Ladies, gentlemen, and those beyond the binary, today… (drumroll, please)… is this blog’s 10th anniversary! I can hardly believe it. I’ve been thinking for months about what to post on this momentous day, and I’ve come up pretty empty. I was hoping I’d come across the One Big Thing, but if there’s one thing this blog has taught me, it’s that the world is full of talented artists and amazing and beautiful things. I considered doing a lineup of some of my favorite posts, but I’ve done that before.

It finally occurred to me that maybe a collection of some of my favorite personal stories would be a bit different. It would also serve as a pretty good introduction to me for anyone just joining us. I may even pin it to my home page for fun!

• Where One Beautiful Thing Began
• Sent Away
• The One That Got Away (and came back!)
• Unexpected Party Guests
• Dear Virginia Slims
• On Grief
• She’s Never Far Away
• The Funniest Dog
• Hurricane Sandy
• The Abby Show
• I’m a Multi-Potentialite!

So now, you all know me just a little bit better. I also recommend you read the comments on some of these posts. I had such a great time remembering my interactions with my readers!

Thank you, as always, my lovelies. Without you, I’d just be talking to myself (which I frankly do quite enough of as it is). Looking forward to another 10 years of beautiful things with you beautiful people!!

EPILOGUE: A good friend texted to congratulate me on the anniversary. I wanted to share with you our exchange, which I found just perfect:

She: From one multipotentialite to another: thanks! But should my gratitude be expressed in a song, a poem, a short story, an interpretive dance, a new theory of quantum physics?

Me: Thank you, and all of the above, please!

She: Here’s the first, a poem:

There once was a multipotentialite named Donna
Who dated both Flora and Fauna
And Rose and Petunia
And others who’d ruin ya
‘Till she finally said ‘I don’t wanna.’

(still she) I tried to work in something about an iguana. Not so good. This would have been better, but I was also working on my interpretive dance ’till the neighbors complained about the leaping.

Me: I plan to express my gratitude to you in the form of a giant cookie garnished with extravagantly-carved fruit resembling koi of which I will take time-lapse photos as it decomposes. I expect the project to be completed in 2-3 weeks, depending on humidity. The resulting video will be set to an original soundtrack compiled from the snorings of a honey badger with sleep apnea. The recording will include musical accompaniment by me. I will be playing three spoons and a table saw with my feet under a full moon.

She: Timing is perfect. It will take 2-3 [weeks] for me to get the nuances right in my dance.

I love my friends and I love my life.