Photo by eric731 / by BY-NC-SA 2.0

Today my final student loan payment posted, making me 100%, totally debt free for the first time in, um, let’s see, a decade? Yes, that sounds right.

I thought I would scream this from the mountain tops and do a little happy dance right now in the days or minutes before I have to buy a new car when mine inexplicably explodes or I’m hit by shrapnel from my exploding car and rack up lots of hospital bills. The good news is that medical bills can be discharged in bankruptcy, whereas student loans can’t be.

So, wheeee! Look at me, debt free! I don’t owe anyone anything and it is awesome!

• Continue reading "I am debt free!"

Photo by guidosportaal’s / by NCND 2.0 CC

I’ll be hangin’ in Baltimore between May 20-May 21 at the second annual FitBloggin’ conference. I’ve been asked to lead a session called “Design 101: Simple tips to Build a Better Blog” because of the web design work I do over at Make My Blog Pretty. I would like my session to be free of snoring and people sneaking out, so I wanted to know what any FitBloggin’ attendees out there are interested in learning. You can comment either on this post or on this post at the FitBloggin’ web site.

I’m most interested in knowing how general or specific you’d like the session to be. Are you interested in learning some general principles of design? Or would you prefer specific instructions on how to change your header in WordPress or to use the Blogger template designer? Lemme’ know!

Oh, and if you’re not attending FitBloggin’, I still think you are a precious, unique snowflake, but since you’re not actually going to be at the session please let me know [...]

• Continue reading "Help me design the FitBloggin “Design 101″ session"

Photo by CairnsDining / by BY-NC-SA 2.0

Actually, I’ve become a coffee shop john if we’re going to make the prostitution analogy correctly. I’m the one paying, after all. I’ve been freelancing full-time for 21 months now. (And I’m still not broke! I know, I’m as shocked as you are.) As nice as it is to sleep late, take vacation days without need of approval, and to crash on the couch in the afternoon if my headache has my brain in a headlock, it can get lonely if you let it. Hypothetically, if I had enough groceries I could stay in my apartment for days, if not weeks, at a time. That’s great if there is a nuclear incident in my vicinity. All I’d have to do is duct tape the windows closed to protect myself from stray neutrons. But it can also get rather claustrophobic and boring no matter how many movies I can watch on Netflix streaming.

Lately I’ve been going to coffee shops to work. A lot. Like, way more than I ever did [...]

• Continue reading "I’ve become a coffee shop whore"

Ok, despite my last post (which I think was pretty clear) someone decided to disrespect my request and comment again on my appearance. The IGIGI contest is now over. I apologize to everyone who comes to the site between now and the original deadline who will not be able to enter. Blame JM who could not handle the responsibility that comes with the comment button. I will draw a winner this week and get in touch with them later.

Thank you to everyone who did respect my request. I’m sorry a few bad sports had to ruin it for everyone.

• Continue reading "The IGIGI contest is over"

I thought I would bring attention to this question and answer from my FAQ, since it appears a couple people need to read it and I can’t shut down the comments on my last post until the contest is over next week:

Question: Can I give you advice on how to cut your hair, where to get your eyebrows plucked and what to wear?

Answer: No, thanks. I walk around this ugly on purpose.

Thank you. Now please SHUT THE FUCK UP and let me give away some God damn dresses, or I swear I will turn this blog around!

• Continue reading "Just a note"