John and Audrey's Wedding

Blog No. 59: John and Audrey's Wedding



It's about time. That's all I have to say.

Everything was very enjoyable. Exceptional, but not as completely organized as we'd hoped. It would've been nice to have ran through the ceremony to know what would be happening. In the ceremony, transitions were sloppy. The priest went to the back room a couple of times to get either the holy water or the candles. The wedding planner wasn't really too much help either. It was my impression that she was supposed to be hidden, yet she was up front and center when it happened.

Meh, all I can say is that it's over and they are FINALLY married.

I had invited Piper and the Blonde to come and be part of the wedding. However, when the Blonde arrived in Sacramento, I guess she felt worse than what she felt back in Santa Cruz. I had told her that she should know her limits and be careful with her decisions, yet she was stubborn. What ended up happening was that she stayed home, which is fine. Thing is, I wouldn't feel as guilty if she wasn't expect back in Santa Cruz after the weekend. She came up here just to go to my sister's wedding and she did not even go. She had bought engraved wine flutes too, apparently. I hope she feels OK...

So Piper was left alone, without a Blonde to brace the impact with, to face my family and my new asian family as I met them. I had seen John's side of the family a couple of times before the wedding, but only in spurts. The wedding had the entire immediate family here. It felt awkward because some of John's family came up to me and greeted me with open arms using my full name and I couldn't even remember their names. Now I forced Piper to share that agony with me! XD

~~~

Piper and Tom were not at the ceremony on the count of getting lost, which was understandable because the church was hidden between houses, two schools, and a park. Being the scaredy cats they are, they decided to go meet me at the reception so that she could go in with me. :P

I arrived at the church with my mom and Audrey, fully clothed and waiting with anticipation. When we took her to the side door for the bride, the wedding pretty much started. One by one, everyone walked down the aisle. First John. Then Vicky Joe and Ben, the maid of honor and best man. Then Bianca and Viktor, flower girl and ring bearer. Then John's parents. Then our mother. Audrey was facing me while we were waiting in that little room. She was jokingly wondering how fast she could run out of the church in her wedding shoes. I could sense her nervousness, so I calmed her down a little by saying that all she is really doing is walking twenty feet, but it'll be the twenty feet that will matter in her life. That twenty feet opens a door, not to fears or issues, but to a new life, both figuratively and literally (being pregnant and all). I did not say exactly those words, but I got the point across. XD



The ceremony itself was very long and short at the same time. It ended pretty early, but it dragged on for some time, what with the readings, the prayers, the moms lighting the candles, the vows, the rings, more prayers, the consumption of the body of Christ, and the kiss. The kiss, apparently, woken up shiny pixies and fairies in the church, or at least that was what my final picture looks like:



LOL And when the bride and groom kissed, the pixie fairies illuminated the church and brightened all the dark corners. XD

Anyways, Audrey changed and we headed for the reception, where there was merriment and joy, and the buffet was asian-american. My mom and aunt had prepared the decorations for the reception room, but it was really John's parents that lead the party. They pretty much dictated the introductions and the toasts. Apparently I had to speak to the bride and groom and give them some wisdom. All I said was "I love you both. Congrats," and I held my thumbs up. All I know is that they applauded more for my speech than the Dad's. XD

What-To-Do-Tomorrow Final To Do List:

1. Sleep.
2. Return Tuxedo.
3. Prepare for Chemistry migraine.

From here on in, I get paid to be in weddings.

And NOW we wait for baby Lennox to arrive. Joy...

Catholic Store

Blog No. 58: Catholic Store

I've never really been that religious.

It's no surprise to some people, but to the people I've met post high school it needs to be said, I guess. Sure, I respect their views and beliefs and whatnot, but, and I'm not afraid of saying it, I always feel kind of awkward around religious people. Well... Religious people being all religious.

So imagine my level of discomfort when I see this giant painting in front of Easter's:



I do NOT know what to make of this painting. Whenever I go into this store, the giant Jesus always seemed very daunting. I'm trying to come up with words to describe how this looks like to me. Scary? Mysterious? Sexually inappropriate? (XD) I had a dream once about this certain painting, only I saw myself as the one Jesus is holding up. Extremely odd... And creepy.

Anyways, we went to Easter's to get stuff for the wedding tomorrow (AAAAHH!!!) so that the priest can bless them or something. And it's super weird because my family is supposedly catholic. There's no church days in the house, but when it comes to important events it's "PRAISE baby Jesus!" XD

