Let me tell you how I'm spending my Saturday afternoon. I'm chained to my computer looking at wedding photographers, filling in my Excel spreadsheet with their information, and trying to find someone that 1) I like, 2) is reasonably priced, and 3) is available the date of our wedding. It is no small project and not the most exciting thing, although I do LOVE looking at all the pictures.
Just figuring out whose photos I like can be a challenge because really, I like almost all of them. There hasn't been a single photographer where I look at the website and just think the pictures are awful. Maybe I haven't seen enough to know what my style is or to even really understand the style of each photographer but my head is spinning. It's funny how things were initially going so fast and I was making decisions left and right and now each decision is taking ages and I often just can't decide for fear of making the wrong decision. I probably should have gotten everything done the first three weeks after we got engaged - I would have thrown flew those decisions!
Alas, I was distracted by all the other things going on in my life and then spent three weeks in Europe and now I'm spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon sitting at a computer, just like I sit in front of a computer all day Monday through Friday. Maybe the real problem here is that I actually have a job and have not been able to dedicate myself to planning the wedding full time. So, what I'm saying is if I could quit my job and wedding plan full time, I totally would.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Procrastination
If I was a professional anything other than whatever my job is now (listen, it's hard to define my job when I'm a paralegal, secretary, head of our internal IT department of one, Ms. Fix-It, the list goes on), I'd be a professional procrastinator (or sleeper). It's officially a problem. I just looked and saw a blog post I was going to finish "a little later" and it was dated May 31st. But that's not what prompted this post. No, it was the fact that for almost a week now I've been putting off taking my quiz for my online legal research class for absolutely, positively, no good reason. Last night I got sucked into my DVR, which was almost full after three weeks of me not watching anything, and decided the quiz might take too long so I should just to it later. Before that, I was tired, busy, going to work on wedding stuff (wink, wink - I'll be doing the stuff I was supposed to do later), and going to clean the apartment. Yeah, right, clean the apartment. That's a good one. I've been using that one for months but only twice since I've lived here have you been able to see all the countertops and tabletops - the day I moved in with all the furniture and game night, which was not a good day to look in my closet. But again, I digress.
After sitting on my couch for almost two hours trying to psych myself up to take the stupid quiz and finding little projects I could do, I finally sat down and took the stupid thing only to find out it took me a whopping 30, maybe 45 minutes. All that procrastination for nothing. This cannot be healthy. I will use just about any excuse to get out of doing something I'm supposed to do. The thing I'm supposed to do may not even be something really horrible, I just don't feel like doing it right at that exact moment so I find something else to do. Something else used to include cleaning but it's gotten so bad I've found ways to put off activities I normally do while procrastinating. And so, with that, I'm off to clean, instead of doing the wedding stuff I swore I was going to do tonight.
After sitting on my couch for almost two hours trying to psych myself up to take the stupid quiz and finding little projects I could do, I finally sat down and took the stupid thing only to find out it took me a whopping 30, maybe 45 minutes. All that procrastination for nothing. This cannot be healthy. I will use just about any excuse to get out of doing something I'm supposed to do. The thing I'm supposed to do may not even be something really horrible, I just don't feel like doing it right at that exact moment so I find something else to do. Something else used to include cleaning but it's gotten so bad I've found ways to put off activities I normally do while procrastinating. And so, with that, I'm off to clean, instead of doing the wedding stuff I swore I was going to do tonight.
Hot Dog Party
The other night I went to a hot dog party. You're probably asking yourself what a hot dog party is. Imagine a sundae bar or a make your own pizza party but with hot dogs instead. Two of my very dear friends, J and E, saw something about all these different types of hot dogs and decided it was the perfect theme for a dinner party. And it was. I had no idea there were so many types of dogs or toppings for hot dogs. Toppings included, but were not limited to, several types of mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, pickle relish, raw onion, sauteed onion, jalapeno, chili, cheese, sliced pickles, and cream cheese. Yes, cream cheese. J is one of the best hostesses whose home I've ever had the pleasure of being invited to for a party. She had all the toppings in their individual dishes, three types of hot dogs, coleslaw, tater tots, sweet potato fries, and sweet potato tater tots. Yum! Did I mention the mango martinis or the watermelon and vodka concoction? Having one of each on a Tuesday night wasn't the best idea I've ever had (especially considering I later found out the mango martini was three shots of alcohol and Lord only knows how much was in the watermelon treat) but it certainly wasn't the worst.
