Yesterday I posted my top 12 favorite posts of 2012. Today, I’ll share the top 25 most popular posts of the year — the columns that attracted the most traffic, linkbacks, Facebook likes, and marriage proposals. Feel free to peruse this list at your leisure next week when I’m on vacation and not posting new content. I bet you just might find one or two things you haven’t read before. Unless you’re name is Addie Pray and you read every word posted on this site, no matter what.
1. Your Turn: “I Was the Other Woman and He Dumped Me”
2. Your Turn: “My FWB Wants to Marry Me!”
3. “Am I Just His Booty Call?”
4. “He Got Another Woman Pregnant While We Were On Break!”
5. Guys Only ‘Your Turn’: “What Do Men Think of Boudoir Photos?”
6. “I Have a Boyfriend, but I Want a Sugar Daddy, Too”
7. “My Ex is Sending Photos of Me to Swingers”
8. Your Turn: “He Dumped Me Because I’m Married to Someone Else”
9. “Where Are All the Strong, Confident Men?”
10. “My Husband Has Been Pursuing Ads on Craigslist Casual Encounters”
11. Getting Personal: “My Life as a Prison Wife”
12. “Does He Want to Be My Friend or My FWB?”
13. Updates: “No longer Ecstatic” Responds
15. On Motherhood: Finding the Right Father
16. What it’s Like to be a Woman in America in 2012
17. “My Boyfriend Got His Ex Pregnant with a Turkey Baster”
18. His Take: “He Stopped Sexting Me”
19. “It’s Been Nine Months, and I Still Haven’t Met His Kids”
20. “My Mother Won’t Accept My Lesbian Girlfriend”
21. Your Turn: “My Boyfriend Isn’t Ready to Be My Daughter’s Dad”
22. “He Told Me to Quit Smoking Pot”
23. “Can I Have a Real Relationship with my FWB?”
24. “My Boyfriend is having a Baby with Another Woman”
25. Alphabet, A History, (C) Cafe Bong Ho
Happy reading!
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bethany December 20, 2012, 9:07 am
AP is going to die when she reads that!! 🙂
What’s this about a marriage proposal?! I’m going to have to go back and do some reading… I don’t remember that!
call-me-hobo December 20, 2012, 9:38 am
All the marriage proposals are for AP… Everyone wants to be her Ramona!
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 9:48 am
Let’s be each other’s Ramona!
call-me-hobo December 20, 2012, 12:16 pm
Does this mean we BOTH get to be pantless??!?! If so- I’m totally in!
Trixy Minx December 20, 2012, 9:36 am
Addie is going to flip out when she sees her name on here!! We all love AP!!
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 9:52 am
AP just peed herself she is so excited! (Btw, why does using the verb “to pee” plus a direct object always makes me laugh? It just does. “Peeing on yourself” is just not nearly as funny as “peeing yourself,” right? #APdeepthoughts)
Trixy Minx December 20, 2012, 10:35 am
Then why is “I just shat myself” more popular than “I just pooped myself”?
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:02 am
Both include direct opjects but now you’ve introduced a “shat” v. “pooped” distinction. FWIW, I think shat is funnier.
Amanda December 20, 2012, 9:41 am
Yay AP! In #4 my comment had 192 likes and I can’t help but feel good about myself. Since I read DW everyday, I’ve definitely read all of these, but who doesn’t like reruns?
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 9:54 am
193. I just liked it.
csp December 20, 2012, 10:01 am
I just read it. It was a nice comment. I have never come even close to that.
Trixy Minx December 20, 2012, 10:44 am
I can’t find it 🙁
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 9:47 am
GASP GASP GASP GASP GASP GASP GASP GASP.
You guys, I walked into work this morning and the lobby was a zoo. A zoo of little kids singing Christmas songs and serving breakfast burritos (and other breakfast stuff) for the holiday. And then this post! It’s a Christmas miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ktfran December 20, 2012, 10:09 am
My Christmas miracle was a woman giving me nasty looks at the bus stop this morning because she had to move an inch so me and my luggage could fit under the canopy and not get wet from the rain.
Oh what, that was my encounter with the grinch. I wish I would have told her Happy Holidays!
ktfran December 20, 2012, 10:39 am
I apologize for my horrible grammar.
Rachel December 20, 2012, 11:07 am
Christmas music AND breakfast burritos?? Your life is better than mine.
MissDre December 20, 2012, 9:54 am
Wow my letter made the top 25! Haha just for the record, my letter isn’t any of the train wrecks, I swear!
bethany December 20, 2012, 10:01 am
I hope you realize you’re going to have to tell us which is yours….
