[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Ad. What advertisement made you think this year?
Look, I realize this sounds disingenuous, since so many of my other blog-challenge posts say something similar. But nearly every advertisement I see makes me think. Ads are an [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Laugh. What was your biggest belly laugh of the year?

I laugh a lot. My family is made up of a lot of very funny people, which I’m convinced is a large part of the reason why they [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Stationery. When you touch the paper, your heart melts. The ink flows from the pen. What was your stationery find of the year?
Oh yeah, I’m gonna quote from a Sisters of Mercy song: First and last and [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Social web moment. Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter?
[UPDATE! This very day, I had to add one more bullet point. See bold text.] Not only was 2009 [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Gift. What’s a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?
Life is more than our principles and theories; it’s the people around us. People are the gift that keeps on giving. People are the point.
Somehow [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?
From a year defined by its learning experiences, it’s tough to pick one. So here are the top three lessons I learned in 2009.

There are [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn’t live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience.

Hands down, it’s Freshbooks. Their tagline is accurate. They make billing painless! It’s a [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Startup. What’s a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?
This shop. Gorgeous. Whimsical. So exactly my speed. Vintage frou-frou with a dash of industrial no-nonsense. Tiny birdcages? [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
Project. What did you start this year that you’re proud of?

I started viewing life differently. Which made me start approaching it differently. More honest. More open. Fewer layers. Less bureaucracy. Asking for what I want. Asking for what [...]

[I'm participating in Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, in case you're all like, what's with the theme?]
New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service.Who is your unsung hero of 2009?
Nothing major ever happens as the result of just [...]