Last year, I was robbed of my Christmas joy. I’m still in hot pursuit of the culprit, but the Grinch is definitely on my short list.
For the first time in history, I refused to put up a tree. Suffering from an almost paralyzing depression, those around me grew quite worrisome. My mother, who wouldn’t have any of it, started sending me daily cheer-up Christmas cards in the mail. Daily. Then, whenever she would “stop by,” she would sneak a mini pre-decorated Christmas tree into a different room of my house.
In January, I wrote a nasty goodbye letter to 2009, but ended it with cheerful optimism. Little did I know, however, that 2010 would present some of the biggest challenges of my life. Not, like, hiking up a mountain, challenging – a whole different kind of challenging. Cus really, would I ever be caught hiking?
I’ll forever remember 2010 as the year that everything sucked until it became awesome. I’m pleased that at least my life-changing year is a nice, round number – it plays into my ‘Monica from Friends syndrome’ quite nicely. It was a painful year of self-reflection brought on by the culmination of a lot of ongoing poor decisions. I don’t need to list the events for you, but I went into a little detail about some them in this blog. Over the year, many of my posts have been introspective in nature, about broken hearts and broken dreams and passion and valedictorian speeches. Cus I fricken love valedictorian speeches.
So how did the year finally become awesome? And no, it’s not because I had a great revelation as I was laying on a table a month ago, waiting to find out whether or not I might have breast cancer. But I was really, really cold if that counts. It took a lot more than that. This is the year that I finally broke the cycle of the miserable existence I’ve been living – the cycle of beating myself up over poor decisions I can’t change, people who will never change, and analyzing things until I am so lost in my past regrets that I have forgotten how to live in the present.
That’s what.
[click here for the rest of my blustery, Midwesterny pictures]
And as many times as someone told me: “can’t change the past, move on” – it didn’t matter. As many times as I told myself that I hadn’t messed up my life beyond repair – it didn’t matter, cus I didn’t believe it. Life will always be a punk, but half of the battle is your outlook and response to it. As a natural-born pessimist, the cycles in my life have been beyond hard to break. I had to do some serious work on my attitude and perspective towards life. For the first time in, well, forever, I actually feel good when I wake up in the morning. I’m excited about life. And, most importantly, I no longer look at the past decade as a total waste of time and energy. It taught me a great deal and made me into a stronger person than I ever realized.
How’s that for warm and fuzzy?
Are you freaked out yet?
Have you totally hit the unsubscribe button?
Would it smooth things over if I gave stuff away?
Stuff I’m giving away to you: [I made this big and bold to make it easier for you to skip over everything else]
Since I was a child, I have wanted to open a greeting card company. Not cus I’m great at illustrations, cus I’m not. And not cus I have the hook-up with a manufacturer, cus I don’t. And not cus I was born with a natural ability to come up with clever sayings, cus I wasn’t. But because ALL OF THEM SUCK.
Guess what? I found some that don’t suck.The company is called Foxy Blunt. Could this BE more of an arranged marriage? These cards make me want to purchase stamps again, know what I mean?
So, I am giving away a boxed set of Foxy Blunt cards of your choosing plus some cool other stuff the girls are going to throw in. I might suggest the Friendship/Love set, or the Birthday set, or the Holiday set. But what I really, REALLY love is the Thank You set and the Thinking of You set.
I trust you will make the right decision.
WAIT! Hold the mistletoe!
Don’t for one second think that I’ve forgotten about my first love, Bitter Baking Company – because I could never do such a thing. In fact, we might have to enter a three-way love affair with Foxy Blunt. You will also receive a batch of my absolute favorite sarcastic holiday cookies!
HOW TO ENTER: leave a comment telling me one positive thing that happened to you this year. Contest is open until Saturday, Dec. 18th at noon.
UPDATE: Winner of this contest is J from TwentySomethings!
Shameful, I am going to have to start giving shit away on my blog soon just so I can keep up with your shameless promotion.
Love the snow pic…hope none of it was yellow.
bear – well, that wasn’t a very positive comment, no foxy cards for you. and what exactly am i shamelessly promoting other than the fact that I love these products?
don’t be jealous cus i have so much more christmas spirit than you.
