I dreamed last night that my friend Diana and I were in the Poconos with President Bush. He was wearing a pager that started out with a little orange light, but then became red, indicating that there was going to be a large-scale attack within a short period of time. Apparently one possibility was a nuclear strike in Iowa that would wipe out most of the mid-to-western states, isolating California forever (this musta been one hella nuke). In the dream, he was really smart and totally capable, and Diana and I were completely trusting of him. Whew. What the hell is my subconscious doing feeding me bullshit like that?!

In case I didn't mention it, I finished bridesmaid top number 2 earlier this week - maybe it was Sunday? I am now a few inches into the back of number 3. Yes, I'm definitely going to finish this. No, it's not going to be so pleasant. I've also been addressing our invitations, since Ryan is swamped with thesis work and also a lefty with hideous handwriting. Almost done with the outer envelopes, then I get to do the inners. Whee! The thing is, there are this many envelopes with having had to cut down the list a bit. I can't imagine what it would be like if I was able to invite everyone I'd want to have there!

I ordered my veil on Wednesday, which was fun. I wanted to wear the sample back to work - it just makes me feel awfully purdy. Today I think I am going to a sample sale in the city - there's this bridesmaid dress company called Thread that makes dresses that you could also wear to a rehearsal dinner or as a wedding guest, and they are having a sample sale from 4-6 p.m. Since I have two other weddings this summer (my friend Kate's, 2 weeks before mine, and Ryan's sister's, Labor Day weekend) I am interested in finding a cute dress, deeply discounted!

Tonight, I will be parked on the sofa watching my Orangemen in the Final Four. I will be eating appropriately for the occasion - Sal's Wings all the way. I ordered the "make it at home" kit a few weeks ago, having no idea I'd find such a perfect occasion to try them out. I would say these wings were at least 70 percent responsible for my freshman fifteen weight gain back then (that and the beer)!

For Debbie S - yes, dude, we really do have a Roomba. Ryan mentioned it to his Mom before Christmas and she actually bought it for us! We were stunned and ecstatic - it was probably the best gift she will ever give in her entire life! I love love love Roomba. Aside from doing a pretty darn good job on the wooden floors, it's also awfully cute. I find myself watching it a lot. Then the excitement wears off and I go do something else while Roomba does the work. Yay Roomba! Everyone, find someone to buy it for you now.

I swear, the coolest, nicest, most supportive people read my blog. I just read all the comments on finding my tiara, and combined with the support when I thought it was gone, I am just all mushy inside! It's even nicer that people still give a crap, since I've been such a lame blogger lately.

So, on balance, the weekend was good, but there was definitely a low point. I'll start there. I called the bridal shop on Friday and was told my dress was in! Yay! Made plans with Leanne to meet me there at 4pm Saturday, on her way to work (she's a pastry chef and works at a restaurant). We get there, and the manager, who is very sweet, disappears upstairs for a looooong time. She finally returns and says "you're gonna kill me." It wasn't there. Apologies up and down, she feels awful, totally her fault - the computer said it was in, they just had a shipment, she should have looked for the dress before she told me, blah blah blah.

I couldn't be too mad at her, because she is so nice, but it did take an hour to get there with traffic, and 1.5 hours to get home with traffic and rain. So she calls me today, and it turns out the dress came from Spain to the U.S. factory, and they didn't ship it to the store because there is something wrong with the skirt fabric. She didn't have details, but it was some sort of spot or oil stains. Who knows. So now they have to rush cut a new skirt. She assured me it was no problem, it'd be ready for fittings at the end of April or beginning of May, which is fine, but it sucks, too. I just want to see it, as all I have is that one picture and they no longer have the sample gown!

I'm glad the dress debacle was on Saturday, and then the tiara-finding was on Sunday. Other way around would have sucked more. But what tips the weekend over to good is definitely the FINAL FOUR, baby!! My Orangemen kicked some butt right around the time that I found my tiara. I was so excited about the tiara that I forgot the game wasn't at night and missed the darn thing. Silly! I will certainly be in front of a TV somewhere on Saturday night at 8:40pm!

Guess what's on my head right now. Need a hint?

It's sparkly.

It's silvery.

It's not in a landfill somewhere.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I found my tiara today. I swear, I have no recollection whatsoever of bringing it home. It was in my closet, on the floor, behind my shoe rack, wrapped in the very plastic bag I mentioned the other day. See, good things can Icome out of cleaning the closet! I am unspeakably happy. Probably more happy than I ought to be, given that it's just a piece of metal. But it's my piece of metal, and I like it so much! I was despairing of ever finding anything as nice. So, I've worn it around the house for the rest of the cleaning. I am very fancy today!

