lxforever

”It’s that time of year / when the world falls in love / ev’ry song you hear seems to say / ‘Merry Christmas, may your New Year dreams come true’ / And this song of mine / in three-quarter time / wishes you and yours the same thing, too.”

—The Christmas Waltz

“…fly like a bird / no more words just you and I / high in the sky”

—Starla Dear

time 6:37 pm feeling like I’m smelling some good bread wearing blue sweater, red pants ready for some wine! next get the bread out of the oven

First off, new bedding!

Jeff’s 7 presents under our tree consisted of five that amounted to amazing new bedding for our room. It was a really big deal because he has loved what he had since forever, but I couldn’t stand it. For him to willingly buy all new stuff (and I mean ALL), ALL on his own, was amazing! It is so beautiful and he did such a good job. What a wonderful surprise!

I had a terrific Christmas in Madison and surrounding TC celebrations, but this update is about the end of 2007, so let’s stick to that. 2007 has been possibly the best year ever – plenty of it circumstantial, but a great deal of it that came from within as well. Basically, as always, I am extremely lucky, fortunate, blessed, however you want to look at it, and this year only built up that truth even more. So let’s see.

Big stuff happened this year: Jeff and I got engaged. We bought a HOUSE which is insane. But the littler stuff was a pretty big deal, too. Let’s make a list!

Super awesome stuff that made 2007 quite possibly my best year to date:
1. I got engaged and was totally happy with it. I guess if you’re ready, you are. I am very excited to be married soon to my one and only Jeffrey Jason Akervik! He was a total sneak about the whole thing, even if I picked out the ruby and all, and we always visit the parking lot of the Cranberry Lodge in Tomah on our way back from Madison to revisit it.
2. We bought a house (with some help). Even though I looked at houses all the time, I never expected to be in one in 2007. This, along with our engagement, settles me in which I seriously do love. The idea of having a permanent place to call home makes me very happy. And many, many thanks to my extremely generous parents for helping to make it possible. We LOVE THIS HOUSE!
3. More importantly, my loved ones and I had our health. This is something that I am not grateful for often enough, but needless to say it is more important than anything.
4. I reconnected with some old pals (even as a I lost touch with a few). The reconnections – Pretty surprising but pretty sweet. The lost ones – pretty shitty but that is life.
5. I have a super kickass job with some really terrific co-workers. Granted, a lot of cool people LEFT, but some great people came on, too, so it balances out. My boss knows what he’s doing and even when I want to poke holes in my eyes because of certain clients, my cool-as-hell coworkers make every day worth it.
6. Family + friends, and time spent with them. Even if I don’t see all of them often enough – I cherish the times I get to see them. AND of course my INTERNET friends! All of you, IRL and online – you know who they are. 🙂
7. Getting older and, I hope, wiser. This is the biggest deal, and the best. I don’t know what it is, but every year I feel a little less anxious, a little less crazy, and a little more calm. All so wonderful, all in good time.

I wish I could say more and summarize my year better and all of that. But I think this list gets to the heart of it. What can I say, it’s been a hell of a year. The thing that makes it best, though, is how happy I am with who I am, where I am, and where I’m headed. Damn straight! Now for fun, a few resolutions, again….

Goals for 2008!

1. Give blood. This is the third year in a row I’ve made this one. Hopefully this year I will actually DO it. (I’m scared of passing out.)
2. Have beautiful cuticles. AKA, don’t pick at my hands…this one was first made in 1998, for reference.
3. Get married. This should not be difficult.
4. Go to Italy. This one is here so we don’t wuss out, savers that we are.
5. Eat more veggies. I should do this anyway.

That’s about it! After such an incredible 2007, I can only hope for half of that in ’08. We shall see. Happy 2008 everyone, may all your New Year’s dreams come true!

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“I’ll be in charge of Special Nonsense.”

—Michael, yesterday

“Ooh, the Garden Level…”

—me, today

“I do? What? I do? Oh! Oh! Why?”

—my mom, tonight

“Happy Christmas. Give yer G-pa a nice punch in the face for me.”

time 10:04 pm feeling yawning wearing MN sweatshirt!, pjs ready for bed next happy Christmas to all – and to all a good night!