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 10:03 am
We can figure it out: first, throw out all letters on which MissDre commented. Next, … eh, that’s as far as I got.
MissDre December 20, 2012, 10:04 am
LOL! Mine was asking what men think of boudoir photos!
ktfran December 20, 2012, 10:05 am
Nice!
I think I correctly guessed LBH’s letter once. It was about her sister or something?!?
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 10:17 am
Yup. Some rough criticism on that, let me tell you!
ktfran December 20, 2012, 10:23 am
I remember. That was rough. I don’t think from me though.
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 10:28 am
Some of it I needed to hear, for sure, the rest about me hating her wasn’t true, so it shouldn’t have upset me. Just like the other day on here when I was ranting about her bf, and bgm and katie were right that I shouldn’t be angry at him for her choices. Its good to be reminded of things you don’t want to think about sometimes.
lemongrass December 20, 2012, 12:29 pm
I wrote a letter back at the frisky about me getting fat and my sister harping on me about it. I got some harsh feedback too and I think I probably needed it. I lost the weight I needed and at 8 months preggo now, I’m STILL not as heavy as I was back then!
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 10:07 am
Wow, you didn’t make us work for it – I appreciate that! 😉 If only other regular commenters who have submitted letters to Wendy would be as considerate and just tell us already! That would be the greatest gift of all.
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 10:10 am
Every LW who is also a commenter should use this thread to out themselves, I think! That would be fun. For us. And they…will have the joy of our joy & the release of their burden?
katie December 20, 2012, 10:25 am
ok, ok, ill out myself.
no. just kidding. i wont. haha
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:06 am
do it, damnit. tell us. just whisper it to me.
katie December 20, 2012, 11:20 am
haha AP you know already- i told you at brunch that one day… remember?
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:22 am
You told me after I drank 8 mimosas?
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 11:28 am
It was the turkey baster one, wasn’t it? Fess up katie!
katie December 20, 2012, 11:31 am
haha, yes, maybe 8… i dont remember..
alright, alright- it was a while ago. my boyfriend said we should get married on 12/12/12 and i freaked out. it was titled “im afraid my boyfriend is going to propose” i think..
for the record, wendy had awesome advice and totally helped me out.
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 11:33 am
Wow!
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:38 am
oh that’s right. i remember now. and damnit on 12-12-12 i even paused and thought to myself “i wonder if that DW LW is getting married today” haha.
ktfran December 20, 2012, 11:39 am
Speaking of mimosas. And bloody mary’s. When is the Chicago meet-up?
ktfran December 20, 2012, 11:40 am
Frasca on Lincoln/Roscoe/Paulina has bottomless mimosas for like $12 or something ridiculous like that.
katie December 20, 2012, 11:46 am
haha AP 12/12/12 is my mom and jake’s dad’s birthday- how weird would that have been?
and, i also was like, wow, i sort-of-but-not-really came close to getting married today. weird! lol
bethany December 20, 2012, 10:28 am
I never wrote a letter, but if I did I would tell you guys.
ktfran December 20, 2012, 10:38 am
I like this game.
csp December 20, 2012, 10:49 am
I wrote about my husband not quitting rugby.
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:03 am
Aw you did? I remember that one. But I can’t remember what I said on it. Did I say something super nice and uplifting?
katie December 20, 2012, 11:10 am
oh yea that was a good one! what did i say, i wonder? i dont remember… imma go google it.
ktfran December 20, 2012, 11:18 am
I remember that letter too. I think I was fairly nuetral. I think.
katie December 20, 2012, 11:16 am
update: i said just one sentence, and AP said nothing.
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 11:10 am
Yay, we got one!
I remember that letter & also don’t remember what I said/if I said anything. I hope it wasn’t mean!
CatsMeow December 20, 2012, 5:04 pm
CONFESSION: I am turkey baster girl.
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 5:40 pm
Bhahahahahaha. But wait, what did turkey baster girl do again? The problem with reading Dear Wendy so much is I can’t remember everything I read – there’s too much.
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 5:47 pm
JK: can you find the turkey baster one? You’re so good at finding DW articles! Oh and I’ll give you $5.
JK December 20, 2012, 5:54 pm
http://dearwendy.com/my-boyfriend-got-his-ex-pregnant-with-a-turkey-baster/
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 6:00 pm
And no, I didn’t comment. See? I don’t comment ALL the time.
