google me
I find it fascinating to learn how people wander into my blog. As it turns out, my blog is the top google search return for the phrase: "crying bridesmaid"
I'll add that to the resume.
Hey Mom, look at that cool...
I drove the motorcycle to Chic-Fil-A today for lunch. There's nothing like a little peanut oil and waffle fries to clog up the heart pipes.
As usual, the place was full of young mothers and their preschool children. The indoor play area looked like a demented (and crowded) zoo exhibit. The kids were everywhere doing whatever kids in demented zoo exhibits do.
As I finished with lunch, I saw a Rolls Royce pull up next to my motorcycle. I looked it up and down, side to side, while trying not to obviously gawk.
It was time to go, so I threw my stuff away and made for the bike.
A kid--he couldn't have been much over 4-- and his mom was standing on the sidewalk staring at the parked vehicles. I thought, "that's a cool Rolls, isn't it?"
But the kid says, "look at the cool motorcycle."
Dumbfounded, I said hello. My cheap, little engine, bottom of the line, almost get laughed at by dudes on Harleys motorcycle looked like the coolest thing in the world to that kid (and his mom encouraged it). Nevermind that goofy looking $100,000+ car one parked one spot farther.
Well, I did buy a new back tire the other day, and it is pretty cool I guess. I just didn't know it was that cool.
Wufoo
I found a cool tool that's free to use, and I wanted to share it. Wufoo.com makes online forms. Amber and I are using it for the RSVP part of the website. I don't know what you'd want to use if for, but I think it deserves some props.
A Little People
Normally, I would probably elaborate on the smoke from the inland wildfires that has blanketed Charleston. Or maybe I would poke fun at the way Dr. B says "hypothalamus with his heavy French accent" but I haven't the heart.
It's rare that I watch something on a television screen and dream of being a part of what I see. I don't see how anybody can watch Top Gun without imagining that they were the ones catapulting off the deck of an aircraft carrier.
But today I watched this video-- so compelling that I actually felt sick to my stomach and had a burning desire to be a part of the action--as a shield.
Most disconcerting of all is not that there were 8 or 9 men ready to stone her, but that there was none good enough to save her.
Iraq is a nation of little people. Is there anything there worth the lives of our brothers? Iraq hasn't changed since WWI (the setting of Lawrence of Arabia). They fight between themselves. They kill their children. They cannot be saved from themselves.
"...so long will they be a little people, a silly people - greedy, barbarous, and cruel, as you are." -T.E. Lawrence, in the film Lawrence of Arabia
And "little people" they will remain.
Wedding Vows
Amber and I have been working on our wedding vows off and on for the past few days. To be honest, I've never really paid attention to wedding vows in the past. I suppose there are several reasons.
Usually, it's during the vows that bridesmaids ruin their makeup with reminiscent tears and picture-ruining sniffles. I've always found this fascinating, and it's certainly more interesting than listening to some folks jabber about love and some other boring stuff.
Vows are also the part of a wedding ceremony where I become intrigued by the decorations. My mind wanders. "Is that candle behind the crying bridesmaid crooked?" and "I wonder if there will be those wierd powered sugar coated wedding cookies at reception.." an on and on.
It's even more difficult to find entertainment when you are part of the wedding party. There's not really a lot of freedom to look around so options for entertainment become more limited. I've tried to count sweat droplets on the preacher's head once or twice. "26? Is he nervous, or is he just hot? I'm hot. Does talking really make you sweat that much? Surely holding a bible and talking isn't that much work, is it? Maybe the preacherman is out of shape." My mind continues to wander, "Is that bug over there going to make it into the pictures?" "What about the sweat droplets?" Outdoor weddings are even more interesting: "I hope those geese don't get any closer."
But as much as I ignore those vows in other weddings, I see vows as the most serious part of my upcoming event.
Now, I generally try not to promise very much. You know, make little goals that are easy to accomplish. Weddings, by their nature, work exactly the opposite to my usual ways. We promise a lot in the beginning and try hard not to dissapoint.
And these wedding vows involve big promises. You know, things about my whole life, and love, and sacrifice n' stuff. I don't really like sacrifice. Neither does she, for that matter.
We started writing our vows a few days ago, and decided to avoid traditional vows, but we also wanted to avoid surprises. For instance, what if she decided to make bigger and better promises than me? That could cause a problem... at least that's what she said.
So we worked on them together, and the negotiations began.
J:"So what do you think of this?"
A:"No way, I'm not doing the dishes every night"
"Yeah, I don't think dishes should be in wedding vows anyways."
"If I'm promising to never leave you, there had better be something about you never looking at another woman again"
"Who says I do?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Alright, then you're gonna have to cook."
"I'm not cooking every night."
"Of course not, we'll go out every now and then."
:angry stare:
"Ok, then I'll help with the cooking twice a week, and I'll throw in taking out the trash four out of five times."
"What does this have to do with never leaving me?"
"I dunno... why am I promising to lay down my life? That doesn't include laundry, does it?"
"Because, that's what you're supposed to do. And yes it does."
"So does that mean you're going to submit?"
"As long as you're doing what God says."
"Who gets to be the judge of that?"
"OK, I"ll submit"
"I get to be the boss"
"That's not what that's supposed to mean."
I guess "romance" isn't really my thing.
website
Amber's mom and friend came down last weekend to go dress shopping. She found one pretty quickly. I'm glad. Three solid weeks of exams have ended. I'm thrilled.
Invitations have been sent. Our website is up. We're curious to see how the online RSVP stuff works out. We sent out invitations earlier this week, and the responses have been trickling in. I was concerned that the older folks would boycott an online RSVP, but it's been a pretty even split so far.
Next up... writing vows.
Quality entertainment
It's pretty easy to tell when a Murphy has had a good day. He'll brag about the great deal he got on... well, most anything. My brothers have written (blogged) extensively on their triumphs over the man. They get free playstations, ski trips, and airmiles.
I also collected on the airmiles and a ski trip or two, but it was at the urging of my superiorly cheap brothers.
But today, I stake my claim as the best and most successful of the Murphy-cheaps. I've discovered a new way to rent movies... cheap.
The Bi-Lo in Town Center, Mt Pleasant has a movie vending machine, and for $1.49, Amber and I rented "The Last King of Scotland" last night. No joke. Pick a movie, swipe credit card, take movie, and return it in a little slot one day later.
Blockbuster is goin' down.
Health fair
It looks like there's some kind of health fair going on outside the student center. I think I might get my blood pressure checked when the line goes down.
If it's not off the charts, then I'm not working hard enough.
Update: I must be lazy. 116/67
How to get out of wedding planning:
Feign incompetence. Ok, well I tried...
Wedding planning is tons of work. It mostly involves aesthetics and people's feelings--two areas where I am wholly incompetent.
I hear it's also important to pay attention to details. Amber and I were making invitations this weekend, and I decided to try helping. I have a feeling that she'll prefer to take care of things on her own more now... at least that was the plan.