Everyone else was quite adventurous, adding all kinds of toppings that I'm still not convinced belong on a hot dog. I, on the other hand, stuck to my vegan dog (thank you, J, for getting the special dogs for me - BTW, only 50 calories) with lots of mustard, a little bit of ketchup, and dill pickle relish. In that order. They're always in that order. As in, I remember getting very upset when I was about 7 that my mother would even consider the possibility of putting the toppings in another order. I eat my hamburgers (sans meat) the same way but with pickles instead of relish and every now and then I throw on a tomato before the pickles. It's delicious and I love it
The morals of the story? 1) Hot dog party. Throw one. So easy, fabulous, and fun, not to mention perfect for summer. 2) Anytime you wonder if I'm a little OCD about silly things, the answer is "Yes, I really am that crazy; yes, I know it's crazy; and yes, I really have always been like this." At least I own my neurosis.
Everyone else was quite adventurous, adding all kinds of toppings that I'm still not convinced belong on a hot dog. I, on the other hand, stuck to my vegan dog (thank you, J, for getting the special dogs for me - BTW, only 50 calories) with lots of mustard, a little bit of ketchup, and dill pickle relish. In that order. They're always in that order. As in, I remember getting very upset when I was about 7 that my mother would even consider the possibility of putting the toppings in another order. I eat my hamburgers (sans meat) the same way but with pickles instead of relish and every now and then I throw on a tomato before the pickles. It's delicious and I love it
The morals of the story? 1) Hot dog party. Throw one. So easy, fabulous, and fun, not to mention perfect for summer. 2) Anytime you wonder if I'm a little OCD about silly things, the answer is "Yes, I really am that crazy; yes, I know it's crazy; and yes, I really have always been like this." At least I own my neurosis.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Ah Yes, The Wedding
Venue - check. Wedding dress - check. Menu - narrowed down but we need to do the tasting. Yes, less than a month after getting engaged we had a venue, date, my dress, and most of the guest list complete. And then we hit a speed bump. First, it was figuring out the exact number and cutting the guest list. Then it was bridesmaids' dresses (not that the wedding party is finalized or anything), and then it all came to a screeching halt. The entire time I was in Europe I put it out of my head almost completely. Now I'm back to reality and need to get focused again. Classes start back in a little over a month and I need to get some additional portions of that to do list checked off before I'm too busy studying, driving, and sitting in class while working full-time and taking care of the puppy to even think about wedding things. So this week, my mission is to get back on track, finalize all the things I've been putting off because I just don't want to think about them, and put together a plan of action for the next 8 months. Oh dear goodness, I'm getting married in 249 days!!! Yes, it's definitely time to get myself in gear and get a move on.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Has it been that long?
I'm back from three glorious weeks of gallivanting across Europe and can't decide if I'm really happy to be back in my bed, I'd rather be in Switzerland with Ryan, or if I really want to have my apartment and puppy both in Europe. A girl can dream, right? I'll post pictures and stories of our adventures later, but I need to finish going through the thousands, yes thousands, of pictures before I post any. To say we had an amazing time is an understatement. The worst part is the first few days seemed to last forever because we were able to fit so much in and I was certain it would feel like the longest vacation ever. Then, I blinked and it was time for me to pack for the trip back home.
Ryan will be gone for another two weeks and I'm sad I'll be missing more adventures but I was ready to come back. I missed our puppy, my nice big bed with my uber comfy mattress and fabulous sheets, and my garden tub. Believe it or not, a shower head in the corner of the bathroom (no shower curtain, no tub, no anything other than the fixtures to turn the water on and the shower head) gets real old, real fast. And so it's back to reality for me, starting with work bright and early this morning after a 4:30 wake-up lick from Isabella.
Ryan will be gone for another two weeks and I'm sad I'll be missing more adventures but I was ready to come back. I missed our puppy, my nice big bed with my uber comfy mattress and fabulous sheets, and my garden tub. Believe it or not, a shower head in the corner of the bathroom (no shower curtain, no tub, no anything other than the fixtures to turn the water on and the shower head) gets real old, real fast. And so it's back to reality for me, starting with work bright and early this morning after a 4:30 wake-up lick from Isabella.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Lists
I have a list for just about everything, even a to do list that includes things like "complete wedding to do list." Yes, making to do lists is on my to do list. Neurotic? Perhaps, but if I don't have something on a list or in my planner, it's not happening. Take for example, the doctor's appointment I told my surgeon on Tuesday that I would make. Did I call her office right back? Of course not. Did I call them on Wednesday? Don't be silly. It took my co-worker asking me how everything was going for me to remember that I was supposed to put calling the doctor's office on my to do list on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday, for me to finally add it to the list and before the ink in my planner had dried, I was placing the phone call.
When I was younger, I used to get so excited when the school supplies list came out. I would rush to the mailbox every afternoon beginning about a month before school started until I had the list in hand. Visions of sugar plum fairies never danced in my head, I had dreams filled with Lisa Frank folders, pens of every color, and precisely sharpened pencils instead.
