Updated at the bottom:

Happy New Year everyone (sloshes a half-empty glass of champagne down her arm and blows a horn). Did you see the ball drop? I went to the best party (emphatically flings the remainder of the champagne into the air). It was fucking amazing! The Torah was there and like...a thousand people. Maybe two thousand or something. I don't know. All I know is the room was packed. And I got so drunk on forgiveness. And introspection. And love of mankind. And then they told me there was a chance that I might die by fire or maybe water. What a buzz kill.

Jews really know how to throw a good party.

New Years was perhaps a little different from its January, secular counterpart. With the exception of my eyes filling with tears as Rabbi Jason intoned, "there is a new year growing in your belly," we got through services sniffle-free. And that, my friends, is an accomplishment. It also helps if you miss the part of the Torah service that contains the passages on infertility.

And all is well that ends well with a little honey.

There has been a blogroll explosion of sorts; many new additions. Which started me thinking about new categories to split things up a bit. This idea continued when I was speaking with a cancer survivor through Resolve and she lamented not being able to easily find other cancer survivors to connect with on the infertility front. It seemed like a good place to start. A category called "More on The Plate--IF and Health" which would encompass all health issues that need to be considered or cause infertility. Cancer, but also diabetes or mental illness. Since the category would contain many different situations, I thought I would add a parentheses after the title to give some information about the blog. That way, someone with diabetes who was undergoing IVF could meet up with other IF bloggers, read their journey, trade information. If you want to be moved into this new category, let me know with an email (thetowncriers@gmail.com). I'm probably going to move a few bloggers over to this category this weekend just because this was the third time someone mentioned to me that they were seeking out advice/another person's journey with IF and another health condition. So I guess also tell me if you wouldn't want to be moved too...

Which brings up the question, what other categories are missing? In order to start a new category, I just need at least one blog that fits under the heading. Any types of blogs you wish you could easily find? Wish to start a new category for your own blog? Since I'm sure this will be suggested, I just want to give the explanation for why I combined IUI/IVF. While some people do IUI many times, most do the requisite three before moving onto IVF. The category would be too difficult to maintain as people would only be in the category for a few months before moving on. So, yes, it's annoying if you're only searching for IUI blogs or IVF blogs and you have to pick your way through each one in the category. But it's too hard to maintain any other way.

So--when suggesting a new category, consider what types of infertility/loss blogs you search for on the blogroll. And if your blog is not one that would fall under this category, at least suggest one that does fit in order to kick off the category. If you're also looking for bloggers in your area that you can meet face-to-face like we do in D.C., put out a message on Lost and Found stating your area and your blog url so people can get in touch with you.

Lastly, on the blog front, Bea from Infertile Fantasies has a fantastic new site. It's called IVF Shoot 'Em Up and it's a collection of injectible how-to videos. Much more engaging and educational than those dry videos passed out at the clinic. You can help in many different ways. At the most basic level, you can spread the word so people know this resource exists. People can also create and submit a video--Bea has up a wish list but she's also taking more suggestions for other medications. You can also tattoo the Shoot 'Em Up chickie across your bicep if you're really committed to the project. But that's not for the faint of heart or fickle...

And now, blogging goodness...

This week brought out many posts about September 11th. Road Blocks and Rollercoasters has a beautiful post about the day called "Humbled." She writes about the passing of time: "Where did the BBQs and parties and hanging out with friends go? Oh, yes, I remember, I spent it wishing for time to go by faster--first so I could just get through the first trimester of my pregnancy and then so I could go ahead and start TTC again after the m/c. And here I am. The middle of September and nothing really to show for the time that I spent doing lots of wishing. It's irresponsible for me to live life this way. And yet, all I want to do is hit the fast forward button to get through this already. But I am humbled. I am humbled that I am able to fret about things like infertility and trying to have a baby while others struggle with life or death situations." That wishing away of time is such a familiar sentiment. And in light of the day, R&R made me see it in an entirely new light.

I loved the excitement in Nica's post this week in Life as a Sandwich about triggering. Not just her own excitement at a cycle that is going particularly well, but the sweetness of her husband. She writes: "When I did my IUIs, it was all me. I did the shots, I went with a cup the the RE. When we went to Argentina, H was far more involved, but somewhat distracted. After all, he was surrounded by family who he hadn't seen in a decade. But this time... this time, it's him and me. We went to IVF orientation a few weeks back, and he made a nuisance of himself. Asking more questions than every other person in the room combined. H was so confident about his medicine mixing and needle skills he gave tips to the couple to our left. He's shy. When the drugs came, he personally reviewed and inspected them. This, he had decided, was his domain. When it came time to inject, he was ready. He spread out a clean towel and placed everything out. He was exacting, he was precise, he was lovely. Our instructions said to inject "about an inch" from the navel and so he measured. I've never felt so loved (and so glad to have an extra roll of fat on my belly)." I want this to work for them not just because their stats look great and damn it, hard work should pay off for everyone. But because this cycle is special. And that should count for something.

Mony at Mrs. Negative has the perfect post this week about renewing her driver's license. Every year, that renewal process is a reminder of how little things have changed on the conception front. Until this year. She is now more than halfway through her pregnancy and she writes: "It will be a genuine watershed moment. I will be renewing my 2007 drivers license during my 27th week of pregnancy. Nobody else will notice. Not the bored, waiting customers. Not the bitch behind the counter. Nor the nervous P-Plater. But I will know. And even if I walk away with the most hideous, unflattering, cross eyed photo on my license this year, nothing will veil the glorious, dazzling beauty underneath my cotton blend blouse." I hope they allow her to keep the license (or at least the picture) the next time she has to renew.

Arwen/Elizabeth has a fantastic ode to the passing of information that takes place in the online community. She creates a list of "several products that [she] wouldn't have known about, or known to get instead of the more common alternatives, if it hadn't been for blogs and [her] own blog readers." And it's so true. Blogs have become like the backyard fence, the trading of information. Except the backyard fence stretches across the world and the information is more varied. This post is perhaps the third impetus to creating new sections in the blogroll and trying to connect more people to each other so you can glean the information you need on one hand and the support you need on the other.

Lastly, I loved this little bittersweet story from the lovely ladies at Addition Problems. May Natalie's wish (oh...and yours too!) come true soon.

Have a wonderful weekend. And leave your suggestions (in a comment or an email) for new blogroll categories or your feelings for "More on The Plate--IF and Health" (I guess my main question is if this helpful at all....)

I've added a few more categories to the blogroll including

• More on the Plate--IF and Health Issues
• Clotting and Immunology
• Uterine Anomalies

If you want to be moved to any of these, let me know with an email or a comment below.