Geek in Heels - Page 166

Jan 12, 2010 • In Personal, Wedding

I Was a Cookie-Cutter Bride

Recently I have even been called out (in the wedding blog world) for advocating creativity and individuality when my own wedding was so “cookie-cutter.”

I know that making your wedding one-of-a-kind and unique is the trendy thing to do these days. However, J and my wedding was fairly traditional and conservative.

Thinking back to our wedding day and the months preceding the event, I can think of three explanations why.

Our venue provided everything.
We would’ve had to do additional work, and/or pay extra fees in order to incorporate elements that were unique to our personalities. We knew this was a trade-off when deciding on this venue; however, their food was to die for (people are still talking about how awesome the food was at our wedding!) and in the end, our stomaches and laziness took over.

As much as we wanted to elope, or have a backyard BBQ wedding, our parents would’ve murdered us.
Correction: murdered us in such ways so that there were no conspicuous marks on our bodies, then put on the wedding themselves in the style of Weekend at Bernie’s.

We are actually pretty conservative when it comes to beliefs and core values.
Yes, this may come as a surprise to some, especially since we have such a diverse group of friends. This probably holds true more for J, because I myself was surprised when we first became close and I discovered his conservative standards.

It is for these reasons that we decided to go the traditional route for our wedding, and decided upon the traditional vows. They represented who we are as a couple, not based on others’ perceptions of us.

I resent the term “cookie-cutter wedding” for the same reason people look down upon stay-at-home moms in the name of feminism.

To me, feminism is about having a choice, not about going against the traditional/old feminine roles. In the same way, throwing a kick-ass wedding should not be about going against the traditional norms; rather, it should be about going with your preferences and embracing what works for you and your loved ones.

So if having our wedding in a ballroom, wearing a poofy white dress, and reciting traditional wedding vows is what made me happy and ultimately represented us, who is anyone to look down on us?

Donations via Guilt

Every few months I receive the Johns Hopkins Magazine in the mail. I pore over each issue with a cup of joe, reading it cover to cover to keep afloat on the latest from my alma mater.

Who am I kidding? It usually ends up in the recycling bin, untouched.

And, like indigestion is sure to follow a night of over-indulgence at White Castle (aka the crack of fast food), a “special” letter from the JHU President trails the magazine within a few days.

A “special” letter asking for donations, that is.

I’ve always discarded these letters without much of a second glance — because let’s face it, I didn’t particularly like my experience at Hopkins, and my entire professional career has had nothing to do with what I studied there — but I decided to take a closer look and noticed something interesting.

Do you see that in the middle? “Giving History to Johns Hopkins.” And a little table of how much (or how little, in my case) I’ve donated over the years.

Is this their way of trying to guilt-trip me into paying up?

…because it’s kinda working.

Unlucky for them, I’ve exceeded my charity budget for the quarter (thanks to all my heart-of-gold friends who are always walking/running/biking/selling to raise money for good causes and forever hounding me with emails). So perhaps I’ll give it a go with the next round of mailings.

Do you donate money to your alma mater?

Super Mario Texts from Last Night

Via CollegeHumor.

On a related note, has anyone else been playing Super Mario Bros Wii? We’ve been playing it since its picking up a copy right on its release date and love it! Modeled after Super Mario Bros 3 (aka the best Super Mario Bros ever), it takes full advantage of the Wii system while keeping true to the franchise. Definitely the best Wii game of the past year!

The Baby Dance

Earlier this week I met with my OB to discuss some questions that had been plaguing me; mainly, why the heck can’t I get pregnant again?

Before getting pregnant my periods were like clockwork: every 27 days, lasting 5 days. I think I’ve had only a handful of instances in the past decade where I was late.

Now I have no idea where I’m at. My first period after losing the baby came 36 days after the surgery. The period after that? 41 days. Each were excruciating with extra blood. Remember my bleeding through onto the couch? Well that was nothing compared to the second period where the blood went through a tampon AND a pad, my underwear, and onto my pants every 3-4 hours.

