My mom's up in Rhode Island for a couple days so we can hammer the last big pieces into place with our planning.
I went for my dress fitting this morning - which was again much less painful (aside from a pin scratch that had me slightly bleeding a bit onto the dress at my armpit. *sigh* They said they could easily get it out.
Anyway... here's the pinned, but not yet ironed first photos of me in my dress, realizing how oddly surreal this all is - and how very real it's going to be in less than three months:
http://pics.livejournal.com/measi/gallery/0000eatp
After my fitting, we waited around the house for my mom to arrive - then headed to North Providence to meet with a potential florist. And all three of us REALLY liked her. She's done several weddings at Mount Hope Farm before, so she knows their restrictions (no loose petals for flower girls, etc), and immediately was talking about things that we could use at the ceremony and then reuse for the reception - which of course my mom loved hearing... a florist who's thinking of ways to get the most out of the flowers.
We then went for dinner in Federal Hill (the Italian neighborhood in Providence) and stuffed ourselves full of incredibly yummy food. During which time, the following conversation took place:
Mom asks "So did you get your shoes?"
"Yep." (I hadn't planned on telling her that I wasn't wearing wedding shoes... surprise her on the day in case she hates the idea)
"You didn't buy them when we bought your dress, though, right? What did you get? Ballet slippers?"
"No- but they're flat."
"Oh, okay. And comfy, I hope?"
"Oh yes."
"Please tell me you're not wearing Doc Martens."
"No - too clunky. Love them, but I'd be clomping."
"You got Mary Janes."
"Nope."
"Oh, I don't know - Converse high-tops then?"
*this would be where I stare at her in amusement, and Erich just starts laughing.*
She got it in three.
And surprisingly LOVES the idea, particularly for my ankle support, and immediately started suggesting I doll them up with organza ribbons for shoelaces (which is what I was planning to do to anyway) and flowers or bows on the toes. *snicker*.
Tomorrow - we will eat cake! Lots of cake! And then go see another florist down in the area where the cake maker is - although we really did like today's florist a LOT.
And my invites are here - eep!
28 June 2007
24 June 2007
Busy, fun-filled weekend
The weather was beautiful, and we made good use of it.
Yesterday, Erich and I headed up to New Hampshire to visit Erich's dad. He moved up there a bit over a year ago, but between work hell, the insanity of weddings last year, and then our own wedding planning, we just hadn't been up there at all to see his new condo.
It's absolutely lovely. It's in an old Catholic boarding school - four stories high, and looking like all of those old academy schools you see in the movies - complete with the huge rolling lawn and gigantic brick facade. Erich's dad has about 1,500 square feet of living space - beautifully open and a great floorplan. On the main floor of the building, the front entrance hall has been wonderfully restored with white marble, columns and stained glass. And the original ballroom (with stage) was restored, as well as the side parlour room off of it, which now is a billiard room and public big-screen TV room.
I did quite well through two games of billiards. By the second game, my game was coming back to me. :)
We had a huge lunchtime feast of lobster bisque, three different types of lobster tails, and coleslaw (something to counter the mass quantities of butter). Added to that was a homemade pitcher of sangria, and we were quite happy people. :)
Around seven, we decided to venture out for dinner. We stopped at a little roadside pizza & subs place - very good (and just what was needed after the lunch, honestly), followed by ice cream. And then Erich and I did the two-hour trek home... finally arriving at our house at about 10:45.
At which time I immediately jumped online and watched The Sound of Drums - because I am a dork and am addicted to Doctor Who. (and this episode will be broadcast in the States the weekend of my wedding... so I'd rather watch it now.) The episode kept ideas brimming in my head until about 2:30, when I finally forced myself upstairs to get some sleep.
And then proceeded to have my first "wedding nightmare," in which the new aliens from the episode that evening attacked my reception.
Like I said - I am a dork.
*ahem*
Anyway...
