In Summation

2010 went by in the blink of an eye, or so it seems. Time passes faster every year that I'm alive. I feel like I was a kid for a hundred years, a teenager for fifty, and a young adult for only a few months. I guess I was a bored kid.

Despite its speediness, 2010 holds many memories, both good and bad. This year, I said good-bye to two of our pack members, Malakai the cat and Logan the ferret.




Losing Logan was particularly sad. I've experienced plenty of pet deaths, just because I've had plenty of pets. Losing family dogs (Lady, Barkley) and cats (Chessie, Lucky, Tiny, Mr. Big) was always tough, but they were primarily my mother's pets. I didn't have a huge attachment to them, and they didn't pay too much attention to me (I was an obnoxious kid). I've owned a guinea pig, lizards, fish, and (tons of) hamsters, but their life expectancies were short. Though I cared about each one immensely, they were but little creatures with little lives.

The ferrets, on the other hand, were the first high-maintenance, long-lasting pets that I owned. You get pretty close to an animal you care for every day for five or more years. Logan had an especially distressing end (Adrenal Disease), and a 2 AM euthanasia wasn't how I thought I'd say my first real good-bye. I don't know how I'll manage losing my other pets. I don't even want to think about it.

Onto more cheerful memories! In January of 2010, I upgraded to a more expensive DSLR. I took photos with it all year long. I love capturing so many memories. I also bought a waterproof point-and-shoot later in the year, to capture what the DSLR could not.

This past summer, I moved out of my parents' two-family house, and into a house about thirty minutes away. I don't know how long I'll be here, as I pine for a less urban area, but it's been a learning experience thus far. Mostly, I've learned that I am a bargain-hunting machine that managed to furnish most of our place from Craigslist finds.

This year, I've met so many new people and have made lots of new friends -- mostly thanks to Dexter. I took my first dog-powered ride through the Pine Barrens. I've spoken to dozens of mushers and learned so much about dog sledding. I bought my first dog cart, and I'm looking into my first sled.

2011 holds a lot of big plans and expectations. I'm planning my first vegetable garden for the spring, and looking into preserving as much food as I can for the colder months. It's a small step towards homesteading and being more self-sufficient, but you've got to start somewhere. Backyard chickens and a bee hive will have to wait until I've got more land and the appropriate livestock laws.

I'll be adding dog number two in 2011, one way or another. I've got my sights set on a planned breeding for this spring (a Seppala racing line mixed with a champion show line). My modest little sled team may not win the gold, but they'll provide enough dog-power to keep me entertained. And who knows, if I luck out and finagle a way into the mini-farm of my dreams, maybe I'll have the resources to add two or three more dogs.

I'll end with my "resolutions", as it seems pretty appropriate to mention them.

1. Buy less, recycle and reuse more.
2. Replace store-bought groceries with home-grown and home-made food as much as possible.
3. Travel. Before I tie myself down to a farm that I'll be afraid to leave.
4. Exercise. Duh.
5. Read. I got a Kindle for Christmas -- I have no excuse not to use it.
6. Create. Learn to knit and crochet. Grab a sewing machine and reconstruct thrift store clothes. Draw! Paint! There's so much left to learn.

So ends another year. Thanks for reading. If you're a friend of mine, thanks for being one. If you're a stranger, why not drop me an e-mail and change that? Seriously. If 2010 has taught me anything, it's the importance of learning from others. So in the spirit of Jagazine (rest in peace), dare to share. Let's do a blog link exchange and make an ever-expanding network of ... well, whatever we want. The sky is the limit.

27-Inches

The final snow tallies are up, and it seems our town was buried under about 27-inches of the white stuff. I didn't go in for my weekly office shift today, as the road was still a mess when I woke up this morning. Plus, our shovel was held captive by our upstairs neighbors, so there was no hope for digging out the van.


Unlike those who quickly succumb to cabin-fever, I've been perfectly content stuck at home. To be honest, I spend most of my time at home -- I do work here, after all. But when I can't drive, I avoid making stupid purchases and wasting money. I have no choice but to make due with what I have, and that's a good lesson.

Speaking of sustainability lessons, I've been reading Jenna Woginrich's Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. So far, it's a great read, and I'm not surprised. I've been following Jenna's blog for a few months now, and she's been a huge inspiration for my own goals. She wrote this book a few years ago, so I know how a lot of things have transpired for her. What I didn't know, was how her journey began -- and that's where this book starts out. Jenna's book gives me a lot of hope -- as well as very practical reference materials, recipes, and guides. She began her farm while working a nine to five office job every day (coincidentally, she's also a graphic designer). I already have the advantage of working from home -- a luxury that will definitely make homesteading a little easier once I get into the thick of it. I will start planning my spring vegetable garden now. I'm going to start with strawberries, zucchinis, and tomatoes. My mom has grown these every year with ease, so I'm hoping my first round of crops will be just as successful. I'm hoping my next big move will allow for a small flock of chickens and a bee hive. Then I'll really be in business.

I'll end this post with a video of our very happy dog in Narnia, also known as our backyard.

