anything but ordinary

Deep thoughts for a Monday morning

I saw a bumper sticker this morning bearing the message:

"Be what you are."

And it made me think. a lot.

At first glance, I thought it was a nice reassurance to simply "be yourself." And then I started to think about how difficult that is... how your self is an ever-changing process. And how difficult it was to truly know your self, accept your self and really embrace your self. I struggle with it a lot, and those close to me are struggling even more. But I thought it was a "call to arms," so to speak... be what you are. don't be ashamed. be proud, whatever you might be.

And then I thought further, and deeper... I found it interesting how the message stated be "what" you are and not "who" you are. Hmmm... that one word replacement can change the entire meaning of that simplistic statement.

Be WHAT you are. SO now I'm starting to question...what am I? The term "what" adds to the dimension of feeling labeled; categorized. What am I, exactly?

I am a person, woman, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grandaughter, co-worker, acquaintance and friend. I am an artist, scrapbooker, photographer, planner, do-er, dreamer, dancer, critic, author, lover, singer, procrastinator. I am all of these things and more.

These are some of my definitions, but only when seen all together do they even begin to define who I AM. But I think that people forget that they have control over their own "definitions" and how people see WHAT they are. Because, while the "who" is somewhat more elusive, the WHAT is seen more readily in our actions, our behaviors. They are easier to express and pick up on, and use to categorize ourselves. Sometimes the categories/labels are not our choosing, but usually they are. And we usually have the power to change any one of these categories/labels ourselves.

I won't get into any mini-vents here that are swirling around my head at the moment, but will say this. You CHOOSE your life, however it turns out. Yes, some things out of your control will happen to you. But you have the ability to CHOOSE your reactions, and thus, your ACTIONS. Even inaction is a choice made by you.

If you are unhappy by what you currently are, you have two choices...embrace it, or change it. When all is said and done... you need to simply be what you are.

I legally changed my last name...

Deciding whether or not to change your last name is a personal decision for anyone who gets married. I decided to go ahead and change my name. It was an emotional experience, surprisingly.

I was nervous all morning, from before I started the process, and even after... I STILL have nervous energy from it. I was more nervous doing THIS than I was while walking down the aisle to become a wife.

I mean, I have had my last name forever, right? As I gave the Recorder's Office the info and forms they needed, I kept feeling as if someone was going to tell me NO or that I was being fraudulant or something...like I wasn't ALLOWED...or being called out as "imposter" or something. Difficult to explain.

 

And then, everything happened so fast. Seeing the marriage certificate in person was surreal. Like...oh...those ARE our signatures. this IS real. I AM married.

 

And then at the Social Security Office, I almost missed my number being called, because it happened right away, and my heart was thumping. I kept feeling like I was going to be told "NO" for whatever reason. And then it was done.

 

And as I drove to the DMV, I kept asking myself...what have I done? Is this the right thing? Should I have kept my name? Well, it's too late now... And then, as I pulled into the driveway of the DMV, I saw one of those "running for government" signs in bright colors...with the last name of the person being the same as my new last name. Seriously, spelled the same way and everything. And I felt calm. Which made me feel happy.

 

Then the whole DMV experience...I tried to relax and read my book while distracted to make sure I HEARD my number called this time. Then it was my turn, and even though the person at the Social Security office saidIi might need to wait till Monday (that I might not be in the system yet), everything was okay and my info went thru. I had to fill out another form to change my address for my car registration, and started to sign my old last name at the bottom... had to scratch that out and sign my new name instead.

 

Then sent to the window to take a new photo. Had to sign my new name again, to put on the new license. It was an ugly signature...I'm not practiced yet. (But that's okay, cuz my current card has an ugly signature, too...)

 

Then, excited, I called my husband. I feel like celebrating.

 

Weird, but this whole time, I haven't really felt married. Keep having little flashes of it... but everyone has been asking if I feel different, and I think about it and honestly say NO. But NOW I feel different. I feel married. I came straight to work from the DMV, and feel like there is a sign stamped across my forehead now, with my new name. I just FEEL different. Kinda like when you first get your engagement ring, and it feels a ton, and you feel like it is a beacon and on show for everyone, and of course EVERYONE notices it right away (or so it feels). This was the same. Hard to explain, but NOW I feel married.