Another Christmas Eve come and gone – this is my first one with Jeff by my side, my last as an unmarried lady, and the start of somethings new. It’s been quite an incredible year, and in every day that goes by I consider myself more lucky. Maybe I’m getting old enough to know better.

In the past few nights, I’ve dreamt about walking in to my own gym, hanging out with my own kid, handling my own destiny. Stuff I’m not ready for, but which make me wonder. Free will or no, it’s pretty clear to me that things just get better the calmer you can act and the more you can glean, and I think, at these things, I’m improving. I can only hope that for everyone around me and the world at large that things just keep getting better, too.

Ten years, guys. Where will we be after the next ten? To those I love (even you Internet folk! 😉 ), those I miss, those who have left us, and those I don’t know much of, happy Christmas, and may you have many good nights.

“Hello….PHOEBE!!!”

—Anna

Well oh well. I accidentally took lxforever and alexismason down whoops sorry, then I thought I should update. However I have to HAVE TO go to bed NOW. So therefore dear readers if you still exist I apologize and I shall return. Suffice it to say that I had an awesome surprise weekend in SF, Jeff has SEVEN presents under the tree for me, and it is DAMN. COLD. OUT. The End (for now).

just tryin’ to help out a client by spreading the word!

“Oh! I see a liquor store!” “Oh wait sorry, that’s Foot LOCKER…”

—me, a few weeks ago

time 5:50 pm and VERY DARK feeling VERY COLD wearing see below ready for dinner next eat

ALLLLL righty. So it’s been awhile, sorry. I’m v. busy and important don’t you know. I have to write though before my fingers freeze and fall off. Yesterday I worked late and today Jeff is working late. (I’m totally glad I did though, because it totally paid off.) But, Jeff being gone and me being home means that I am alone and that the buzzing noise the octopus (sorry D) heater is making is too scary for me to handle. So here I sit, two pairs of socks, two pairs of pants, two shirts, two sweatshirts, and a hood enveloping me. Pioneer Girl, indeed!

(Don’t worry, we’ll [Jeff will] get it fixed. Ha.)

So lots of stuff. The house. I’ve been at Ham a year. I’m 26. I was a Pioneer Girl for Halloween. Etc etc. The house is amazing and we are still in love with it. In LOVE! Pictures are up in the photos section if you wish (email me for the pw). I don’t really know what to say but I just felt I should say SOMETHING! If NOTHING! You know, lalala.

So a few weekends ago I was a total dork. Well both of us were. Jeff wanted to go to the Leopard release party at Southdale on Friday so we totally did. (In the process I bought the breast cancer coffee, but that is not for this blog.) DORKY but AWESOME. Saturday I was returning something to Best Buy and saw that Guitar Hero III came out that night at midnight. Ha! So after attending Michael’s Halloween party with Christie (she was a smashing Pam, and the party was kickass and stunning in its decor – seriously), Jeff and I went back out to Best Buy at midnight. DORK CENTRAL. In any case it was completely worth it because GHIII is AWESOME. There you have it.

Ummmmm what else not much. JJ is coming to visit this weekend, yay. It’s Nov and it’s totally cold out. We had a lot of really cute trick or treaters! And we had a g-rate housewarming party complete with the Party Attic. Rock out.

I have to go eat and then crawl into bed just to stay warm. You stay warm too! Adios!

I have my Halloween costume idea.

And no, it has nothing to do with the ribbing I’m receiving for using a VCR. What is wrong with a VCR, I might ask!

Now if only I can find the things I need to make it happen.

1. WE LOVE OUR HOUSE. It is a DZ Disaster Zone right now, but it is SO. WONDERFUL. Thank you SO much to everyone that made it possible. (More on all this later, hopefully).

2. I owe a lot of people a lot of emails. And such. Sorry. I’ll get back on that once I can move from room to room without encountering a Giant Box Zone.

3. If you ever buy something online, you should ALWAYS Google the retailer’s name + ‘coupon code’ or ‘discount code’ or something because chances are you’ll find a discount. ALWAYS.

