Some of the best times I had reading my blog this year was when others stepped up and took the reigns to contribute their own take on celebrity and pop culture.
During my two-week trip to Europe, Jackie and Vanessa really helped fill the void, while others contributed posts throughout the year.
Together we started a substantial relationship rumour about Kelly Cutrone and Jian Ghomeshi, embraced the Backstreet Boys back into our lives, and questioned what kind of itch Blair Waldorf was dealing with.
I literally LOL'd reading this year's guest blogs -- y'all are so funny!
Click inside to remember some of the best, and thanks to everyone who contributed!
1. Are Kelly Cutrone and Jian Ghomeshi doing it?
by Jackie
"When Kelly Cutrone came to Toronto to promote her book If You Have To Cry, Go Outside in March, she was interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Radio's Q and I thought there was some chemistry. Because I have nothing better to do with my time, I've compiled a list of Kelly's tweets and some photo evidence for your consideration."
2. Hot and bothered. Literally.
by Vanessa
"Leighton Meester takes front and centre in the ad, looking hot as usual... and according to the caption underneath, she's also bothered. The *itch is back? I get what they're trying to say, but let's be honest, it looks like an ad for some yeast infection product. How unfortunate."
3. BSB quit playin' games, work nostalgia angle on tour
by Laura Drake
"Apparently, the Backstreet Boys continued making music after 2001. I don't know if you knew this -- I'm not sure I did -- but it was a mistake. Any mid-to-late 90's hit had 5,000+ screaming fans almost drowning out the band, but whenever they tried to slip into a post Black and Blue song, there were 10,000 crossed arms with associated confused looks."
4. Rent comes to Toronto with extra ammunition
by Renee
"Cheering (wooing) in between songs and dancing in your seat is acceptable to a point but cheering mid-song is just wrong. People forgot that they were at a play and not a concert. For instance, the women/girls in front of us were the most annoying people I have encountered at a play."
5. Darran's Big Brother 12 posts
by Darran
"The first showmance of the season came to the forefront this past week in the BB hot tub, as Rachel got turned on by swim coach Brandon's big, throbbing science-centric brain. Swapping professional associations and oggiling over Scientific American and Physicists Today –surely makes these two one of the nerdiest showmances in 12 seasons. Congrats."
6. Janice Wong says: go to Wavelength 500!
by Janice Wong
"Rolly Pemberton proceeded to blow us away with his smooth rhymes and repeated shouts that we better not "bite [his] shit!" Katie and I were hooked, immediately, and going to Sneakys around 11 every Sunday night for Wavelengths became routine. It became habit to start collecting a pile of change throughout the week to save for Sunday night."