 

This calls for a celebration!

blog banner

So, I've finally joined the rankings of the customized blogging world. I upgraded my Typepad services so I (finally) have the ability to design my own banner. (See above...) There were so many options available to me...deciding which direction to go in was a challenge...what statement do I make? What visuals will capture people? Then I visited Ali Edwards's blog for inspiration...and remembered to breathe...and simplify. Just DO it...simply create. So I did. I'm still working on having the WHOLE image show above... seems to cut off the right edge on some screens... but while the technicalities are being ironed out, please enjoy what you ARE able to see!

wedding day photos

Our wedding photographer posted several favorites from our day up on her blog. Here is a link to see that posting: http://saycheese.redloftstudios.com/2008/05/20/michelle-tonys-hotel-laguna-wedding/

I also have added those photos to an album in the sidebar of this blog (see "wedding photos").

But, in case you don't feel like clicking around, here they are, in no particular order:

I'm MARRIED!!!

So, I'm married now. whew! All the planning and stressing came together in one beautiful day at the beach. Honestly, it couldn't have been any better. I'll have to share all the details later, but for now, I wanted to share the same-day edit preview video that our videographer put together for us. You'll find it on their blog, here:

http://charleslaurenfilms.blogspot.com/2008/05/may-17-2008-same-day-edit.html

donation of scrapbook supplies...

I have a LOT of scrapbook, art & craft stuff that I am getting rid of... I would prefer to donate the items to someplace where they will be used, rather than just going through goodwill. Does anyone know of anyone who might need some stuff like this? (Schools, group homes, foster homes, shelters, etc...)

Most things are gently used... but some are brand new.

Some examples of things I am getting rid of:

1. scrapbooking related magazines
2. paper
3. stickers
4. embellishments
5. stamps

Please let me know if you or someone you know is interested.

walk...turn toward each other...kiss...

These are the words that Tony and I heard repeatedly yesterday. We were having "engagement photos" taken, which, after being engaged for so long already, was really more of an excuse to just get dressed up and have AWESOME pictures taken of the two of us.

It was a fun, but nerve-wracking day. Busy, busy, busy... I began the day with getting my hair styled by Sefe, at the Cartel Salon. I've been going to her for years now, and love what she can do. She made me look like me, but a bit more edgy. I LOVED it! (and Tony loved it, too...)

Then I headed to meet my wedding makeup artist, Berit. I had scheduled my makeup trial on the same day as the photo shoot, so that my face would be "photo-ready." Berit was simply amazing!!! She made me look HOT! She asked very poignant questions to help her out; things I wouldn't have thought of. She did fantastic things with my face...one of my complaints is that I usually end up looking much heavier than I actually am in photos, so she did a few tricks to define my face and jawline a lot more. I could definitely see a big difference, even in the "practice photos" in her studio. She even took the time to change my makeup a bit before I headed out for the day, making it more appropriate to a sunny outdoor shoot (rather than a fancy wedding look).

I left her studio at 2:00 and headed to the Irvine Spectrum, meeting up with Tony in the parking lot. We hurriedly changed into our first outfit (in our cars), and then had 5 minutes to scarf down some lunch before meeting up with out photographer, Katie, of Red Loft Studios.

She is awesome!!! I cannot stress this enough! She made us feel totally comfortable (or, as comfortable as a person can be when standing in the middle of a crowded shopping area, kissing and posing for photos). Neither Tony or myself are the "model" type...so as soon as the camera came into play, we were very aware that it was there and didn't quite know what to do with ourselves. Katie made us feel at ease, giving us a bit more direction than she might have had to use with others... and I swear we kissed more in this day than we had since we first started dating (no worries, though...Katie said that she hears that a lot). It was a bit weird at first, especially for Tony, who isn't a PDA person at all (PDA: public display of affection). It's extremely uncomfortable for him to be the center of attention OR to kiss in public...so, putting those things together, it took a while for him to relax a bit.

We started our photo shoot at the Irvine Spectrum, since it's one of our usual hangouts (and it doesn't hurt that it's got some fabulous fountains and architecture, either...and add the fact that we met there and BAM!...instant photo-ops). Funny how Tony and I spend a lot of time there, but never really noticed some things that Katie picked up on right away. I LOVE her artistic eye! She found various doorways and tile walls, etc., playing with patterns and light and shadows. Awesome!

We even got a few pics taken inside of Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Red Robin, and Champps (where we met and got engaged). Then we piled into my car (quite literally) and headed off toward Laguna Beach to continue. Once changed into our second outfits, we wandered the streets of Laguna. Again, it was awesome to see the creative sparks that Katie has... she led the way as we found various windows, walls, benches and other things to use as backdrops to our photos. One more quick "costume" change, and then it was onto the beach. Sigh...the sand felt wonderful on my bare toes after having been in heels all day... and we were able to finish with some amazing sunset pictures on the beach.

