I write this with conflicting emotions.
On the one hand, there is a warmth explosion,
and I have been given the fortune
of nostrils clearing,
headache disappearing,
and healthiness nearing.
On the other hand, I am filled with sadness,
as I learned that I have passed this
to my Jenna, my promised and bestest.
These past few days have been filled
With soup, blankets, sleep, and still.
And, if at all possible, so the next few will.
But this weekend is already full with plans and more
Tomorrow to Willow's Lodge for another grand tour
Then to Montlake to watch the Huskies defend and score
Sunday to lunch with both sets of parents
Which promises to be such a fun event
I plan on drinking, drinking, repeat, then rinse.
For poets and writers and scholars of theatre
Who've noticed I haven't obeyed any meter
I promise next time I'll try to be neater
But I just wanted to say why I've been so quiet
These past few days that have gone by quite silent:
I've been at war with a viral villain so violent
It's had me knocked out, unable to focus
On diamonds or weddings or honeymoon mochas
But I'm now wide awake, the alarm has woke us.
Or at least me. Jenna may still stay asleep.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
One Weekend in October
Why, my weekend, you ask? It was quite good!
The day leading up to the weekend was not one that I would put into the halls of infamy, nor one that I would really care to remember any further, but let me only say that it was a long and dreadful day at work, due to the exhaustion suffered from only sleeping a few spare hours the night before. However, my spirit, though hindered, was fueled by the thought of what was to come that evening: a party in celebration of our engagement! Somehow I managed to scrape through the day with eyes open, and when five o clock finally arrived, I could feel the exhaustion dragging me down as I walked from my office to Pacific Place Mall to wait while Jenna had her hair styled. After a trip home to change, we arrived at Café Metropolitain on Capitol Hill and the festivities quickly began. It was a wonderful night filled with friends, and joy, and of course, a decent number of libations. A very special thank you to Danielle Franich for putting this together, and for the book. The notes left were wonderful. Though my exhaustion blurred much of the night, it was wonderful to see and talk to so many of the people we love, and I think soon enough somebody else probably will be required to get engaged, so the same mass can come together again and celebrate. Once I became late enough that all wanted to retire, we made the drive home, detouring through the Jack-in-the-Box drivethru, as neither of us had had any dinner. Then, after a long day of work and celebration, we slept, and it was good.
We slept, and it was good, unti Saturday morning, when we awoke to a blustery day with a busy schedule full of crap to do.
First off, to visit another possible venue location: Columbia Crest Winery in Woodinville. Our hopes were high for Columbia, as it is featured and ranked quite well in magazines and websites and such. However, I must say, we've already ruled it out as an option. For us, it does not have enough flare and character to warrant the price. However, at the time of leaving, we had only seen Columbia and Delille, and we knew that either would be suitible, if necessary.
We then had time for lunch, and stopped at the Rancho Bravo on 45th street in Wallingford. We were quite satisfied with the tacos. Yet, we were both rather dissatisfied due to the lack of tamales, which have easily become my favorite part of Rancho Bravo. Let's hope next time we're not left so wanting.
Next on the agenda, the second round of auditions for "No Snowflake in an Avalanche." This was an enjoyable time spent in the presence of Jake Farley, watching actors showcase their talents. Overall, we had some very wonderful people come to auditions of the two weekends, and I believe we will have a cast by the end of this week. Through all of the engagement celebrations and plans for the wedding, it is getting more and more difficult to focus on the other task at hand: The three shows Emerald City Scene will be producing between now and June.
Once auditions had finished, we had about an hour before our appointment at the Edgewater Hotel, so we relaxed a bit in the car, discussed different things which needed to be done, and when could tackle them. When that time was up, we drove to the waterfront. Before reaching the waterfront, though, we had to wait for a train to pass. I have not had the annoyance of waiting for a train to pass for quite a while, and was not pleased that this happened both on the way to the hotel, and upon leaving it as well.
On entering the Edgewater, however, it was beautiful. The sinks in the bathroom are a fountain of some sort, which were very peaceful and nice. The room for the ceremony and reception look out over the water, and it is stunning. I imagine on a day less rain-filled as Saturday, it would be breathtaking. This hotel does not have many of the logistical issues from Delille Cellars, however it does have an issue with the tables. For the ceremony & reception to happen in the same room, they keep the tables set to the side in the room until after the ceremony, at which point the stack the chairs, move the tables, and re-set the chairs. This, I think, is a fantastic plan. The problem is, the tables to the side makes the room feel cramped during the ceremony. There is a way of masking the tables from view during the ceremony, but from what we have heard that can run to a high expense. We will be doing a bit more research on that aspect in this week, before we visit our final option on Saturday, Willow's Lodge in Woodinville. Lisa, however, the Event Coordinator for the space, was very professional and I trust anything we need from her will be taken care of.