Then there were my packing lists. The entire week before we would go on vacation, I would pack and re-pack my suitcase, carefully selecting my favorite outfits then stealing them out of the suitcase so I could wear them before we left. Sometimes before I began this packing ritual, but usually after, I would sit down and write a detailed list of everything I needed then double-check what was in my suitcase against the list I had. I was 8 and my mom would usually go through everything anyway but I wanted to be prepared.
As you can see, I've never met a list I didn't like. Or at least I never thought I would, until I met The Guest List. Those who have planned a wedding know what I'm talking about. You hem and haw over a number, the type of wedding you want, the possible venues, the cost of it all, and you start making decisions. We have a venue we like that works nicely with the "b" word (it's one of the worst words in the English language and although I occasionally use it, I try not to even think it too often) and affords us the atmosphere we want, a view of the water, and delicious food. We have a number of invites we'd like to send out and my portion of the list has been neatly trimmed and I'm comfortable with it. Then, there are the other portions of the list. Portions of the list that might be longer than the allotted number of invites for that section, which include people that have similar relationships to those that have been cut from other portions of the list, which leads to other people wanting to add those people back onto their list. And the snowball continues. Suddenly I find myself preparing to calmly, rationally explain that the lists will be cut or we will be eloping and no one will be on anyone's list. Finally my dreams of a Vegas wedding and all my closest friends receiving the "Vegas, black dress, 12 hours" phone call and rushing to catch a flight to meet us could come true! If only Daisy wouldn't then hunt me down and make good on all her threats should I ever actually go through with it.
This is not the end of the world. We are celebrating a happy occasion and no one needs to lose their mind over it. In situations like these, I find it best to make a list, and so for tonight's list of things to do, we're adding "cut The List."
When I was younger, I used to get so excited when the school supplies list came out. I would rush to the mailbox every afternoon beginning about a month before school started until I had the list in hand. Visions of sugar plum fairies never danced in my head, I had dreams filled with Lisa Frank folders, pens of every color, and precisely sharpened pencils instead.
Then there were my packing lists. The entire week before we would go on vacation, I would pack and re-pack my suitcase, carefully selecting my favorite outfits then stealing them out of the suitcase so I could wear them before we left. Sometimes before I began this packing ritual, but usually after, I would sit down and write a detailed list of everything I needed then double-check what was in my suitcase against the list I had. I was 8 and my mom would usually go through everything anyway but I wanted to be prepared.
As you can see, I've never met a list I didn't like. Or at least I never thought I would, until I met The Guest List. Those who have planned a wedding know what I'm talking about. You hem and haw over a number, the type of wedding you want, the possible venues, the cost of it all, and you start making decisions. We have a venue we like that works nicely with the "b" word (it's one of the worst words in the English language and although I occasionally use it, I try not to even think it too often) and affords us the atmosphere we want, a view of the water, and delicious food. We have a number of invites we'd like to send out and my portion of the list has been neatly trimmed and I'm comfortable with it. Then, there are the other portions of the list. Portions of the list that might be longer than the allotted number of invites for that section, which include people that have similar relationships to those that have been cut from other portions of the list, which leads to other people wanting to add those people back onto their list. And the snowball continues. Suddenly I find myself preparing to calmly, rationally explain that the lists will be cut or we will be eloping and no one will be on anyone's list. Finally my dreams of a Vegas wedding and all my closest friends receiving the "Vegas, black dress, 12 hours" phone call and rushing to catch a flight to meet us could come true! If only Daisy wouldn't then hunt me down and make good on all her threats should I ever actually go through with it.
This is not the end of the world. We are celebrating a happy occasion and no one needs to lose their mind over it. In situations like these, I find it best to make a list, and so for tonight's list of things to do, we're adding "cut The List."
Friday, May 27, 2011
Engaged!!!
Ryan whisked me off for a surprise trip to NYC two weeks ago today and although the shock of the destination took about a year off my life, it was fabulous. I knew the trip was coming up but I had no idea we were even getting on a plane. My fabulous mother might have let it slip that Ryan was going to my parents' house one night in late March without me. Oops. Apparently the fact Ryan had called my parents to set up a time to go over and talk to my parents alone on a night I'm in class didn't cause her to think I might not know about the meeting and she should therefore not call me to find out if she should offer him dinner. Naturally I immediately emailed several friends as visions of diamonds danced in my head. One of those friends was in on the surprise, notified Ryan, and they began attempts at damage control. Ryan finally told me we were going on a surprise trip and he went to talk to my parents because my little brother would be home from the Air Force Academy that weekend and he didn't want them to be upset he was taking me away from family activities.
I spent weeks trying to let it go, not think about it, and decided we were going to St. Augustine for the weekend. You can imagine what I might have packed not knowing exactly what we were doing but thinking we were going to St. Augustine and I could bring as much as I wanted since we would just be in the car. 5:45 Friday afternoon I walk into my apartment and R is standing there with a carry-on that I was instructed to fit my stuff into. Oh, and those toiletries that required a separate bag would need to be put into TSA compliant travel containers that fit into a quart size ziploc bag. What was he talking about? His mother's surprise party was in Lakeland and there's no reason to fly to St. Augustine, it's not that long of a drive. Then he handed me a piece of paper with the weather for the weekend on it with all of the location information removed. And that's when I learned that the high was going to be in the 60s, not the low.
