chicago-bound 2008

How Are The Plans Going?

/ chicago-bound 2008, wedding

Today at work, Janet asked me how the plans were going. I sat there and realized I hadn’t done a concrete thing for the wedding since we booked the place. I went to The Knot and went to the checklist. I checked off a lot of things, but the list says I have 172 more to go.

Eeek, much?

Granted, it’s still just over a year away and I have PLENTY of time, but it’s hard not to see such a huge number of things to do and not panic. Plus, we need to find a photographer after all (for the more formal and traditional shots), and there are LOTS and LOTS to choose from in Chicago. That’s a little bit lot overwhelming!

This is what I am tempted to do for the boquets: Head over to the grocery store the day of the ceremony and pick up some of the flowers there. My first choice is an orange gerbera daisy, but man, the thought of dealing with all this stuff is kind of making me hyperventilate.

I got a few sample invitations in the mail. Thank God places let you see samples. The really inexpensive ones from Ann’s Bridal Bargains aren’t that great, and the Mickey Mouse ones are too big. I REALLY like these:

Of course, they’re from my favorite place, Invitations By Dawn. The color I really like is called Tuscan Sun, and it’s the orangy-looking one on the right, behind the light green ones. I can get 50 for $102.80, and 50 response folders (with envelopes) for $55.50. I don’t think that’s too unreasonable, especially for an invitation I really like, but I can’t help but wonder if there aren’t some that are less expensive. I mean, it’s so simple, after all. But there’s just something about the colors that’s perfect.

We’e been getting requests to register. I think we’re going to hit our first store next month, when we’re together for Thanksgiving. We could register online, but then we wouldn’t get the little gun. Adam really wants to use the little gun.

So, I’m trying not to freak out too much here. After all, I do have more than a year for everything to fall into place. No need to stress. Right?

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Making Memories

/ chicago-bound 2008, ronni

The other day I had a realization.

This will more than likely be the last year I get to go to the Ohio State Fair. I suppose it’s fitting, seeing as the first time I went was in 1997. I won a stuffed banana at the “guess your age” booth. So, ten years of the Ohio State Fair. A nice, round number. This year, I plan to take TONS and TONS and TONS of pictures when I go. I mean, even more than usual.

I also realized that I don’t have a lot of OSU-related pictures. Therefore, in the fall, and on game days, I think I’ll go on campus and take pictures of people in their scarlet and gray stuff, and just of the Buckeye spirit in general. I should go this summer too, and just take pictures of buildings and statues and things. It is my alma mater, so I should take some memories with me.

And Cedar Point? I think last year was my last time for that.

I’m getting to the point where I’m like “oh, this will be my last September in Columbus.” I don’t feel sad, though. Just resigned, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean it in a “I’m ready for the next chapter of my life” way.

On the one hand, I’m SO anxious for the time for me to move to BE HERE already. But on the other hand, I know there are things I need to do here before I can move. (Yes, I say this like every week, but it helps keep me focused and makes it less likely that I’m going to jump the gun and do something that’s not sensible). Making those memories is one of the things I need to do before I move.

I’m trying to make it so I’m not just “going through the motions” and waiting for my time in Columbus to end. I want to live the days I have here as full as I can, but honestly, there’s not much left here for me. I’m okay with that, but I do feel guilty about simply “waiting for my new life to start.”

Not looking forward to certain battles I’m going to have to fight with certain people for them to just LET GO already. I’m not a kid anymore. This is MY life and I’m tired of feeling like I need to give up my happiness for everyone else. Aidan’s the ONLY person I answer to now, and that’s how it’s gonna stay.

Werd.

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No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.

/ chicago-bound 2008, money, pictures, Uncategorized, videos

Man, what an up and down kinda day.

I always fight the alarm when it goes off, because there is no freaking way that it’s already time to get up in the mornings, you know? I’m such a night owl, mornings are hard for me. I’ve been like that since high school, so I don’t think it’s going to change. Man, a freelance job would be so amazing, because then I could indulge in my night owl tendencies. As it is, the DAY goes by so slowly…. trudge trudge trudge

I checked my email and had a nice one from adamselzer that made me smile, an email from Southwest Airlines telling me they’d given me my free flight (with drink coupons!) award, and an email from Netflix saying they’d reduced my monthly rate. Wooot.

I got into a brand new dentist today. That was neat. I got my teeth cleaned for the first time in, well, let’s not say. Unfortunately, there is some other work to be done (including surgery) that I absolutely cannot afford, so I won’t get getting any of that done for at least a year. My insurance only covers 80% of stuff (even cleanings—most insurances do 100% but OH not mine!) and I simply do not make enough money to incur any debt (cause there’s that pesky little thing called “making payments”), not that they’d give me credit anyway, given recent events. I have to go out and find a 2nd job. HOW, I don’t know. But I have to. Which sucks, unless I can find something freelance and involving editing. I have a hard time finding retail because I can’t work weekends (I have Aidan on the weekends).

But right now, my goal is Chicago, summer of 2008. That means I need to give up some things to make it there. Number one thing I’m doing is cancelling Netflix on July 15th. Why the 15th? Why not now, you ask? Because they don’t give partial refunds for a month already charged, and they just charged me on June 22nd or something like that. I’m getting my month. Also, I want to give them time to cancel the pending charge for July. I don’t need to see new movies all the time, and if things get better, I can go back. Another thing? Look for a second job, and in the meantime, pray I can write something a publisher will buy.

I have so many goals now.

– Move to Chicago | Summer 2008
– Find a job in Chicago | (no later than) Autumn 2008
– Get teeth fixed | Autumn 2008
– Go to grad school for either 1. creative writing 2. library science 3. primary education| 2009 or 2010
– Sell a novel | by 2010

To get there, that means:
– VERY little eating out (unless someone else is paying!). I’m talking once every two or three months at most.
– No more buying clothes (can’t gain anymore weight!!)
– No Netflix.
– Rare road trips. My transportation expenses are already 4.9% over conventional wisdom per month. Gas prices and expensive mandatory insurance.
– No other unnecessary expenses.

Put plainly, to achieve any of my goals, I need more money. And as money tends to come in slowly for me, I have to figure out how to go out and get it… without getting arrested or something in the meantime.

Argh. Frustration.

But this cool. Look what I got in the mail (click to see bigger):


Woo-Hoo!

And randomly….

One of my favorite Bob Dylan songs:

Weird Al’s Parody:

Night.

PS – The quote in my subject can be attributed to: WH Auden

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