I was trying to live up to the grinch in your pic.
One positive thing about MY life? Or about YOURS? You started posting up all your pretty photographs, got an awesome writing gig, updated your Barbies, and began posting on a somewhat regular basis again. *woot* for you! Plus you started doing the (hysterical) video thing, and the (yummy) giveaway thing, and went on a decent date with a non-axe-wielding internet non-psycho. Yay for 2010!
Me? I had a damn baby and didn’t kill my other one while she was being 2 years old. I’d say that’s pretty damn positive, neh? Oh. And I’m still married. 😉
me – oh man, i had to rewrite that last sentence. OF COURSe, i meant write a positive thing that happened in YOUR LIFE. hahahah!
But man, you sure pay attention! hahaha. That’s awesome on your baby. it seems like this was the year of babies.
Thanks for your continued support and encouragement!
The big Positive thing that happened to me was the fact that I gained ME back. I don’t think that sentence makes any sense so here goes a little explanation.
Basically, I was in a shitty soul sucking relationship for 2 years. I wasn’t allowed to do anything but spend time with him and his friends. All my money, everything went to him or something for him or just something to do with him in general. About 3 months ago, I finally mustered up the courage to leave that situation. Now, I’m still broke, but I’m spending it on me and making sure I’m happy. My time can be devoted to my friends and family and even ME. It is the most freeing thing i have ever felt and I can’t believe I was stupid enough to stick around him for as long as I did.
I’m grateful for all the experiences I had with him, but boy oh boy, I’m glad I have me back.
Positive in my life? Hmm… Well, I got this awesome new puppy that at the moment is driving me crazy because it’s 4 degrees out and there’s no way I’m going to walk him. Oh, and a friend of mine who used to write screenplays in Hollywood is pestering me to work on one. She thinks my writing is fabulous. I think the MN cold has gone to her head.
I do want those damn cookies. I think I may just go to the site and order some myself.
I’m so happy YOU’RE happy. 2010 was like one long dentist appointment; I mean, it had to happen, and we’re better for it, but dear God there were times when it SUCKED.
But we learned how to be happy despite it. Positive amid the dog crap. I am so, so proud of us.
And totally heart your pictures.
Is that a bright spot of hopeful light I see searing through the tangled web of sarcasm? Yes, it certainly is.
I think that living life is a process of simply understanding it. And part of the process is adjusting our perspective. So things that might have seemed shitty before just fly under the radar now because your focus has changed. I honestly think it has something to do with becoming comfortable with yourself as a worthy, deserving child of God.
I’m excited about your new ventures (love the cards!) and I would really love another chance to get some of those cookies. But that’s not why I stopped by, it’s just coincidental.
btw, I like your approach to closure. writing a letter to close out the year is an excellent idea. Sealing up the lingering feelings that belong only in the past.
In 2010, my biggest task-oriented accomplishment was getting married, because planning a wedding takes so much time and energy. So that is done and it was a happy swirling wonderful affair.
But the best thing that happened in my life in 2010 was essentially feeling my life and not being afraid of it. Engaging with the people I love, asking for what I want, finding the strength to enforce boundaries, and finding the freedom to explore creative pursuits. Living with gratitude and humor.
xoxo
I know I already told you this, but YAY I love that picture!! And sheeesh, lady. You’re seriously my sister from another mister. My year has been quite similar. Which I suppose is the positive thing I can tell you about. It’s taught us both a lot, yes? And ended better than I ever could’ve imagined!
I’m really happy for you. For us. We’re awesome.
Baby here also..sister had my niece so I no longer have to deal with any guilt of robbing my mom of being a grandma. Can also live out my life in a more irresponsible manner.
I don’t need a tree..I just play Yingle Bells by Yogi Yorgesson on loop.
nate – just letting you know i’ve tried to get to your blog and it says i need to be invited!!! i don’t see any email for you either….
OMG, it was so freakin’ great to read this post and to hear about your awesome revelation….
” This is the year that I finally broke the cycle of the miserable existence I’ve been living – the cycle of beating myself up over poor decisions I can’t change, people who will never change, and analyzing things until I am so lost in my past regrets that I have forgotten how to live in the present.”