I also finished the second bridesmaid top - well, all except for the side seams, but I will finish that after I post this. Now that I've cleaned the kitchen, bathroom and closet, vacuumed (OK, I ran the Roomba - it still counts) the whole apartment, and unclogged the slow-running bathroom sink, I am returning to the sofa.

It's Friday and there's still no tiara. In the immortal words of my friend Caryn - "what a suck!"

At least I will have plenty of free time this weekend to look for a new one. Ryan has plenty of thesis work to do, since he's getting down to the wire now. I'll probably head out early tomorrow to try and beat the crowds and the rain. Sunday looks like a great knitting day, given the crappy weather forecast.

I finished the front of the second bridesmaid top, and sewed the shoulders together. Just need to pick up and knit the neck and shoulder edging, and sew the side seams and then I can cast on for #3! Woo-ee!

For all you who wondered if I was innovative or crazy when I decided on this project, the answer is both, leaning towards crazy.

I've been having so much trouble sleeping lately. Not falling asleep, but staying asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night, and then by around 6 or 6:30 a.m., I can't sleep anymore. Mostly I wake up with my head spinning from the things I need to do that day, or in general. I've got a "to-do" list a mile long, and plenty going on at work, too. Add to that the gym 4 times a week (my goal - which I am proud to say I usually achieve) and the occasional social obligation, and I think it's entirely possible that one day I will wake up with flames coming out my ears.

And now on top of that, I think I did something particularly dumb. I think I threw out my tiara by accident. I can't find it at my office, where I last had it because I had brought it veil shopping with me. It was wrapped in a plastic bag, and I think I may have tossed it last week. I'm not going to go completely nuts yet, but after I methodically tear apart my office today, I probably will be convinced that it's gone. I can't for the life of me remember bringing it home, though I have looked around here anyway. Oy. Everything was fine until last week - then I think my brain imploded.

Maybe it's because I realized there are 81 days left 'til W-Day. And there's a war on, which probably won't be over by then. That's comforting. I wonder if people won't want to fly? I hope that won't happen, but I did put information for traveling by Amtrak on the travel information sheet we're putting in the invitations.

I'm halfway through the armhole on the front of the second bridesmaid top. I may be able to finish it tonight, depending when I get out of work. I'm going to go to the gym, have a snack, and park myself on the sofa with the knitting and the kitties. But first, there's a whole work day to get through. Better go get dressed for it.

It's National Orange Day and I am actually wearing orange! I even brought an orange with my lunch, though that was purely coincidental.

I know I haven't posted in a week and a lot has happened. Is it possible that this war has actually rendered me speechless? Not quite. But I haven't quite known what to say, and have felt like anything I have to say has been said by so many people already. But I will do so now anyway.

I was not happy about the prospect of this war. I am no fan of George W. Bush, and I don't have the greatest confidence in his leadership. I do, however, believe that Saddam Hussein is violating the terms of the UN resolutions, and is a danger to at least the U.S. and his own people. But the thought of the U.S. going in there, bombing and killing without an overt provocation really made me stomach turn.

Of course, now we've done it, and there's not much choice. I still wish that diplomacy had worked. I still believe that with another president - one who was more interested in making progress than tough-talking sound bites - it could have worked. Unfortunately, that's not who is in power, so we are at war. And since we are at war, I have to support our troops 100% and hope that the incredible military machine we have built will prove successful. The shorter this war, the fewer lives will be lost, on both sides.

So that is where I stand - I will be tying yellow ribbons, even as I lament that we are at war at all.

Ah! This was the glorious Spring day everyone has been dreaming of for months. Yesterday wasn't so bad, either! It was an absolute joy to shed my winter coat and step outside without shivering. It didn't hurt that I started feeling better on Saturday afternoon, and by that night was well enough to go to dinner and a movie with our friends John and Amy.

I really liked the movie - Bend it Like Beckham. Very sweet and funny, and an entertaining look at the clash between cultures and generations. If you're looking for something slightly off the beaten path, but not so far off that it has subtitles, check it out.

On Sunday I expected Ryan to work, but he decided to blow of thesis for the day so we could do laundry and then enjoy the sunshine a bit. We ended up at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island. The place has improved a lot since the last time I was there, and we enjoyed it quite a bit.

