I know — I’ve not posted in a while. You’ll have to deal!
Anyways — just wanted to show off the evidence we actually got married in the Caribbean:
The Mrs has good details here. I’ll be uploading more photos soon too.
Update: Click the photo for the rest. We’ll add more as we get them from Mom & Aud.
Someone already mentioned the event — but I’ve risen from the ashes to confirm it: I’m gettin’ hitched. Yup. Me. Yessir - married. No, you go ahead and take a few minutes to let that sink in. Oh the ring — sure right over here.
Now then - hi 
I’ll spare the details of the proposal, ring, etc - Portana has done a much better job of that stuff. Besides — my job is just to puff out my chest and smile. I do want to reafirm just how lucky I am — I found a girl that can put up with me and who I have fun with everyday. We actually get along riduculously well - some have referred to us as “book ends” - the irony that we are both a bit dorky right there on the surface. It is quite blissful to think I have found that person who will tolerate me for eternity whilst plotting my slow and eventual death behind my back with my family - every guy should be so fortunate!
The phrases “I’m engaged”, “I’m getting married”, and “my fiance” are becoming more comfortable - but they don’t warn you that after you ask the Big Question that you change how you talk. Little things… It is kinda amusing talking to my two groups of friends - the Montana folks that are almost all married already, some with kids; and the folks from Penn - just starting or finishing the Ph.D, only one of which I know is engaged. You can imagine that some are “great, about time!” and others are “holy @#$@, whaaaa?” This should be a good bachelor party. Blantant hinting: I remember some drunken Lumberjack games (no not the “I’m a lumberjack and that’s O.K” song type…), and some glowstick frisbee for one; I’m thinking along the same lines. Note to those not from MT - you can use a shotgun to “chop” down a tree, but make sure to attack a tree of appropriate size - otherwise you end up with 2 boxes of shells, a sore shoulder, and a tree that is oozing and dripping sap on your tent because you forgot to move very far away before trying this.
Oh, you want to know when ? So far — and this data is a bit TBD — we are thinking early October 2007. Super simple, yet elegant. Lou will be officiating a Quakerish ceremony in a barn type structure, food along the lines of a pig roast and free booze. I think we are going more for a relaxing country wedding type event — without the dirt & hot wind Then again — this is all subject to change.
If 2007 sounds like a familiar year for weddings, put down your electronical information organization device. The ones I know of are: Sister #1 (ranked in age, not favoritism - I swear!) is early June 2007, Sister #2 (ok, yeah I like the other one more - j/k) is August 2007, Liza is the same weekend as Sister #1, A cousin here in the TC is late June 2007. It is official — I’m starting to get to that age where all you do every summer for 5 years is attend weddings.
I’m sure more will be said on this as we get the event actually finalized and planned, but for now I’m going to go bask in the glory of being engaged!
I was chit the chatting with Portana last night and she mentioned that in (as of 11.27 am CST) 21 days, 8 hours and 30some minutes (adjusted for timezones of course), we will have been dating for a year. It is a bit sad to say — but I’d forgotten that we were coming up on such a day. I mean — I know when our “day” is and that we’ve been dating for a bit now, but I hadn’t given much thought to the fact that we’ve been “bonking” (no, not that bonking… it is an inside joke) for almost a year now. It was still kind of rattling around in my head this morning as to what the last year has been like and how dating her after this time is still a super fun time. Yes there is the inevitable “comfort” that comes with time and living together for 2 months now has introduced another level of routine behavior and interaction — BUT I’m still amazed at how we are still goofy as all heck and really do enjoy spending time together. Awwww shucks…..
So you ask — what has the last year meant? Well — here are the highlights that come to mind. Nothing too gushy or personal of course - must protect the guilty
Harley rides, lots of harley rides. First date after the thunderstorm (hey, why do you think guys buy motorcycles?), to Roscoe for her birthday, a few trips to Rock Dodge, lots of little lunch trips in Billings, Bozeman, getting beer from Costco, wow ! We jsut need to ride a lot more here in MN!!
Cooking - I’m the meal master, Portana kicks my butt with some breakfast thingys and all baking. I make a mean milk shake and rule the grill. She makes me want to eat healthier I keep trying to cook healthier for the both of us!
Pets - some good times, some rough times. Just a little note — these are likely the only kids we will have and we are both thrilled about that! But the hair…oh! the hair!.
