Do me a favor, y’all.

Click out of your Google Reader, come over to this site, and freaking LOOK at the gorgeous new design, courtesy of Her‘s hubby!

He did this. Completely from scratch. And isn’t it absolutely breathtaking?!

Hooray, awesome friends, new design and Thursday nights!

                          

When I started blogging, I never imagined becoming a part of a community. I never really even imagined making “friends” through it. I was a bored college senior, and I wanted to document the weird things people said to me. True story.

And somehow, it evolved into so, SO much more. It went from weird Internet people to meeting new best friends, thanks to the World Wide Web.

Today, I have friends around the globe. Some, who I have spent hours with, and others who I have never met, but hope to one day meet. I don’t think I could have survived in my little town without these friends. The outpouring of support and love from bloggers near and far got me through some tough times when I lived alone in a town where I didn’t know a soul.

When I first started blogging, I joined a 20SB on a whim, not really knowing what to expect. It has been an interesting ride so far, and I look forward to all the future commentary members of the community will provide.

Last week, I learned I was nominated for not one, but two 20SB Bootlegger Awards –Blogger We Wish Would Blog More and Least Likely To Be “Marked As Read.”

I’m at a loss for words and can only say…

THANK YOU!

I am completely shocked and honored to be listed among the other fabulous nominees. I never imagined I would be nominated for one award, let alone two. Never in a million years. It’s an incredible feeling, and I am continually, (almost always) pleasantly surprised by this blogging community.

I won’t ask for your votes, but I will encourage you to go cast your ballot if you’re a member. If you don’t know the bloggers nominated, check out their site. Read a few posts. See what the buzz is all about, maybe reach out to a new friend. And then vote.

Got it? OK… go!

                          

I went to a friend’s house freaking adorable condo with Rose last night, and the three of us celebrated the end of Monday with two huge bottles of wine and a cheese spread. It. Was. Awesome.

Four-ish hours later, after some fantastic conversation and a few too many glasses of chardonnay, Rose dropped me off at my little house. I was greeted by my pup, who was ecstatic I was finally home, then confused as to why I was stumbling around a little.

Confession: I doesn’t usually go out to dinner parties or out on the town here because, let’s face it, I don’t know too many people. And I don’t want to have to drive myself home if I accidentally get sloshed.

So we got ready for bed.

And then I woke up at 4:30 with a horrible headache, a dog who needed to tinkle and a bedroom entirely too cold.

After taking care of Lucy, turning on the furnace and taking a few pain pills, I decided to check my e-mail. Because that’s what every normal person does at 4:30 in the morning.

And then I saw an e-mail stating I had a gift on 20SB. I was sent a bottle of champagne, congratulating me for being the November Featured Blogger!

I freaked out a little, totally surprised, and then decided it would be a good thing to go back to sleep and celebrate in the morning.

So when I woke up at 8 this morning, I booted up my computer and went to the 20SB Web site. Just for fun.

That’s me! On the left side of the screen!

…

I just don’t have words, y’all. I’m thrilled and surprised and honored that so many of my peers nominated me, and that I am the Featured Blogger. I mean, there are more than 8,000 people in 20SB. That’s a lot of bloggers. And to be named the Featured Blogger? Craziness. That’s what it is.

So thank you, friends. So very much.

And since Erin did it last month, I’m calling out to you. Leave me comment and tell me something about yourself. Anything you want to share, really. What do you like to do when you aren’t working? If you could have one super power, what would you want it to be? When you were growing up, what was your favorite ice cream flavor? Is it the same today?

You can even ask me a question, if you would rather that. Just say something. Because I want to see all your smiling faces (or hear your voices?) this awesome month.

OK, go! And thanks again, y’all! You’re all amazing!

                          

October was a letdown for me this year, and I about jumped up and down when yesterday rolled around because it meant the month was ending. And since October sucked (in my book), November HAS to be better.

And I’ve decided within the past 12-ish hours that I’m going to be doing not one, but two of the following challenges this month.

Because maybe I’m a little crazy. And because it’ll make me as busy as I was this past month. (Seriously. October around these parts is NUTS.)

So friends? Let’s make this month a memorable one. And if you’re doing either challenge (or both!), please, please let me know so we can lean on each other when the going gets tough.

Happy November!

                          

Yesterday, while I was spending my day at a friend’s wedding then watching college football (until the early morning hours), my site got 339 pageviews. Which is, like, double what it normally is.

I don’t know if one person went through ALL my archives and read them more than once or a lot of people clicked over here from somewhere that my stat counter isn’t telling me.

But since I’m stuck in an airport and will be in transit for the next eight-ish hours, I figured I’d leave a little note and ask you to introduce yourself. You know, if you want to.