Today we puttered around for the morning, and then headed out to reclaim the yard a bit. Erich caught up on mowing and some hedge trimming (our driveway was getting a tad narrow). I finished planting my impatiens in the front bed that's been weed-ridden since we moved into the house. I planted some hostas in it a couple weeks ago for permanent plants. There are four of them- all different varieties of hostas for textures and such, and they should get to about 2x2x2 feet by the time they're matured. For now there's a ton of extra space, so the impatiens add some color. I'm hoping that they'll become the absolutely lovely bushels of blooms that impatiens tend to become - although I'm worried the sun in that spot might be a bit too bright for both types of plants. We'll see. In any case, post-wedding this year I plan to put some bulbs in the ground in that bed for next spring. And possibly next spring we'll add a couple of smaller bushes behind the hostas for variety and height.
In any case - it's something, rather than the weed-filled patch that it was. :)
My hydrangeas are now blooming - mostly still those tiny premature green balls of blooms, but one is starting to hint that they'll be coming out a lilac purple again this year. Our dwarf lilac bushes are now in full bloom and smell AMAZING. They just have this incredibly sweet smell that fills the air without being overpowering... just little wafts of scent on the breeze. Except in the sunroom, where the smell is just everywhere and to die for.
So now I'm doing some direly needed cleaning on my computer - between Doctor Who, X-Files, and random David Tennant avi files, my 200 gig computer is about to burst. Writable DVDs are currently my best friends in the world. :)
It's been a good weekend. Productive, but fun. Can't ask for better than that!
Yesterday, Erich and I headed up to New Hampshire to visit Erich's dad. He moved up there a bit over a year ago, but between work hell, the insanity of weddings last year, and then our own wedding planning, we just hadn't been up there at all to see his new condo.
It's absolutely lovely. It's in an old Catholic boarding school - four stories high, and looking like all of those old academy schools you see in the movies - complete with the huge rolling lawn and gigantic brick facade. Erich's dad has about 1,500 square feet of living space - beautifully open and a great floorplan. On the main floor of the building, the front entrance hall has been wonderfully restored with white marble, columns and stained glass. And the original ballroom (with stage) was restored, as well as the side parlour room off of it, which now is a billiard room and public big-screen TV room.
I did quite well through two games of billiards. By the second game, my game was coming back to me. :)
We had a huge lunchtime feast of lobster bisque, three different types of lobster tails, and coleslaw (something to counter the mass quantities of butter). Added to that was a homemade pitcher of sangria, and we were quite happy people. :)
Around seven, we decided to venture out for dinner. We stopped at a little roadside pizza & subs place - very good (and just what was needed after the lunch, honestly), followed by ice cream. And then Erich and I did the two-hour trek home... finally arriving at our house at about 10:45.
At which time I immediately jumped online and watched The Sound of Drums - because I am a dork and am addicted to Doctor Who. (and this episode will be broadcast in the States the weekend of my wedding... so I'd rather watch it now.) The episode kept ideas brimming in my head until about 2:30, when I finally forced myself upstairs to get some sleep.
And then proceeded to have my first "wedding nightmare," in which the new aliens from the episode that evening attacked my reception.
Like I said - I am a dork.
*ahem*
Anyway...
Today we puttered around for the morning, and then headed out to reclaim the yard a bit. Erich caught up on mowing and some hedge trimming (our driveway was getting a tad narrow). I finished planting my impatiens in the front bed that's been weed-ridden since we moved into the house. I planted some hostas in it a couple weeks ago for permanent plants. There are four of them- all different varieties of hostas for textures and such, and they should get to about 2x2x2 feet by the time they're matured. For now there's a ton of extra space, so the impatiens add some color. I'm hoping that they'll become the absolutely lovely bushels of blooms that impatiens tend to become - although I'm worried the sun in that spot might be a bit too bright for both types of plants. We'll see. In any case, post-wedding this year I plan to put some bulbs in the ground in that bed for next spring. And possibly next spring we'll add a couple of smaller bushes behind the hostas for variety and height.
In any case - it's something, rather than the weed-filled patch that it was. :)
My hydrangeas are now blooming - mostly still those tiny premature green balls of blooms, but one is starting to hint that they'll be coming out a lilac purple again this year. Our dwarf lilac bushes are now in full bloom and smell AMAZING. They just have this incredibly sweet smell that fills the air without being overpowering... just little wafts of scent on the breeze. Except in the sunroom, where the smell is just everywhere and to die for.
