Thirty second update - ready, set, go!

Okay readers (of which I'm not sure there are any left since I renamed the url for this blog), here's the update.

- we sorta kinda technically broke up
- i just got a wedding planning binder last night
- we've found a dress that we sorta agree on
- there is a reception site. i will have it. the end.
- my mom's almost okay with us!! yay!

I'm supposed to be writing a paper right now, almost done, but there's going to be alot of blog updates once this gradamation things happens!

Sharing the love, or I'm so excited these NEEDS to be shared

Dearest Readers, I realize that I have been sadly remiss in updating the current status of a supposed relationship. As a temporary salve for the many wounded feelings which must be out there, please find the following tidbits below.

Within the span of three weeks, it looks like I've picked up Maid of Honor duty for two of my best girlfriends (one shared, one just me). Seriously, I adore these girls.

Teal Blue and Kelly Green, with gold and crimson accents

Pretty good with centerpieces/favors...I just need to talk to BGRR and head to a florist for an arrangement to take lots of pictures.

We have a site, and it's GORGEOUS - definetely will be sharing this particular story with everyone

I am unquestionably in love. I'm hoping she loves double layer cathedral veils and can at least be sociable with a light colored silk, possibly offwhite. Negotiations might be involved. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/19sil/ho_C.I.69.33.4a-d.htm



And I might or might not have a particular date in mind.

In Which I Really Exist

Because I really do...well, at least for the next three months. Then it's last semester of grad school and even more insanity. Now, I really have that of you this entire time, Dear Readers. Honestly! I kept thinking, "Oh, this would awesome for the blog", or "OMGosh I can't wait to get home and blog about this!!", but stuff happens and there was no blogging. Believe me, I could hear your anguished cries of attention all the way over here in cow country. So please excuse me while I attempt a catchup post to somehow get us to, erm, today.

First things first, we're still putting up with each other. And I haven't failed out of grad school. There's not been much seeing each other, with schedules being noncooperative. We're getting better on phone calls though, the nightly sort. Some are better than others, but not everything's perfect. Please find the following highlights of the past semester for your literary pleasure......

April Workshop:

The Bet: After the workshop, BGRR and I made a bet that I couldn't go a whole month without making references to his follical status, or the giant glasses and/or making allusions to having significantly more years under his belt than is reality. I win, we go on a cruise after graduation. He wins, we're going to Europe for a week...at some point. Good thing I won this one, my patience is nonexistant.

Ahem, and the latest highlight grew out of a desire to make my better half laugh more after a long day of work. Y'all will never guess this one. Go ahead, try. Nope, that's not it. Not that either. Haha that's a funny one - but no. Give up? Okay, here's what I've been using.....

WEDDING TALK.

You heard me right. The sort of talk where you and your beloved work on details for your big day. There's a couple of serious compromise/concessions happening, such as I'll wear an all white dress IF AND ONLY IF he comes to a store with me at an appropriate time so we can discuss the seventy shades of white, the guest list is being topped at 125 people, and we'll be having two ceremonies (one for each of us). I think we're good on colors for now, but goodness knows how long that'll hold.

At the moment, I'm working on centerpieces for the tables. Being as it's my wedding, it's going to be incredibly DIY - well as much as I can get away with in front of my mother. But she (and BGRR) like the idea I have for the centerpieces (and favors) so I can start working on them later this summer. Heck, BGRR's even said he'd work on them with me! These babies are gonna blow people away. No joke.

The downside to all this happiness: he won't let me have white chickens embroidered onto my wedding gown. That's just unfair.

I exist.

Quicky update: we went on our first real vacation as a couple last weekend down to Kitty Hawk, NC. Granted, it was with my mom, but that's okay. It rained all weekend, but we had an awesome time. Lots of cuddle time, deep conversation, and getting back to US *grin*

The topic, in one way or another, most of the weekend: a wedding. Anyone know how to match a bridal veil with a sari?

That's all we're saying on that topic. Feel free to leave complaints and comments.

West Side Story

In my defense, DB and I really do try to have a healthy relationship, with all that lovey-dovey mushy schtuff tempered with a good amount of arguing and the occassional outburst of "I'm not talking to you"-ness. Fine. So perhaps those last two were on my part...I mean, everyone knows the best part of being upset at your better half is making up with him!

Except that I find it harder and harder to be angry at DB, dear readers. I truly do try my best to be horribly, disgustingly, unforgivably upset with the man - only to fail every time. I do honestly want someone to help me with this problem, as I'm afraid it'll have an adverse effect on our relationship. Please find the following evidence below as the latest example of our arguments.

DB and I had been talking about the cultural clash that is sometimes our relationship. To some degree, he's still adjusting to being half-MidEastern and I'm adjusting to being more American. Two hours into what had become a very heated discussion, he was getting slightly miffed at my attitude and cautioned me to keep a civil tongue, or he wouldn't continue talking. In reponse, I just stopped talking to him, with the intention of NOT talking to him until he apologized for being an royal idiot.