Ask me a question. Tell me about your favorite movie or song or dessert. What your middle name is. How crazy you think I am for talking about my dog SO MUCH. Anything. Talk to me. Because I’d love to hear from you.

OK… go!

                          

This post is a part of 20SB’s Looking Back Blog Carnival, and Ben & Jerry’s is awarding free ice cream to lucky bloggers and readers! More information can be found here.

Senior year of high school, I started blogging with a Deadjournal. After I graduated, I quit that blog and then started a Livejournal freshman year. I did the same again sophomore year (though I kept the LJ.) And then my (second) senior year, I started writing at Stylish Handwriting.

While I realize it’s probably not kosher to post from every one of these blogs, I had a fantastic time reading all my old blogs and thought I’d share. If nothing else, I promise you’ll get a laugh about some of the things I wrote.

Let’s look back, folks, and see what a long way I have come.

First off, from my very first online journal. This was written a few weeks after my parents separated. (Note: Most of this journal was dealing with the separation and my tumultuous senior year of high school.)

“life, or something like it…”
november 22, 2002

today. wow. even though today was a friday, it dragged by. painfully. that’s the way to describe it. it’s like, every minute that passed was just kinda moving by. no, time did not fly today. perhaps it was because i wasn’t having fun? (even though the in-school wrestling match was… well, interesting.)

i hate tests, i must admit in total honesty. especially ones with 5 paragraph essays AND a question part. we don’t even have enough time to make the essay sound nice and we’re wanted to take a 50 question multiple choice thingy along with it. i mean, that’s just cruel. doncha think so?

so i’m talking to a friend right now and we’re talking about our days. and about how he’s always happy because life is too short not to be. i’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. i mean, life is full of pain, but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t smile and just enjoy our time here. we never know when it’s gonna end. and to tell you the truth, i don’t want to know when it’s gonna end. he made a good point and it reminds me of something another friend said last year, “life’s too short to be nervous” and leads me to my conclusion of, “life’s too short to have any regrets.” i haven’t been very good about any of these lately and i’m thankful they’ve been brought to my attention. yeah… carpe diem, my friends.

tonight is the first basketball game and i’m probably going to it (who knows?). i used to play for the girls’ varsity team and i am exhilarated because i am at home right now while they’re driving out to the boonies (yes, the game is about 45 miles away from here). i don’t miss the coach or not playing, but i miss my friends on the team. but its all good. every girl who has quit the wshs girls’ team in the past 4 years is playing on a rec team together and we’re gonna have so much fun. two of our guys are “coaching” us and at our first practice on wednesday, we beat a guy’s team. oh yeah. and for the first time in about two years as i walked into the gym, a sense of dread didn’t overcome me. and i had fun. real fun on the basketball court with my friends, not worrying about the next thing coach was going to make us do or bothering to do the 20 minute run or even running a few 16′s. yes, it was a good day and it will be a good season. we’re out to have fun and we are no longer playing basketball in hell.

and, on a closing note, today is the first day of the rest of my life. peace out.

Poetic, I know.

Let’s zoom to the freshman year of college. This was the first actual post after my obligatory, “I’m blogging again” entry.

“Last Night”
November 10, 2003

I had an incredibly tough night. Things in my life definitely are not what one would consider ‘good,’ by any means or standards. I am just so confused and the circumstances make my heart ache every time a fleeting thought of them crosses my befuddled mind.

All that I am going to say is thank God for friends who will do anything to see you smile, watch The Emporer’s New Groove in the middle of the night just to hear you laugh, bake you two cookies (instead of the entire batch) and offer them to you when you’re on the phone outside then running back into the apartment before you can refuse their sugary goodness, offer to cook for you really late into the night, make you listen to country music to hear you whine and to convince you that ‘it’s not all that bad,’ give you massages when they don’t want to, want to learn about your life and how they can help you, let you sleep on their couch with no questions asked, and listen to what you say, offer some advice, then empathize with you, offering their shoulder for you to cry on. And so many more things that I can’t even begin to list…

I have such amazing friends. I honestly don’t know where I would be without them right now.

Maybe the college newspaper friends were right when they called me emo? (Even though I kinda make up for it by talking about my awesome friends. And even though this was written closely after the divorce was finalized.)

And then one of the first entries from the sophomore year Xanga.