After the tour, we made the drive back home (and, as I said, stopped again for the train). Then it was off to a film with my brother. It was the cast & crew screening of a film he had worked on this summer, and I was very impressed. The quality was more than I expected from a film locally produced, and from the budget, it was really spectacular that such wonderful cinematography, sound, and editing came through. The only disappointment was, upon leaving the theatre we happened upon a miniture downpour, and the remainder of my popcorn was no longer edible. I have a great fondness for popcorn the next day, and always try to save some. We then returned to our apartment, and had a drink with my brother Ben. Then he left to make the drive back to Anacortes, and it was again time for sleep.
As I am writing, I find I must be going on in too much detail as this has become quite long. I will be brief about Sunday. Though it had perhaps not the best start (a broken plate and some other mishaps during the preparation of breakfast), it turned out to be a relaxing day where Jenna and I carved pumpkins and watched the football game. Then I went to a celebration party of my friend Arya, where some friends had created a musical with the lead character based on Arya, played by my friend James. It was entertaining and fun, and I was impressed with what they had put together.
Overall, it was an event-filled weekend, but was able to provide some nice relaxation. Unfortunately, though, as I write this, I fear I may be getting sick. I will keep you afoot of the progress of this virus, if indeed that is what it can be called. And, also, I promise not to write in such a boring fashion whenever we meet again.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel
The day leading up to the weekend was not one that I would put into the halls of infamy, nor one that I would really care to remember any further, but let me only say that it was a long and dreadful day at work, due to the exhaustion suffered from only sleeping a few spare hours the night before. However, my spirit, though hindered, was fueled by the thought of what was to come that evening: a party in celebration of our engagement! Somehow I managed to scrape through the day with eyes open, and when five o clock finally arrived, I could feel the exhaustion dragging me down as I walked from my office to Pacific Place Mall to wait while Jenna had her hair styled. After a trip home to change, we arrived at Café Metropolitain on Capitol Hill and the festivities quickly began. It was a wonderful night filled with friends, and joy, and of course, a decent number of libations. A very special thank you to Danielle Franich for putting this together, and for the book. The notes left were wonderful. Though my exhaustion blurred much of the night, it was wonderful to see and talk to so many of the people we love, and I think soon enough somebody else probably will be required to get engaged, so the same mass can come together again and celebrate. Once I became late enough that all wanted to retire, we made the drive home, detouring through the Jack-in-the-Box drivethru, as neither of us had had any dinner. Then, after a long day of work and celebration, we slept, and it was good.
We slept, and it was good, unti Saturday morning, when we awoke to a blustery day with a busy schedule full of crap to do.
First off, to visit another possible venue location: Columbia Crest Winery in Woodinville. Our hopes were high for Columbia, as it is featured and ranked quite well in magazines and websites and such. However, I must say, we've already ruled it out as an option. For us, it does not have enough flare and character to warrant the price. However, at the time of leaving, we had only seen Columbia and Delille, and we knew that either would be suitible, if necessary.
We then had time for lunch, and stopped at the Rancho Bravo on 45th street in Wallingford. We were quite satisfied with the tacos. Yet, we were both rather dissatisfied due to the lack of tamales, which have easily become my favorite part of Rancho Bravo. Let's hope next time we're not left so wanting.
Next on the agenda, the second round of auditions for "No Snowflake in an Avalanche." This was an enjoyable time spent in the presence of Jake Farley, watching actors showcase their talents. Overall, we had some very wonderful people come to auditions of the two weekends, and I believe we will have a cast by the end of this week. Through all of the engagement celebrations and plans for the wedding, it is getting more and more difficult to focus on the other task at hand: The three shows Emerald City Scene will be producing between now and June.
Once auditions had finished, we had about an hour before our appointment at the Edgewater Hotel, so we relaxed a bit in the car, discussed different things which needed to be done, and when could tackle them. When that time was up, we drove to the waterfront. Before reaching the waterfront, though, we had to wait for a train to pass. I have not had the annoyance of waiting for a train to pass for quite a while, and was not pleased that this happened both on the way to the hotel, and upon leaving it as well.
