If you knew me at all in August of 2011, you knew that I was having a lot of fun with VEDA (Vlog Every Day in August) and my new YouTube friends. You also probably got at least one message that said, "Umm. I most definitely have a crush on Ian."

By September, you probably wanted to kill me to stop me from texting things like, "Did you see what he posted on Twitter? Swooooon." Every. Five. Minutes.

I'll spare you the nauseatingly sweet and sappy middle portion of this story, but after months of non-stop flirting over Twitter and then iMessage, Ian asked me if I'd go on a date with him at VidCon. I agreed—wholeheartedly, enthusiastically, . . . ecumenically.

The date was one month ago today, and it was lovely. So were the next two dates we crammed in while in California. So were all of the international Skype dates we've had since then. I can't stop smiling. It's one thing to be dating the guy was voted 20SB's sexiest male blogger (and best overall blogger), but it's another thing entirely to have a boyfriend who is completely caring, selfless, charming, clever, respectful, nerdy, funny, and weird in all the right ways.

Thanks for a really great first month, Ian Holland. I'm really glad I get to have you in my life. xx

I have approximately four more loads of laundry to wash and dry before tomorrow morning, so this seems like the perfect opportunity to talk about boys, travel, podcasts, and tigers. We definitely don't need to discuss why I have four loads of laundry to do in the first place. That's what Laundrybook is for.

The past four months seem like a blur to me. Things on the job front have been unstable for the first time in my working life, and I'm only now realizing how much that has affected my confidence in searching for new freelance opportunities and moving forward with related career plans. Meanwhile, I've been participating in more #winetoreach events with my new Internet friends, spending more time with my family (and more time outside with books), eating healthier, and dubbing Ben Franklin my spirit animal. These are all pretty great things, and they've definitely helped me from becoming Queen of the Useless and Unnecessary Pity Parties. (Because really, the job stuff will work itself out, and it's a blessing just to have a job around here.

Also, my little brother graduated from Columbia College in Chicago with a degree in screenwriting and being awesome.

Other really cool things that have been keeping me busy:

• Planning a trip to Anaheim, CA, for VidCon 2012. I get to hang out with many of my favorite Twitter/YouTube friends, and I am crazy excited. The agenda includes a day at Disney, a night of go-karting, a girls-only pillow fight, so many glittery Katherine (@purekatherine) hugs, Ashley (@writetoreach) watching me sleep, Pham (@phampants) rolling his eyes at me, and a lot of ducking and running away when I see famous YouTube personalities face-to-face.
• Planning a date with Ian (@Dutchface) while he's in the States. (Eee!) After months of chatting on Twitter and then iMessage, we're excited for real hugs. And punches. (From me. Ian doesn't hit ladies.)
• Tiger Thursdays. (Tigers don't hit ladies, either.)
• Emailing Katherine twenty times a day about crafts, apartments, and crafts that we would like to use in decorating our future apartment. I don't know if she was serious when she first suggested moving to Chicago and becoming roomies, but it was a brilliant idea from its inception. We even have plans to bug the apartment as a means of gathering content for a weekly podcast, and Katherine had the brilliant idea to get a place with a third bedroom, dedicated to crafts and a vlogging studio set-up.

I've also been listening to podcasts on a pretty regular basis at work and at home (as well as editing the first episode of Men with Skirts, my new podcast that will be launching in July). Podcasts I truly love: You Look Nice Today; Back to Work; Bob and Dan Cast; and My Brother, My Brother, and Me. Podcasts I always mean to listen to but have fallen super behind on: The Talk Show (Mule Radio version), This American Life, and Bullseye. And then there are the boring podcasts I listen to because they provide me with insider tips about budgeting or computer hacks or whatnot, but I don't want to give away all of my secrets in one post.

(Keep it secret. Keep it safe.)

Finding, sharing, and creating witty content on Twitter remains the number one reason I stay on the site. Tweets that make me stop in my tracks to laugh out loud (or smile to myself, if I'm in a really boring meeting) get marked with that little "Favorite this tweet!" star. When someone I admire does the same for something I post, I become giddy. (No, really.)

I was going to talk about the importance of favoriting and the history of Twitter favorites, but you'll have to buy me a cupcake and clear an hour or two in your schedule if you really want to experience that monologue.

Instead, I present to you some favorite tweets from this month. Consider this my take on #FollowFriday, if you must.

"Buying four bananas at Walgreens is cheaper than buying three is the saddest thing I know."

— @bailey

"Jackie Chan is suspiciously good at words with friends. #cheatercheater #pumpkineater"

— @fakestephenking

"I am in what can only be described as Shredder's Hideout."

— @DotEd

"I took my child to work almost ten months ago, people. Is there seriously not a Take Your Child Back Home Day?"

— @badbanana

"How come it's mostly random, creepy dudes adding me on Google+? What's up, ladies? You got better things to do than be creepy?"

— @tehawesome

"If you clean the office fridge, do not announce it in IRC as the hypocrites do. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward in full."

— @EffingBoring

"I like my men the way I like my pizza: made of pizza."

— @theresa_lauren

"More like bidHEY"

— @biorhythmist

"You're right, I SHOULD smile! Thanks for the great advice," said nobody, ever.

— @superfantastic