Brava, girl!
“I no longer look at the past decade as a total waste of time and energy. It taught me a great deal and made me into a stronger person than I ever realized.”
And may I add….into the AWESOME lady that you are!
So proud to know you, bestie!
X
P.S. LOVE your photos!
One positive thing this year…….hmm…well it’s been a crappy end of the year, and it overshadows any memory of a positive thing that has happened this year!! Ok, well I did get to go to Washington DC twice this year, and back to NYC to visit my extended family, so that was fun. On the flip side my father in law passed away the beginning of Sept suddenly, and well I’ve been sick for the last 8wks(my body hates me…I’m convinced of this), oh and some of my friends decided not to be my friends anymore….so yeah….the end of my year is going to hell in a hand basket!!! I’m such a grinch right now!
My friend gave me a Percoset to take before my next bikini laser treatment. And I HAVE SAVED it for just such a purpose – multiple hangovers be durned. These are the good times.
I got lyme disease. really. it saved my life.
I’m not trying to win anything (but goddamn, those cookies are delicious). I just wanted to say that this was a nice post. Also, can you photograph my wedding, cus your pictures are pretty. I’ll pay you and shit. With booze. And fun times.
I FINALLY got a job that matters to me. I get to work with animals all day and make them better, rather than answer phones or fetch coffee for an office. Yay!
I abso-friggin-lutely love this post.
You need your friends, and you need them to tell you over and over again the things that they do when life is shit. However – the bottom line? It takes a lot of hearing it for it to actually sink in. And that won’t happen until you’re ready.
But when it does… *sigh* You don’t know what true happiness feels like until you know the opposite.
2007 was my shitty-shit-shit year. In the end? I am so different as a result. Would I go back through all of that ridiculous-horrible-disgusting-drama-shit-awfulness? Yeah… I’d rather not but… if it meant I would be here as a result, with the people I have in my life and the things I’ve learned? Well. Tough call but – I think so.
Much love. May sparks fly out of your heart like you’re in a Katy Perry music video.
Oh, um, PS I meant “much love” as in yay life in a general sense way… not in a creepy hey-I-don’t-know-you-but-I-love-you way… just, you know, for clarity. Um. Yeah. Anyways…
What’s with the utter and complete, engulfing hotness in the photo? Holy hell, child, this brother-sister vibe that we’ve developed is being challenged mightily.
denny – i’m gonna consider that a positive comment. consider yourself entered! lol
denny love- i’m gonna consider that a positive comment about your life. consider yourself entered! lol
Denny approves being entered in this case.
The positive thing that happened to me this year.
Its finally figuring out that I can NOT control everything, and that no matter what it IS going to work out… because it has to.
I believe that these revelations have 1. Stopped the premature perma-crease in my forehead 2. Delayed the greying process for another 10+ years and 3. let me focus on things that I love and enjoy rather than focusing on those things that I can not control.
This year has been a year of death and too much of it. It started with My dad almost dying of a heart attack. Then my grandma passed in the spring. Shortly after that my husband’s closest uncle passed away. A month later we had to put our little cat asleep. Two weeks ago my mom thought she had breast cancer…then I put my foot down and said, “NO and definately not her”. My positive in all of this is the simple fact that unfortunately death happens and yeah it certainly sucks. However, thanks to this year I appreciate my dad and mom more now than ever and they are the greatest parents I could ask for. Each day really is a gift!
Sorry, I haven’t been around lately Brit. My apologies. The last couple of weeks have actually sucked, but I’m getting over it. BTW…whatever happened with Blog Boy? Did I miss any important updates? So glad 2010 fit you so much better than 2009! You look mah-ve-lus!!
Awesome post, Blunt. And I’m not just saying that because I’m ecstatic about the fact that you don’t hike either. (What can I say, these days it’s the little things…)
“Life will always be a punk” is my new favorite saying.
2011 is going to be your bitch, I can feel it!
Hmm….positive….hmm…..can I say that meeting you was positive? It totally was!