The photos came out absolutely gorgeous!!! Click here to go to Katie's blog posting of our photo shoot... http://saycheese.redloftstudios.com/2008/04/14/michelle-tonys-modern-love-story/ or just click on my photo album entitled "engagement photos" in the sidebar of this blog to see them here.

 

updates soon...

there has been a LOT going on in my life lately...some of it revolving around the wedding, and other stuff even more important. so, my blog is being neglected. i apologize to those 3 (or fewer) readers who might be following my life on this page. i will add spurts of info here and there, but promise to re-vamp the thing in a few months' time. don't give up on me quite yet... 

me in high heels!!!

okay, this is a big thing for me. (and I know i'm a dork, so whatever...)

I headed over to Macy*s on my lunch break, still needing to find some halfway decent (sexy but comfy) shoes for Vegas nights.

I found these and, out of desperation (and a bit of curiousity) thought I'd try them on... and they fit like a dream! made my boat feet and ugly toes look sexy as hell... and even though they are skinny heels (gasp) I had absolutely NO wobble issues. They are totally stable (though we'll see how i fare after a few drinkie-poos...)

And to top it all off, they were on SALE!!! (I LOVE that word.) They were originally about $89, marked down to $50-something, and with a coupon I had, it brought it down to $45. woo-hoo!!!

Here are the shoes... they're Anne Klein.

I can't WAIT for vegas!!!

new items in cafe press shop

Wanting a few special items to wear on my honeymoon and not being able to find exactly what I was looking for, I decided to come up with a few of my own. (Actually, to be honest, the ideas were mine but Tony did most of the artwork for me, so I have him to thank for that...) 

Not only did I want to wear something to proclaim my new wedded status for the heck of it, but also because I have heard that it helps to let people know that you are on your honeymoon, to get some special perks... and especially since we're going to Walt Disney World... I've hear they treat you extra special!!!

The above is a heart design that says "Just Married." Shown here on a raglan hoodie that will be the light jacket I use while on my honeymoon.

Above: on the left is a jersey t-shirt with the words "Just Married" and a floral/butterfly design. And on the right is simply a white tank top with the word "newlywed."

So, there are 3 new designs in my cafepress shop, available on a variety of items (mroe than what is just shown here). And while they were designed with my own personal intentions in mind, they are also available for sale if anyone is interested... www.cafepress.com/chelbug.

new jewelry in my etsy store...

I have 2 brand new items for sale in my etsy store (www.chelbug.etsy.com). I have started to create my own jewelry; here are my first two offerings.

The above is a 7" brown faux leather bracelet with pink beads and a toggle closure that reads "life is good" when closed.

The charm on the above necklace is reversible...the words "balance" are engraved on one side and on the other side is a 3-d design. Green bead is for accent. Includes a 19" brown faux leather cord with lobster clasp.

Stay tuned for more offerings soon...

I got my new camera!!!

but it wasn't quite so simple to get it...

i guess my brother (Shaun - who works with me) had received the delivery earlier, but didn't tell me. i knew he was up to something when i came by his desk and he covered a bunch of things he was writing...

he came by my desk later with a green post it. on it was written the following:

Scavenger Clue Hunt

1.  I am filled with documents that need filed, though only when my master is bored.

I asked him if he was serious...was he hiding my camera???!!!  at first i was upset, but then it was fun...i LOVE scavenger hunts. it was silly.

Following the clue, i went to a filing box we use, and found another post it.

2. I am full of wheat and food coloring and dissolve rather quickly in milk, much to my consumer's dismay.

I found his bag of cereal he keeps here, in th ekitchen. Attached was another post it.

3. Dopplegangers are my specialy, though I have seen my fair share of body parts.

This one stumped me. I didn't get it and had to ask for clarification. I was thinking dopplegangers in the person sense...he was meaning simply "copies" (the copier machine) and the body parts is cuz we're always sticking our arms inside trying to fix the blasted thing! Went there, and found another post it.

4. Full of caffiene and goodness, I am the most popular in my domain. People cry when there is nothing left of me.

I headed to the coffee maker...finally found the next post it on one of the boxes of the most popular coffees used around here.

5. This "circular file" is used for all the office junk mail, and sits below the most awesome person ever.

So I went to Shaun's desk and checked the recycle bin...the last post-it said : YOU WIN! but there was nothing there, and i wasn't about to dig thru the trash...

but he reached under the desk and pulled out my shipped package from Dell...

woo-hoo!

that was fun. and now i have my camera...   : )

new camera!!!