On entering the Edgewater, however, it was beautiful. The sinks in the bathroom are a fountain of some sort, which were very peaceful and nice. The room for the ceremony and reception look out over the water, and it is stunning. I imagine on a day less rain-filled as Saturday, it would be breathtaking. This hotel does not have many of the logistical issues from Delille Cellars, however it does have an issue with the tables. For the ceremony & reception to happen in the same room, they keep the tables set to the side in the room until after the ceremony, at which point the stack the chairs, move the tables, and re-set the chairs. This, I think, is a fantastic plan. The problem is, the tables to the side makes the room feel cramped during the ceremony. There is a way of masking the tables from view during the ceremony, but from what we have heard that can run to a high expense. We will be doing a bit more research on that aspect in this week, before we visit our final option on Saturday, Willow's Lodge in Woodinville. Lisa, however, the Event Coordinator for the space, was very professional and I trust anything we need from her will be taken care of.
After the tour, we made the drive back home (and, as I said, stopped again for the train). Then it was off to a film with my brother. It was the cast & crew screening of a film he had worked on this summer, and I was very impressed. The quality was more than I expected from a film locally produced, and from the budget, it was really spectacular that such wonderful cinematography, sound, and editing came through. The only disappointment was, upon leaving the theatre we happened upon a miniture downpour, and the remainder of my popcorn was no longer edible. I have a great fondness for popcorn the next day, and always try to save some. We then returned to our apartment, and had a drink with my brother Ben. Then he left to make the drive back to Anacortes, and it was again time for sleep.
As I am writing, I find I must be going on in too much detail as this has become quite long. I will be brief about Sunday. Though it had perhaps not the best start (a broken plate and some other mishaps during the preparation of breakfast), it turned out to be a relaxing day where Jenna and I carved pumpkins and watched the football game. Then I went to a celebration party of my friend Arya, where some friends had created a musical with the lead character based on Arya, played by my friend James. It was entertaining and fun, and I was impressed with what they had put together.
Overall, it was an event-filled weekend, but was able to provide some nice relaxation. Unfortunately, though, as I write this, I fear I may be getting sick. I will keep you afoot of the progress of this virus, if indeed that is what it can be called. And, also, I promise not to write in such a boring fashion whenever we meet again.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel
Thursday, October 21, 2010
VEGAS Wedding ain't gettin' to look so bad!
*narrator's note: for those who first read this as Shotgun Wedding...it was brought to my attention what exactly that means. I just meant a wedding with no big to-do!. So it now says Vegas Wedding. Enjoy*
Heyyyyyoooo. Back in the swing of things! Gettin' those fingertips a-typin' again! Wooohoooo! (Nathaniel pulls out a 6-shooter and empties a few rounds into the air) Now that's more like it! (I should note right now, before an angry mob or an angry Jenna comes knockin' at my door, that in every piece of these blogs, take them with a grain of salt and a sense of humor. )
Let's continue on, whatdya say? So after decidn' tgit hitched on wednersday, Thursday rolls around and my heads all up in them clouds all day long singin' purty songs and whatnot. We've received many blessings from friends and family all 'round the world, sendin their happiest thoughts on over to us, the happy couple. And we go on home and get on the computer, head on over to what they call theknot.com and decide to do a little plannin' here, little plannin' there. See, we's already know we can't have the weddin' til 10-12 months from now, on a count of Jenna's best friend Alisa travellin the world and workin' on organic farms and not bein' here til then. So, ways I see it, we got plenty of time. In fact, if my math's correct (which, it's been a long time since I've been in school, so maybe my math ain't so great no more) we nearly got a whole year! So anyway, we type in an esteemated date into theknot.com and it pops up with just how many days we got. It said 315 days. Boy, that's a lot of days! Why, if I put away a dollar a day, I'd have…let's see here….hmmm…carry the one…$315.00!!! That'd be helpful in payin' for the wedding, right?
So then we click on the Checklist. It's this newfangled thing which gives you a checklist of things ya need to get done before ya say your vows and kiss one another. And just as I'm sittin' there baskin' in the enjoyment of havin' a beautiful fiancee and everything right in the world, the Checklist tells us all the things we gotta do practically yesterday in order to say those I Do's. Let me break it down just a little bit for ya. This month we gotta:
- Appraise & insure engagement ring
- Figure out a wedding budget
- Finalize our guest list.
