Monday, October 24, 2005

Our new last name!

After some debate over whether I'd take Pete's last name, we've come up with the perfect solution: Create a new last name using letters from both our current surnames. So after June 24, you can address all mail to...

Pete and Melissa QuietCars-HotDemons

We think it has quite a ring to it!

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Intelligent Design...or Overstarching?

(While this post is not wedding-related, it does refer to the place where Pete and I first met.)
Apparently Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings spoke at Davidson today. This of course begs the question:



Is this collar popped, or is it simply the shirt/jacket design? If it is indeed the former, is it personal choice, an attempt to fit in with "kids today," or worse, federal(ly)-mandated poppage? What's next...Barbara Bush Sr. in capris embroidered with tiny lobsters?

Friday, October 21, 2005

The Surprise Honeymoon Rules, Vol. I

1. I will not do anything that is considered illegal in my host country.

2. I would prefer a destination where it is not necessary to bribe border officials or transportation agents in order to ensure smooth travel.

3. I would rather not be in motion for more than 15 hours each way (not counting layovers).

4. While I am too hyperactive to lie on the beach for hours, I do not want an itinerary so action-packed that I return from my honeymoon thoroughly exhausted.

5. I will not ride in any vehicles that I know to be smuggled or stolen.

6. I prefer to remain at least 80 miles from areas known to contain land mines.

7. If traveling to a cold destination where sitting out by the pool is never an option, I would like at least one opportunity to sit in a jacuzzi or indoor pool for a minimum of fifteen minutes. (In other words, one defining characteristic of a honeymoon is that it requires purchasing new swimwear.)

8. I would like to avoid bedbugs at all costs.

9. My general opinion is that while "winging it" by finding last-minute accommodations is often part of a great travel adventure, paying to sleep outside at an overbooked hostel doth not a romantic vacation make.

10. Minimal cause for panic attacks--always a good rule of thumb for vacay!

11. As our honeymoon will occur during early hurricane season, I am wary of hurricane hot spots.

12. If we are traveling to another country and a different language is spoken there, I would like to know what that language is (if it can be revealed without compromising the secrecy of the destination). For example, being told that I will need to learn some conversational Spanish or French would certainly narrow down the possibilities but not give away the destination, while "Time to learn Nepali" makes it really freaking obvious.

13. While vegetarian options galore are not necessarily a requirement, I do not seek a travel spot where the only culinary delight is roasted on a spit (or where there is no food at all).

14. The destination(s) must be finalized at LEAST 6 months prior to departure. Basic travel arrangements (flights, hotels, etc.) should be made at least 5 months in advance, barring any extenuating circumstances. The GTB's failure to get in gear does not constitute an extenuating circumstance.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Nashville


Actually, maybe Nashville isn't such a bad idea for a honeymoon destination at all! There are a number of advantages.

  1. The aforementioned Parthenon
  2. The great little barbecue place next door to the Parthenon
  3. Paddle boats on the other side of the Parthenon
  4. The Country Music Hall of Fame, though it's a bit pricey at $14 a head or something like that
  5. The Tennessee Capitol, where there may well be an income tax protest
  6. We can pick up some whiskey barrels at the J.Daniels distillery
  7. Knoxville is only three hours away, so we can save a buck or two on accomodations by staying with my parents
Note: I believe Mark is the tiny figure in the photograph.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Another Middle Eastern destination rises to the occasion

Guess we don't have to sweat the loss of the Mugamma after all. Lebanese wine from--where else--the Bekaa Valley. Arthur, Anna and myself spent a bit of time in Baal'bek in 1999, just a day or so after Israeli air strikes near town. But there are incredible Greco-Roman ruins there, temples and the like. And Hezbollah's headquarters (hence the air strikes), which isn't much of a sight.

Friday, October 14, 2005

WholesomeWear

If we travel somewhere tropical for our honeymoon, this is definitely my swimwear of choice.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Get in Shape, Girl!!