The next night, I had curled up with West Side Story and a lovely bottle of Fré. Except he called. And I told him I wasn't talking to him. And then we started again, except this time I was psychologically tipsy and, well, that increases my infinite brilliance exponentially. While telling him that I loved him and he was cute (his response being an amused "thank you......?", the wedding-ish scene in WSS came on. At which point I told him we MUST MUST MUST use these as our vows. He likes this idea.

Really, those whole thing started off with me being angry at the man. See how arguments run with the two of us? If we argue our way through the rest of this relationship, we'll never have anything to plan. Assuming that shared, fervent dream becomes a reality.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's the script....

TONY: I, Anton, take thee, Maria...
MARIA: I, Maria, take thee, Anton...
TONY: For richer, for poorer...
MARIA: In sickness and in health...
TONY: To love and to honor...
MARIA: To hold and to keep...
TONY: From each sun to each moon...
MARIA: From tomorrow to tomorrow...
TONY: From now to forever...
MARIA: Till death do us part.
TONY: With this ring, I thee wed.
MARIA: With this ring, I thee wed.

TONY: Make of our hands one hand,
Make of our hearts one heart,
Make of our vows one last vow
Only death will part us now

MARIA: Make of our lives one life,
Day after day one life.

BOTH:
Now it begins, now we start
One hand one heart;
Even death won't part us now.
(They rise and slowly put the mannequins back
into position.)

BOTH: Make of our lives one life,
Day after day one life.
Now it begins, now we start
One hand one heart;
Even death won't part us now.

Inara and Malcolm, minus the hair

DB's introducing me to Firefly, and despite being of the nongeeky sort, I confess that I've become addicted. So when he came to my place for Thanksgiving vacation, it was only natural that our dinner and a movie evening included two episodes of Firefly, instead of the movie he went out to rent for us. (For the record, dinner was burritos thought of and prepped by my adorable BGRR. A completely awesome idea, btw.) There was lots of deep, thoughtful conversation and LOTS of makeup snuggling Also for the record, I've been going through shnuggles withdrawal from my better half. More specifically, it's withdrawal from the warm fuzzies I get just lying in his arms. That's your sappy moment for this post. Let's continue.... I guess it wasn't unexpected to have this turn into one of those, "aaaaaaaand where did that come from??" moments. We've been discussing the intricate differences between a Companion, and erm, modern pleasure women, when DB has a revelation. Courtesy of the episode "Shindig" and the ball scene.....

DB: You know, you really could pull off Inara. You look alot like her. and then he mumbles something about being gorgeous and exotic which the blushing snuggling on my part
Rose: Except I'd have no Malcolm. You don't have enough hair.

Apparently, I've picked up a new nickname. And he's got another sarcastic one. But what else is new?

What they don't tell you about the deal: being sick

We all get sick sometimes. Annoying little colds, irritating headaches that can come out of nowhere, or sometimes something as simple as a random injury or sunburn. Except for BGRR. Whose bouts of sickness don't really even qualify as such since they last less than 24 hrs a piece and occur every fifth friday on a leap month when there's a waxing moon in the sky. You know, that sort of deal. I hate him, it's all okay, moving on with my life... jealous? Nah, not me.

Saturday night I was supposed to be enjoying a dance at the last field reenactment of the year, except I was in the middle of dying an excruciatingly painful death consisting of sore/swollen throat, runny nose, sneezes that really weren't sneezes and the general achiness of the flu. Now, the fact that it's about -600 below zero outside - by which I really mean about 45 degrees - isn't helping things. So I toddle back towards camp from the dance, feeling absolutely miserable, and proceed to call my better half. Who, ironically enough, is also horribly sick with something of a stomach virus. The kicker: this would be the third time this week he's been sick. Dear goodness, he IS human! And despite the fact that I feel like icky brown squishy mud (the kind that attacks dresses mercilessly after a rainstorm), the most insistant thought in my mind is driving up there immediately to take care of him. Thankfully, this idea is quashed silently since he'd prolly kick my butt for even thinking it.

Anyways, the whole idea behind this was to be thoughtful of the other person's feelings...you know...if you majorly change plans, just give them a heads up sort of bit. Just something small to let them know you care about them. Which is pretty much why the conversation can be reduced to the following interaction....

"Be careful driving home okay, love?"
"Yes, dear, I can text you when I get home if you'd like?"
"Please?"
"Sure...and I'll even promise not to keel over."
"Good, because you know what happens if you do, right?"
"Yes, yes. You'll bring me back to life, and then kill me for dying on you."
"Exactly. And the second time, I'm going to make sure it's a long, drawn out, excruciatingly painful process."
"Okay, but make sure it's extra painful. Don't want people to think you're getting soft on me now"
"Of course not!"

Being sick is serious business in this relationship. If you do become sick, understand that it's completely at your own risk. In multiple senses of the word.