I still haven’t lost the weight I gained from the pregnancy, and while my boobs are definitely softer, they still remain humongous at D-cups. I cringe whenever I see my monstrous bras.

My OB says that this is nothing to worry about, as there is nothing wrong with me physically. Everyone’s body is different and mine is taking a bit longer to adjust.

Then there’s the getting pregnant again part. We’re both relatively young (29 & 31) and healthy. We’ve been having sex regularly. Why haven’t we gotten pregnant yet?

I know, I know — three months is nothing compared to some couples who try for years and years without success. I just never thought that we would be one of those couples.

I never thought I would be one of those women, taking my basal body temperature every day and charting my cycle. I never thought I would become fluent in TTC (trying to conceive) talk:

Since my m/c in October my AF has be really irregular. We do the BD every day but still haven’t gotten a BFP after three months. I’ve been charting my BBT but am too grossed out to check my CM…however, I thought I saw some EWCM the other day. Have I o’d and missed it? Should I take a HPT, or just stock up on OPKs?

I never thought I would hope for every twinge/pain/discomfort to be a sign of ovulation or implantation. I never thought I would look forward to nausea, bloating, gas, and body aches. I never thought I would schedule our social events around my ovulation day. I never thought I would talk to my uterus more than my husband after sex, or prop up my legs and hips after doing the deed so that his little guys don’t have to fight against gravity.

But oh yes. I HAVE BECOME THAT WOMAN.

I realize more and more with each passing day, with every story I read, just how much of a miracle life is, and how blessed those with healthy pregnancies and children are.

Here’s to hoping and praying that we are blessed with a miracle of our own very soon.

Upward-Facing Dog

When my dog Comang is at his most comfortable, he likes to flip onto his back. (Please excuse the quality of these pictures, as most of them were taken with camera phones.)

He has no shame, that one, fully spreading and baring his genitals for all to see.

Sometimes I’ll even join him… (but in a more modest manner)

Other times I’ll come home to see what he’s really been doing the entire time I was gone.

He usually ignores the TV, but we like to think that he quite enjoys it in his upside-down position, as his favorite place to stretch out is on the couch in front of the boob tube.

Although my family’s had several dogs over the years, none of them has done this so we think it’s hilarious. I thought Comang was just a weirdo until friends informed me that their dogs do this too. I’ve also discovered sites like Upside Down Dogs that prove there are plenty of weirdos out there like him.

Do your dogs like to lie on their backs?

A New Year’s Wish

This is a week late, but…

Happy New Year!

I’ve been incredibly busy and overwhelmed the past few weeks — so much so that I have eschewed Facebook (gasp), Google Reader (the horror!), and even blogging.

I still have a busy week ahead, but I hope to get back to my regularly scheduled programming within the next two weeks.

2009 was an incredibly difficult year for myself and my family. There were so many instances that made me question why bad things keep happening to good people (ie, my parents).

I once read that it takes a significant emotional event to change a person. I feel that the traumatic events of 2009 — losing a baby 4 months into my pregnancy, utmost betrayal from those I’ve trusted, among others — have really changed me as a person. I have become jaded, despondent, and testy. I find it difficult to be happy for others, selfishly wondering why I am expected to be happy for others’ blessing when so many of my brightest hopes were taken away from me and those whom I care about deeply.

These changes are not all for the worse, however. I am now better able to stand up for myself, to say “no” when asked to place others’ happiness before mine. Sounds selfish, doesn’t it? In a way it is, but you have no idea how refreshing this is after 29 years of being the ultimate people-pleaser. I am also now a better negotiator and problem-solver than ever before, which helps tremendously in helping my parents with their business.

But perhaps the best change comes with my taking things slower and appreciating the little things in life. Waking up every morning between my two favorite boys (my husband and my dog). The crisp winter air. Checking off an item on my to-do list. Taking some time out each day to be thankful for what I do have.

2009 was a year filled with much drama and many tears. I do not have any new year resolutions, but I do have one wish: to have a boring, albeit happy year in 2010…

…however, I’m not so sure how feasible a boring year would be, seeing as my biggest desire is to get pregnant as soon as possible and go on to have a healthy baby.