So I took advantage of my new gym's free training session(s) for new members and went for my first meeting with the trainer tonight. I was all hyped to pump some iron, but turns out it was just a fitness assessment. So I did the old-school "sit and reach" then promptly went upstairs to the gym happy hour (who knew there was such a thing? BEST GYM EVER) for some complimentary white wine. I then noticed (um, serendipity!) that the happy hour was being hosted by a local stationer/printer. The invitation reps and I had an impassioned debate about fonts and cardstock while I sipped from my Solo cup. Invites AND bridal "fitness"--I am SO the efficient wedding planner.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Hang on...

The nuptials home page might be disrupted for a minute. Sorry if you were in a rush to download the djembe wedding march.

Update (a few minutes later): All better. The nuptials homepage and downloads pages are now compliant with my new style. The NupLog will remain unchanged.

Monday, October 10, 2005

First Dance Song

I found a song that is perfect for our first dance. I like this one because of the heartfelt lyrics (see below) and because of my deep respect for Carole King. Pete can't argue with those reasons, can he?

If you're out on the road
Feeling lonely, and so cold
All you have to do is call my name
And I'll be there on the next train

Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead

From the archives...


Here's something I dug up while looking for old PCTD photos (Note to Scott: I don't have any digitals from last year). I'm also just using this opportunity to push the "Old School" reference (at my expense) out of the way.

Pretty Nice Little Saturday

In addition to seeing Pete's favorite artist in concert, we actually had a pretty nice little Saturday. We went to Home Depot. We also made it to Bed Bath and Beyond, even though at first we didn't know if we'd have enough time.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

True Love

True love is the GTB attending the concert of an artist he described as a "one-man acoustic boy band" because no one else would go with me. It was very nice of him to go. It was a good show. But allow me to gripe about my fellow concert-goers...

Picture it. There we stand, in the Something Gymnasium at Georgetown University. Standing in front of us are the Poor Man's Adam Brody and his Fratty Friend, who is sporting every frattalicious trend possible. Popped collar, striped grosgrain belt, faded orange cap with worn-out brim that's forcing his too-long hair to flip out into "frat wings" or the "frat spoiler," as I'm told that hairstyle is called. Two females accompany PMAB and FF. Standing diagonally to us, next to PMAB, FF et al., are two (of many) cutoff-jean-skirt girls with tiny underarm purses (CJSGwTUP). For the first half of the show, we are all able to coexist peacefully. Behind us, however, were some superfans--a few girls who were going on and on to each other (loudly) about how much they LOOOOOOOVE Jason Mraz, know all of his songs, and act like they're BFF with all of the band members. They belt out the lyrics (in my ear) to one popular song as though they're "in the know" (The Onion's Jackie Harvey goes to college), then for the next hour they sit on the floor and play with their cell phones. Once the superfans are quieted by their ultracool phones I figure I'll be able to enjoy the rest of the concert. But I have somehow failed to notice the departure of the CJSGwTUP. Apparently PMAB, FF and crew have taken advantage of CJSGwTUP's absence and have moved into "their" spot. When CJSGwTUP return from the ladies' room, they step DIRECTLY in front of me and stop short. Practically on my foot, and certainly blocking my view of the stage. "Oh my gaaaaaah!" exclaims one CJSGwTUP to the other. "Someone has invaded our space!" Ah, the irony. About 2 songs later I am able to find a spot with a better view than the back of CJSGwTUP's passe crinkled camisole. My celebration is cut short, however, by the appearance of another fratty character, some guy in a tracksuit jacket whose hairstyle is some cross between a typical bowl haircut and a Dorothy Hamill wedge. I swear, the things that are considered "cool" these days...Anyway, true love is Pete's willingness to sacrifice his view of the stage in order to give me his spot, so I can see what's going on. Or maybe he thought looking at FF's frat wings was a far sight better than watching Jason Mraz do the Robot.