I’ve taken on lots of new work, new clients, and they’re all amazing. In fact, I do believe I’m essentially booked up through the rest of the year, what with all my other personal projects (shh! They’re still secret right now!) and the work I have coming in. It’s great. Busy, but great.

Grafton Peace Pagoda - Did make time for this! - Copyright 2010 Lara Kulpa

A few things I’ve been slacking on? The diabetes/weight loss issues. Yes, I’m mad at myself for it. I do believe that I’m going to gear things up now with work stuff so that I can have things all settled and organized for next year to INCLUDE taking the time I need to for myself. I’m giving work 110% for the rest of 2010 and then taking a well-deserved (after five years) ease-up on myself. Yup. Gonna do that!

I did recently just go back on Chantix in order to quit smoking again, though… does that count? I’m so annoyed with our illustrious Governor that I don’t want anything he does to be able to pull another red cent from my pocket, so when the price of a pack jumped up to just about $10, I decided enough was enough. It’s over. I enjoyed being a non-smoker before, my boyfriend hates that I smoke, and my mom’s going to try to quit now too. It’s awesome!

Speaking of disdain (as I have for Governor Crack Smoker), I’m also all twisted over this BP oil spill stuff. It’s almost like I’m in shock over it. Part of me wants to hop a plane and fly down to help the animals. The other part of me stops and wonders if what anyone’s doing is actually helping anything. I’m hurt by this whole thing, you know? I think about all the people and animals who are suffering. I think about the fact that a major food supply is and will continue to be contaminated to the point of no return. I think about the lives that were lost and those we may lose in the future over this whole thing. And I think about how our President goes on television to say he’s trying to figure out “whose ass to kick”, yet he hasn’t kicked anything but the tires on his golf cart. Ungh! Okay, enough… can’t let this spiral down and ruin my day or anyone else’s! LOL

So there it is, a few months in a nutshell! I’m going to really try to focus on work stuff and personal projects for the remainder of the year so that I can have the time (and luxury) of blogging here more often!

I think I’m coming to an end with the rouse, however. I’m floundering today, moment by moment, as to whether I’m really, truly okay with 33. The day’s only half over, so I’m still not sure what the end result will be (but it gives me something new to post tomorrow, eh?) but I think the general idea will be that I’m okay with it.

I like to think about things that I want to do in the coming year on my birthday. I think about the previous year, and set up some ideas for what I want to come. I’ve never stuck to New Year’s Resolutions, and I don’t really like to try to set myself up for failure like that, so April 5th is a great time of year to set some goals for myself. Plus, it’s easy to think about it in terms of my birthday. “When I was 27, I…”

I actually had an interesting Year 32.

• I began to work a lot closer to full time hours for other people, not just in a fervent effort to garner new business, or work on my own projects.
• I met a TON of new, amazing people. People whom I know are going to be friends and colleagues for life.
• I got a boyfriend who actually, really, truly, deeply loves me. Almost as awesome as that, is that it’s our own personal fairy tale.
• I came very close to having weight loss surgery, and backed away. Because I’m learning to be happy regardless. I’m loved regardless, so I need to be okay with it as long as I’m focusing on being healthy as I can.
• I was diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic. See above.
• I witnessed the actual birth of a child. Like, I was there, in the room. It was the most amazing, scary, beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. (Welcome to the world, Tommy!)

In Year 33, I’ve got some big plans.

• I’m going to move in with my wonderful, loving, amazing boyfriend. It’ll be the first time I ever lived with a romantic partner, and it’s exciting as all get out!
• I’ll be continuing to develop some really awesome stuff with my clients. I love them like family, and they’re important to me for so many reasons beyond paying my bills.
• I’m going to be working more on “my” stuff. My personal projects that I’ve had big ideas for for a long time. Things that share more of my knowledge, things that make me happy.
• My finances. I’ve been doing well with making sure I minimize my new debt and pinch down the old debt. I’ve got big plans for the rest of my life, and I’m ready to start working on making them come true!
• My health. I intend to refocus my healthy eating habits, exercise, and get this 30-something body prepared for making some babies! It’s something I’ve wanted my whole life, and I want to be able to provide a healthy, nurturing body to carry and later care for, a child or two.

Do you have any birthday rituals? Anything you do or think about in particular on your birthday?

I think I’m actually really going to like Year 33.

Life has been a whirlwind for me lately and I’m lost in how much I’m in love with it right now. Seriously, folks. You’re reading the words from a girl who sincerely was feeling like there were lots of things that would never change, never get better, never get worse, just sit here spending the rest of my life in this stagnant chain of events from day to day. I’m here to tell you, brag, scream from the rooftops that my “day to day” has been nothing short of amazing and wonderful the past couple weeks.

