Running to Stand Still

I returned to Seattle Friday evening and I've been running ever since. Lots of errands to run; tux fitting, get a new driver's license, get the car emissions tested, get some dancing lessons, choose music for the reception, clean up my gaming room to make room for someone to sleep in, pick up gifts, pick up a friend from the airport, etc. etc.

Happily, things are going very well and we haven't hit any snags. Julia and I just returned from our last dance lesson and she's definitely hooked! We may be returning to the studio for some fun in the future!

Okay, time to have some dinner and get ready to pick up my mom and my sisters in the morning. I'm very excited they made the trip and I can't wait to show them around town!

I doubt I'll get a chance to update before the wedding and the honeymoon, but who knows?

Wish me luck and if you're reading this blog, chances are good I'd love to have you at the wedding.

Home Stretch

This week at work has been crazy. Quickly:

• I leave Friday for two weeks for the wedding and honeymoon.
• I need to get artists descriptions for about 80 illustrations by Friday.
• I received a free lunch voucher at work, but I need to find four other people to go with me. (Work provides these so people in different areas of the company can meet and talk with people they normally wouldn't. I really like the program, so I'd like to do it. Otherwise they might drop it.) So that has to happen Thursday or Friday.
• I have to pack up a bunch of stuff to send home since I don't have a large enough suitcase here with me to carry everything I'll need for two weeks away.
• I have to ship that package.
• Jim had some projects he was working on, but he had to leave town for a family emergency, so those were pushed onto my plate.
• And whatever else comes up.

So, yeah, busy week. And I've spent all of today (until 9:00pm) working on the stuff I'm doing for Jim. Thankfully I'll finish that up tomorrow, but two full days lost in my schedule.

I'm really looking forward to going home. Julia and I are both very excited and despite how many things we have to do to be fully prepared for the wedding, we're both feeling good. Okay, maybe a bit overwhelmed. But good.

It's been hot here lately, which means my room has been very hot, so I haven't slept well the past couple of night. Wheee!

Okay, time to get out of here for the night.

Weekend Alone

Normally Jim's around on the weekends and we have breakfast at a little diner in Los Gatos Saturday mornings and then go to work, but he went with some old friends to Reno this weekend. So, I have his car which is nice, but I'll pretty much be on my own all weekend. I happened to stop by a local game store Friday night and saw they were having a sidewalk sale today, so I looked around there and picked up a couple of magazines for cheap, then had breakfast at the diner next door. Wow, was that bad. The place is nice enough, but the food was not enjoyable. That was a bummer.

Now I'm at the office and I'm going to work on some things that I need to do.

I mentioned in my last post that I'd finished one of the miniatures I bought a couple weeks ago. Well, now I've finished all four of them and they look great! I'm very happy with them. I'm going to go outside in a bit and spray them with sealant/varnish in a couple of minutes. I really need to bring the camera down so I can take pictures and post them. Maybe I'll do that when Julia comes to visit in September.

Our wedding is two weeks from tomorrow! I'm pretty excited about that for a number of reasons; friends and family are coming from out of town for a few days, so we'll get to do some sight-seeing and visiting, then there's the actual wedding and reception, which should be a great time. We only have about 20 people coming to the ceremony and only about 100 people for the reception. That seems like a pretty big number, but I think it's a good size. It's not so many people that we can't have a few minutes with everyone. Plus everyone we've invited is awesome, so how could it not be fun. It's funny though, because even with 100 people at the party, there are so many more friends I would love to have there -- especially all my college-era friends. I'll miss them.

I sent letters to all the families I grew up with in Burlington to tell them about the wedding, Julia, and what's going on in my life a couple of weeks ago. And I've already received a nice reply from my friend Dave's mom. Dave is my friend who was killed in a car accident 17 years ago, so it was good to hear from her. He was my best friend for years and introduced me to gaming, so to say he had a big impact on my life is an understatement.

Bleh, I don't want to write about that anymore. Anyway, it was nice to hear from her and now that I have an email address for her I'm sure we'll talk more.

Okay, time to get some things done.

As Promised

I nearly forgot to do some writing here, but remembered at the last minute.

The wedding is only three weeks away and I leave for Seattle in only two weeks. My wo-worker, Jim, suggested a "boys' night out" and everyone thought that was a fine idea. So, we're headed out to a Brazilian steakhouse in Palo Alto named Pampas for dinner tomorrow (Friday). It will be the two of us plus a number of co-workers I've become pretty good friends with. Or, if not pretty good friends, then at least very friendly with -- and I do a lot of gaming with them. Regardless, they're good guys and I look forward to eating meat on swords with them. Plus, I've never been to Palo Alto, so I get to see a new part of the city.

Apart from that, things have been fairly low-key. I saved up money ($10 a week) for four weeks and bought a new boxed set of unpainted miniatures. I've already finished one of them and have three more to go. They're excellent for filling my time at home and painting is actually pretty enjoyable. I have to say I never thought I'd paint minis, but there you have it.

As usual, I've been watching lots of movies and TV shows, either streaming or on DVD. I worked my way through all four seasons of Doctor Who and now I'm watching Torchwood.

In the "real life" portion of things; I'm really excited to get home and spend a fair amount of time with Julia. I really miss her and although we have some decent phone conversations, but it's really not the same as being there every day. As if that even needs saying. Anyway, it's pretty hard sometimes, especially on the weekends, to be away from her. I end up feeling pretty bored and lonely on Friday nights, but I manage to keep busy enough over the course of the weekend that it doesn't bother me too much.

Sorry, I'm not actually all maudlin. I just happened to start writing about that.

Julia had her bridal shower this last weekend. Her sister threw it for her and they all had a ball. It was a mix of Julia's friends, including friends she's met through me, and family and friends from her childhood. Her sister or mom (I don't know which) suggested everyone bring a cutting of a plant from their gardens, so Julia could plant then in our garden. We both thought that was a great idea! In addition to the plants, Julia received all sorts of fantastic gifts. She loved every single one and felt very loved. I really wish I could have been the proverbial fly on the wall.

Time for me to make some dinner and get home to watch more Torchwood or play some Magic: The Gathering on Xbox Live.

Tomorrow

I meant to write something here today, but it was awfully busy, so I'll update tomorrow.

I swear.