Me, I just find organized religion kind of creepy. Whenever I think of it, I reflect back on this first time I went to church, where the mass was super long and all I remembered was the preacher saying "Praise to Taco Bell!" and everyone in the church muttered "Praise be to the Lord." This was way back when my Grandma walked with a cane everywhere. I remember because she took me to go up after some words in line for those flat breads and wine. The flat thingies taste like paper, and I took 3 large gulps of wine before they took it away from me.

God is weird. XD

So I'm in the store, surrounded by staring eyes of a hippie-ish, bearded man painted and sculpted everywhere, thinking what did I do to attract this much attention?, and I look at iconic stuff, the different crosses and the rainbow of colored rosaries, and wonder who would put a miniaturized, half naked hippie nailed to a piece of board, BLEEDING, on a child's wall?, and then I just back away from it all and look at it as an insider.

Here's where I like the religious scene. I found some cross with some inspirational writing on it instead of the depressed hippie. It said "Enter through the narrow gate. Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" which would be more inspiring and less scary in a baby's room. At least it would be more pleasing in a child's eyes until they understand the meaning of the actual crucifix.

The things I do like about the religious scene are the inspiring passages and strong symbolism. And it's not only catholicism too. If you think about it, there are strong ties that bind each of these religions, despite the arguments, the differences, the radicals, and the years and years of unrest over religion in general. Religion, (the general idea not the worship of a or multiple gods), speaks to my philosophical side.

That is why, I think, I can tolerate the religious scene... Even after the "Praise to Taco Bell" XD

Preparations-For-The-Wedding To Do List:

1. Wake up at 6 AM.
2. Be showered and decent by 8 AM.
3. Get the cider from Bevmo at 9 AM.
4. Get the bride from the hair salon at 11 AM.
5. Stay out of the way from 11 AM to 1 PM.
6. Get my class ring, my spare sports coat, and the Sheri's Berries from the house sometime in between.
7. Pick up the cupcakes for the reception.
8. Meet with the wedding coordinator and hear her rant about the procession.
9. DON'T FORGET THE TUXEDO.
10. Be at the church at least an hour beforehand.
11. Find Kaylah/Piper and have them meet up with eachother.
12. Assign a photographer for my camera.
13. Help the bride with last minute details.
14. Hope that all is well and it doesn't rain.

Weddings are fun, aren't they?... AREN'T THEY?

Fork and Knife, lol Spoon

Blog No. 57: Pom-eh-gran-(eh)t~Go To The Bathroom!

The title is a chorus of a song and is a culmination of the brilliant minds of Thim Chao and I. XD

BTW, congratulations to Taka for the new last name! :D

I find that I am cruel in card games.

Its a weird character flaw to notice, but there it is. Whilst playing Scum with Rachel, Link, Parker, and Piper, I would always get insulted. WHY? Because I always play the card that skips Piper. I noticed this too when I learned the game yesterday before Concert Band.

Scum is almost a combination of BS and Uno, only you get rid of cards in order from lowest to highest possible on the cards played, 3 being the lowest, singles to doubles and so on depending on the amount of cards in play. The skip cards are the cards that match the card just played. It gets addicting after awhile. XD

And it's not just this new game either. I slam too hard when it comes to Egyptian War. I tend to punch people in the arm when they say "hit me" in Black Jack. I almost jumped across the table in a game of Spoons. I would kill all the salmon in the river in Texas Hold'em, if any existed. :P

Now class what did we learn today? Don't let me play card games.

If-Trees-Could-Fly-What-Would-I-Do To Do List:

1. Prove it by running Mythbuster-esque tests:
   1. Test 1: Is it an act of antigravity or an act of thrust, like how airplanes fly?
   2. Test 2: Is there magnetivity in the leaves reacting with metals in the atmosphere?
   3. Test 3: Dissect and explore. Is there wings or a hollow rib cage involved?
   4. Test 4: Look for wires or a lifting device that would be a possible explanation.
2. Meanwhile, search Wikipedia. If it makes note of change, report to Wikipedia and ask for a [citation needed] link.
3. If "confirmed" and if citations check out, admit defeat.
4. Observe the pigs, as they are possible candidates of breakthrough flight.
5. Change my saying "If birds were trees, they wouldn't be able to fly anymore." It would no longer make sense as a motivational line.
6. Raise funds for genetically altered human flight.

A take on Roshambo: Ro-sham-GOD. Automatic win everytime. :D

Tuxedo Den

Blog No. 56: Tuxedo Den

The tuxedo does not look half bad. I look pretty snippy in it if I do say so myself. Normally I feel weird in tuxedos because they don't fit in one way or another. The usual complaints would include the shoulders being to broad, jacket's too big, the cuffs are uncooperative, and so on. This time, it feels just about right.

The overall style isn't that bad either. It has a nice color brown for the vest, tie, and handkerchief, as well as a good pattern that works well on the vest. Tuxedos I've had in the past are either too plain or too abnormal. For a Quincen(y)era, I had this tuxedo with weird penguin tails on the back of the jacket and a waiter-like cumberbund. I was just glad there weren't gloves with it... Although I did have to do some weird dance...

