all fairness we have good reason...namely planning and plotting our next steps in the "five year plan" and the week + taping of the show which sucked a lot of my vacation time.  I did go to Key West for my Wild Squad gathering...does that count?

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? - I would like to have more spontaneity, more exuberance and more fun!  I wrote this last year and we got better...really!  We were so serious the first year being homeowners and living a little further out.  But last year we started socializing more, both together and apart.  The only thing lacking in 08 is some of our fun hobbies have fallen by the way side and I would like to have a little more time for that.  I think 08 is going to be a let our hair down and really have a good time...new place, new careers and new frame of mind away from the anxiety and youth driven NYC.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? - Not specific dates but there were definite key moments...hitting my all time weight low of 196 (even if it was just one week!), Wild Squad in Key West, 7 year anniversary with the handsome Scotsman, reuniting with New Orleans, the Tim Gunn show and week of taping and realizing that we are finally in the last year of the five year plan..it's getting so exciting now!!!  Lastly our house closing in NOLA...truly the best Christmas present ever!!!!  And that's a date I won't forget!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? - I keep mentioning the show and it really was such a huge impact for me.  Not that fashion is everything..it was the high and confidence of being validated for walking the walk and talking the talk.  Being able to represent the zaftig sexy gal everywhere and getting in touch with everything that is me today..matching up the outside to what's going on on the inside.  It's so powerful to own *it* and I don't have to give myself that permission anymore...I just am.  No apologies, no bullshit guilt.  I'm me - take it or leave it.

9. What was your biggest failure? - My biggest failure has been to let singing go by the wayside.  I would love love LOVE to find a way to let music back into my life and to move people again with song - on my terms and for fun.  I truly feel I have been gifted with this talent and I want to use it if nothing else as just another form of my self expression. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Apart from the cold from hell as soon as I signed the mortgage papers, nothing!!  Thank the PTB for that!

11. What was the best thing you bought? - Our house in NOLA!!!  Also my doggie grooming tuition...I'm loving it!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? - My life with Chaz is a celebration and a gift..one that I hope I never take for granted.  He anchors me without weighing me down.  Our relationship is extremely special and I love him for letting me be who I want to be.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? - I've tried to cut down on my celebrity magazine consumption/ho-ishness because it depresses me that we are so focused on Britney having a nervous breakdown or Lindsey snorting up or whatever.  It's so easy to get a little buzz going from reading about other peoples' wackiness, but there really is so many other things to focus on...fun, good, bad etc.  Of course if it's about Brangelina I still want to be InTouch coz they're like neighbors y'all!

14. Where did most of your money go? Most of our money either went back into our NJ house (bathroom/bedroom renovation) or down payment on our NOLA house.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? - I'm most excited about the five year plan fruition.  My second year into my job, I started to get the move bug...hub told me to wait and to start thinking about a 5 year plan.  Without a plan, I would just end up jumping to another office job I didn't like and was way over qualified for.  At the time it seemed so far away.  Now it's here!!!  We had formulated ideas, thoughts etc  ..but now vestment is right around the corner.  School is in place.  We already found our next dream place to live.  It's just so exciting to be venturing off to the next part of our lives.  I feel for a lot of reasons that my 20s was kind of all about getting to where I needed to be...mentally and physically.  30's has been and will continue to be having the fun I missed along the way.  We are going to be in a city we love, in much more laid back jobs hopefully having a better daily quality of life.  This ast winter I got hooked on the show Heroes (only like what 2 years behind?) and one of the lines is about how the importance of our lives is really about the human connections we make and the interactions we have with each other. So true!  And yet how often do we go day to day and pass up the opportunity to talk to someone new or turn down an offer to get together with a friend?  I want to find people I can connect with and want to go back to placing value on those connections and relationships big and small.  I have *met* so many fabulous people online through blogs, email, forums. It's time to share in real time as well.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? - tough one..thanks to mp3 and napster (and the fab dj scotsman) I have come into contact with so many GREAT GREAT new bands and songs.  If I had to pick one it would be Ingrid Michaelson "the way I am" ..it's just so sweet and makes me realize that yes, after almost 8 years I'm still in love.  Also Rogue Traders "Here come the drums" because what's not to like about 80's sounding candy euro pop especially in correlation to the new UK Dr Who?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? - happier
b) thinner or fatter? - same!
c) richer or poorer? - umm...two mortgages...poorer in the short term for richer in the long.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? - More fun..the kind you can't tell everyone about!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? - Worrying. I'm a worrier.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? - Chaz and I closed on our place December 21st. so Christmas was spent together going between freaking out (holy shit! we owe how much?!) and flipping out (WOO HOO NOLA!) We were broke with a very set budget for pressies, but we have each other and the pups and it's all good.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007? - I think again..yes.  I think we've cycled around and I'm coming into the infatuation stage again.  I look at him and think...damn girl ya done good!