First, I’m in love. Yes, for all of you who know me at all, it’s a miracle, but I’m here. The Facebook status has been changed an e’rything! I won’t get into details, but my inner Disney princess has finally experienced the singing birds and fireworks, and damn, it’s good.

Work stuff has been wonderful and abundant, and there’s more around every city block corner I reach. I couldn’t be more grateful and honored that after four and a half years of putting my heart and soul into what I’m doing, it’s paying off. (More to come on this front later…)

I’m just really happy. All of the stars have aligned, and I’m rockin’ my world. It’s honestly the best feeling ever, and honestly – I can’t put it into words that really get the message across other than that.

So, with all this bliss, I’ve been inspired. (Funny how that works, eh?) I’ve got all these things I’m thinking I want to do RIGHT NOW like get back into painting, (re)start up a couple of my old blogs, sort through old clothes and donate them to GoodWill, you name it. It’s like crack for motivation, this happiness thing.

One of the things I discovered this morning while making my rounds online, was that I missed the announcement about Dooce heading to HGTV. (Yeah, she posted it in freakin’ January. See what I mean about the whole not believing we’re “into” March already? Yep.) Can this woman fail? I’m so super proud of her, you know? She’s making a mint off of being herself, and getting all kinds of publicity and appearances and all that for the past couple years, and now she’s hooked up with one of my favorite networks! You can check out what she’s doing over there with the blog stuff, but I’m truly wondering what all else is to come for this kickass chick, you know?

I’ve always had this deep-seated desire to have a fabulous personal blog. I’ve been blogging since before they called it that, and have had all sorts of niches and topics that I’ve tried to focus on, but the bottom line is that as a complex (complicated?) individual, sometimes there are just things I want to write about, that I want people to come along and say “Hey! That’s what I was thinking!” to, and that will make me just this uber-cool “girly web geek” that I keep claiming to be.

At one point, I tried my hand at having at least 8 blogs going at once. Like, duh. Right? Stoopid.

At another time, I considered starting up a blog network of sorts. I’ve recently let all the domains go to “poop”. (Yep, canceled the auto-renew. When they’re free, they’re free – have at it kiddies. Just credit me for the idea if you take it, mmkaythanksbai.)

Given that things have become so busy with work stuff, and I’ve got a steady stream of “regulars” that I’m beyond happy with, I’ve recently been considering taking Ginkgo Consulting to a strictly consulting basis. At least for the time being. Essentially making me a sort of “coach” in many ways. Rather than doing the dirty work myself, I’ll help outline the list of tasks and develop a plan to help launch people’s online businesses and blogs. This should open me up for more speaking gigs (something that the inner-five-year-old-wannabe-actress in me just thrives on) and give me more time to be selfish with my to-do list.

So there’s lots of planning and timing and scheduling going on in my world, as there often is. But the best part about all of this is that I’m finally LOVING it. It doesn’t feel daunting, doesn’t feel like a “dirty job”, and every single thing I do or think about when it comes to my future is exciting and wonderful and amazing.

I think I’m finally on the right highway.

I’ve noticed that I haven’t updated any of my own blogs in several, several months.

I’m totally not complaining, but it’s before 5am on a Friday morning and after going to bed at 830pm last night because I had a headache, I’ve spent the past hour and a half trying to focus.

My life right now is REALLY good. I mean, I’m way happy with work stuff, current projects are awesome. I’m finally starting to see the fruits of my last 5 years working for myself. It’s a wonderful feeling when you start to realize that your self-employment dreams are kinda coming true.

I’m headed to Blog World Expo 2009 with Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) in less than a week, and am working on tying up work’s loose ends before I go. I’ve really never had to do that before… LOL

Current and Recently Completed Projects:

• ProBlogger.COMmunity – I’m the community manager for this great new project by Darren. I’m insanely excited about this project, to say the least.
• Thirteen Yards to Victory – These guys are amazing. Really talented, adorable, and the epitome of the “Pay It Forward” mentality.
• Cars4Cancer – Raising money to directly help cancer patients. This is what this country needs more of. Real help for real people.
• TwiTip – I’m the assistant editor for TwiTip, another project by Darren Rowse.

There are a few other projects in the works, some small, some not so much. I’m not willing to talk about them much right now because they’re not entirely confirmed yet.

The bottom line? If all works out, I’m booked through January and beyond.

Now, all I need is a love life.