I'm almost up to the armholes on the second half of the second bridesmaid top! I knitted for hours on Friday and then again last night. Now I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and believing I can actually finish this in a reasonable amount of time. So of course this morning, I got a monkey wrench thrown into my wedding plans. The rabbi I booked in September can no longer do our wedding - he has a family wedding that day that he was just informed of. Oy!

This news set off a cataclysm of thoughts - mostly me wondering whether we should actually have a Jewish ceremony. I'm more of a secular Jew, Ryan is totally non-religious, so what are we doing? Maybe we should have a non-denominational ceremony with a spiritual but not religious officiant, and incorporate some traditions, but not all the religious deity stuff. I contemplated that (and am still contemplating it), floated the trial balloon past my Mom to prepare her in case we do change plans, cried over the stress of it all, and went back to work.

Then the "backup rabbi" that the original rabbi had called ended up calling me. He seems nice. I am still undecided over the right thing to do, but we are going to meet with him to talk, probably this Thursday. He lives up in Scarsdale, so we actually have to drive up there after work. That's kind of a bummer, but at least for the wedding itself he could drive himself to Brooklyn. So, we'll meet, we'll talk, and we'll see what he has to say. One way or another, we will find someone to marry us in a ceremony that we can both live with.

Had trouble getting into blogger yesterday. Plus, I woke up sick (it had been coming on all day Thursday) and had to do my presentation whilst feeling like a pile of crap. Luckily, everyone (including the President of our division) said I was fabulous, and everyone else did a great job, too. Glad to have that over with. I think I have to go to Philly next Wednesday to do it again with revisions for the higher-level folks. Whee.

So today I am home sick. Sore throat. Haven't had one all winter, for a change, and now it caught up with me. I've been debating whether to see the doctor or not. I don't have a fever, so I think it is less likely to be strep and more likely a virus, which is just a wait it out situation, so I think I'll skip the doctor. Of course, if it gets worse over the weekend, rather than better, I will be bummed that I made this decision.

For the meantime, I'm staying home, making some soup (Ryan just bought me the stuff I need) and resting. I think I may even knit!

Our wedding invitations arrived yesterday and they are beautiful! I was really so pleased with the way they came out. I'd been worried about them, since we ordered online (I had seen a sample invitation without printing) and only had a fax proof. But everything is great, and I can in good conscience recommend Invitation Hotline to anyone who wants to order invitations (for anything, not just weddings) online.

Got most of the way through my taxes last night, and thanks to the job-hopping I did, I am getting a decent refund, which will be much appreciated. After talking to my best friend/tax advisor I just filled out a new W-4 and will be getting a few more bucks in my paycheck starting now, since the IRS considers you married for the whole year in the year in which you get married. Yay! I could certainly use the extra cash.

Tonight is gym night, and tomorrow is a big client presentation that I am a little nervous over. Not too anxious, but just enough to be paying attention. It's a semi-formal presentation, more of a work-in-progress than a full presentation, so it shouldn't be too bad.

In response to this repulsive news story I actually wrote the following letter to my congresswoman:

I'm writing in hopes that you will do something about the ridiculous waste of taxpayer time and money I just read about in the news. I am referring to the action by Rep. Ney of Ohio to replace the word "French" with "Freedom" on House menus, etc.

I am certain that a levelheaded Brooklynite such as yourself cannot possibly support such a pointless, arrogant and spiteful action as this, and I hope you can do something to dissuade your colleagues from pursuing it any further.

This action offends me deeply. It gives the appearance that while taxpayers are worrying about the economy, terrorism and the threat of war, our representatives are sitting around on Capitol Hill playing language police. Whether or not this is true, does Rep. Ney have any idea how stupid he looks to the majority of Americans?

Also, it has the ring of xenophobia and perpetuates the view of the U.S. as petty, isolationist, and self-serving. These are some of the very reasons we are so deeply hated in so many countries, even those who are our allies.

I implore you to put a stop to this pathetic waste of time and taxpayer money! Please share this opinion with your colleagues in the House, and help stem the tide of radical idiocy on Capitol Hill!

Thank you very much for your attention in this matter.


If you are as disgusted by this as I am, write to your congressperson! Make a stink! Go to www.house.gov to find out who your representative is, and how to contact them.