You got it all wrong Blunt. God likes to mess with us and I should know, I’m one of his favorites. He sits up there on his cloud giggling as he plots his next move….”ooh, lets give the Loon a bad hair day….for a month!”; “That’s not a speeding fine …this is a speeding fine!”; “Wouldn’t it be fun to make the Loon fall madly in love with a hygienically challenged lowlife, scumbag who has absolutely no prospects for the future?”;”Lets put some flab on the Loon’s upper arms where no Telebrands product can reach.”. Don’t fight it Blunt, trust me, you don’t want to be one of God’s favorites!!!!!!
Blunty!!
Great post, and I agree with Denny. You are looking stunning in your pics.
I had surgery today on my leg and when I came to, I noticed that my hair still maintained some of its natural bounce and wave. That’s positive in my book.
My blog was shut down by those that sign the paycheck. Total Bummer.
Oh, and I’m also grateful for my mom. She’s just the best and I’m so grateful to have her in my life. So I hope to win those hi-larious thank you cards.
Cheers.
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This year, I fell in love.
And this is what happens when I’m away at training for a week. I missed a cookie opportunity. My life is over.
Those cards are awesome!
Wait….that is you to the right of that first image, right? Man, you’re one hot piece of ass! I love the seasick look, it’s so in right now!
(NOTE: British people really should not say “hot piece of ass, just so you know!).
I mention your blog in my latest post at the end regarding the Bitter Baking Co. cookies. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Hey, bestie girlfriend….I’m going to be slammed at work the next two days, so I wanted to stop by and wish you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
It’s been an absolutely joy getting to know you this past year. I look forward to 2011!
Cheers!
X
It is a warm and fuzzy post… how odd and wonderful indeed! Yesterday I showed a friend your first video blog about “what is a blog date” and we watched it twice laughing WITH you… and sometimes AT you, but in a most awesome way:)))
Cheers to an awesome 2011, to lessons learned, friends made, and all the good stuff people toast to while secretly hoping you choke on something.
Happy Holidays, dear!!!!
“broke the cycle of the miserable existence I’ve been living – the cycle of beating myself up over poor decisions I can’t change, people who will never change, and analyzing things until I am so lost in my past regrets that I have forgotten how to live in the present.”
Well twinsie, can you be my therapist? Just don’t be TOO good, cuz then I’d have nothing to post about over in my neck of the woods.
Happy Christmas and Merry New Year!! May Peace be your gift at Christmas (or any other holiday you celebrate) and your blessing all year through.
you’ve been on my ‘to read’ list for some time, but i’ve been busy as sin with work. Today is my first day of a week long vacation! MERRY F’IN CHRISTMAS TO ME! ;D
*ahem*
anyway. this post largely could have been written by me, not gonna lie. A lot of what you’ve written rang true for me. 2010 broke my heart in horrible, horrible, gut wrenching ways. But it’s ending with me in potentially the happiest place I’ve been in forever. 🙂 2010, for me, was certainly the year that sucked until it became awesome. Thumbs up to that.
I may have missed the boat on your little giveaway, but I’m going to play along anyway 🙂 One positive thing that happened to me this year? Developed an epicly awesome friendship with a wicked awesome ginger. . . she saved my life, and made me laugh until it hurts 🙂
You’ve got hot ass hair! Wait, that came out wrong… I meant your ass hair is hot. No, no. You’re hair is pretty. I want to twirl my fingers in it.
I hope this Christmas was much better for you love!!!
I love your new line of greeting cards, Blunt. They look beautiful and surprisingly festive. And the messages are apt and timely. I wish you the best of luck with promoting them.
Hmm….as far as the nicest thing that’s happened to me this year?
I “met” via the internet a really cool kid who has ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, and self-debilitating OCD. He’s an up-and-coming cartoonist, and he and his mother informed me that my comic with super bad-ass Hank helps me feel better about himself because he identifies with my character, but knows he’s nowhere near as bad as Hank is.
As a thank-you, he sent me one of the shirts he creates by his company “Good Boy Roy”. I felt really good about inspiring people that I didn’t even know were watching my movements.
Blunt
Everyone should have Xmas cheer, i learned that this year. I learned about real love and the power people can have as a collective…great post..love the misletoe….hope your new year is a happy and safe one…zman sends
Happy new year blunt, I miss yew.