“no title”
January 15, 2005

after five and a half hours in the car, i’m finally back in baton rouge.  i’m rather excited about this upcoming semester (i am officially a dork).  my class schedule doesn’t seem to be too challenging (right now, at least) and i’m taking classes that i actually want to take, so that all helps.

i’m feeling… disoriented tonight and i can’t quite put my finger on it.  while i know what it’s vaguely about, i don’t know why those feelings have swelled up right now.  *shrugs*  perhaps it has something to do with me being deleriously tired, having driven a long distance today, and not have gotten a good rest last night?

we went and saw in good company tonight.  it was good, in a surprisingly different way.  it didn’t turn out the way i thought it would and that was kind of refreshing.  once again, though, i found myself mirrored somewhat in a screwed up movie character.  … sensing a trend here, anyone?

“what you got?”
“i have a little bit of a buzz, too.  … and i like you.  so i have that.  i guess i have that.”

why can’t most people be this honest to each other?  i hate how i’ve been under the horrible assumption that putting yourself out there gets you hurt.  but then again, if you never put yourself out there, you’ll never know.  … i can say that i’ve put myself out there, at least somewhat, and i did get hurt.

keeping in line with that, i stood up for myself tonight.  i’m not particularly happy with one boy and i don’t particularly care about being nice because he wasn’t.  chalk one up for me.  ’cause this never, ever happens.  yessssss.

back to square one.  but really, this is a good thing.  … love comes softly, though, and i have a feeling that it will surprise me whenever/if it does happen.

And the love thing? It totally did sneak into my life quietly. Good call, 20-year-old self!

Then we get back to StyHand. The following is my third post.

“Umm, excuse me?”
February 13, 2008

A few weeks ago, I photographed at a music store on assignment.

When I went to ask a kid his name for the cutline, this conversation ensued:

ME: “Hey. Could you spell your name for me?

CHILD: “H-u-c-k-a-b-y.”

ME: “OK, thanks.”

CHILD: “Yeah, in case you were wondering, I’m kinda related to the guy running for president.”

ME: “Oh.”

… More than anything, I wanted to tell the boy to try and impress someone his own age. I also didn’t have the heart to tell him I think it’s crazy how many votes his ‘relative’ has garnered in the South, let alone my home state. Another point? The boy’s name is spelled differently, so he can’t really be that related to the candidate.

I also was tempted to come back with, “Well, in case you were wondering, I’m kinda related to Sarah Jessica Parker.”

Because we have the same hair, the same eyes, and… no, wait.
We just share a name. Hrm.

Aaaand that’s it, folks.

Have you looked back at your old entries recently? Do they make you laugh? Because I know mine do!

                          

Confession: I got a little bored this afternoon and did a little work on the site.

What do y’all think of StyHand’s facelift?

                          

One year ago today, I started this blog in an attempt to alleviate some boredom from my final semester of college (where I was consequently taking ONE class.)

Let’s have a look back, shall we?

February 2008
I immediately explained StyHand’s name. Em and I puppy sat a dog more energetic than Lucy. On assignment, a kid told me he was (kinda) related to Mike Huckabee. A strange older man approached the boy and me at our Valentine’s Day dinner. I explained why Em and I were the perfect roommates. I learned all kinds of things about equine dentistry. I wrote a letter to Louisiana’s weather.

March 2008
I wrote a list of things I wish I knew before I went to college. Reconstructive surgery was performed on our living room floor. I talked about my prom date and his peculiar way of inviting me to the dance. I saw a simple needlepoint note hanging inside a restaurant that made my day. I confessed my love for strawberry beer. We attended the St. Patty’s Day parade. My mother came to Louisiana for Easter weekend, and we had a wonderful time. I talked about exes. The air conditioning went out.

April 2008
The AC was fixed. I explained why photography changed my perspective. The boy’s roommates had a crawfish boil. My mother’s dog chaperoned the boy and me when we visited Memphis. I decided that I didn’t want to grow up. An e-mail from my ‘Ridiculous’ folder was revisited. I turned in my final article and finished college.

May 2008
A kid I used to work with (who was always making fun of my musical taste) told me he now likes Rilo Kiley. I went on a day trip to my new home. My heart broke while visiting local animal shelters. I got hit my a baseball. The boy made his first guest appearance while we were packing my room. I disappeared for a while and updated y’all with a lot of things, including the new job, the move, graduation, etc. My mother visited to help me settle in. My new job wore my out, and I made a list of essentials I needed to gather that weekend.

June 2008
My pinky toenail fell off. I had a conversation with my mother about European gifts. I quickly learned there is no (good) sushi in my town. Children begged to be photographed, so I wrote a letter. I spent the weekend with my boy in Louisiana. I visited the allergist and learned my allergies. The boy returned to StyHand and coined the phrase. I set the record straight. I explained the beach beach, love love, and other double words my family hearts saying. A bumble bee crashed into my eye. I saw a beautiful pup online, went to meet her, and she didn’t want anything to do with me.

