So here I sit...

...on the verge of 2008. Blogging. Ish. I packed. I only have 7 more things on my to do list that I might do...onlky one of them that I have to do before this year ends. The rest can wait. Like making a resolutions list to resolve to not "wait" on forever to get things done. Yeah.

So life is great. But let me tell you this...if ONLY Comcast had some competition in my hood.

Today, I took one step closer to officially becoming Mrs. We combined our phone plan back on my birthday but I just got around today to cancelling it. I was with Sprint for almost a decade. So they were shocked beyond all shocked that I would out of the blue want to cancel. I mean Ms. Henderson...you've put up with our jacked rates, crazy new fees on text messaging and refusal to give you a new phone because you were an old customer for gosh...almost a DECADE now. Why don't we give you a new lower plan and a new phone and clall it good? Yeah...no. I've tried for EVER to get a new phone from you folks for nothing but my loyalty. Even offered to pay out of pocket as a gesture of further loyalty so long as you'd reimburse me. Nope. Only new suckers...I mean customers...get that pleasure. So...he flipped out that I said "yeah no, I'm gonna be a Mrs. and he likes his service (bold faced LIE--all cell service state side SUCKS) so we're family planning up over there. With my new phone. And his new phone too." Are you sure? We can give you more minutes or something. Yeah, cause all the minutes I've NEVER used on my plan because I have an old OLD phone that doesn't work or take a charge anymore will work well with all those extra minutes.

And then there was the car insurance.

Progressive is pretty upfront about the fact that they stick it to you. And they try to make you feel informed with other insurance quotes from other similiarly pricey folks who will also stick it to you. When I called to cancel with them, they were all "but why?" well...I'm getting married and it is significantly CHEAPER for me to get coverage through his policy. Well...you weren't a 3 year customer when we quoted you back in October so now you are and we can really drop it down. I told him he couldn't get it low enough. He said "well how much were you quoted?" A number you can't possibly match. Because if you COULD and you charged me for three years at the RIDICULOUS rate you charged me and all of a sudden a phone call to cancel results in anything near what I WILL be paying now, I'm just going to be even more mad and you'll have gone through all that work for nothing. Finally got off telling him I'm paying closer to $0 than $100 per month (I suck at math by the way) and that I preferred not to tell him with who. Did end up telling him I got the same amount of coverage and I was fine. That burned him up. So I said sorry and have a great day. He was pissed.

Now to call the cable company and move on from them. Unfortunately, there is no one "else" to go through so they'll just say "have a nice boring no tv life...enjoy that HD DVD player" when I tell them I'm going elsewhere. Maybe I should read more...

Happy new year early!

And I quote...

" Well. It depends on how stupid you are."

Did I mention I love him and I can't stop laughing about that one line?

You see. He is a "let's do it now and get it over with" kind of guy. I'm a "I need to get to that eventually" kind of girl. Which means that when I ask him to impart some of his super genius on me, yet I'm in the middle of planning out a "reception" meal, when he asks "Do you want me to show you now?" and I respond "Well...how long will it take?" these are the kinds of responses I get.

And I love him for it. Cause you don't know this, but it was said in the same loving way that he tells me things like how ducks mate for life and how "Pirates" are cool and how I look up and he's doing something he shouldn't be and he has this look on his face of "Uhhhmmm...nothing dear!" that I know means trouble. Maybe tonight. After my heart is broken at the slightly within budget place.

I think we have a photographer. I think we have a church. I know we have at least one reception option on lock. Really...it's coming up so soon!

So plan C

On the photographers. One of your faves (and our's too) Cory is no longer available for our date.

That's right...our date (smile).

We FINALLY set a date for 2008. Want to know it? I know...such a tease.

In any event, Cory isn't available, but he suggested we look at Joe & Jill. To that, I think a new poll is in order.

We're meeting with the Pope's (Gerald and Arika) tonight I think. I've got a call into J&J and I'm waiting on the last photographer to get back to me as well.

As for the reception, with the date we finally got, WTC wasn't available so...alas. I think I also mentioned that Palace Ballroom has a minimum equivalent to our entire budget for a July wedding so we're not going with them either. Off of our original list there, that leaves Canlis (probably also not available by about now, but maybe) and we've revisited Kaspars. Views are not great, but it all of a sudden looks more workable. Funny how that works out eh?

Anyhow...photographers. I'll add a new poll to the right. You can check out Joe and Jill and click on their site. Lots of great eye candy going on there.

Every Scrapbooker's Dream...

...part of wedding planning that is. Photographer selection. This poll won't be so set in stone because of that whole pesky date thing, but if a girl is dreaming...we might well have fun right?

So the photography choices so far are thus:

Cory Paris (click on weddings--he has flickr stuff you can find via google too)
Gerald Pope (click on the website link to go to the gorgeous photos)
Glen Johnson (bit cumbersome, image shows are in upper left corner tab)

We've met with Cory and he's the coolest dude--totally excited about wedding photography, passionate about it and it shows.