I just bought myself a new camera. Necessary? not really. Love it? ABSOLUTELY!

Here's the scoop... my brother needed a new digital camera and asked my opinion on one he was considering buying. I gave him the thumbs up. He bought it online 2 days ago and had it shipped to our office. He received it today! (Pretty darn quick...) So, I got to scope it out for myself...testing things out a bit. This camera is fantastic! I fell in love with it, myself...

Let me introduce you to the Canon Power Shot SD1000 Digital ELPH. It's a beautiful thing... this is a 7.1 MP camera, and was on sale through Dell for $150. GREAT deal.

My last camera was a Canon; actually this very same camera...but a few models ago, which was bought about 4 years ago. I think it was a 4 or 5 mp camera. good for the time, but quickly became obsolete. I used it ALL the time (carried it in my purse), and it finally just stopped working for some reason. Don't know if I burnt out an internal motor or what the exact situation was, but rather than just have it looked at, I went out and bought a new and different camera instead...and I don't like it very much.

The camera I am currently carrying is a 10.1 MP Olympus Stylus 1000. It has all the "bells and whistles" which is what drew me to it in the first place. more MP, more shooting modes... i thought "more" meant "better." WRONG. A few things I don't like about the Olympus: i'ts complicated to use. I've been a camera fiend for YEARS, so the menus are nothing new. But this one is aggravating. This camera operates on the fact that you don't KNOW what you need...everything is an automatic mode, and you just have to tell it what type of picture you would like to take in order for the camera to "adjust itself" accordingly. This can be aggravating when you are not a simpleton and are trying to correct the "technical" stuff yourself. There is NO manual mode on the Olympus, which means that you have to tweak the automatic modes in order to fit your need. And when you DO choose to use one of the many automatic modes it offers, you have to "okay" it EVERY time you turn on the camera...so instead of being ready to shoot in 3 seconds, it can take 5, 6, or even up to 10 or 15 if you forget to hit the OK button first. Doesn't sound like a long time, but when you are dealing with pictures of children, it can mean the difference between a picture of their beautiful face or a blur of "something" going by.  There are other complaints, too. but I want to get back to the good stuff...

So, I wanted a new camera. And I have been drooling over a digital  SLR camera (the Canon XTi). But at $600, there is just NO way I will be getting that for myself anytime soon...especially with a wedding, honeymoon, moving, etc. that needs a chunk of that change.

But, due to the above-mentioned important events, I also don't want to get stuck with crappy pictures from my current crappy camera (Olympus). I am a photo-freak and take photos on (almost) a daily basis... it's important to me that the photos are good. So...after playing with my brother's camera extensively today, I really really wanted it.

This Canon seemed to be everything I had loved about my old one, but with all the old "problems" fixed. For instance, on my old Canon, I didn't like the lag time for the camera to be READY to take a photo once you turned it ON. This new one is ready in less than 3 seconds. On the old one, I got the motion blur quite a bit...I wanted something to remedy that. This new one DOESN'T have the "image stability" button that some other cameras do, but they try to accomodate it in their own way by speeding up the ISO (shutter speed), and have a "child and animal" (read: fast-moving objects) mode, as well as an "indoor" mode for the same reason. And, according to some of the reviews I checked out online, people couldn't  tell the difference between Canon's remedy and other "image stability" uses. To be honest, that was one of the features I really wanted when looking for a new camera last time...I found it in the Olympus and thought my problems were solved. Nope. I didn't notice that big of a difference, actually.

This new Canon HAS MANUAL MODE!!! (I can hear the hallelujah chorus already...) Seriously, I used to use this ALL the time in my old camera, but it's not even available on my Olympus (boooo...). And this new Canon has a really cool picture viewing orientation-thing that it does...hard to explain, though (but I'll try). If you hold the camera in the normal way and take a picture, then turn the camera vertically to take a picture, the photos would normally be stored where some are horizontal and some are vertical, right? nope. Not only does this camera orient them the right way when they are imported to your computer (the Olympus did NOT do this and it drove me NUTS having to FIX each photo before storing), but on this Canon, if you turn the camera in "photo-viewing mode", the photo will orient itself correctly on the screen so you are able to view it larger. Totally cool...trust me.

Another good thing about this Canon...when you are focusing on faces, it has a face tracking mode, where it automatically "knows" to focus there instead of the random picture on the wall behind your subject. This is a wonderful invention.