Hey, my pants are looser today! Maybe all this working out is paying off. We've been hitting the gym at least 4x/week and I've been working harder than I ever have. Last night I did 30 minutes of run/walk on the treadmill (walk 3 minutes, run 1) - I used to be too lazy to ever bother with the run part. And I'm switching cardio equipment most of the time, rather than just doing the same old thing every time I go. Plus way more weight-lifting, which I've been reading is particularly important in your 30s. It's only been a few weeks, but I really am starting to see results, one of which is that the pants that were really tight a few weeks ago are back into the "close-fitting but comfortable" zone. Yay me!

We were going to go buy wedding bands today at lunchtime, but now it's put off until next week when Ryan has class and thus more than one reason to come to Manhattan during the day. It's OK - I have plenty to do at work for Thursday's client meeting, so I could use the extra time. Also, our invitations should be delivered (to us) today! They were supposed to be here yesterday, but at 4:48 the UPS driver entered "receiver not in on 1st attempt" into the system. Of course, that was a lie. Ryan was home all day, and wasn't in the shower or anything at that hour, and the doorbell never rang. There was also no delivery slip. Lazy piece of !@#$ didn't even try to deliver the package. That pissed me off big-time. But if it arrives today, I'll get over it.

I'm back for a quick minute to say I have finally gotten a chance to look at the new Knitty and there are some awfully cute patterns in there! After my wedding, I am thinking I might soothe my post-wedding withdrawal with the bright and cheery Sitcom Chic cardie, designed by the ever-fabulous, entertaining, and prolific Bonne Marie. And I may get to make some Dim Sum for the kitties even before that, since they are quick and easy. And I just adore the Tiptoe through the Tulips socks, but I doubt I will have the fortitude to make those anytime soon. My first foray into sock knitting is still sitting on 2 circs in my knitting cabinet. For almost a year. Oh how I would adore a pair of those, though! I would actually buy these socks! Oh well, always good to have an unattainable object of desire.

Seems everyone but me has gotten their Rowan #33. Not that I have time for any other knitting at the moment, but I'm bummed to not have received it. Just wrote to their customer service to see what's up.

Last night's dinner was quite a success - the Cooking Light Bibimbop was fantastic! A little of a pain to serve because it's topped with an over-easy egg, and I didn't want to serve a cold egg to anyone, so I had to plate each serving individually (so the rice would stay hot) and then cook up a fresh egg. Not that it took too long, but if there were more than three of us it would've been annoying. Of course the traditional way to serve it is in a heavy earthenware bowl, which alleviates the cold rice issue, so I could have assembled all the servings and then just done the eggs quickly. Or I could buy a big griddle and do all the eggs at once like a short-order cook. Maybe not.

Tonight I'm going to see Erasure at the Beacon Theater with my friend Paul. He's a tremendous Erasure fan, and I've actually seen them with him before, on my birthday about 5-6 years ago. Should be a fun show. I'm not sure what else we're going to do today other than go to the gym, which I'm just about to do. I've been very diligent about working out again. It helps that Ryan and I arrange to meet there on my way home from work, so it's harder to wimp out. So far, I've stuck to the 4-workouts-per-week goal and I even look forward to it. I think I am starting to see a teensy difference already. Here I go!

Had a little reality check today. Velma emailed me to ask how things went with the Topsecret sweater I wanted to knit a few months ago using the lovely Gedifra Dandy yarn I bought last Spring. I was forced to admit I hadn't gotten anywhere near knitting it, because of my major procrastination on the bridesmaids tops. Sigh.

Of course, you'd think that would get me to knit tonight, but no. We got home at 8 from the gym (went straight after work) and then I should have knit during Bush's press conference, but I didn't even think of it. Duh. Then I was cooking pasta for dinner tonight, and preparing veggies for tomorrow night's dinner (the Bibimbop recipe from this month's Cooking Light), and now I'm blogging a bit, reading some email, and then off to bed. Maybe I just need the deadline to be right the f*ck on top of me in order to act?!

Have you heard about the giant Chee-to?

I left the house at 8 this morning, as my friend John was driving through the city and dropped me off, as has become the norm lately. It was raining when I walked out the door, and by the time we were on the Brooklyn Bridge, it had started freezing up and bouncing off the windshield. Now, an hour later, it's snowing like crazy outside my office window. It's fascinating to witness the development of a snowstorm like that.

Now let's just hope it doesn't stick or melts quickly.

Knitting? What's knitting? Oh, I think I used to do that. Urgh.

