I wasn't going to post this, but I saw a commercial for a popular tv show "Bridezilla" this morning and thought I would offer my vast experience (3 months) to the blogosphere.
Ways to not be a bridezilla
1. Choose the correct vocabulary – Replace “my wedding” with “our wedding”. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot get married without your fiancé, and at the end of the wedding, he will be just as married as you are. The wedding isn’t about the bride. The wedding is about the couple.
2. Choose when to laugh – Whenever you go into a bridal store, pick out invitations, etc., find at least one option that makes you laugh. This might be the dress targeted at mothers with a miniskirt and spaghetti straps, or (my favorite) the post-wedding brunch. The ability to laugh during the planning process reduces stress, grounds you in reality, and keeps you from thinking that you have to have it all. (After all…those tie-dyed roses are ridiculous…why would you want those?)
3. Choose who matters – The list of whose opinion matters should be a short and uniform one. Here’s a sample:
Your fiancé and you
Whoever is paying
Martha Stewart is not on this list. Neither are your guests. Your wedding shouldn’t be dictated by Oprah or the Knot. (If you are already a Bridezilla, then this step doesn’t help you at all, as your opinion is corrupted.)
4. Choose your battles – Sometimes there are things not worth arguing over. Your bridesmaids can’t afford the $500 dresses you had your heart set on? What is more important-who is in the pictures or what they’re wearing? Your fiancé have his heart set on a white tux when you’d never even considered it? He deserves to feel as amazing in his tux as you do in your dress. (Besides, he’s going to look great in anything.)
5. Choose to be happy – Things will go wrong and not match your vision. There is no such thing as a perfect wedding. In the end, it is your choice to make the time leading up to your wedding and the ceremony itself a joyous occasion for all involved. Remember, after the honeymoon, all that’s left is your husband, a few pictures, and the memories. Don’t alienate the first, overspend on the second, or forget to make the third pleasant.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
General stuff
1. My iPhone arrives today. Tonight will be AWESOME.
2. Everybody has cashed checks from me. My bank account pleads for mercy, but debt is decreasing. Peasants rejoice.
3. I don't get what the big deal is with Dooce. I get that she's the biggest blogger EVER, but I really don't see what's so groundbreaking.
4. I woke up last night around 2:30AM. I'm pretty sure that there was a storm going through, but I wasn't awake enough to recognize it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the only thoughts going through my head were 'Crap. Now I will be tired in four hours.' and 'At least I get to go back to sleep.'
5. Tonight I am looking forward to unpacking, cleaning up, playing DDR, eating leftovers, and organizing my iPhone.
6. Crap. I'm getting a new electronic device today and it doesn't have a name yet. Maybe that's why it's taken so long. Now taking suggestions for names.
7. Julie starts school today. I really used to enjoy the first day of school. It was a fresh start and there were new office supplies.
8. WiiFit is cool. I wish that I could play it more than just on the weekends.
2. Everybody has cashed checks from me. My bank account pleads for mercy, but debt is decreasing. Peasants rejoice.
3. I don't get what the big deal is with Dooce. I get that she's the biggest blogger EVER, but I really don't see what's so groundbreaking.
4. I woke up last night around 2:30AM. I'm pretty sure that there was a storm going through, but I wasn't awake enough to recognize it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the only thoughts going through my head were 'Crap. Now I will be tired in four hours.' and 'At least I get to go back to sleep.'
5. Tonight I am looking forward to unpacking, cleaning up, playing DDR, eating leftovers, and organizing my iPhone.
6. Crap. I'm getting a new electronic device today and it doesn't have a name yet. Maybe that's why it's taken so long. Now taking suggestions for names.
7. Julie starts school today. I really used to enjoy the first day of school. It was a fresh start and there were new office supplies.
8. WiiFit is cool. I wish that I could play it more than just on the weekends.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
When I Grow Up, I Wanna Be an Adult
I am in the habit of turning the tv to VH1 as soon as I shut off the alarm. The noise and light reminds me that I need to get out of bed, and since music videos have an average length of four minutes, I can calculate what time it is by counting how many songs have played.
This morning, Gavin Degraw’s “I’m in Love With A Girl” was the song that woke me up (translation: got me into the shower). It’s one of my favorites – peppy, easy to sing along with, and slightly romantic.
While I was dressing, I noticed a very different song playing. At first I wasn’t sure if it was a song or a commercial for atonal exhalations. This was the first time that I’d seen part of the video for The Pussycat Dolls “When I Grow Up”. For those of you lucky enough to not have seen this piece of crap, here is an excerpt of the lyrics:
When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies
When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have boobies
…
Be careful what you wish for
‘Cause you just might get it
Yeah, you just might get it
Yeah, you just might get it.
The video itself didn’t have a concept, but if your group’s main theme is “We can’t sing, dance, write music or play instruments, but if you buy our cd’s, I’ll take off my shirt” then the bar is admittedly set low. There are about 6 of them, chosen so as to fulfill all of the stereotypical male fantasies – redhead, blonde, exotic one, etc. Only one of them sings (and her solo career was a spectacular flop, so she’s not star material individually either).