So now I'm doing some direly needed cleaning on my computer - between Doctor Who, X-Files, and random David Tennant avi files, my 200 gig computer is about to burst. Writable DVDs are currently my best friends in the world. :)
It's been a good weekend. Productive, but fun. Can't ask for better than that!
AFI's Top 100 Movies
So... out of AFI's top 100 movies of all time, the ones in bold are the ones I've seen...
1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.
2. "The Godfather," 1972.
3. "Casablanca," 1942.
4. "Raging Bull," 1980.
5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.
6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.
7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.
8. "Schindler's List," 1993.
9. "Vertigo," 1958.
10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.
11. "City Lights," 1931.
12. "The Searchers," 1956.
13. "Star Wars," 1977.
14. "Psycho," 1960.
15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.
16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.
17. "The Graduate," 1967.
18. "The General," 1927.
19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.
20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.
21. "Chinatown," 1974.
22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.
23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.
24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.
25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.
26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.
27. "High Noon," 1952.
28. "All About Eve," 1950.
29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.
30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.
31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.
32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.
33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.
34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.
35. "Annie Hall," 1977.
36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.
37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.
38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.
39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.
40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.
41. "King Kong," 1933.
42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.
43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.
44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.
45. "Shane," 1953.
46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.
47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.
48. "Rear Window," 1954.
49. "Intolerance," 1916.
50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.
51. "West Side Story," 1961.
52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.
53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.
55. "North by Northwest," 1959.
56. "Jaws," 1975.
57. "Rocky," 1976.
58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.
59. "Nashville," 1975.
60. "Duck Soup," 1933.
61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.
62. "American Graffiti," 1973.
63. "Cabaret," 1972.
64. "Network," 1976.
65. "The African Queen," 1951.
66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.
67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.
68. "Unforgiven," 1992.
69. "Tootsie," 1982.
70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.
71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.
72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.
73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.
74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.
75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.
76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.
77. "All the President's Men," 1976.
78. "Modern Times," 1936.
79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.
80. "The Apartment, 1960.
81. "Spartacus," 1960.
82. "Sunrise," 1927.
83. "Titanic," 1997.
84. "Easy Rider," 1969.
85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.
86. "Platoon," 1986.
87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.
88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.
89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.
90. "Swing Time," 1936.
91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.
92. "Goodfellas," 1990.
93. "The French Connection," 1971.
94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.
95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.
96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.
97. "Blade Runner," 1982.
98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.
99. "Toy Story," 1995.
100. "Ben-Hur," 1959.
1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.
2. "The Godfather," 1972.
3. "Casablanca," 1942.
4. "Raging Bull," 1980.
5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.
6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.
7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.
8. "Schindler's List," 1993.
9. "Vertigo," 1958.
10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.
11. "City Lights," 1931.
12. "The Searchers," 1956.
13. "Star Wars," 1977.
14. "Psycho," 1960.
15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.
16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.
17. "The Graduate," 1967.
18. "The General," 1927.
19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.
20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.
21. "Chinatown," 1974.
22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.
23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.
24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.
25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.
26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.
27. "High Noon," 1952.
28. "All About Eve," 1950.
29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.
30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.
31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.
32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.
33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.
34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.
35. "Annie Hall," 1977.
36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.
37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.
38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.
39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.
40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.
41. "King Kong," 1933.
42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.
43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.
44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.
45. "Shane," 1953.
46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.
47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.
48. "Rear Window," 1954.
49. "Intolerance," 1916.
50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.
51. "West Side Story," 1961.
52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.
53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.
55. "North by Northwest," 1959.
56. "Jaws," 1975.
57. "Rocky," 1976.
58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.
59. "Nashville," 1975.
60. "Duck Soup," 1933.
61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.
62. "American Graffiti," 1973.
63. "Cabaret," 1972.
64. "Network," 1976.
65. "The African Queen," 1951.
66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.
67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.
68. "Unforgiven," 1992.
69. "Tootsie," 1982.
70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.
71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.
72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.
73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.
74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.
75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.
76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.