FireStar December 20, 2012, 10:10 am
Dangerous to admit to! Now every would be sleuth will comb through the letters to figure out which one is yours!
FireStar December 20, 2012, 10:11 am
or…you can just tell us apparently….either way….
katie December 20, 2012, 10:07 am
ha- the boudoir pictures one was a good one.
side note: the price is right has male models on it now! i dont know how long that has been going on, but i noticed it yesterday on my 3 days of random vacation time and i was so happy! yay male models!
and one of the female models was pregnant! progress!
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 10:32 am
Must’ve felt nice that some of the most popular were your personal essays.
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 10:40 am
It’s weird seeing how many people fell off the face of the planet (commenters, I mean) Guyyys, where did you go?
Trixy Minx December 20, 2012, 10:46 am
I know! Regina, Rainbow, Mainier, Budj, and soo many others. 🙁
MissDre December 20, 2012, 10:55 am
I still miss SpaceBoy
bethany December 20, 2012, 10:56 am
Spaceboy!
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 11:15 am
I hope they’re all reading right now so we know that we miss them!
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 10:47 am
I’m just glad you’re still here Fab 😉
csp December 20, 2012, 10:50 am
actually, I changed my user name. maybe some people are here but are doing that.
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 10:54 am
Who were you??
bethany December 20, 2012, 10:57 am
Name changes aren’t cool! I get confused! I just recently remembered that IWTTS used to be someone else… Something More, maybe?
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 11:03 am
Forever Young.
Something More December 20, 2012, 12:04 pm
Nope. I’m still here, lurking…
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 12:25 pm
Look, the holidays are bringing new & old commenters together again! 🙂
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:05 am
I was Nina for a hot second. At the very very beginning, I was “Nina” at least once. Then someone else named Nina commented and I thought shit I need a more unique user name – I could sense commenting was going to become an addiction.
Wendy's Dad December 20, 2012, 2:25 pm
Addie, are you at work and billing clients for the hours you spend on DW? Woo hoo if you do. Oh, and by the way, Addie, I am transiting Ohare with WM (Wendy’s mom) on Sunday. If we get a snow delay, there will be a DW meetup in the food court. I will expect my favorite lawyer to be there.
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 2:31 pm
Horray! I’ll be there. I’m a big fan of the O’Hare food courts. Midway is pretty pathetic. All-time favorite airport foodcourts? Atlanta, for sure. That place is swanky!
FireStar December 20, 2012, 11:09 am
I swear this community has the tightest neighbourhood watch program! We must know who you were – if you wrote in and what about – and whether you sent an update! It’s kind of sweet actually that we all end up caring about what are really strangers on the internet.
Speaking of an update – did all the kiddies end up getting toys last week @theattack? or did I miss the update?
csp December 21, 2012, 11:13 am
I was cporoski. tbh, it was a username of mine and thought that wasn’t smart so I changed it.
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 11:04 am
Who were you? I was spaceboy. (I wish.)
GatorGirl December 20, 2012, 11:08 am
I’ve thought about changing mine. I feel like I’ve given so much of my idenity away on here if a friend or family member came across DW I would be outted!
ktfran December 20, 2012, 11:14 am
Right? I’m pretty sure friends who I’ve told about this site could guess who I was.
lemongrass December 20, 2012, 1:20 pm
It’s the only reason I don’t tell people about this site. I don’t want to stop giving way too much info about my sex life.
ktfran December 20, 2012, 2:05 pm
yeah, I don’t talk about it much either anymore. so, i hope i’m in the clear.
GatorGirl December 20, 2012, 4:18 pm
I talk about it to my fiance all the time. But am trying to keep my name secret from him only because I divulge so many things I usually only tell him to y’all.
lemongrass December 20, 2012, 4:44 pm
Oh I talk to my husband about DW. Mostly because it’s all I pretty much do anymore, this maternity leave has made me very boring. Dinner would be me asking me “how was your day?” and he would go on and on about the funny stuff that happened at work and unless I said “Wendy called out AP for being on all the time.” or “I donated some money for theattacks kids!” then it would be silence on my end. “I didn’t sweep the floor again today” would be a boring conversation!
I don’t worry about him searching for what I write though. He’s really not into computers at all. Like 2 finger types on the keyboard and I read his emails aloud to him!
paperheart220 December 20, 2012, 1:33 pm
I’ve thought about changing mine, for the same reason! I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s slightly paranoid. Haha 🙂
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 11:14 am
Sneaky! Also, my mind is blown. I thought when people change their usernames, they usually give us a heads-up. Like, “oh, by the way, I used to be________.” I remember when IWTTS changed her name, but it didn’t confuse me for that long, since she was still using her pretty face as her same avatar (I believe?)
