I feel like every year I say to myself, “Man, what I year!” But seriously – what a year.

• I opened up my Etsy store!
• I became a pet owner to the cutest hedgehog in the world.
• I watched some great show this year including Son Volt, Ben Kweller, and Neko Case.
• I combined my love of curry, pumpkin, and bacon and it was everything I hoped it would be.
• Ben and I flew to California (and secretly became engaged!)
• I started painting again.
• I picked up embroidery. And headband making. And decoupage. And furniture renovations. It was definitely the year of craft.
• Caroline and I exposed the underground club know as the US Postal Service.
• I found and moved into a wonderful house.
• Oh, y’know, I ELOPED TO VEGAS AND MARRIED THE MAN OF MY DREAMS.
• I said good-bye to my great-grandma.
• I celebrated a year with my job and got a nice promotion (despite my constant complaints).
• I watched a best friend get married.
• I switched over to this swanky site. Thanks, husband!
• Attended the Greek, Stone Crab, and BBQ Pork Festival. Subsequently I went up a dress size.
• I hosted my first ever dinner party.
• I became an aunt!

I would like to thank you all for your readership, comments, and friendship this past year. I can only hope to make the next even better. Happy New Year!

Only a few more days to eat as many cookies as you want before those resolutions kick in so I say go ahead and treat yourself to a New Year’s Eve outfit while you’re at it. We only have a couple more Eves left before those Mayans tell us to suck it, anyway.*

To be honest, this holiday is probably my least favorite because I can’t stand crowds and I hate waiting to order a drink because people I NEED A DRANK TO DEAL WITH CROWDS. But I do enjoy a reason to look at pretty dresses.

Take this dress from Forever 21 for just under thirty dollars.

You can be realistic and think about how far you’re going to have to walk from your car to the bar, how long you’re going to wait in line for the bathroom, and how effingham cold it’s going to be even though you’re balls to the wall surrounded by douchebags.

Comfortable flats will keep your feet happy all night while tights, a cardigan, and a knit hat will keep you warm. Throw on some bow accessories (my favorite!) and you will be cute as pie without worrying about your Spanx all night.

But it’s just one night, right? And there’s going to be like eleventy billion pictures tagged on Facebook, right? So you might as well look hot.

Obviously I have a bow problem. Throw on a cute wrap, some tall heels, and some matching accessories and you’ve got yourself one gussied gal.

This year my friends and I will be spending the holiday slumming it on the water so this dress is completely unnecessary, but it was fun while it lasted, eh? Now let’s take a hard real look at life, kids.

Comfort is a hell of a drug.