Since I had my Olympus with me today, I took pictures of the same subject with both the Olympus and the Canon, to compare the actual quality of the images of the 2. WOW. what a difference... even though the Olympus has more megapixels, the Canon was MUCH more clear of an image. very crisp and bright. And I know that this is influenced by the size you shoot the image at, as well as the white balance, etc. But I am telling you, the Canon is a clear winner here.

So, while this was not really a NECESSARY purchase for me to make (and I went back and forth a lot on this decision because of this...), I decided to go ahead and buy it! woo-hoo!!!

Streamlined Linkings

My "online community" started to grow too much to fit into my sidebar without looking messy. So, in an effort to streamline my blog just a bit, I have gathered all my links onto a separate "page" (see my sidebar) where they are divided into categories.  These are the blogs and websites I try to visit on a regular basis.  If you have one you think I might enjoy, shoot me a message and I might add it to the others...

define this.

In the process of trying to promote my blog a bit more, I have come across several blog directories that I will be joining. But there is a question asked in the "new profile" section of each one...a question that I have not figured out yet just how to answer. The question is phrased differently on different sites, but is essentially the same: tell us about your blog; tell us about you; what is your blog about; etc...

In other words: define yourself and what you share with the world.

I have always struggled against this.  I don't know how to sum myself up in a few mere words. Even to describe my blog. Now, I would like to start changing my blog a bit...adding less "me" and a little more of my "creations"...artwork I sell on etsy, scrapbooking pages I make, etc. But that's just it. I'm always changing... what kind of definition do I give that encompasses it all, but still leaves room to grow?

Hmmm... this one will take some more thought.

marriage vs. wedding...

I've been very very busy lately... (which is why my blog, among other things, have gone ignored for so long).

I have been busy planning a wedding that will happen in 2.5 months. I remember when it seemed SOOO far away, and I got to tell myself "don't worry...there's PLENTY of time." HAH! Time has pretty much run out, and now we're down to the "nitty-gritty" details. I know a LOT of people that go more overboard than I do, and I know others that don't really have their hand in many of the details at all. I like to think that I'm somewhere in between...

I think, honestly, if I had it to do all over again (hadn't already dropped LOTS of $$$ into deposits, decor, etc...), I would do it very very simplistically. Just grab a handful of friends and family and head to Mexico or Vegas or somewhere fast and easy. Simple. Maybe even just the two of us, 2 witnesses, and a photographer. Done.

I had never been one of those young girls to plan her dream wedding as a child,  and so, once engaged, I didn't know where to start. The possibilities seemed endless. And I got swept up in the fantasy of it all...surrounding myself with DOZENS of the bridal magazines available. And since we are able to do most of it ourselves, we could re-create some magazine-esqe details, for a fraction of the cost. However, I got SOOOOO into the idea of it all, that the "little things" got lost along the way... like the whole reason behind this day. The MARRIAGE of Tony and myself.

As I delved into the planning more and more, Tony found himself interested less and less. I wanted him to help more with the planning; he wanted ME back...the (somewhat) sane girl who talked about things OTHER than fabric swatches, thermography printing and head counts. I thought he was slacking, leaving ME to handle all the "stuff" that "needed" to get done; he thought I was slacking in our relationship...spending more time on this one day than looking towards the realization of the future beyond it. He started to feel lost in plans for this one day (that have been going on for almost 2 years now), as most of the details of the day aren't things that he really cares about...tablecloths, flowers, etc... what matters to him are the most important things of all: the vows we will be making to one another.

No, I didn't "forget" about the future after the day of the wedding. But I got lost in all the fluff along the way. In trying to make the day "our own," I didn't realize how much TIME and effort was spent on those things. I'm trying to find my footing back in reality (albeit, a bit too late now), and balance the details of the wedding with the enourmous fact that Tony and I will be merging our lives in a BIG way. I have been trying to delegate more wedding tasks to my matron of honor (who is a godsend, by the way, and has pretty much been acting as my wedding coordinator), and have been spending more REAL time with Tony... talking, talking, talking...and trying to take more steps to create the type of MARRIAGE we both want.

THIS is what is real.

i feel like myself again...

I cut my hair!!! I had ben growing it out since October of 2006. I had always wanted to see if I could grow my hair out long again (once upon a time it was down to the middle of my back), and this seemed like a great time, so I could have long hair in time for my wedding this May.

Well, it seemed like the longer my hair would get, the more I would "disappear." Seriously...I think my "mojo" was in my short hair. I was unhappy with the way I looked on a dy-to-day basis. Everyone told me how beautiful long hair was, but it just wasn't "ME."