Cheer

Another Christmas has come and gone, and everything was pretty much perfect. Our festivities started with Christmas Eve Eve, the annual party I've hosted for the past seven years. It's been our tradition since I was a senior in high school! This was the first one to take place away from South Plainfield, but I think it still went well. I made sausage and peppers, baked ziti, and cookies. My family brought food, including my dad's famous lasagna and my mom's Swedish meat balls. On top of all that, Rob made hummus, Bryant made mashed potatoes, and lots of people brought desserts and drinks.

The only mishap of the party wasn't even really a mishap. Around 10 PM, right as we were about to open the gag gifts, the police knocked on our back door. My initial thought was a noise complaint. Then I thought, maybe all the cars were going to get ticketed for technically being illegally parked (no one seems to follow the signs on our road, though).

Luckily, it was neither -- they were looking for our upstairs neighbor. We unlocked the front entryway for them, and they proceeded to pound on our neighbor's door for awhile. Eventually, he did come down and they dealt with him. I still don't know what he did, but it makes me a little uneasy about living beneath him.

After that, the gag gift ritual continued without any other problems. My favorite gifts were Alex's boyfriend pillow (with his face printed on it) and Bryant's Do-it-Yourself Appendectomy Kit. My friends are too clever for their own good.

Clean-up only took a few hours, and by 2 PM on Christmas Eve, we were off to my parents' house. We dropped off all our stuff, pets included, and headed to Branchburg for my Aunt and Uncle's pasta party. Afterwards, we headed back to my parent's and played Wii games until midnight or so. Finally, Rob and I retired to the pull-out couch in what used to be our part of the split-level house, and went to sleep under about a dozen blankets and all our pets.

Christmas Day was a little chaotic. It began with my dad backing into my parked car and leaving more than a mark. It seems to be repairable, so hopefully it won't be too much of a problem. I remedied the stress and anger by presenting my parents with their brand-new, 40-inch HDTV. Thank goodness I had that -- I think my Dad's head was almost ready to explode.

As usual, my family went above and beyond with gifts, as did Rob. My parents got me a new flash for my camera, boots, snow pants, a purse, jewelry, candy, and lots of other goodies. Rob bought me a leather jacket, a printer, and a white, 3G Kindle. I also bought him a Kindle, along with a case (that I have to send back and replace with one for the latest generation Kindle -- not second generation), a remote control helicopter, and a Star Trek Enterprise pizza cutter. I got my sister a new purse, and my parents the aforementioned HDTV. Dexter even got spoiled this year with a new tug-toy, treats, a DVD (yes, a DVD), and a doggie back-pack. All in all, a pretty good haul for everyone.

After the usual gift opening, we cleaned up (both ourselves and our wrapping paper) and headed out to see more relatives. My aunt and uncle provided an awesome ham and turkey dinner with all the fixings. After eating, we rushed off to Rob's Mom's house to spend some time with his family.

The weekend winded down yesterday, as the blizzard raged through our state. I stayed at my parents' a bit longer than I should have, which made the drive home a bit treacherous. What would have usually taken 30 minutes took well over an hour to traverse. I was surprised to find that even in a blizzard, some jerks still had the audacity to tailgate me. That's OK -- they can drive like maniacs if the want. I was perfectly happy rolling along at 20 miles per hour.

Today we're slowly digging ourselves out. Our street was plowed late last night, so another half foot or so is still in our way. So begins our winter!

Up To Our Knees

First big snow of the season, and I'm soaking up every minute of the chaos. Except for the terrifying drive from my parents' house to our apartment. That I could've done without.

For now, we're snowed in and all is well.

Anatomy of Dexter

Yep, that about sums it up.

Exercising

Please enjoy the cheesy stock photo I have selected to accompany this entry. This will have to do, because there is very little photographic evidence proving I have ever worked out.

It's not that I'm lazy -- spring through fall, I do all sorts of physical activity. I hike and bike every chance I get. But then winter shows up and suddenly all I can do is collapse in a heap under mounds of blankets and pets. Unless it's snowing. I like snow, and will play in it for hours. However, we don't get much snow -- just lots of icy cold, windy days that make your bones hurt.

For the past few weeks, I've been feeling like a pile of organs sewn up in a sack. People make the false assumption that because I'm skinny, I must be healthy and/or work out. Sadly, this isn't the case. At least, not in the winter. My daily routine has consisted of sleeping, eating, and all the activities I can quickly squeeze in between them. Walking the dog around my neighborhood has become the most athletic task I do all day.

As of last night, I decided I need to make a change. I came to the conclusion that my persistent ailments were the result of my body folding in on itself, my blood festering, my muscles deteriorating, and my bones being reduced to a fine powder. This might sound dramatic, but for once I need to be dramatic -- or I'm going to die, like, tomorrow.

So I made the most out of the feeble exercises I could muster. Jumping-jacks, squats, push-ups, crunches, and various other weird moves I made up. Afterwards, I definitely felt a bit better. Take that, festering blood!

Hopefully, I will continue this trend and improve upon it. I would really like some weights so I can work on building up my noodle-arms.

