This year was year full of big changes in my life. When 2006 began, I was in a completely different place ... my life was very different than it ended up being on this last day of 2006. Fortunately, all the major changes in my life were for the better and I feel my life has been enriched and I feel extremely fortunate to be in my position. I have never been happier and never felt more secure. I can only hope that 2007 will be as good to me as 2006 was. I really loved going back and looking at the different things that happened to me this year ... I am a very lucky man.

First off ... will you look back at how little Prince Zakiya, my beloved goddaughter, looked in January of this year. I can hardly even remember a time when she didn't have her crazy hair ...


... but there was a time when she was still just a little baby.

In January, Tracey had a Dedication Ceremony for baby Z where Erik and I were asked to pledge ourselves to Z and we promised to be positive male role models in her life:


Erik and I became her official godfathers on that day and it is a commitment that I plan on remaining true to for as long as I draw breath. I know that Erik plans on also remaining true to the promise we made to her on that day ... it was a very special day for all of us.

In August, our little Princess Z turned 1-year old ...


... and she just keeps getting bigger and bigger each day. I love that little girl and it kinda scares me that she is growing up so fast. I want her to stay an adorable little baby forever ...

My very good friend Sherri gave birth to her second child this year:


Just a few short weeks ago, Daniel Frost was born. I got to meet the little guy just last week and know that he will make a great playmate for Zakiya.

This year, I got to attend my first Grammy Awards:


And Sarah and I got to party with a bunch of celebs together.

Detroit became center stage to the world this year when we hosted Super Bowl XL in February ... Playboy came to town to throw a hot Super Bowl party and Sarah and I were lucky enough to attend:


That first party was my introduction to wonderful Playboy company who has been so good to me ever since. I got to go to a few Playboy parties thruout the year, got to meet Hugh Hefer himself AND FINALLY got an invitation to the Playboy Mansion:


I never dreamed that I would ever get to visit The Grotto at the Mansion but it finally happened.

This summer I finally made the move to California ... a move I have been dreaming about for the past 4 years ... but this summer I packed all my shizz, grabbed my Sarah and drove cross country ...


... and officially became a Californian.

This year I got to meet Nina Gordon, formerly of my favorite rock group ever Veruca Salt, and was lucky enough to interview her for her newest solo album Bleeding Heart Graffiti:


And then a couple of weeks later got to interview Louise Post, still of Veruca Salt, about their newest album IV:


I cannot really express how thrilling it was for me to get to meet and interview these 2 amazing women. It was a long-time dream come true for me.

I got a few amazing shout-outs this year ... Entertainment Weekly listed me as their Must Star Hazer in their annual Must List issue:


John Mayer blogged about me in his official blog:


His little homage to the PITNB style was so cool ... even Rolling Stone magazine noticed :)

Carson Daly gave PITNB a shout-out on his TV show:


And I shouted him right back.

Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, started talking about PITNB on stage at the final batch of concerts on thier world tour this Fall/Winter and graciously sent me this amazing picture:


But the most important thing that happened to me was that I finally met the person that I love most in the world. I was asked to go on a blogger trip to Amsterdam back in February and that is where I met fellow blogger David Hauslaib of Jossip.com/Queerty.com and unbeknownst to me met the love of my life ... here are a few pictures of David, Rachel Hurley (of SceneStars.net) and me in Amsterdam:


The 3 of us were inseparable in Amsterdam and had the best time ever.

Once David and I finally got together I was introduced to the fam over Passover/Easter weekend ...


... and basically got to spend time with the a really cool family. I'm very lucky that I now get to be included in their family activities.

Even tho David and I live on opposite coasts, we're committed to spending as much time together as we can ... in the Spring, while visiting NYC, we spent an afternoon at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Brooklyn, NY:


I think we fell in more love among the blossoming trees.

The fact that Zakiya loves him so much just endears him to me even more:


For David's birthday, we spent a couple of weeks in Paris, France:




And I finally realized that I met the partner for me. We are so happy, I couldn't have wished for a better gift. I'm so happy that we get to spend NYE together ... and hopefully many, many more NYEs to come.

As the year winded down, the readers of Blender magazine and visitors of AOL Music online named Pink is the new Blog as the Best Gossip Blog of the year:


And here I am ... just a few hours away from 2007. It's been a great year ... I wouldn't have changed a thing ... and I look forward to what the future brings.

I hope y'all have had a great year as well ... thank you all for the support and love and friendship. XOXOX

trent

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