Anf yes, I could just have a short hairsyle on my wedding day...except for the fact that I am wearing a voluminous gown, and my head is kinda small. Short hair + big dress = tiny looking head. not cool. I thought I might be able to use hair extensions, but kept getting quotes of them being kinda pricey.

But then I realized that not only was I gonna be seen on my "big day," but there was the Vegas trip, couple's shower, and engagement photo session to look forward to... hmmm... I needed a "fix."

So, I went and saw my hairstylist Sefe, who I've been going to for about 5 years now. She's awesome and she fixed me right up! We chatted for awhile, and she made me feel SOOOO much better about everything, even taking the time to explain different ways to style my new 'do.  We talked wedding for a while, too, and she is giving me a GREAT deal on clip-in hair extensions, so that gives me one less thing to worry about. Seriously, she is amazing. I should have just done this a LONG time ago.

I feel SOOOOOO much better. 

surviving the first wedding registry

Tony and I BEGAN our wedding registry at Macy's yesterday. And I say "began" because we didn't get very far.  Let's start with the fact that Tony thought we'd be in and out of there in 15 minutes (hahahahahaha!!!). And then add to that the fact that I told him we'd be done in an hour (double hahahahahah!!!). Neither of us knew what we were in for...

We checked in at the bridal office and claimed our scanner. The person helping us made some sexist remarks about how I can choose what we get and Tony can play with the electronics (scanner)...I get to buy and he holds my bags. Um, no? At least the woman said a remark stating that she knew she was beig sexist. (And she works in the wedding department? Way to dispel all those myths and lead the way for women's rights...)

In any case...we got our scanner, I got my "goody bag" (which was nothing but a canvas bag filled with Macy's catalogs), I took out my lists I had come prepared with, and we were on our way...wandering in circles...not sure where to start or where we were going...

It went something like this: "o-kay...let's pick some nice towels...here is the towel section. oh, wait, there are some more towels over there. wait...there are some more over there... um, we're in the bedding department now somehow, so let's just pick out a comforter while we're here. ew-that one looks like raggedy ann threw up all over it. oh wait-so does THAT one. hmmm...doesn't this place make ANY solid colored blankets? is this design MEANT to resemble a coral reef? hey...weren't we after towels? where did they go???"

Getting frustrated because we hadn't scanned anything yet, Tony suggested to just start scanning something...ANYTHING. I vetoed that idea cuz I didn't want to end up with 10 random crytal vases for no apparent reason. So I found a cute picture frame and did a vicorious happy dance when we scanned our first item. Right. One item...score!

We wandered around aimlessly from floor to floor...this was a HOME STORE only and there were THREE stories to this store).  All my "prep" work that I had done with my matron of honor went right out the window...the layout of this store was different from the one we had visited before and I couldn't find anything I had liked from before.

It was like a hunt...we saw couple after couple carrying the red "goody bag" that signaled that they were in the same situation as we were...and heard nothing but the constant "beeps" of other scanners around us. Passing other couples, we almost wanted to give them "the nod" as we passed, feeling united with them somehow. However, Tony noticed a trend...most of the other couples had the girls leading the way, scanner in hand, and the guy just following along cuz he had to. Now, I'm not saying that Tony particularly enjoyed shopping for registry items (heck, even I was done at a certain point), but he is a great shopper...he has great taste, has opinions on items, and actually speaks up with those opinions and helps make decisions. Nice.

But, after a certain point, we were ready to just play laser-tag with the scanner instead. Sigh. We found a couple more things on our "list" so there was more than a few pitiful items on there, and then call it a day. We decided to call in reinforcements next time we go back... on Saturday, we're bringing my matron of honor/Tony's sis back with us so we can speed right through the place. Woo-hoo!!!

update, update, update...

It's been awhile since I've updated here...sorry. (Bad little blogger!)

So, here's a quick "catch-up" of my life lately...

On the wedding front, my matron of honor (and Tony's sis) has outdone herself, yet again... she's doing a LOT (most of the handmade stuff, actually). She (and her mother) are sewing 120 slipcovers for the chairs for the ceremony and are almost done with that. She has finished ironing the chair covers for the reception. She is starting to create the design on the aisle runner this week. She put together a few samples of silver ladybugs for me to use in my bridal bouquet. And here are a few more items:

these are the baskets for the flowergirls; they were painted silver and then satin material was added to the bottom of each basket to soften the look a bit. I LOVE that the baskets have SWIRLS in them to match the rest of what turned out to be our "motif."