- Finalize our wedding party.
- Choose a date and time.
- Book a venue.
- Start lookin' for a wedding dress
- Start getting' in shape for that dress and tuxedo
- Have an engagement party.
- Get engagement photos.
- Interview wedding caterers & sign contract
- Interview prospective officiants
- Choose your wedding colors
And that's just the major things. There's a few other things in there it says we oughta do as well. Whoooweeee this is gonna be a lot more work than I thought! We're supposed to be producin' three plays between now and the wedding! Now we got this website hootin' 'n hollerin' about do this 'n do that. Well Gee Willickers (sp? I'm not really sure how one spells that, but I've always been intrigued and entertained by the phrase). And on top of all this, I find out my $315 that I'm gonna save with my dollar-a-day plan over this time ain't gonna be much more'n a drop in the proverbial bucket! Well Holy Smokes! Well Son-of-a-Gun!
Now don't take this as if it's me complainin' at all. It ain't, not one bit. I'm one happy puppy, all said and done, and am enjoyin' all the plannin' and preparin'. It just all is a bit suprising, is all.
Now, to cut this story down a bit, as I am known for ramblin on every now and again, just last night we went and visited our first option for the venue for the ceremony/reception. Delille Cellars in Woodinville, and boy let me tell ya, it is beautiful. We're really keen on the idea of having the ceremony & reception in the same locale, and we're also purty sure we like the idea of a winery out in Woodinville, as well. So havin' this be our first place to see, I think we're pretty happy bout our options. The grounds are fantastic and I imagine quite unique. There are two ponds, plenty of wide open areas of grass for parking and walking and whatnot. The grounds have two separate areas for ceremony & reception, which is also real nice. Only issue is, our primary guest list is a little big for the grounds. Now, we can fit everyone, but it's gonna be a bit tight, should we go with this place. The other issue is the bathroom sitcheashun (say it out loud. It's situation, okay? LET ME HAVE MY FUN!). They've got just two bathrooms, and one is meant for menfolk only and one is meant for womenfolk only. The big issue is, the one for the womenfolk is located up in the gettin'-ready room for the bride, so it's tough before the ceremony for any females to use the restroom, less they share with the men. Which I see as bein' a real potential for a tough traffic jam.
But anyways, they're quite beautiful, they have some darn good wine, Diane who showed us round the place was fantastic and very nice and helpful and even stayed late so we could get out there and see the place on a weeknight. This weekend we're goin' to see Columbia Winery and the Edgewater hotel. And then next weekend, Willow's Lodge. Also, tomorrow night Danielle is throwin' us an engagement party, which should be plenty of fun, I'm sure.
I'll continue on with my Top Songs as that was a quite enjoyable pasttime in the past....time:
1. Cee-Lo - Fuck You
2. The Avett Brothers - A Lover Like You
3. Ryan Adams & Elton John - Daniel
4. Taio Cruz - Dynomite
5. Ryan Adams - Strawberry Wine
Until next time,
Nathaniel
Heyyyyyoooo. Back in the swing of things! Gettin' those fingertips a-typin' again! Wooohoooo! (Nathaniel pulls out a 6-shooter and empties a few rounds into the air) Now that's more like it! (I should note right now, before an angry mob or an angry Jenna comes knockin' at my door, that in every piece of these blogs, take them with a grain of salt and a sense of humor. )
Let's continue on, whatdya say? So after decidn' tgit hitched on wednersday, Thursday rolls around and my heads all up in them clouds all day long singin' purty songs and whatnot. We've received many blessings from friends and family all 'round the world, sendin their happiest thoughts on over to us, the happy couple. And we go on home and get on the computer, head on over to what they call theknot.com and decide to do a little plannin' here, little plannin' there. See, we's already know we can't have the weddin' til 10-12 months from now, on a count of Jenna's best friend Alisa travellin the world and workin' on organic farms and not bein' here til then. So, ways I see it, we got plenty of time. In fact, if my math's correct (which, it's been a long time since I've been in school, so maybe my math ain't so great no more) we nearly got a whole year! So anyway, we type in an esteemated date into theknot.com and it pops up with just how many days we got. It said 315 days. Boy, that's a lot of days! Why, if I put away a dollar a day, I'd have…let's see here….hmmm…carry the one…$315.00!!! That'd be helpful in payin' for the wedding, right?