22. How many one-night stands? - Do mental ones count?

23. What was your favorite TV program? - Chaz and I stick with netflix and this year we discovered Heroes and Dr Who.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? - Hate is such a strong word.  I trust my instincts now and just stay away from the energy drainers, the time wasters and the game players.  I also learned that I can forgive but not forget. Some wrongs just can never be righted for whatever reason and it's ok.  I am the strong person before you now because of 20+ years of hurting and plain shittyness...some brought on by myself and some through no fault of my own.  It's ok to remove people from your life if you just don't think it's worth it. 

25. What was the best book you read? - I love me some PaperbackSwap.  I read a lot..no outstanding favorites.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? - I am just constantly amazed by technology today...eegads I sound ancient.  Seriously...mp3 players, music sharing, pod casts, satellite...it's just awesome.

27. What did you want and get? - To start a new chapter!

28. What did you want and not get? - I really wanted Tim Gunn to call me just coz and invite me for tea or the opera or something.  *sniff*  I thought we connected, but maybe it was just like summer camp kumbaya euphoria? 

29. What was your favorite film of this year? - hmmm Pirates?  Sweeney?  Ok maybe I'm just focusing on the recent Rolling Stone with Johnny Depp   I'm sure there were lots of yummy movies...I love the movies!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? - I turned 35 and we spent a long weekend in New Orleans..it was fantastic!  We had just started house hunting, found a fantastic b and b with wonderful owners, and started bonding with the locals!

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? - Calorie free life time supply of Ben and Jerry's?  A weekend tryst with Johnny Depp? Being lead singer for a 40's big band?  No clue.  I try to make my dreams come true.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? - I'm a siren and when in the dressing room think what would catherine zeta jones do?

33. What kept you sane? - Chaz, really having some QT with my old college buddy, snuggling my puppies every night before sleep.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? - fancy as in the hots right?  Well did I mention Johnny Depp?  Also Hugh Laurie..yum.  And Giada DeLaurentis..she's adorable...I can't help it.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? - Politics in general do not stir me.

36. Who did you miss? - I miss the feeling of being in a creative environment.  The week of tv taping was just so amazing for that...I hadn't realized how much I miss the energy of a creative collective group of people together just getting it done and putting on a show!

37. Who was the best new person you met? - My scrapbooking gals.  I love Ellie..she's just so cool.  Cheryl, Janice, Melissa...just great people.  I also loved meeting Tim Gunn, Benny Ninja and Hassan Ildari - the director for my episode.  I bonded with all three in a completely different way and that connection continues to have an impression upon me.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. - It's all relative.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. - Coz you take me the way I am.

Best. Post. Ever.

I'm SO happy for you! We could totally be 3rd cousins twice removed -- The Beyonce and I do Netflix too and discovered "Heroes" a season or two late. Also are on a 5-year plan! And it's mos def his idea...I too resisted initially, but goldang this whole life planning business ain't too bad after all.

You are fabulous. I've lurked around the hedges of your blog(s) for years, and each time I read a new post I find more inspiration, more wisdom, more sheer fabulosity.

I totally will come hear you sing in a gin-joint in NOLA. I'll be the one w/the glittery hooker fishnets, swilling a very dry vodka martini.

You go on with your bad self, girl.

XOXOXO
Dr. Ding

Hmm mental one night stands. Do tell all, as curious minds want to know. As Prince says, If a man is guilty 4 what goes on in his mind, then me me the electric chair 4 all my future crimes.