These are the finished flower arrangements to be used for decoration on the gazebo that Tony and I will be married in front of.

This is one of our tablecloth overlays,  also made by Maria. These are all done.

I went with Maria to Macy's...to get some ideas of registry items to select before Tony and I actually registered for real. I totally fell in LOVE with these dishes, and Tony gave his approval...he wanted to get something simple and white, where I wanted some kind of design. So these were a perfect compromise...white with a platinum ring, and cooridnating dessert plates with a pattern. Well...it figures...the set turned out to be a "seasonal" item and it looks like Macy's no longer carries the dishes. Bummer. Back to square one... we're going to start our in-store registry TOMORROW, actually...so we'll see if we find something we both like (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg...)

IN OTHER NEWS... (moving right along from wedding stuff...)

I started teaching myself how to play guitar. It's something I'd always TALKED about doing "someday" but never got around to doing it. It always seemed like such a daunting task. Well, inspiration struck... listening to my brother and Tony play the guitar together, and then playing the video game "Rock Band" where I played the guitar...got me thinking. And I've been listening to more and more poetic, raw music (where the vocals aren't processed, and the main instruments are piano, guitar, bass, simple drum, etc...). That kind of music gives me a DRIVE to do this stuff myself, you know? And it helps that I've found a few cds of musicians that are CHICKS...so the songs are in my range and stuff I can easily sing (Ingrid Michaelson and Anna Nalick are my new sources of inspiration). SO, I came home one night and looked up the guitar chords to the song "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson... only 4 basic chords used in the song; a good starting point. SO, for now, I have this one song I am learning...trying to toughen up my fingers to push hard enough on the strings for a pure tone; practicing moving my fingers from chord to chord quickly enough. It's more difficult than it looks...but it's worth it. And I am DOING it.

SUPER TUESDAY...

I actually voted. No, really, this is a BIG thing. It's only recently that I've taken such an interest in politics and made the decision to make my little voice heard. It was a bit intimidating, and I think that the people in charge of the actual polling places need to do some work. The automated voting booths they have in place now are NOT the simplest things to operate. I consider myself to be somewhat computer savvy, but found the number of knobs and various instructions posted all over the place to be a bit much. But I cast my vote successfully, double and triple-checking that it was done correctly. I was proud to get that little sticker that says "I voted."

And one more AWESOME thing that happened recently:

I WON an XBox360!!! I had entered an online contest in December, sponsored by channel 5 news and the movie "The Golden Compass." The grand prize winner won a cruise, and there were 5 XBox360s given away as other prizes...and I GOT one of them!!! I received an email a few weeks ago notifying me that I was the winner. I thought it was fake, but nope! After confirming that it was real, I waited (impatiently at times) for the gaming sytem to arrive. It came via FedEx on Thursday night. It came with an "arcade" game (which has 5 games in it, including PacMan...yup...brand new system and we were still sitting there playing PACMAN!!!). Also came with The Golden Compass. And my brother's roommate let us borrow several other games... FUN FUN FUN!!!

Tony and I also talked about Valentine's Day coming up...we're staying home for a nice romantic dinner together instead of eating out like (most of) the rest of the world.  And we decided that we didn't want the other to spend a lot of $$ on a gift for us...and after more discussion, we decided to take whatever $$ we would have spent for a present and put it towards a new XBox game. woo-hoo! We went to a store earlier and found a few games we liked, and since they were used (which means less expensive...) we ended up buying them both...Pirates of the Carribbean and a new Tomb Raider game. Happy Valentine's Day!!!    

Public Service Announcement: Common Courtesies

This is a public service announcement for those of you who should know better regarding certain behaviors in publicly shared areas... but seem to ignore the common courtesies that you were supposed to have learned somewhere along the way...

1. MOVIE THEATERS:

Please do not TALK during a movie. Seriously...I would like to actually hear the dialogue on the screen without having to discern the words through YOUR mumblings...if you'd like to carry on a conversation, please spare yourself the $10 a ticket and wait for the movie to come out on dvd so you can watch it and pause it at your liesure in the comfort of your own home. And if, for some reason, you really feel the need to talk (to clarify a plot point, perhaps), please do so in a whisper, and make it brief. If your words are simply the regurgitation of the simple workings of your mind (and I quote from my experience while recently viewing the movie Cloverfield: "wow, it's bright outside," "that's a funny street name," etc...) please keep your inner dialogue to yourself. It is not relevent. And, if you feel the need to discuss the movie in detail, please please PLEASE wait until the movie is OVER and the credits are rolling. Then you can dissect to your heart's content.