Seasonal Stress

I woke up this morning in a sort of panic. I guess it was the realization that Christmas is next week and I still have a lot to do. The upcoming weekend is already jam-packed, so that leaves me with lots of late night work to do. I've got presents here to wrap, presents to wrap at my parents', and more I still need to buy. I've also got some party planning to work on for next week's Eve Eve party.

It will all get done. It always does.

My job was also giving me a headache this morning. It's kind of lame, but I tend to freak out when I'm given lots of work all at once (and by "freak out", I mean stew quietly while in my head, I'm yelling, "FUCK!"). As usual, I powered through the assignments in just a few hours without any problem. Why do I panic? What do you call the opposite of a procrastinator? That's what I am.

The best part of today was my walk with Dexter. I didn't realize until we got outside, but it was snowing big fat flurries. They didn't stick and it stopped shortly after we got back, but it was fun while it lasted. Snow is my favorite precipitate.

Jingle Bell Time

We're about 99% done with Christmas decorating. The remaining 1% is the star for atop the Christmas tree. In our college days, our tree donned the Death Star. I'm not sure what we'll do this year. The tree itself is lovely. We bought it from a little florist shop a few blocks away. The ornaments are a mixture of old and new, including about a dozen tiny dogs -- all gifts from my Aunt Cathy. She has sent me a Hallmark ornament every year I've been alive. Some are still at my parents', but that's OK -- they'll be hung on their tree.

I've been running around a lot the past few days. This past weekend, we stayed in Asbury Park for Grappler's Quest. My friend, Dan, took home the gold for his division (yay Dan!). Monday night, I stayed at my parents' while they were away in Atlantic City. This weekend, we're celebrating my Dad's birthday, and hopefully I'll get some training in at the Pine Barrens.

Other than the chaos of responsibilities, commitments, hobbies, and adventures, things have been pretty quiet around the house -- well, until today. Our water pressure started to go down this afternoon, and we discovered our front yard (more like patch of grass) was spewing water into the street. The landlady and her son have both been over to express their sincerest apologies, even though it's not their fault. A guy from the city came by and told us they would fix it tonight (unlikely) or tomorrow morning (slightly more likely). So, we'll see how that goes. Before long, we will be out of water. Our heat relies on water. It's going to be well below freezing tonight.

Let the bundling begin!

Off to the Races

Last Saturday was the Dick Dalakian Memorial Sweepstakes Race, hosted by the JSSDRA. The mushers I usually train with were there, along with new folks from the surrounding states. I took photos at the event, since I wasn't competing. I also tried to soak up all the knowledge I could from everyone -- so much experience all in one place! I spoke to a few people about upcoming litters, so hopefully by next year, I'll have a pup to train.

Along with meeting mushers, Saturday offered the opportunity to look at a ton of dogs and several different rig styles. While the hound mixes and Alaskans are awesome athletes, I don't think they're what I want in a dog. I love the fluffy, show quality Siberians. I also really like the historic, racing-line Seppala Siberians. I foresee my future team being a mixture of the two. And Dexter, of course.

As for rigs, my little green cart will suffice for now. In the future, I can see myself splurging on an Outlaw rig, or a Greiner-Hahn rig, since the guy who makes them mushes with us. I better start saving now.

---

I'd like to take a moment to stop talking about nerdy, dog-related things for a little while. I've been thinking about the future a lot. I'm always meticulously planning every detail of everything, so it's no doubt the next few years hold a lot of expectations.

As of right now, my goal is to survive as a freelance designer and photographer. To get to that point, I need a solid resume and a killer portfolio. Working at my current job is building both these things. While the company itself isn't a household name, the brands I incorporate into my work are huge -- Nikon, Samsung, Canon, and Sony, for example.

The scary thing about freelancing is the uncertainty of it. What if I can't find work? My plan is to continue with full-time employment and do freelance on the side, then slowly wean myself off the full-time job. I could go part-time, then become a steady freelancer for the company, as well as taking on other jobs. Ultimately, I want to have more jobs available than I can accept.

I really just want to be my own boss. I like working on my own -- I'm a control freak and often find others to be unreliable. OK, so my people skills might need some work. I can work with others, as long as they're as motivated as I am.

I work best in unconventional ways. If I have a project, I might work on it for days at a time -- only stopping to sleep and eat. Breaking work up into 9-to-5 days doesn't always make sense, especially for artists. You wouldn't expect a painter to work every day from 9-to-5. They're in their studio when they feel like creating. Same goes for designers.

Vacations are also important. I don't like being told when I can take off. I'm not in school. This is my life, and in 60-something years, I'm going to die. Let me enjoy it while I can.

This rant sounds like I'm unhappy, and the truth is, I'm not. The work week flies by because I'm busy with holiday marketing material, and I enjoy doing it. But I don't want my life to simply fly by. It's already December! I want to savor every moment of this month, not to mention every month following.

I have an undeniable fear of growing up. I thought moving out would make me happy, but I honestly miss living with my family. Especially at Christmas time. I just want to shrink back to my 8-year-old self and play with my plastic dinosaurs in my backyard.