77. "All the President's Men," 1976.
78. "Modern Times," 1936.
79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.
80. "The Apartment, 1960.
81. "Spartacus," 1960.
82. "Sunrise," 1927.
83. "Titanic," 1997.
84. "Easy Rider," 1969.
85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.
86. "Platoon," 1986.
87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.
88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.
89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.
90. "Swing Time," 1936.
91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.
92. "Goodfellas," 1990.
93. "The French Connection," 1971.
94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.
95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.
96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.
97. "Blade Runner," 1982.
98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.
99. "Toy Story," 1995.
100. "Ben-Hur," 1959.
22 June 2007
Plans coming together
Erich and I have been fairly busy with the wedding planning lately. Lots of stuff is getting settled, resolved, or at least band-aided for the time being. Our awesome maid of honor and best man have been very supportive (mostly to get me to stop losing my shit).
But I'm honestly feeling a bit better, a bit more in control. We're now 90 days out. Ninety. I feel like it's tomorrow. So I keep switching between "oh... I'm fine. Really. No probs." and "ohmygodimsofarbehindshitineedtodothat."
Melinda has been keeping me sane via email. I will owe her big time after all of this.
We've booked our photographer - a fantastic photojournalism-style photographer that Melinda found via Craiglist. Her prices are fantastic, and I seriously can't wait to work with her, based on our phone chat a few nights ago.
Earlier this week we ordered our invites - so I guess this whole thing is official now. :) We had a good laugh as we went through the styles and verses available. Some are truly frightening. Highlight comments included:
"Those hearts are too heartsey..." <--- that would be me, while viewing styles in horror
"Stop with the rhyming!" <-- Erich, re: verses
"IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR ANCESTORS!" <-- both of us, big booming voices, re: verses
We decided on something basic and traditional. And autumney.
.
.
.
I don't think my mom has clued into the fact that we're marrying on a Pagan Sabbat, by the way. But I'm having fun with the autumn stuff in the meantime, playing around with the double meaning.
But of course, wedding planning still doesn't come without some stress. Now it's with my other relatives - starting with my brother, who acknowledges to my mom that he received Erich's email two months ago which asked him to be a groomsman, but he didn't read it, and then gives my mom some b.s. "you know, it's better if they call me..."
ARRRRRGGGGGH!
Yes, it's my brother. Scott is being Scott. Scott is always being Scott. But seriously - TWO MONTHS. At least reply to the email that it's better to contact you via phone, for cripes sake.
After all of this, you know what I'm doing for my honeymoon? Sleeping. That's it. Erich will be relishing in the new release of Halo 3 and I'll be sleeping. Wedding over, we'll return to our lazy geekdom.
But before then, I have the Wedding Blitz Trip 2007 to work through this week, as my mom comes up for another whirlwind two days: my first dress fitting, flowers, and cakes. That's the plan.
If we get that done this week, I'm so golden.
But I'm honestly feeling a bit better, a bit more in control. We're now 90 days out. Ninety. I feel like it's tomorrow. So I keep switching between "oh... I'm fine. Really. No probs." and "ohmygodimsofarbehindshitineedtodothat."
Melinda has been keeping me sane via email. I will owe her big time after all of this.
We've booked our photographer - a fantastic photojournalism-style photographer that Melinda found via Craiglist. Her prices are fantastic, and I seriously can't wait to work with her, based on our phone chat a few nights ago.
Earlier this week we ordered our invites - so I guess this whole thing is official now. :) We had a good laugh as we went through the styles and verses available. Some are truly frightening. Highlight comments included:
"Those hearts are too heartsey..." <--- that would be me, while viewing styles in horror
"Stop with the rhyming!" <-- Erich, re: verses
"IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR ANCESTORS!" <-- both of us, big booming voices, re: verses
We decided on something basic and traditional. And autumney.
.
.
.
I don't think my mom has clued into the fact that we're marrying on a Pagan Sabbat, by the way. But I'm having fun with the autumn stuff in the meantime, playing around with the double meaning.