July 2008
The boy and I discussed pup names. I shared my embarassing first kiss story with the Internet. I visited the beach beach with the boy and his family and then  summarized it. I wrote a letter to J.K. Rowling. I apologized to the beautiful pup from earlier and asked her if I could adopt her. I reminisced about my camp counselor days after spending a day at a local camp. I introduced Lucy Belle to the world and divulged her loves. The boy met Lucy Belle and shared photos. A summer’s rain took me back to my childhood.

August 2008
I offered crazy happenings in an update post. I spent too much time at a beauty pageant and was puzzled by one chick’s Q&A session. I visited my boy in Nashville. Lucy welcomed me back home. I was confused one too many times for something I wasn’t. My boy and I celebrated our one year anniversary. A carnie gave me a hard time while photographing at the fair. Lucy Belle flipped out because of a Sonic cup. I finished the final HP. The boy answered y’alls questions. Hurricane Gustav threatened my town and Louisiana.

September 2008
We made it through Gustav, and there was a horrible miscommunication. Lucy doesn’t like Barack Obama or John McCain. I drew a line about politics and what I would listen to. Lucy Belle and I traveled to another small Mississippi town to visit Krys and Mack. LSU faced off against Auburn, and I remembered an interesting conversation. I reaffirmed that I don’t think before I speak. I celebrated my 24th birthday.

October 2008
I met an imposter journalist. Lucy and Mack played a lot. My father joined facebook. I learned I am the Joey Potter of the photo department. Lucy Belle and I started obedience school. We had a tick scare. I wanted a Cappuccino XXL. I learned Mississippi men just love me. I vlogged. Lucy ate my lease. I remembered the previous Halloween and how much fun we had.

November 2008
I counted down the days ’til the end of the month. I worked election day and was honored to capture history. My job showed me how fragile life is multiple times. I visited Nashville and was compared to a mythical creature. Heather watched Lucy while I was in Tennessee and sent photos. I confessed my love for the Music City. I shared photographic evidence that prove my job is awesome. I remembered post-it noting someone’s car. I experienced the most awkward conversation of my life. Lucy Belle turned one.

December 2008
I explained Thanksgiving weekend. Lucy Belle had tummy issues, came home and then went back to the vet. My (failed) high school prank was revealed. I bought this domain. I shared some of Lucy’s quirks while I missed her. It snowed in South Mississippi. The Universe sent me a friendly reminder. I overheard the best conversation at work. Lucy Belle returned! The boy made yet another guest appearance. Christmas wasn’t too terribly dramatic. I was asked about marriage and engagements one too many times.

January 2009
I shared my resolutions. My friend N and I had a wild weekend during NOLA NYE 20o7. I was blown away when I learned I was nominated for a 20SB Bootleg Award. I remembered the Ice Storm of ’94. I requested a new book series to love. I received a smack in the face from life. I spent time at a boxing match. I got tired but was counting down days to Nashville (where I am now.)

It’s been a good year, no? I have had a lot of fun, and that’s what matters. The bonus is that many of y’all have been on this journey with me since close to the start.

I know this next year is going to be even better.

                          

I had a late night last night after driving 1.5 hours to the Coast to assist a big-time photographer at a boxing show. I crashed shortly after arriving back home at 12:30.

Lucy Belle didn’t think twice about waking me around 6 a.m. this morning. I took her out, and I went back to sleep. (Understandable, right?) She woke me up five minutes later, and I let her out of my room to hang out in the den.

Big mistake.

About an hour ago, I awoke to find her gnawing on one of my old-school Birkenstocks. She also ate my favorite scarf and a plant. And the worst thing is these were all on top of my kitchen table.

I suppose it could have been worse, but still. I like my clothing and other belongings without puppy dog teeth marks imprinted in them.

But hey, THIS makes me a little happier:

If you haven’t yet, you should go vote. It ends Monday!

                          

That is what life dealt me yesterday. And while I expected something similar to happen, I didn’t foresee what actually occurred.

I’ll be OK, but I’m angry. I’m confused. I don’t know what to do with myself, and I just want things to work out. But more than anything, I’m realizing that I have been shown a snippet of what’s to come, and it’s not pretty. That means a major change is on the horizon, one way or another.

I’ve talked it over with my boy, and he is incredibly supportive. I have talked it over with my parents and friends, and they are all backing me up.

I’m still scared, though.

In the next few months, I will be making a life-changing decision. OK, that makes it sound more dramatic than it actually is, but this choice could potentially take me to a different town. This decision could shape my career. And it freaks me out, despite knowing what I need to do.

I wish decisions like these were easier. And I wish that I wasn’t in such a crappy position to have to think about this the way I am.