OK, I did start the front of bridesmaid top number two. I did at least four rows, so get off my back, people! Of course, that was Sunday, and now it's Wednesday. I have an appointment at Bliss after work, and I'll probably be home between 7 and 7:30, so perhaps I'll devote the rest of the evening to knitting and TV. Sounds very soothing.

Just as I procrastinated knitting, I procrastinated meeting with florists, and now am procrastinating follow-up with them. One gave me a ridiculously huge estimate that I do not think can possibly be whittled down to reasonable proportions. One gave me a very reasonable - almost scarily reasonable - estimate. He's the one right around the corner on Court Street. So why haven't I called her to tell her I don't think it can be done, and called him to tell him it can?

Work is busy in a weird way. I have a project that we're outlining and putting together schematics for, to be presented on March 13th. I am supposed to review what we've done so far at noon with my boss and her partner (associate creative director for copy, associate creative director for art.) My art director partner is out today, so it's just me, which is fine - at least I can get a word in. He tends to talk a lot. I have the visual schematic, and I wrote a detailed description of the program flow and components, so I think I'm fine. I'm not sure how much further we need to go for the client presentation, which makes me wonder whether I am over- or underestimating my portion of the work involved in this presentation.

Been going to the gym fairly often - trying for four times a week minimum, and focusing more on weight training than cardio. I've read in a few places that weight training is actually more important for a woman in her 30s. Also, I tend to work pretty quickly, and not take a lot of rests (because I want to get home!) so I think I get a decent cardio benefit while I am doing weights. I'm now calling my workout plan my "hotness initiative" (so that every piece of my life can have some business jargon?). I'm not working out to look good for my wedding - all the stuff you can see when I wear my wedding gown already looks fine. It's the stuff hiding underneath I'd like to change a bit. The stuff everyone will see in my honeymoon pictures. That is the true challenge.

Has it really been so long since I posted? How lame am I?!

I've just been busy with work, and wedding, and procrastinating knitting the bridesmaid tops. I just ordered the skirts (which I had a good reason to wait on) and they are supposed to arrive a month before the wedding. That's a teensy bit nervewracking, too. I guess it just means the girls will have to get the alterations (probably just hems) done quickly. Now that I think of it, the one I am most nervous about is Kristy's, since she is so far away in Hawaii. But she's also tall. In photos of her trying on wedding dresses, the samples (which were far too long on me) were just right on her. So maybe she won't need a hem at all. There's a comforting thought.

Other than that, we ordered invitations, picked the menu and linens (I couldn't believe they had like 40 different choices of linen colors!), and I actually did start knitting the front of bridesmaid top number two.

I wish I had more to say, but I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed and not too chatty. I'm sure that'll change soon enough.

It's pretty amazing that after all this cold weather, I stepped outside into 40 degrees today and thought it felt like Spring! I'm talking no hat, loose scarf, top button open on the coat! A few months ago I was shivering at weather like this, but now it feels positively balmy. This winter has reminded me so much of the winters up in Syracuse, where I went to school.

A friend who is getting married two weeks before me said she liked the idea of having such a bad winter because it will make the arrival of Spring feel even more special, and that goes nicely with the wedding countdown. I decided I'd go along with that idea, since I have to find something to like about it!

I finished the back side of the second bridesmaid top on Tuesday night. Tonight I will try and start the front, if I have time. We have to go up to Mount Sinai hospital to visit Ryan's sister's fiance's father. He lives in Miami but was taken ill while up here for a weekend conference, and the poor guy knows no one else in the city. I've never met him, but he's apparently a very warm and friendly guy and doesn't mind being visited by a virtual stranger (he has met Ryan before). At least this way I will have met him before Kristy and Tom's wedding in August!

Why in the world am I here at the office? There's no way my client is in - they're outside of Philadelphia and they all drive to work. That sure isn't happening! Pretty much the only people here in the office are those who live in the five boroughs and don't have to drive. But, the office is open and I need to save my PTO time for the honeymoon, so here I am.

Walking up Court Street in Brooklyn was quite entertaining. (If you're a masochist!) Some places were shoveled clean, others were just foothpaths worn through 2 feet ot snow with one "lane" for walking. The older man walking in front me didn't have boots and went down hard at once of those spots. He wouldn't let me help him up, though. Just as well - I'd have probably fallen on top of him and broken something on one of us.

So, now I'm here to sit and stare into the near distance of my monitor, while it snows even more out there. Maybe I'll sneak out a bit early.