4. I haven’t been working out every morning as I usually do, since we haven’t joined a nearby gym yet, and let me tell you I can TELL. I am more tired, I have less energy overall, my body feels gross, basically it’s disgusting. Moral of the story: once you start, you can’t stop. It makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER. We’ll get that settled SOON.

5. Flash is driving me crazy. The End, for now.

Being 25 has been awesome (seriously), but these last few days as well as the first few of being 26 are going to try my mental strength and ability to handle stress (we all know I am stellar at this). I am sitting here sort of packing but not really because I don’t know where to start, all the while thinking of more house-related things about which to panic and wondering when this can all be done. AAH! AAH! AAH!

I haven’t updated in awhile but so far my weekend is going so nicely I thought I should post.

I am afraid to talk about it because it’s not September 29th, but suffice it to say I will be moving on September 28th to South Minneapolis. Details to follow once it’s all settled (it’s making me very very nervous). Happy Birthday To Me.

Last weekend I was in Chicago visiting JJ. Can I just say that I will never be cut out for drinking like those guys are? Ha ha ha! (I did do a good job in Vegas though, but I think that’s because of all the naps + no beer [beer makes me sleepy].) I played beer pong for the first time and we arrived at Hakan’s apartment Sunday evening to find his roommate passed out from a day of football and booze. If they only recruited from UW-Madison still I could understand this binge drinking ;), but now they recruit from all over. COMPANY CULTURE I guess!

It was really really fun though and I of course loved being there. We got to go shopping, look through all of J’s Turkey pictures, drink spumante, go out to this fancy bar for mojitos where the server kept hitting on Hakan and then later all of us, hit up some mediterranean food, go to Great America YAY!, and then Jenny even made us crepes!!! They were AMAZING and she had the best toppings too. Yum. And of course just spend general time chatting etc. It was very very fun, thank you so much Jenny Jane for being such a stellar hostess!

Now I have to buy tickets for SF in November. Yessssssss.

This weekend is off to a great start. I had a totally busy week at work which is actually really nice. Sickly I like juggling all this stuff because it makes me feel useful and makes me work efficiently. Angela and Mark liked the stuff I did so that was another feel-good bonus. Woo. Because of the busy week, once I got done what I had to on Friday I took off early. Had a little chat with some freelance clients and that actually went really really well which I did NOT expect. Ha. Cool.

Scooted home and made myself a modified malt-and-burger dinner of a black bean burger and a Caribou cooler. Yum. At 7 I headed over to Alyssa’s for her politicial-crop-art and nail-art bday party. That was a total blast and I was really, REALLY glad I went. It was just a super night and now I have some beautiful nails with rainbows and stars on them, ha, and have found out that it’s not SO easy to be a seed artist. Hm. All in all, pretty terrific. I could have stayed longer but I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.

Came back to Jeff’s and we made cookies and watched two more episodes of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. I am totally obsessed with this show and it’s super sad. I can’t help it, it’s such a great high school drama!!! Ha ha ha!

I have a couple of other parties going on tonight (lots of Sept bdays/events!) and hopefully I can just hang out, because tomorrow I’ve GOT TO start packing and crank out some freelance. MUST. START. PACKING. AAAAH! Okay. Enough.

Now Jeff is doing Tae Bo and making me guilty for not working out. Maybe I’ll lift tomorrow with all the UMN freshman. Heh. Or maybe I’ll go for a run. Better idea.

Have a great weekend buddies, and here’s to two of my favorite months – Sept and Oct!!! Things are going well. Pretty terrific.

Diana.Wille [11:27 AM]:

guess what

Jayne.Blocker [11:27 AM]:

what

Diana.Wille [11:27 AM]:

lexi bought A HOUSE

Diana.Wille [11:28 AM]:

in like, 2 days.

Jayne.Blocker [11:29 AM]:

whoa

Jayne.Blocker [11:29 AM]:

does she ever tell anyone anything?!

Diana.Wille [11:29 AM]:

i KNOW

Jayne.Blocker [11:29 AM]:

minus deorderant usage