Let me tell you, it is not easy to surprise me. Most of that is because I will investigate a "surprise" until I pull the truth out of someone, find where my presents are hidden, or someone doesn't properly hide all evidence of what they've been planning. This time, however, I decided to respect Ryan's desire to surprise me and I didn't check his email, even though I have the password. I didn't go through his dresser drawers, closet, nightstand, or anything else in his house for a ring, receipt, or any evidence he was proposing or that might give me a clue about where we were going, even though I have a key to his place. I didn't harass people or try and trick them into giving me clues. I really let it go as much as I possibly could and tried really hard not to think about. Still, it's pretty impressive he managed to shock me as much as he did.
Once the shock wore off, the color returned to my face, and the panic about not having the right outfits packed subsided, I settled into my seat on the plane and just let myself enjoy the ride. We walked through the City and Grand Central on our way to Times Square, hopped a red double decker bus past the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty and took the ferry to see Lady Liberty herself. Ryan had purchased tickets for the pedestal and we took the elevator up to the base of the statue (it's a few too many stairs for my left knee). The view was incredible and I loved every minute of it. Then we headed back down the stairs and outside but we weren't quite all the way down to ground level. It was so peaceful with no one standing around, Ryan and I enjoyed a moment to ourselves. Suddenly, he was pulling his keys out of his pocket and twisting something off his key ring. Could it be? No. He isn't. Is he? Really? The whole moment was so surreal. As he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, I didn't even let him finish the question before I said, "Oh my goodness, YES!!!" and thrust my left hand out for him to slip the ring on my finger. Classic me.
We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying being alone, with no school or work to think about, and touring the city. I'm so excited to spend the rest of our lives together. I cannot wait until we finally move-in together, buy our first home, have our first children, and experience so many other firsts. March 24th is the Big Day and while I want to enjoy our engagement and planning our wedding, I kind of wish it was tomorrow.
I spent weeks trying to let it go, not think about it, and decided we were going to St. Augustine for the weekend. You can imagine what I might have packed not knowing exactly what we were doing but thinking we were going to St. Augustine and I could bring as much as I wanted since we would just be in the car. 5:45 Friday afternoon I walk into my apartment and R is standing there with a carry-on that I was instructed to fit my stuff into. Oh, and those toiletries that required a separate bag would need to be put into TSA compliant travel containers that fit into a quart size ziploc bag. What was he talking about? His mother's surprise party was in Lakeland and there's no reason to fly to St. Augustine, it's not that long of a drive. Then he handed me a piece of paper with the weather for the weekend on it with all of the location information removed. And that's when I learned that the high was going to be in the 60s, not the low.
Let me tell you, it is not easy to surprise me. Most of that is because I will investigate a "surprise" until I pull the truth out of someone, find where my presents are hidden, or someone doesn't properly hide all evidence of what they've been planning. This time, however, I decided to respect Ryan's desire to surprise me and I didn't check his email, even though I have the password. I didn't go through his dresser drawers, closet, nightstand, or anything else in his house for a ring, receipt, or any evidence he was proposing or that might give me a clue about where we were going, even though I have a key to his place. I didn't harass people or try and trick them into giving me clues. I really let it go as much as I possibly could and tried really hard not to think about. Still, it's pretty impressive he managed to shock me as much as he did.
Once the shock wore off, the color returned to my face, and the panic about not having the right outfits packed subsided, I settled into my seat on the plane and just let myself enjoy the ride. We walked through the City and Grand Central on our way to Times Square, hopped a red double decker bus past the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty and took the ferry to see Lady Liberty herself. Ryan had purchased tickets for the pedestal and we took the elevator up to the base of the statue (it's a few too many stairs for my left knee). The view was incredible and I loved every minute of it. Then we headed back down the stairs and outside but we weren't quite all the way down to ground level. It was so peaceful with no one standing around, Ryan and I enjoyed a moment to ourselves. Suddenly, he was pulling his keys out of his pocket and twisting something off his key ring. Could it be? No. He isn't. Is he? Really? The whole moment was so surreal. As he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, I didn't even let him finish the question before I said, "Oh my goodness, YES!!!" and thrust my left hand out for him to slip the ring on my finger. Classic me.
We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying being alone, with no school or work to think about, and touring the city. I'm so excited to spend the rest of our lives together. I cannot wait until we finally move-in together, buy our first home, have our first children, and experience so many other firsts. March 24th is the Big Day and while I want to enjoy our engagement and planning our wedding, I kind of wish it was tomorrow.
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