But of course, wedding planning still doesn't come without some stress. Now it's with my other relatives - starting with my brother, who acknowledges to my mom that he received Erich's email two months ago which asked him to be a groomsman, but he didn't read it, and then gives my mom some b.s. "you know, it's better if they call me..."
ARRRRRGGGGGH!
Yes, it's my brother. Scott is being Scott. Scott is always being Scott. But seriously - TWO MONTHS. At least reply to the email that it's better to contact you via phone, for cripes sake.
After all of this, you know what I'm doing for my honeymoon? Sleeping. That's it. Erich will be relishing in the new release of Halo 3 and I'll be sleeping. Wedding over, we'll return to our lazy geekdom.
But before then, I have the Wedding Blitz Trip 2007 to work through this week, as my mom comes up for another whirlwind two days: my first dress fitting, flowers, and cakes. That's the plan.
If we get that done this week, I'm so golden.
18 June 2007
Changing the Pretty
I was getting tired of the other color scheme - I needed to return to my blue roots. Something a bit more soothing, a bit less busy. :)
So 'ere we go.
I still need to add my little mini-intro, my blogroll, and my links back up - I'll get that done in the next couple days.
A couple changes - I'm finally ditching Haloscan, and will start using the Blogger comments. Definitely drop me a line on this entry and let me know if things are working okay.
But yes... everything will be working again shortly. I'm just in the middle of changing... *ahem*
So 'ere we go.
I still need to add my little mini-intro, my blogroll, and my links back up - I'll get that done in the next couple days.
A couple changes - I'm finally ditching Haloscan, and will start using the Blogger comments. Definitely drop me a line on this entry and let me know if things are working okay.
But yes... everything will be working again shortly. I'm just in the middle of changing... *ahem*
14 June 2007
Thursday Thirteen #25 - Being Productive
It's been a very busy week. I'm so ready for the weekend so I can catch up on some sleep.
For this week's Thursday Thirteen, my list of accomplishments for the week (both good and bad). Most of them are wedding-related.
1) I found a wedding photographer! We've chatted briefly through email, and will hopefully talk over the phone within the next couple days... both of us are just having those "gah, can't talk now" weeks. But yes... photographer is now getting setled.
2) All of my bridesmaids have been contacted and have info to go dress shopping and such.
3) Erich and I picked out our invitations. We still need to decide on the wording - but they'll be ordered this week.
4) I had a LONG talk with my mom about the emotional b.s. that erupted two weeks ago. I still don't feel that she gets my point of view at all, but supposedly she's put out the fires down there. To a point. We'll see. BUT, at least two things were settled, in my opinion-
5) I made my first dress fitting appointment.
6) I contacted vendors for my hair/spa day, flowers, and cakes. All still unresolved but in the works.
And for the non-wedding ones...
7) I wrote 1,500 words on my fanfic for a challenge due July 1st. The minimum wordcount is 1,000 words. That was never a problem. I'm probably about 1/2 done with the first draft. I hope to have it done within the next three days, give it a once-over myself for editing/reworking, and then send it to my beta editors.
8) I figured out what the weird triffyd plant is in our yard that has grown about 15 feet in two years (no. Really. - 2005 - 2006) It's called a Northern Catalpa. I finally was able to figure out what it was once it started flowering this week. Between the flowers and the leaves as big as a human head, I was able to narrow it down pretty quickly yesterday.
9) I've somehow managed to lose 10 pounds, entirely through stress and non-eating over the wedding. It's just enough to make my pants feel like they're going to fall down.
10) I covered an entire day at front reception at work without needing a single cup of coffee.
11) I stupidly got in the middle of a cats-figuring-out-the-pecking-order fight last night between Colley and Hoodsie, and managed to land a pretty nasty set of scratch/bruise marks when Hoodsie latched onto my leg in defensiveness. It looks nasty, but doesn't hurt.
12) I bought a new battery for my iBook, so I can start writing during my commutes.
13) I levelled my character in World of Warcraft.
Productive week. Very productive week.
- Mel.
For this week's Thursday Thirteen, my list of accomplishments for the week (both good and bad). Most of them are wedding-related.
1) I found a wedding photographer! We've chatted briefly through email, and will hopefully talk over the phone within the next couple days... both of us are just having those "gah, can't talk now" weeks. But yes... photographer is now getting setled.
