To discuss a blogaversary: Two years, and no need for Viagra yet

First of all, a confession. I am writing this in my underwear. I don't want to hide anything from you, so I thought I'd put it out there.

Maybe that's how comfortable I've become blogging since Aug. 1, 2008. That's when I started Wild ARS Chase, at the time having no idea how to blog but wanting some excuse to write down all the things that pop in my head. A snippet of that first entry, about a college-age guy trying to tell me how to pick up women:

"He’s telling me he can help me learn how to pick up women (oh, the advice I need... of course, he's what I like to call "in shape" and "handsome," which helps. I'm what I like to call "the wingman"). I’m thinking, dude, when I was your age, we were doing old school flirting. Instant message style. Emoticons. ;). Bam. That's a relationship right there. :o) ... can you resist that?"

Since then, I :

• Had nearly a two-year relationship with Capricorn
• Took my dog to the vet numerous times, with Bailey racking up ridiculous bills
• Moved to a different part of town
• Performed in two different musicals
• Became an uncle
• Wrote more than 425 blog posts (Here's last year's recap of my first year of blogging, which included some of my favorite posts, such as my Snuggie review and the big fake Cosmo magazine Ben and I put together)
• Started a new relationship

I haven't given many details at all about that last facet, in part because it was really tough telling all of you about Capricorn and I breaking up, as if the two of you were breaking up, too. That's why it's weird to talk about your relationships on a blog.

But I'd still like to give you a few details: She's an elementary school teacher ... She is doing a musical with me ... She has a wonderful singing voice ... She and Bailey get along splendidly ... As for a nickname, I've settled on Belle. Why Belle? Well, she played that character in "Beauty and the Beast." Thankfully, she didn't play Gaston, because that would just be a weird blogging nickname. Or an awesome one. Hmmm...

In the meantime, let me offer you some of my favorite posts of the past year:

• A fake House Hunters episode (which got a comment from the real life former host of the show, Suzanne Whang).
• A remake of the terrible Christmas Shoes song
• One of my most commented on posts was this one, which allowed everyone to update each other on new URLs for their blogs or other changes, as it seems it's almost impossible to keep up with everything.
• My ode to healthy dog food, which helped inspire some of you to change what you feed your dog.
• And finally, Things I Know at Age 27.

Who knows what will happen in this next year, but I do plan to write as much as I can (and that will increase once I wrap up Music Man, the second of back-to-back musicals I'm doing). What are my other plans this blogging year? Well, I'm going to make a foray into stand-up comedy at some point, just to say I did it. And I also am sure Bailey will need to go to the vet at some point. Oh, and I'll probably give my nephew the sex talk. Busy year.