2.  THEATRES: (Note: all of the following really happened just the other night while watching Wicked at the Pantages Theatre.)

Please do not talk. This is similar to the item above, with a few expansions. Since the theatre is so large and the music/words are LIVE, they are sometimes even more difficult to discern. Please do NOT talk and realize that even a whisper carries. If you don't understand something in the plot that requires a lengthy explanation, please please PLEASE wait until intermission to ask the questions/carry on the conversation...you will have a full 15 minutes to catch up. And if you are spending this much $$ on a ticket to the show, please have SOME kind of idea of the storyline BEFORE you come to the show...I do not need, nor do I appreciate, a running translation of what I am attempting to watch on the stage before me. Please be aware of when you might be disturbing others. When someone turns around to look at you, that means that you need to be aware that you are drawing attention to yourself and becoming a distraction from the show. And when it finally becomes necessary for someone to ask you (as nicely as possible) to be quiet, please do not act as if you are the affronted party, or become defensive or accusatory. (Sigh.)

No food. Another thing to note: I think it is a particularly sad point we have reached in our society as a whole when there actually has to be not only a printed notification in the playbill but also a verbal reminder given before the performance starts for people to please unwrap any candies before the show begins. Seriously? And yet, a woman behind me (the worst of the "talkers" and the one I had to directly ask to be quiet) proceeded to unwrap her candy midway through the first act. Slowly. Gauging by how long the "crinkling" noise went on, this thing must have been triple-wrapped...really.

3. GYMS:

Please do not talk long distance. (Sense a theme here?) C'mon, really... if you and a friend are working out in the gym together, that's great. And if you are close to one another and are chatting...whatever. I'm talking about the long distance, I-must-be-invisible kind of talking. During the workweek, I take advantage of my office building's gym downstairs. It's a smaller gym, yes, but still large enough that there are usually 4 or 5 of us working out at once. Well, there are 2 people that use machines in OPPOSITE CORNERS of that gym...and proceed to have a conversation. I have been next to one of them before, and it is quite loud. Because, not only are they talking much louder than normal to cover the distance between them, but they also need to raise their voices above the mechanical noises of the elliptical machines and treadmills. So that even when I turn my ipod up as high as I possibly can (without causing hearing loss), it is still not enough to drown them out, and is that much more difficult to get into the "workout zone." And the other day, I actually watched as they carried on their coversation OVE R someone who was trying to work out on a machine in the middle of them. This is not cool, people...

Please USE the machines you are sitting on. I have a problem with people who just sit on the machines and do nothing else. I'm not talking about those who are taking a brief rest between "sets"...I'm talking about those who bring a magazine and just sit there. And it happens all too often. I am a member of a Bally Fitness, where this happened to me last week: there are only 2 "thigh" machines, one to work the inner thighs and one for the outer thighs. So we all have to be patient and take turns on the machine, and sometimes substitute other exercises if the machine is too busy. Well, I was just about to start on one of the machines. A woman sat down next to me at the other one. She jotted something down in a book (maybe keeping track of the weight lifted, etc...). She then picked up her magazine and just sat there, reading. She eventually reached over to adjust the weights, but then didn't LIFT them and just sat there again, reading. seriously. In this whole time, I was able to completely finish exercising on my own machine (3 sets of 10 reps, including brief periods of rest between). So I stood up and stood near her machine, to see if she might make it available. She still just sat there reading. So I politely asked if I might use that machine for a moment. She was startled and said that she was "just about to begin," but guess that she could move to the other one. So I sat down to begin my exercise. She told me "I really wasn't just sitting there reading." Uh-huh...sure.

4. RESTAURANTS:

NOT a playground. If you are visiting a reastaurant with children, please realize that the rest of us are not at the resturant to play "babysitter" and don't particularly enjoy having to dodge your children as they run up and down the aisles. If you think it is perfectly okay for your children to be running around, please visit a resturant with a designated "play area." And for those people who might be thinking "oooh...she must not have children," no, I do not. But I don't see how that makes this behavior acceptable. And when I dine out with my nieces and nephew, I am an active participant in the entertaining/disciplining/meal-time process that occur when you have children, so I know what is involved. If you were wanting to have a nice meal out and not bother with paying any attention to your children, please leave them at home with a babysitter so that the rest of the patrons in the restaurant do not get stuck with that chore.

THANK YOU!