2) All of my bridesmaids have been contacted and have info to go dress shopping and such.
3) Erich and I picked out our invitations. We still need to decide on the wording - but they'll be ordered this week.
4) I had a LONG talk with my mom about the emotional b.s. that erupted two weeks ago. I still don't feel that she gets my point of view at all, but supposedly she's put out the fires down there. To a point. We'll see. BUT, at least two things were settled, in my opinion-
- 4a) Erich and I are handling the Unrehearsal Dinner, so she can stop obsessing over it (we're having a BBQ at our house... housewarming for the relatives & relaxed afternoon in one).
4b) My relatives are accepting, in their own levels of acceptance, that we are not catering to their whims with our wedding vows. They can accept a Justice of the Peace ceremony, or they won't. The alternative is for us to NOT compromise out of respect for their religion, and go back to a handfasting. But that's what it is. Full stop.
5) I made my first dress fitting appointment.
6) I contacted vendors for my hair/spa day, flowers, and cakes. All still unresolved but in the works.
And for the non-wedding ones...
7) I wrote 1,500 words on my fanfic for a challenge due July 1st. The minimum wordcount is 1,000 words. That was never a problem. I'm probably about 1/2 done with the first draft. I hope to have it done within the next three days, give it a once-over myself for editing/reworking, and then send it to my beta editors.
8) I figured out what the weird triffyd plant is in our yard that has grown about 15 feet in two years (no. Really. - 2005 - 2006) It's called a Northern Catalpa. I finally was able to figure out what it was once it started flowering this week. Between the flowers and the leaves as big as a human head, I was able to narrow it down pretty quickly yesterday.
9) I've somehow managed to lose 10 pounds, entirely through stress and non-eating over the wedding. It's just enough to make my pants feel like they're going to fall down.
10) I covered an entire day at front reception at work without needing a single cup of coffee.
11) I stupidly got in the middle of a cats-figuring-out-the-pecking-order fight last night between Colley and Hoodsie, and managed to land a pretty nasty set of scratch/bruise marks when Hoodsie latched onto my leg in defensiveness. It looks nasty, but doesn't hurt.
12) I bought a new battery for my iBook, so I can start writing during my commutes.
13) I levelled my character in World of Warcraft.
Productive week. Very productive week.
- Mel.
06 June 2007
Wednesday Updates...
Erich and I called my mother - and got her answering machine. She didn't call back.
Color me surprised. She probably will eventually call back - a week or two from now, citing how she's "so busy." That's been her excuse for the past month or so now. She keeps bringing up things that she "needs" to get for me for the wedding, but never does.
(and of course, when I asked her for them point-blank in an email, she ignored my request and then went on the aforementioned religion rant).
Of course... you know... I apparently have loads of free time on my hands. From conversations with my mother, she seems to be under the impression that I still live according to a college schedule, even though she's more than aware that I do a 12 hour day five days per week - kinda has to happen when you live 60 miles from your job.
And I've only been out of college for a decade now. *snort*
Ah yes... I'm pissy about the wedding today. What else is new? Honestly... other than the wedding I'm fine. But I'm seriously starting to feel time pressure here, and while Erich's trying to convince me that we're fine... we're right on top of things...
and in reality, we're probably fine. But I always panic to get myself motivated to bust my ass into gear.
I'd really, REALLY like to get this phone call out of the way, however - even though I'm quite certain I'll be both sobbing and puking my guts out afterward, based on my physical reactions to just trying to make the call last night.
Whee.
Color me surprised. She probably will eventually call back - a week or two from now, citing how she's "so busy." That's been her excuse for the past month or so now. She keeps bringing up things that she "needs" to get for me for the wedding, but never does.
(and of course, when I asked her for them point-blank in an email, she ignored my request and then went on the aforementioned religion rant).
Of course... you know... I apparently have loads of free time on my hands. From conversations with my mother, she seems to be under the impression that I still live according to a college schedule, even though she's more than aware that I do a 12 hour day five days per week - kinda has to happen when you live 60 miles from your job.