I remain hopeful.

The Periodic Table of Beer Styles

via Neatorama.

Doggy Back Jacket

I have never been the type to adorn her pets with nonessential clothes or accessories. And although Comang is a shih-tzu, we keep his hair short because it is easier to maintain.

However, as we enter our first winter together I am a bit worried that my little guy will suffer from the frigid northeast weather as we go on our twice-daily walks.

Last week we experienced the coldest day of the season (so far) and so I took out the doggy shirt that his previous owners had bequeathed to us. The little guy LOVED it — he started running around in circles as soon as he spotted it in my hands, and refused to let me take it off of him when we returned from our walk.

Since then I have been on the lookout for a sweater or a jacket for Comang, as the doggy shirt isn’t too warm. The selection available online is massive — too overwhelming for someone like me — so I figured I would wait until our next trip to the groomer, who carries a good selection of pet clothes.

Until I saw this, that is.

The Doggy Back Jacket is designed for older dogs experiencing aches and pains. The “doggy back” of the jacket can be heated or frozen before being attached to the jacket via velcro to provide comfort.

I am always a bit skeptical of non-medical products designed for pet use. I mean, how do they actually know that the dog experiences relief from this jacket? Because as much as we would love to communicate with our animals, we can never fully understand what they’re thinking or feeling.

In addition, Comang is only 3 years old so he does not require relief from arthritic pain…

…but…

HOW FREAKIN CUTE ARE THESE JACKETS??!!?

I might just get one for my little buddy and end up using the “doggy back” portion for show.

via Nerd Approved.

12 Days of Christmas

Last week’s The Office featured a Secret Santa exchange wherein Andy literally gifts his crush Erin the “12 Days of Christmas.”

“Is it my fault that the first eight days is basically 30 birds?”

Despite the fact that Erin suffers quite a bit from the presents (ie, being attacked by French Hens), I found the thought and effort put behind the gifts absolutely adorable — from Andy’s begging Dwight and Jim to get Erin as his Secret Santa, to the orchestration of the “twelve drummers drumming” at the end of the episode.

Most people would not go as all-out as Andy in celebration of the 12 Days of Christmas. However, I have found one company that can make the packaging of your twelve gifts just as special…

Twelve Days is a small startup from San Francisco, CA. We’re a family business, inspired by one of our own Christmas traditions — celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas by giving a small gift on each of the twelve days, December 26-January 6. For nearly 30 years, we’ve put small gifts in boxes that hang on our Christmas tree, with the recipient searching the tree for a box to open each day.

In Fall 2007 we decided to share our way of celebrating the Twelve Days with the world, and began the design process for our gift box sets. We chose to work with Design Packaging for their combination of luxury packaging design experience and in-house sourcing & production capabilities. They did a great job of guiding us through our first packaging design process.

Our Twelve Days gift box sets include 12 unique hanging gift boxes, a matching presentation box, a 40-page booklet on the surprisingly rich folklore & history of the Twelve Days, 12 decorative hangers, pre-cut tissue, and a fold-out gift giver’s guide. It’s a complete kit — all you have to add are 12 fun little gifts for your lucky recipient — and it’s built to last for many years.

Coordinating design elements were used throughout to create a cohesive whole, from the 12 little boxes making up our logo to the distinctive foil-stamp pattern on the box sleeves, to the custom warm silver hue on the box wrap (the wrap is an embossed silver foil with custom a custom translucent color printed over it, and then matte-laminated for a smooth feel and durability). We sweated the details, and hope that it shows.

This gift set is so fantastically beautiful that it makes me yearn for Christmas decorations in my own house (we have decided not to do so in order to save money), just so I’d have an excuse to get them!

Via Packaging of the World.

“It’s Like Hoth Out There.”

Enter a city name and get back its current climate conditions in Star Wars terms. I just tested it myself and they’re right — I would like to climb into a tauntaun for warmth.

Apparently, if the city you enter isn’t listed, the result will be Alderaan, which means that it’s not there (pretty clever, if I do say so myself).

Via Neatorama.

I Was a Cookie-Cutter Bride

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