Robert found Gerald and I have to say I'm totally in love. Budget aside of course.

And in a qucik search because I wanted to post three options (smile) came across Glen. Really attracted to the details and read one wedding story which is pretty much what we're doing...non traditional stuff so know he'd be comfy in the setting.

Course, once we add the church into the mix and everything, we'll likely have to have another photographer poll (smile), but till then...pick away!

I do thee wed

So the choices are starting to get a bit out of hand. At least I FINALLY got through to the coordinator at our church (she was out from surgery and doing much better now) and have a bit more sense of control over what is going on there. But in typical retentive fashion, I need options.

That said, We can do our church if it isn't on the 26th. Otherwise, here are potential other options. Of course, you know this means poll time.

Our first choice place, but last choice date (June in Seattle, can you say rainy??) would be our home church which is Trinity Episcopal:

You can see great photos of the exterior here and here with great overall shots by Dale here.

Another choice we're thinking about is Fauntleroy (really great shot here and a really great sketch of the exterior here. Note the photographer...that's another poll to come).

And another choice is Bastyr (great overall shot here).

We go to see Bastyr this Sunday before church. We go to Trinity and I've been by Fauntleroy and think a West Seattle wedding would be totally cool. We shall see.

I think this calls for a poll. Take a peak, pick your pickings. So far you've helped me pick colors and I've narrowed reception options. Might need to research a couple more reception spots with holds falling off as we try to get the ceremony place re-settled (thought it was a done deal at Trinity only to see...), but so far, I'm kinda calm about it all.

Take the poll. And I'll even throw up another before this one ends so you can confirm, I mean (smile) help me pick a top choice for photographer.

Yeehaw to 30!

So you'll get TWO (maybe, dare I say it...THREE) posts today.

Of all birthdays, I think today will be my fave. Cause there is a three in it. The big 30. I can't believe I've made it this far. Not like I grew up with nightly gun fire hissing through my window or anything like that, but there have been some moments. And since what I really want to blog about is wedding planning stuff and post a couple more polls there, instead, I'll do a list of some of the greatest moments of the past 30. In no particular order (but numbered so I don't fall out and give you like 12 or 13)...

10. Graduating from Cornell
9. Reading that one profile on Match.com
8. Saying yes at the Golden Gate bridge
7. Falling for those two polar opposite guys in the 7th grade.
6. The trip to Coca-Cola World in 1996
5. Flea market Sundays with my grandmother, the menudo paycheck was all I needed.
4. The Can't let Go C/O 1997 "You Rock my World" PHS alumni/grad dinner (I think I can!)
3. Jersey bagels and tea w/milk at the home of the kindest guy I know during a school break
2. Christmas circa late 80's stretching my brother into his limp, probably ruined him for life.
1. Meeting my nephew Quantae for the very first time

Here's to 30 or so more of amazingly good times!

And really...

...just when I was going to give up hope (and, admittedly faith) we had a chat session, some emails went out and some pretty quick responses came back. Now to just figure out what really can and can't be done. I'm giving it until the end of the week and then I'm moving on.

In the meantime, last night, when we were in Target wonderland watching his eyes light up at all the choices for Christmas light timers and dimmer switches, we stood in line to hear one of the clerks practically scream out "Oh my God it is snowing!"

And by golly it was. Pretty hard at that. It was a beautiful sight. The grocery bill at safeway, not so beautiful, but I love produce. Love it. And love cooking for him too. So we had (I know I know...the food entry) Bison meatloaf, mashed potatoes (extra creamy because we managed NOT to get milk but had a ton of cream--light and heavy--on hand) and steamed asparagus. With hollandaise sauce.

Curled up so that I could watch 7 years in Tibet. Of course I fell asleep. But I did watch Meet Joe Black today. One of his fave movies. That was good.

I've needed some good lately. Bit of a heavy heart for some family folks who I wish that I could do so much more for. How I wish.

Fastforward to Sunday night. I learned how to tie a Windsor knot, saw him dressed up totally spiffyfied for church today, got some really cute little ATC cards done for some really cute (and special) gals, made green chicken (and green onion) enchiladas with the fixins, happy that the Seahawks beat the Eagles (hiss Philly--go cowboys!). Kind of heartbroken that Washington lost the way they did. Football has been kinda blah for me lately. In a "good" way if that is possible. Didn't get to go out to see the Thursday night game cause of some other stuff we were dealing with but with all the uhhhggg, there came some amazing stuff out of that too so no complaints anymore. Thanksgiving's Cowboys game was sad...hard to watch them whip up on a team that ain't that good and we don't have a long held hatred of.

Anyhow...thanks Traci for the Packers card (smile). And you know what? I didn't even think to ask you but you know how I missed the Thursday night game for some amazing (stupid) stunt? I should have asked you if you had a working VCR you could spare (smile).

Bed time. Ish.