1) Peace about any and all wedding/new job related fears, even the irrational ones.
Serenity now!
2) A clean house.
I'm a neat freak by nature, and usually do fairly well on keeping up with housework, but lately I've been letting it slide. I need to get back in the habit of keeping things clean and organized.
3) A third X-Files movie.
I know it would most likely suck, but I don't care. I'm a nerd. Guilty.
4) The nerve to enter ArtPrize.
ArtPrize is an international art competition that takes place each fall in GR. I have an idea, but the scale of the competition is intimidating, to say the least.
5) To go to on an adventure.
Preferably, one of Indiana Jones-like proportions.
6) Unlimited gift card to Etsy.
Seriously, who wouldn't want this?
7) An end to hunger, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Because no one deserves this, and it doesn't just happen overnight.
1) Failure.
Isn't everyone? I'm afraid that I will never fulfill my dreams and will live my life regretting what could have been as a result.
2) Frogs and toads.
Ok, I know this one is dumb. For some reason whenever I run across one of these hopping amphibians, I just about jump out of my skin.
3) My house burning down.
Ever since I can remember, this has always been my greatest fear, almost to the point of being paralyzing. Don't ask me why.
4) Fire trucks.
See above.
5) Glowing red eyes.
'Cause that s#*% is creepy. Seriously.
6) Driving on icy roads in the winter.
I know that it comes with the territory living in MI, but every winter without fail I get tense and worried every time there is a snowstorm.
7) Losing the ones I love.
No explanation is really needed.
8) Possession.
Again, this just creeps me out. Even the scene in Ghostbusters when Dana is possessed by Zuul makes me shudder a little bit. Forget The Exorcist. Seriously.
1) Lake Michigan.
I couldn't love this body of water more if it were a human being.
2) Spaghetti marinara.
I would seriously eat this for every meal, every day.
3) Going to the library.
After all these years, this is probably still my favorite way to spend the afternoon.
4) GR.
I feel such a sense of belonging in this city. It's home.
5) A good laugh.
Whether it be at Game Night with friends, an episode of 30 Rock, or this; I just have to say, I love to laugh.
6) My mom and dad.
I don't say enough how wonderful my parents are and just how incredibly grateful I am to them for all that they've done for me, and continue to do.
7) Thrifting.
Seriously, it's about the thrill of the search.
8) Awareness.
Whether it be a passion for the victims of genocide or for supporting the arts, being an advocate for something is crucial to ending an apathetic society.
9) The unconditional love of family, close friends, my husband-to-be, and my dog.
Quite simply, without them, I am nothing.
1) I've played the violin for almost 20 years, but have never quite had the dedication to play really well.
2) I have really bizarre celebrity crushes. Topping the list is Dan Aykroyd. I seriously swoon whenever I watch Ghostbusters and Blues Brothers, which is often.
3) Never, at any point in my life, have I changed a diaper.
4) While I like to think that my sense of humor is more evolved than this, I find Family Guy hilarious.
5) I love pop. I know it's bad for me and I want to drink less, but more often than not, I'd choose a tall glass of Coke over chocolate any day.
6) I'm fascinated by conspiracy theories, secret societies, and time travel. (Seriously, I'm not crazy.)
7) In a brief moment of insanity when I was a senior in high school, I entered my hometown beauty pageant and won the title of "Miss Congeniality." I wore a crown and everything.
8) For a majority of my life, my Biggest Dream was to either star on Broadway or be a reporter for NBC. Now, my (current) Biggest Dream is to live in a brownstone, write children's books, and sell handmade aprons on Etsy.
9) I can't shuffle a deck of cards.
10) To this day, I still have to think for a minute if I've actually read a certain piece of classical literature, of if I've just seen the corresponding Wishbone episode.
Crazy whirlwind. These are the only words I can think of to describe the next 10 days. Various wedding-related appointments, job interview, bachelorette party, last-minute errand-running, hoping my dreadful sunburn heals. The usual.
I'm going to be married in 10 days. 10 days. I can hardly believe it. Oddly enough, I don't think that it's hit me yet. We've been engaged for a year and a half, and it still hasn't sunk in. Is this normal? Even with a year and a half of planning; picking out colors, trying on dresses, sending out invitations; I'm still not sure if I've fully grasped that next week, I'll be a married woman. (It feels like I just got accustomed to the idea of being engaged.)
As long as I'm being painfully cliche, I might as well admit that I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster. I'm simultaneously nervous and excited, happy and upset, and sometimes I feel like I have no emotions at all. I'm constantly questioning myself. Am I ready for this commitment? Is life going to turn into a mundane routine? How am I going to (politely) answer the inevitable baby questions? Am I suddenly going to have urges to eat dinner at 4 in the afternoon and go to bed after Jeopardy?
Is this what cold feet feel like? Deep breath.
While riding this emotional roller coaster, one thing has remained constant: Kyle. Despite every internal debate and second-guess, never once have I questioned that this is the man I want to marry. Through every up and down, there is no one I would rather have by my side. He's the Mulder to my Scully, the Ross to my Rachel, the Astronaut Mike Dexter to my Liz Lemon. (Too much?)
All cheese and insanity and cliches aside, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am marrying the man of my dreams.
Phew. I feel better. Thanks for listening, friends. I'm so grateful to have such wonderful people to share the journey with.
**I saw this little gem over at NYC Recessionista. What a great idea!
**I'd like to experiment with a little feature here at my little blogy blog called Between the Bookends. I'll share my thoughts on a few of the books I've read recently. I'm always open to recommendations!
**I'd love to do a giveaway. When I hit 15 followers, I'll make it happen. Tell your friends!
Any thoughts?
Seriously, we need supervision.
In case you were wondering, I did more on my little blog hiatus than just obsess over Harry Potter. Really, I have photographic proof. See?
Heritage Hill garage sales, complete with snarky signs.
A trip to our family cottage up north over 4th of July weekend. (This is really ours, despite the creeping-through-the-trees photo.)
Dress fittings galore! My final fitting is Wednesday in South Bend, then I finally get to bring it back to GR with me.
Bridal showers. I had 2 lovely showers; one thrown by Kyle's family, one by mine. We're so blessed to have such thoughtful families.
Aaaand the HP premiere. The scars are temporary tattoos, not edited in afterward as they totally appear to be.
Also filling my days:
--job hunting (still)
--wedding planning (Is it still "planning" when it's less than a month away?)
--list making (like, whoa)
--reading (so much)
--30 Rock-ing via Netflix (blerg)
What have you been up to?
Obviously, I have been (somewhat) MIA; but it was for a (somewhat) good reason. Well, I'll let you be the judge...
I was playing catch-up so that I could go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at midnight. (And by "playing catch-up," I mean reading all 7 books and watching all 7 movies in the span of just over 3 weeks.)
Seriously intense.
I had never read any of the HP books or watched any of the movies growing up. The exploits of a teenaged boy wizard didn't really appeal to me. Obviously, I was mistaken.
And now, 4,100 pages and 17.5 hours of movies later, I can proudly call myself a member of Dumbledore's Army, as my dear friend Lauren so kindly put it. Can I just say, after seeing the final movie last night that it was so, incredibly worth it?
I'll be back with more soon. I hate neglecting this little corner of the blog world, and all of your lovely blogs. Now, I'm off to walk downtown to pick up our marriage license. (!!!)
Happy Friday, friends.Thanks, Harry, for making this mess that is unemployment just a bit more bearable.