Classic December 20, 2012, 11:34 am
Is ISeeShiny still here? I liked ISeeShiny with the really cute avatar pictures.
FireStar December 20, 2012, 11:18 am
Unrelated: can anyone else post in the forum? It keeps rejecting me by telling me:
bbPress ANTISPAM: Spam IP!
which kind of hurts my feelings….
bethany December 20, 2012, 11:22 am
I “posted” twice this morning, but then neither of them showed up 🙁
jlyfsh December 20, 2012, 11:27 am
it’s telling me the same thing, i really wanted to tell daisy how cute her new dog was! 🙂
FireStar December 20, 2012, 11:42 am
me too!!!
JK December 20, 2012, 11:34 am
I managed to post (to tell Daisy how cute her dog is), but it was really early, maybe something happened after that? They are awfully quiet.
daisy December 21, 2012, 6:12 am
Great post, JK! 😉
anonymous December 20, 2012, 11:53 am
Yeah happened to me too, I was trying to make a post.
Wendy December 20, 2012, 12:47 pm
I activated an anti-spam plugin and that’s must have what did it. I have deactivated it now so everyone should be able to post again. I’ll have to figure out what to do about all the spam though. Ugh.
bethany December 20, 2012, 12:54 pm
I just did a test, and it looks like it’s working again!
Thank God.
thewriteway December 20, 2012, 1:01 pm
Phew…glad my letter didn’t make it on here in a way (I was the one who liked the guy with a girlfriend…but I’m the one from May, not the more recent one from the grad school student) because I acted like such an idiot back then I’d hate to have everyone re-read it and remind me how stupid I was, even if I deserve it. That said, I don’t think I would’ve ever cut the guy off if I hadn’t written in and subsequently joined the forums, getting a big helping hand from Fabelle especially. So hey…progress!
I also just got a promotion at work, and I’ll be starting that in the new year, so it’s safe to say I have other things to focus on these days, which means I’m happier as a whole. Still don’t have a guy of any sort…I did talk to a few this year, but nothing has panned out yet. Maybe in 2013?
Fabelle December 20, 2012, 2:40 pm
Aww, glad I could help! (Also, not gonna lie, it feels great getting shout-outed.. haha) Congrats on your promotion & I wish you luck in the guy-arena for the new year 🙂
Addie Pray December 20, 2012, 4:00 pm
Hey, which article was the one that started the riot re: generalization of the 80s generation? That was one of my favorite riots/discussions of all times! I felt like the riot trickled over into several posts. … It was hard to put out that forest fire for sure!
Anyone know how to find it? I’ll give you $5 if you post a link to it here. I want to re-read, for shits and giggles.
JK December 20, 2012, 4:08 pm
http://dearwendy.com/its-a-generational-thing/
That one? Google is your friend, AP. Don´t forget. 🙂
lets_be_honest December 20, 2012, 4:25 pm
Damn that was a crazy one! I just skimmed it. I used the F word! Such a bad ass I am. And Wendy was all ‘get the hell off DW’ to someone (paraphrasing).
Wendy December 20, 2012, 5:15 pm
Oy, that was an important lesson for me: don’t alienate 90% of your readership by calling them a bunch of babies. I lost some loyal readers with that mess.
JK December 20, 2012, 5:50 pm
FWIW us 70s babies have your back totally, Wendy. 🙂
lemongrass December 20, 2012, 6:12 pm
As an 80’s baby- you still have me! But I don’t fit into the stereotype so it doesn’t offend me. For example, we paid $1300 off of our car loan this month! That is a significant chunk of our income but I loooooove paying off big chunks of debt. Then I can enjoy going out without thinking about how that money would be better spent. I do think that a lot of my generation would rather pay their debts off slower and “enjoy” their lives more or take money from their parents to pay off their debt (my ex, main reason why he’s my ex) but I think it’s sexy when a person makes smart financial decisions.
thewriteway December 20, 2012, 7:30 pm
I so feel the same way about paying off debt. In fact, when I found out what my raise was going to be with my promotion, I was actually PUMPED figuring out how much more money I can start putting towards my school loans and other credit card bills. I paid something every month as it is, but now I feel comfortable making more leeway on it, which will give me time to enjoy the finer things in life. (I’m not materialistic, for the record, but I do enjoy a certain lifestyle which requires a decent amount of money.)