As 2009 (and the decade!) comes to an end, I thought it would be nice  to reflect on the past year considering I’m a huge fan of “end-of-the-year” lists! I’m not a fan of personal info on my blog but I think the following is pretty benign. Also, 2008 was such a horrible year, that I was determined to make 2009 awesome. I think I succeeded… Here are some month-by-month highlights (consider this my supremely annoying Christmas card!):

January

• Quit my job
• Turned 26 (sayonara quarter century!)
• Went to Madrid with my BFF

February

• Enjoyed living the unemployed dream before it got boring and tedious

March

• Started my awesome blog!
• Went to Arizona for Cubs Spring Training, baked in the sun for what I would later find out would be the last time I could do that. Thanks for the tan Arizona!

April

• Another exciting Cubs season began…

May

• As quick as the Cubs season began… it was already over.
• I learned the value of couponing thanks to all the frugal blogs out there on the information super highway! Not sure how much I saved but if my CVS receipts are any indicator, my year-to-date savings there alone is over $800!

June

• Went to Las Vegas for the first and last time
• Went to my first Cubs-White Sox game on the scary southside

July

• Can’t remember much about this… I can only assume this means that I went on the traditional midyear/midsummer bender

August

• Started grad school!

September

• Reunited with my long lost lover and became engaged!
• Went to Seattle with my family for an awesome Bears-Seahawks game

October

• Formed a legendary karaoke band, “Annette”

November

• My long lost lover moved in and I said goodbye to my beloved single life forever

December

• This  month flew by, I have no idea what happened in December besides Christmas and going to Pittsburgh with my Dad for an awesome Steelers game!

So that, in a nutshell, has been my year. I look forward to making 2010 even more awesome, if that’s possible. Thank you also to all of you, my readers, for making my blog and my year worthwhile! Have a fabulous New Years, be safe, and I’ll see you again in 2010!

I know you all have probably already seen this, but considering my brother just discovered it like a month ago there’s a chance you have been in the dark as well:  Texts From Last Night.  I just pray one of my Schlagger induced texts don’t end up on there…

And in case you haven’t linked this up from my Blog Roll, (and you hate hipsters/Wicker Park/etc. as much as I do) you simply must go here:  Look At This Fucking Hipster.

To encourage my Francophile-ness, I like to study up on this list hoping to use these words in real life: List of French Words and Phrases Used By English Speakers.  It is quite comprehensive; c’est magnifique!

This is simply the most legendary website I have ever seen: Jewgle.  Go ahead, Jewgel something, it’s fucking jokes!

Any other awesome websites out there that I haven’t discovered yet??

Pet Peeve of the Day: Being treated like a child in grad school

Quote of the Day: “Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.” –Tom Robbins

On the page where I check the “stats” of my website (how many visits, visits per IP address, length of visits, etc.) there is a section where I can read search terms that trigger my site to come up in the results.  I always find this very interesting because there are some funny/odd things that people look up and I like having a little insight into how people search the internet.  I have not gone through all the search results to find what page of mine the term brings up because sometimes it could be like a million results later.  Others are more obvious.  Here are some of my favorite:

“Most people would steal if they thought they could get away with it.”  I remember that this was a question on numerous job applications that I filled out many moons ago.  It makes me nervous that this is probably one of the most popular search phrases that come up in my list.  Are people looking for the answer to this?  What is the purpose of googling this?

“Goldschlagger.”  This is another popular term.  It makes me happy that I am not the only one still interested in Schlagger!  This is also sometimes grouped with “College goldschlagger” or “Goldschlagger drunk” (don’t really know what these mean orthe results people are looking for).  But Schlagger is alive and well in places other than my life! 

“Don’t need to be told what to do.”  I cannot imagine what post of mine this search phrase points to.  But again, why do people Google this?  Do they want Google to confirm that they don’t in fact need to be told what to do? 

“Getting kicked out of Wrigley.”  It’s as if people want confirmation that this will or will not happen.  What are you really looking for when you search this?  Videos?  Maybe but they don’t televise fans getting kicked out so I doubt any video exists…  But I’m glad people keep trying!

Pet Peeve of the Day: Red roses

Quote of the Day: “The things we know best are the things we haven’t been taught.”  –Vauvenargues

Nooooooo.  Just when I was starting to adjust to the 15+ year old 773, Chicago has announced we will be getting a new area code: 872.  That’s right my friends, Marshall Field’s is now Macy’s, the Sears Tower is now Willis Tower, and here comes 872.  RICHIE!  What is our fine city coming to??  Do you really think we are going to get the Olympics at this rate? 

If you think I’m just going to accept this 872 code, you have another thing coming.  I imagine a scene down the road where I meet a really hot, awesome guy.  He gives me his number and it is 872-555-1111.  Guess what amazingly awesome dude who loves the Cubs/Bears/Chesney/the beach/Klinker/Kerouac/Goldschlagger/snow/Chicago, I will NEVER call you. 

I abhor taking calls from 847, 708, and 630 area codes (all suburban), and now I’ll have yet another area code to blacklist.  I do love raging though, so I guess I can thank the telephone Gods for that.  See, there always is a silver lining!

Things I Live For: The Cousin Trifecta, sunless tanners

Quote of the Day: “Being, not doing, is my first joy.” –Theodore Roethke

I love Jello shots.  I love them because they’re not something you can get everyday so that makes them extra special.  Plus, they are delicious!  So I decided to make a batch this weekend to take to the Buffett concert.  It was my first time making Jello shots so I wanted to keep it basic.  But there are many fancy recipes out there on the information superhighway if you are a skilled Jello shot chef.

The basic recipe to make any vodka/Jello flavor shot you want is this:

• 1 Packet of Jello
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of vodka

You follow the basic Jello directions– Boil the water, mix the Jello in, dissolve Jello for 2 minutes, then stir in the cup of vodka.  I doubled the recipe– I used a big box of Jello and 2 cups of water/vodka, which made about 30 shots.

I used Watermelon Smirnoff Twist Vodka mixed with Strawberry Jello.  I wanted watermelon Jello but they didn’t have it.  These were yummy nonetheless, and quite strong.

Also, so you don’t have to trek all over the city looking for portion cups because you are not lucky enough to still work in a restaurant, head to Party City or any other party store for the disposable cups.  They literally sell them as “Gelatin Shot Glasses.”  They are not cheap though… $6.99 for 40! 

The website I found listed awesome shot ideas– everything from a Mimosa to a Jagerbomb Jello shot. 

What I did NOT find was a Jello shot using my fave, Goldschlagger.  Probably because cinnamon doesn’t mix with fruity Jello.  I was thinking about it and you could technically make a Schlagger Jello shot using the clear basic gelatin that is used for baking.  It would look cool cuz you could see the flecks of gold… but it would taste like cinnamon gelatin.  Probably not that tasty…  Do they make apple Jello?  That would be good, a cinnamon apple shot!  Apple Jello doesn’t sound familiar though…

I’m gonna make another batch for Phish on Tuesday… maybe I’ll give those Schlagger shots a whirl after all.  Those hippies won’t even know what hit ‘em!

Pet Peeve of the Day: When people don’t thank me for holding the door for them.  That’s ok, I will loudly humiliate you by saying “you’re welcome.”

Quote of the Day: “Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, but I had a good life all the way.”  –Jimmy Buffett