So then we click on the Checklist. It's this newfangled thing which gives you a checklist of things ya need to get done before ya say your vows and kiss one another. And just as I'm sittin' there baskin' in the enjoyment of havin' a beautiful fiancee and everything right in the world, the Checklist tells us all the things we gotta do practically yesterday in order to say those I Do's. Let me break it down just a little bit for ya. This month we gotta:
- Appraise & insure engagement ring
- Figure out a wedding budget
- Finalize our guest list.
- Finalize our wedding party.
- Choose a date and time.
- Book a venue.
- Start lookin' for a wedding dress
- Start getting' in shape for that dress and tuxedo
- Have an engagement party.
- Get engagement photos.
- Interview wedding caterers & sign contract
- Interview prospective officiants
- Choose your wedding colors
And that's just the major things. There's a few other things in there it says we oughta do as well. Whoooweeee this is gonna be a lot more work than I thought! We're supposed to be producin' three plays between now and the wedding! Now we got this website hootin' 'n hollerin' about do this 'n do that. Well Gee Willickers (sp? I'm not really sure how one spells that, but I've always been intrigued and entertained by the phrase). And on top of all this, I find out my $315 that I'm gonna save with my dollar-a-day plan over this time ain't gonna be much more'n a drop in the proverbial bucket! Well Holy Smokes! Well Son-of-a-Gun!
Now don't take this as if it's me complainin' at all. It ain't, not one bit. I'm one happy puppy, all said and done, and am enjoyin' all the plannin' and preparin'. It just all is a bit suprising, is all.
Now, to cut this story down a bit, as I am known for ramblin on every now and again, just last night we went and visited our first option for the venue for the ceremony/reception. Delille Cellars in Woodinville, and boy let me tell ya, it is beautiful. We're really keen on the idea of having the ceremony & reception in the same locale, and we're also purty sure we like the idea of a winery out in Woodinville, as well. So havin' this be our first place to see, I think we're pretty happy bout our options. The grounds are fantastic and I imagine quite unique. There are two ponds, plenty of wide open areas of grass for parking and walking and whatnot. The grounds have two separate areas for ceremony & reception, which is also real nice. Only issue is, our primary guest list is a little big for the grounds. Now, we can fit everyone, but it's gonna be a bit tight, should we go with this place. The other issue is the bathroom sitcheashun (say it out loud. It's situation, okay? LET ME HAVE MY FUN!). They've got just two bathrooms, and one is meant for menfolk only and one is meant for womenfolk only. The big issue is, the one for the womenfolk is located up in the gettin'-ready room for the bride, so it's tough before the ceremony for any females to use the restroom, less they share with the men. Which I see as bein' a real potential for a tough traffic jam.
But anyways, they're quite beautiful, they have some darn good wine, Diane who showed us round the place was fantastic and very nice and helpful and even stayed late so we could get out there and see the place on a weeknight. This weekend we're goin' to see Columbia Winery and the Edgewater hotel. And then next weekend, Willow's Lodge. Also, tomorrow night Danielle is throwin' us an engagement party, which should be plenty of fun, I'm sure.
I'll continue on with my Top Songs as that was a quite enjoyable pasttime in the past....time:
1. Cee-Lo - Fuck You
2. The Avett Brothers - A Lover Like You
3. Ryan Adams & Elton John - Daniel
4. Taio Cruz - Dynomite
5. Ryan Adams - Strawberry Wine
Until next time,
Nathaniel
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Re-Engage (Spoiler Alert: title has two meanings.)
Well hello old friend! How are you?
Yes, I am talking to my blog…but it has been so long! So much to share!
You see, I find that the best blogs are born of some sort of "important event" in the narrator's life. The reasons are numerous, but mainly that a) people actually enjoy reading about important events rather than "that bitch becky was wearing the exact same shirt as me" or "I like chocolate ice cream"; and b) it gives the writer a reason to keep writing, even if not for himself, for those who want to know about the event. NBC's The Event probably has one hell of a blog, come to think of it. A sexy blog. So what is my sexy event, that is causing me to re-engage with this blog?
Many of you readers (if there any of you left after the cold cold months of my unintentional cold cold shoulder) probably already know, but to be totally formal about it (what is more formal than a facebook update and a blog post): Jenna and I are engaged! For some this comes as expected news, for others a total surprise. For me? A little bit of both, to be honest. No no, I am not surprised that we are engaged, I was there when I nervously popped the question, after all, silly reader, and I was also there when she said yes (though for some maybe that is the surprise). What surprises me is how easily it all fell into place.