And I've only been out of college for a decade now. *snort*
Ah yes... I'm pissy about the wedding today. What else is new? Honestly... other than the wedding I'm fine. But I'm seriously starting to feel time pressure here, and while Erich's trying to convince me that we're fine... we're right on top of things...
and in reality, we're probably fine. But I always panic to get myself motivated to bust my ass into gear.
I'd really, REALLY like to get this phone call out of the way, however - even though I'm quite certain I'll be both sobbing and puking my guts out afterward, based on my physical reactions to just trying to make the call last night.
Whee.
04 June 2007
Rambling Thoughts on a lot of topics
So much swirling around lately... it's no wonder that I had to deal with insomnia last night. *sigh*
A huge thank you to everyone who has been commenting, emailing, or calling lately... I really do appreciate it. I haven't been able to wrap my brain around all of my thoughts on the matter, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not overreacting on this. I'm well aware of my tendency to do so... and to be slightly selfish. But in this matter, I want to be, dammit. :)
Erich and I are winding down for the evening - watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the umpteenth time. He's teasing me every time David Tennant comes on screen. I think he's feeling slightly jealous for some reason...
(he really doesn't have anything to worry about. I don't think said Scotsman is showing up at my house anytime soon).
Wedding
Haven't talked to Mom yet. Not looking forward to it. Not feeling much better than last week, but at least I'm no longer numb. I'm just very pissed off and very depressed about the whole thing. But I'm so thankful for the people we chose to be in our wedding party - both our best man (Tone) and our maid of honor (Melinda) spent a lot of time this week trying to console, cheer us up, and do some both sarcastic and not-so-sarcastic suggestions for revenge. It definitely helped. Add to that that the rest of my non-family bridesmaids have been there as well... and yeah, I'm lucky to have them. I really am.
I'm still really trying to find any reason to keep planning this wedding. *sigh* We'll see - at some point this week, Erich and I need to talk to her. And if we do go forward, I absolutely need the following things to happen this week to feel remotely sane:
- book a photographer
- finalize the guest list
- order my invitations
- make a reservation for my first dress fitting
- figure out what steps we need to take for our officiant to be legal in Rhode Island
We'll see. But let's just say... I'm much less willing to be openly sensitive to my family's religious issues right now. If it didn't scare me to open my faith up to my family so much (a discussion for another entry...), I would be planning the public handfasting right now.
Hoodsie
We've slowly started releasing Hoodsie into the general cat population. After several surprisingly smooth days, we've started dealing with the more expected growing pains. The male cats are trying to figure out the new pecking order. It's been a bit interesting. No complete all out fights, but they've come close. The hardest time to deal with him is in the late evening, just because he's still wanting to go out and roam.
We're finding that large doses of loose catnip on the floor to drug them all into oblivion is helping tremendously, though. Gus and Hoodsie, despite being rankled at each other all day, are currently sprawled out next to each other covered in the blessed weed, well beyond stoned.
I'm in full support of cat addictions, if it helps soothe the adjustment process. *grin*
Weekend
We had a busy weekend here again, which was fun (and honestly just what I needed to keep myself from brooding too often). Early Saturday, two of my sorority sisters, Masquedbunny (who is one of my other aforementioned awesome bridesmaids), and Whishastar took the commuter train down from Boston for a "Stitch, Bitch & Who" day. Not so much of the stitching occurred, and bitching was actually fairly light this time, too. But lots of Doctor Who. All of the third series to date in a day. Including the second half of the two-parter I've been impatiently waiting for since it was announced months ago. And it did not disappoint. At all.
Later that day, our friend Matt (one of Erich's kickass groomsmen) came down, also for some of the aforementioned Who. Everyone spent the night. We had coffee & donuts, and then I took the girls back up to Boston.
Matt & Erich stayed home to play World of Warcraft, and then went out to see 28 Weeks Later (on which I passed). We continued playing WoW when they got home until late in the evening. Matt and I stayed up to watch some other Who stuff, and I found myself dealing with a nasty case of insomnia that refused to let me fall asleep until about four or so.
Needless to say, between that, the headcold I had last week, and the stress of last week, I needed a serious mental health day, and took one of my Essential Days today.