Dealing with life - my getting laid off, her job interviews, moving, two new jobs, packing two houses up, living as a guest at Auds for a month, unpacking into a single house, getting used to living together - sleep schedules, bathroom sharing, eating schedules, finally getting the hosue unpacked, furniture shopping, the list goes on. I’m amazed how we’ve gotten through all of that without a huge “Nic you are an ass” fight. Damn, I guess we might be adults after all!
I’m sure there are huge events I’m leaving out here, but I think it is suffice to say that this first year has been an amazing adventure both personally and relationship wise. I can’t think of anything I’d have done significantly different - I’ve really enjoyed it and hope it continues for a long, long time. Well — I’d write more, but I’ve got dragons to slay here at work!
Oy yeah — I love you Babe!
Whoaaa there parder. A little splash-n-dash here on the blog before I get back to the hectic life that is my Monday, bullet style.
This single day probably made my week, if not month.
It has to be shared: Hooter Shooters, courtesy of JWZ again.
I know someone whose friends are all getting the same gift for Christmas. Oh lord are there going to be some strange camping trips next summer. And you thought men wearing women’s thongs and naked 4 wheeler races were bad…
It is such a Friday. IRC is usually a means for verbal jousting about technical mistakes one has made, or for discussion and collaboration in the search for creating new mistakes. At any rate, I needed to share this one…
[brian] there is
[brian] new relationship sex: everyday, then comes
[brian] newly marred sex: 3x a week
[brian] married 5 years sex: 2x a month and then
[brian] hallway sex: where passing each other in hallway you each say to each other “fuck you”.
[brian] that usually comes right before divorce.
[brian] well, divorce or murder, depending on your perspective on solving problems.
Smell that? Yes friends, that is the smell of a Friday afternoon going right out the window with my ambition and motivation. I now need to decide whether I start drinking or napping now.
It seems the previous pondering has turned into a more fun loving experiement. It being Friday and all, I figure I will take a swipe at getting hit about the head and neck for my insulting answers to the questions below. I’ve taken the liberty to provide multiple insulting answers just in case a single one doesn’t hold water.
Update: I’m having way to much fun with this and have added a few more answers…
The 5 toughest questions women ask - and their answers.
“What are you thinking?”
“Do you love me?”
“Do I look fat?”
“Do you think she is prettier than me?”
“What would you do if I died?”
Sometimes it is just fun to be a rotten shit! Too bad there were not more questions, only so many options here.
Editors Note: It may be a few days before the next post as Nic recovers from his wounds. Who knew you could inflict that much damage with a frying pan….
Hey look, Nic has managed to not write anything here in a few weeks again. I guess I am not that active writing here when there is so much to do elsewhere… So, what have I been up to? Lots I tell you, lots! So, in usual form, watch out for flying bullets.
I think that covers most of the interesting bits, well ok, I’m sure I am forgetting lots of stuff, but I’m lazy and need to work.
Dude, Wall-Mart has *everything*
iTunes says:We are doomed. “Hey baby, want to head over to Bed, Bath and Beyond and get nasty? Or are you more of a Home Depot kind of freak?”
If you see me at Wall-Mart, I am there for the bargains. If you see me there on Friday nights to pick up women, remind me that I like mine with all their teeth and take me to the bar.
So, as it was put by Jon, today is “Singles Awareness Day”. That’s right, if you are single, today you REALLY know it. I don’t really have an excuse to buy a bottle of Veuve or a couple quarts of strawberries this year, but then again, does one really need an excuse to do that? I think this year is particularily annoying, as most of my friends here are now married or might as well be. Don’t they realize how unfair that is to me? =D
At any rate, if you do have someone special this Valentines day, do the rest of us a favor and go stick your genitals in the toaster. No seriously, you are bugging me! On the plus side, that should free up some folks for the rest of us. Hrm, ok, well let me rethink that — if you have someone special and are male, go play in traffic blindfolded. Gee, not bitter or anything am I?
So, you ask, what are my plans for the evening ? Well, I think I will start off with the day’s first shower, really just for good measure, then hit the grocery store for some fixins — not sure what I’ll make, but I am thinking chicken something-or-other, ooooh, I should grab some beer too. After dinner, I plan on getting toasted and making sweet, sweet love to the Tivo. She’ll never leave me, well, as long I as I keep sending in those payments.