It was not a surprise proposal, at all (which, by the way, for those anxiously awaiting just one detail, happened on Wednesday Oct 13th at roughly 9oclockish). We'd been talking about it for quite a while, and really, it just came down gettin' that dang rang. And I knew that she had to be there to help pick out the ring, because though I have impeccible taste, hers is impeccibler. So we did some internet shopping and talking and such over the past few weeks, and then on Sunday the 10th, without much going on that day, I made the little suggestion "want to go ring shopping?" And boy oh boy that was it. She wanted to see the shiny shiny. She needed that sparkle, yes she did. So we went to a couple places at Northgate Mall and it took us a few stores to get comfortable with the idea that WE WERE SHOPPING FOR AN ENGAGEMENT RING HOLY CRAP THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE WERE DOING WE'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED! So yeah, it was a little awkward for us, and probably for the sales people trying to help us buy HOLY CRAP A FREAKING ENGAGEMENT RING AHHHHHH!.
Finally, we ended up at Shane Co. in Alderwood, which was great. All day I had been wanting a sodypop, and when we got there, the customer service person (not salesperson…they don't work on commission) asked me if I wanted something to drink, water or a coke or something, and bingo, right there I knew this was the place for us because I got my sodypop (plus they were awesome and have a ton of selection, no pressure, lowish prices and none of those blood diamonds that movie was about). So after a few hours of looking at different bands and settings and diamonds…we settled on one. And we made the purchase. And they said "Okay, this will be ready for you on Wednesday." And we walked out the door, poorer…and not yet engaged. And then we called our parents and told them, and they said congratulations, but really, all they could congratulate us on was a purchase. She could still say no, you know.
So then we went to see The Social Network. Have you heard of it? Good flick.
The next three days crawled by like a bear who, in September, thought it was November, but was awakened by that commercial for The Event, and then had to crawl to get the remote to turn off the freaking TV. And then came Wednesday, where I couldn't concentrate on anything, felt so nervous I thought I might throw up, and to top it off, had Indian food for lunch. Straightaway after work, we drove up to Lynnwood, got the ring, and headed home to change, then off to dinner.
The Plan: Go to dinner at Tilth, in Wallingford, order some nice wine and food in the candlelit atmosphere that all great restaurants with great chefs have, and then, while waiting for the food to arrive, ask her to marry me. You see, I wanted to go to Tilth for a few reasons. Firstly, I've heard it has good food. We watched the Iron Chef America episode where the chef Maria Hines beat the Iron Chef. And we like watching Food Network. It's something we do. Secondly, and more importantly, Tilth as I said is located in Wallingford. Not far from Stone Soup Theatre, where we worked on The Shark& The Worm together and spent late nights literally watching paint dry together. And in the opposite direction a few blocks, where we stood in the rain for what seemed like an eternity hugging after drinks after a particularly bad night of tech. And then there's the restaurant where we had the conversation about whether or not it would be a good idea for us to date, and if it could ever even possibly work..(Spoiler Alert: it did.) So these were all put into the plan, and the reason for choosing the restaurant...
The Event: Arrive at Tilth, discover it is actually a house, turned into a restaurant, which is awesome but not the candlelit dinner I had been expecting. Sit next to a family, with young kids, eating dinner. Order wine. Forget how to talk for the majority of dinner, you know, because of nerves. Eat delicious dinner. Consider whether or not to ask her with 8 year old Sally sitting next to you. Decide no. Leave restaurant. Get almost back to car. Stop, ask her to marry me. She says "Yes Yes Of Course Of Course." and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..she said yes and we're engaged and mmmmmmmmmm.
Then, after some time, we got back in the car, started the engine, and on came the radio, playing "When A Man Loves a Woman" by (well I guess I was wrong, I thought it was Joe Cocker, turns out it was:) Percy Sledge. A perfect end to, what turned out to be, a perfect night.
Yes, I am talking to my blog…but it has been so long! So much to share!
You see, I find that the best blogs are born of some sort of "important event" in the narrator's life. The reasons are numerous, but mainly that a) people actually enjoy reading about important events rather than "that bitch becky was wearing the exact same shirt as me" or "I like chocolate ice cream"; and b) it gives the writer a reason to keep writing, even if not for himself, for those who want to know about the event. NBC's The Event probably has one hell of a blog, come to think of it. A sexy blog. So what is my sexy event, that is causing me to re-engage with this blog?