I didn't exactly get the stitching done I needed to, nor the writing, nor the beta reading. But in light of the week... I'm not beating myself up at all about it.
Lots of thoughts swirling. And I need a serious vacation.
Maybe Erich and I will have to reconsider our plans to put off our honeymoon until next year... *sigh*
A huge thank you to everyone who has been commenting, emailing, or calling lately... I really do appreciate it. I haven't been able to wrap my brain around all of my thoughts on the matter, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not overreacting on this. I'm well aware of my tendency to do so... and to be slightly selfish. But in this matter, I want to be, dammit. :)
Erich and I are winding down for the evening - watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the umpteenth time. He's teasing me every time David Tennant comes on screen. I think he's feeling slightly jealous for some reason...
(he really doesn't have anything to worry about. I don't think said Scotsman is showing up at my house anytime soon).
Wedding
Haven't talked to Mom yet. Not looking forward to it. Not feeling much better than last week, but at least I'm no longer numb. I'm just very pissed off and very depressed about the whole thing. But I'm so thankful for the people we chose to be in our wedding party - both our best man (Tone) and our maid of honor (Melinda) spent a lot of time this week trying to console, cheer us up, and do some both sarcastic and not-so-sarcastic suggestions for revenge. It definitely helped. Add to that that the rest of my non-family bridesmaids have been there as well... and yeah, I'm lucky to have them. I really am.
I'm still really trying to find any reason to keep planning this wedding. *sigh* We'll see - at some point this week, Erich and I need to talk to her. And if we do go forward, I absolutely need the following things to happen this week to feel remotely sane:
- book a photographer
- finalize the guest list
- order my invitations
- make a reservation for my first dress fitting
- figure out what steps we need to take for our officiant to be legal in Rhode Island
We'll see. But let's just say... I'm much less willing to be openly sensitive to my family's religious issues right now. If it didn't scare me to open my faith up to my family so much (a discussion for another entry...), I would be planning the public handfasting right now.
Hoodsie
We've slowly started releasing Hoodsie into the general cat population. After several surprisingly smooth days, we've started dealing with the more expected growing pains. The male cats are trying to figure out the new pecking order. It's been a bit interesting. No complete all out fights, but they've come close. The hardest time to deal with him is in the late evening, just because he's still wanting to go out and roam.
We're finding that large doses of loose catnip on the floor to drug them all into oblivion is helping tremendously, though. Gus and Hoodsie, despite being rankled at each other all day, are currently sprawled out next to each other covered in the blessed weed, well beyond stoned.
I'm in full support of cat addictions, if it helps soothe the adjustment process. *grin*
Weekend
We had a busy weekend here again, which was fun (and honestly just what I needed to keep myself from brooding too often). Early Saturday, two of my sorority sisters, Masquedbunny (who is one of my other aforementioned awesome bridesmaids), and Whishastar took the commuter train down from Boston for a "Stitch, Bitch & Who" day. Not so much of the stitching occurred, and bitching was actually fairly light this time, too. But lots of Doctor Who. All of the third series to date in a day. Including the second half of the two-parter I've been impatiently waiting for since it was announced months ago. And it did not disappoint. At all.
Later that day, our friend Matt (one of Erich's kickass groomsmen) came down, also for some of the aforementioned Who. Everyone spent the night. We had coffee & donuts, and then I took the girls back up to Boston.
Matt & Erich stayed home to play World of Warcraft, and then went out to see 28 Weeks Later (on which I passed). We continued playing WoW when they got home until late in the evening. Matt and I stayed up to watch some other Who stuff, and I found myself dealing with a nasty case of insomnia that refused to let me fall asleep until about four or so.
Needless to say, between that, the headcold I had last week, and the stress of last week, I needed a serious mental health day, and took one of my Essential Days today.
I didn't exactly get the stitching done I needed to, nor the writing, nor the beta reading. But in light of the week... I'm not beating myself up at all about it.
Lots of thoughts swirling. And I need a serious vacation.
Maybe Erich and I will have to reconsider our plans to put off our honeymoon until next year... *sigh*
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