And it just goes to show how my sister knows what I look good in. Audrey and I pretty much have the same interests, same style even. I bet if you pick the both of us out of the crowd, you could easily tell that she and I are, at least somewhat, related. Easily. She was the one who gave me my trademark keyblade necklace I always wear. She also told me that I would look good with longer hair too.

I should plan to take some photos of the wedding on Saturday... I'll be the one giving my sister away. :D


I also have not been doing one of my rules in my blog, the one pertaining photos relating to Black History month and people I know. So here, I'll start.

African American Photo No. 1:

Ashley and I, before Concert Band. She always wears those jackets and sweat pants or jogger shorts because she is a constantly working out. I guess she would have to in order to keep up with her taekwondo and her army training... I'll remind you to never get her mad. XD

Tips-On-Good-Sleep To Do List:

1. Sleep after a work out or after something stressing some part of your stamina or brain power. The more tired you are, the better the sleep. Don't over do it, or else you'll feel pain rather than relaxation.
2. Have a routine before bed, that way it can get easier to let your body know its time for beddy bye. I usually have a drink of milk first, then brush teeth, set out some stuff I need to do in the morning like chill a bottle of water, then run an uber soft blanket in the dryer with a scented dryer sheet to feel delight and comfort.
3. I would listen to my iPod on those nights when you are staring at the wall instead of falling straight asleep. It works out the mind and, if the songs are good enough, they can tire you out.

Very sleepy. I hope it doesn't rain overnight. I haven't been in Archery in over two weeks!

Ho Bisogno Di Un Pimp Bastone

Blog No. 55: Ho Bisogno Di Un Pimp Bastone

Formally and amateurishly translated as: I need a pimp cane.

I don't need a pimp cane, but that was the fun we had in Italian today. That and the whole so many gay WAAAH wave we did in class. We're such slackers. :D

Anyways, I've got a fortune cookie saying "your luck will soon be at a high point" which implies that it has been at a low point and will continue to slope downward after its high point. It also implies, to me, that it doesn't give an exact impression of how high that high point will be. This is a very undesirable and very depressing fortune cookie.

And if anyone knows me, or read my Myspace page, they know that I would sometimes say that "bad luck is on my speed dial" which implies that, both, I'm always followed by this omnipresent dark cloud and the only person that I actually put on my speed dial other than family, (Codenamed the Blonde), feels as omnipresent as that dark cloud.

Combining the depressing fortune cookie and the omnipresent dark cloud, I get that the high point is significant enough that I would somewhat notice it in my day, but I would get that immediate feeling of this is as good as it gets. At least that's how I analyze the situation...

Jambalaya...

What-To-Do-To-Reverse-This-Depression To Do List:

1. Enjoy the season finale of Leverage.
2. Maybe do Chemistry homework.
3. Find a major.
4. Make up a reason to convince the US Government to fund a 60 year project to build a giant sculpture on the moon in the shape of the face of Zac Efron, then build a giant laser and force field to blast the moon to pieces while protecting the Earth from the debris.
5. Paint my toe nails blue.

Radical!

YouTube Symphony Orchestra

Blog No. 54: YouTube Symphony Orchestra

My driver's test? Failed. Stupid State of California... I should plan to secede from the state. Jerky turning? Please...

Moving on, I'm venting my anger in a different forum, YouTube! XD

If you haven't yet, you should totally check out the YouTube Symphony Orchestra page. It's a project over YouTube to have a collaborative orchestra that reaches the corners of the earth, taking musicians all over the world to play an orchestra piece at Carnegie Hall. Right now, the auditions are closed and the videos are submitted. Now we get to vote on these videos and rank them! So basically this is what I was doing the past twenty minutes.

Contrabassoon!

And I can see why people don't like doctors, seeing as Thirteen always seem to stab the patients with the syringe. I guess that's one way to vent your anger...

What-To-Do-To-Vent-My-Frustration To Do List:

1. Watch the new House, Closer, and Trust Me.
2. Milk and Cookies!
3. Text some people until I sleep.

SO CLOSE! XD

FAFSA Completed

Blog No. 53: FAFSA Completed

Kaylah bugged me about it a couple of times. My mom filed her taxes an entire month early. And I've finally completed everything I needed to for Chemistry tomorrow. I finally buckled down and finished the job.

So yeah. One more step closer towards transfer to UC Santa Cruz! :D

We've just tuned in to the Oscars, and I've seen the Japanese filmmakers won the Foreign Language Film thing. Hoorah! The movie, Departures, is something about a classical musician who works at a mortuary... WOOT! XD

But I basically missed the whole thing. So I'm on Oscar.com looking up the winners and junk. I'm looking at everything and it seems Slumdog Millionare won everything. I'll have to see that movie then, won't I? And I'll prolly look at the beginning ceremony on Youtube tomorrow, after my driver's test.

Oh yeah, I'm retaking my driver's test tomorrow! XD

What-To-Do-For-My-Oscar's-Night To Do List:

1. Watch the Leading Actress nominees pelt eachother with fake Oscars.
2. Watch Heath Ledger rise from the grave.
3. Watch Hugh Jackman streak at some point.
4. Sleep. ZZZzzzzzzz

Here's to getting my driver's liscence tomorrow!