I wonder if the Dolls have any self-respect. Sure they can lip sync to lyrics that state that they are ‘hot’, ‘raw’, and ‘fun’, but when it comes down to it, are they satisfied with the career they have chosen for themselves? Do they think about the fact that somewhere is an eight year old wearing leopard print and singing about wanting to have breasts? Do they want children to look at them and think “Being in Hollywood is the best thing that I could ever do with my life”? Do they know that they are contributing to the cheapening of sexual behavior?
People say that the Dolls aren’t doing anything wrong. I contest. They are not doing anything illegal. They are doing things that are morally objectionable. They are teaching kids that it is fine to sell your body to get money and fame. They are showing women that if you are pretty, it doesn’t matter what’s inside your head. They are teaching men that it is a good thing to be subjugated by a pair of breasts. They are teaching those same men that those same breasts are the only two things worthwhile about a woman. (Unless you’re an ass man, and in that case, look at Doll number four!)
I admit to some questionable taste in music. In middle school, I was a huge *N Sync fan. Earlier than that, one of my first cds was Hanson. (Yes…MMMBop.) However, I would like to offer a differentiation: Some bad music is just silly (boybands, Hannah Montana, and almost everything you see on American Idol). Other bad music is downright harmful, and this qualifies.
This morning, Gavin Degraw’s “I’m in Love With A Girl” was the song that woke me up (translation: got me into the shower). It’s one of my favorites – peppy, easy to sing along with, and slightly romantic.
While I was dressing, I noticed a very different song playing. At first I wasn’t sure if it was a song or a commercial for atonal exhalations. This was the first time that I’d seen part of the video for The Pussycat Dolls “When I Grow Up”. For those of you lucky enough to not have seen this piece of crap, here is an excerpt of the lyrics:
When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies
When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have boobies
…
Be careful what you wish for
‘Cause you just might get it
Yeah, you just might get it
Yeah, you just might get it.
The video itself didn’t have a concept, but if your group’s main theme is “We can’t sing, dance, write music or play instruments, but if you buy our cd’s, I’ll take off my shirt” then the bar is admittedly set low. There are about 6 of them, chosen so as to fulfill all of the stereotypical male fantasies – redhead, blonde, exotic one, etc. Only one of them sings (and her solo career was a spectacular flop, so she’s not star material individually either).
I wonder if the Dolls have any self-respect. Sure they can lip sync to lyrics that state that they are ‘hot’, ‘raw’, and ‘fun’, but when it comes down to it, are they satisfied with the career they have chosen for themselves? Do they think about the fact that somewhere is an eight year old wearing leopard print and singing about wanting to have breasts? Do they want children to look at them and think “Being in Hollywood is the best thing that I could ever do with my life”? Do they know that they are contributing to the cheapening of sexual behavior?
People say that the Dolls aren’t doing anything wrong. I contest. They are not doing anything illegal. They are doing things that are morally objectionable. They are teaching kids that it is fine to sell your body to get money and fame. They are showing women that if you are pretty, it doesn’t matter what’s inside your head. They are teaching men that it is a good thing to be subjugated by a pair of breasts. They are teaching those same men that those same breasts are the only two things worthwhile about a woman. (Unless you’re an ass man, and in that case, look at Doll number four!)
I admit to some questionable taste in music. In middle school, I was a huge *N Sync fan. Earlier than that, one of my first cds was Hanson. (Yes…MMMBop.) However, I would like to offer a differentiation: Some bad music is just silly (boybands, Hannah Montana, and almost everything you see on American Idol). Other bad music is downright harmful, and this qualifies.
Monday, July 21, 2008
iPhone
Patience is not a virtue.
(My estimated delivery time is between Wednesday of this week and Monday of next.) If it is beyond that, I will probably mug someone coming out of the AT&T store.
(My estimated delivery time is between Wednesday of this week and Monday of next.) If it is beyond that, I will probably mug someone coming out of the AT&T store.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
I stand corrected
We booked a photographer today. It was not the photographer linked in the previous post. (That one was busy on our date.) I'm really pleased with who we have. I'm sure that our pictures will end up being beautiful and representative of B.J. and me.
Let this be a lesson to me - there is nothing so vital in the wedding plans that a change will ruin the entire process.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
More Wedding stuff, because I know you're interested
First off, go here: http://www.lisahesselphotography.com
Frankly, I'm more excited looking at some of these pictures than I have been about any other aspect of the wedding (excepting the groom and the dress). This photographer has done several weddings of friends, so I'm waiting to get their feedback before I really make up my mind. (But holy cow, how pretty are these pictures?)
In other news, if anybody wants to give me a gift, money is always good. I have a feeling that the wedding, despite my best efforts, is going to end up being pricier than I was hoping. What a racket.
Frankly, I'm more excited looking at some of these pictures than I have been about any other aspect of the wedding (excepting the groom and the dress). This photographer has done several weddings of friends, so I'm waiting to get their feedback before I really make up my mind. (But holy cow, how pretty are these pictures?)
In other news, if anybody wants to give me a gift, money is always good. I have a feeling that the wedding, despite my best efforts, is going to end up being pricier than I was hoping. What a racket.
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