Many of you readers (if there any of you left after the cold cold months of my unintentional cold cold shoulder) probably already know, but to be totally formal about it (what is more formal than a facebook update and a blog post): Jenna and I are engaged! For some this comes as expected news, for others a total surprise. For me? A little bit of both, to be honest. No no, I am not surprised that we are engaged, I was there when I nervously popped the question, after all, silly reader, and I was also there when she said yes (though for some maybe that is the surprise). What surprises me is how easily it all fell into place.
It was not a surprise proposal, at all (which, by the way, for those anxiously awaiting just one detail, happened on Wednesday Oct 13th at roughly 9oclockish). We'd been talking about it for quite a while, and really, it just came down gettin' that dang rang. And I knew that she had to be there to help pick out the ring, because though I have impeccible taste, hers is impeccibler. So we did some internet shopping and talking and such over the past few weeks, and then on Sunday the 10th, without much going on that day, I made the little suggestion "want to go ring shopping?" And boy oh boy that was it. She wanted to see the shiny shiny. She needed that sparkle, yes she did. So we went to a couple places at Northgate Mall and it took us a few stores to get comfortable with the idea that WE WERE SHOPPING FOR AN ENGAGEMENT RING HOLY CRAP THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE WERE DOING WE'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED! So yeah, it was a little awkward for us, and probably for the sales people trying to help us buy HOLY CRAP A FREAKING ENGAGEMENT RING AHHHHHH!.
Finally, we ended up at Shane Co. in Alderwood, which was great. All day I had been wanting a sodypop, and when we got there, the customer service person (not salesperson…they don't work on commission) asked me if I wanted something to drink, water or a coke or something, and bingo, right there I knew this was the place for us because I got my sodypop (plus they were awesome and have a ton of selection, no pressure, lowish prices and none of those blood diamonds that movie was about). So after a few hours of looking at different bands and settings and diamonds…we settled on one. And we made the purchase. And they said "Okay, this will be ready for you on Wednesday." And we walked out the door, poorer…and not yet engaged. And then we called our parents and told them, and they said congratulations, but really, all they could congratulate us on was a purchase. She could still say no, you know.
So then we went to see The Social Network. Have you heard of it? Good flick.
The next three days crawled by like a bear who, in September, thought it was November, but was awakened by that commercial for The Event, and then had to crawl to get the remote to turn off the freaking TV. And then came Wednesday, where I couldn't concentrate on anything, felt so nervous I thought I might throw up, and to top it off, had Indian food for lunch. Straightaway after work, we drove up to Lynnwood, got the ring, and headed home to change, then off to dinner.
The Plan: Go to dinner at Tilth, in Wallingford, order some nice wine and food in the candlelit atmosphere that all great restaurants with great chefs have, and then, while waiting for the food to arrive, ask her to marry me. You see, I wanted to go to Tilth for a few reasons. Firstly, I've heard it has good food. We watched the Iron Chef America episode where the chef Maria Hines beat the Iron Chef. And we like watching Food Network. It's something we do. Secondly, and more importantly, Tilth as I said is located in Wallingford. Not far from Stone Soup Theatre, where we worked on The Shark& The Worm together and spent late nights literally watching paint dry together. And in the opposite direction a few blocks, where we stood in the rain for what seemed like an eternity hugging after drinks after a particularly bad night of tech. And then there's the restaurant where we had the conversation about whether or not it would be a good idea for us to date, and if it could ever even possibly work..(Spoiler Alert: it did.) So these were all put into the plan, and the reason for choosing the restaurant...
The Event: Arrive at Tilth, discover it is actually a house, turned into a restaurant, which is awesome but not the candlelit dinner I had been expecting. Sit next to a family, with young kids, eating dinner. Order wine. Forget how to talk for the majority of dinner, you know, because of nerves. Eat delicious dinner. Consider whether or not to ask her with 8 year old Sally sitting next to you. Decide no. Leave restaurant. Get almost back to car. Stop, ask her to marry me. She says "Yes Yes Of Course Of Course." and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..she said yes and we're engaged and mmmmmmmmmm.
Then, after some time, we got back in the car, started the engine, and on came the radio, playing "When A Man Loves a Woman" by (well I guess I was wrong, I thought it was Joe Cocker, turns out it was:) Percy Sledge. A perfect end to, what turned out to be, a perfect night.
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