November 2, 1999

I'm in a maroon mood today. That's my high school colors - maroon and white. My high school football team lost to our arch-rivals on Saturday. Jim and I were talking on our way back to Syracuse on Sunday, about my high school football team. Football is such a big deal in my town, but because I grew up there, I didn't see anything wrong with it. Then when I left, I realized that it was kind of weird. Many, many adults go to the football games even if they don't know or are related to any of the kids playing. Molly's dad couldn't go to the game on Saturday because of Gretchen's wedding, so he pulled out a cell phone in the church basement and called the local bar to get a score update. My dad set up a tape recorder to tape the radio coverage of the game. When the 17-year-old football star goes into a local restaurant to have dinner, middle-aged men will buy him drinks. It's weird.

So to continue yesterday's tale...when last we saw our heroine, she was sick as a dog. I woke up the next morning and thought our house was falling down. There was a huge boom and the entire house shook. My dad came up to my room, probably to make sure I didn't fall out of bed or something. We didn't know what the noise was - later, we decided it must have been a sonic boom. I got up then and went downstairs, but I was still feeling like crap. My dad left to go golfing and Molly came down to check on me. Turns out she had gotten sick too. While she was there, Gretchen called to check on me and I threw up some more. Molly went uptown to get me some ginger ale, because she's a good friend. After she left, I fell asleep again and finally woke up feeling a bit better. Brenda's truck was at Gretchen's house across the street so I went over to say hi. Gretchen's brother, Chris, was there, having just arrived from the airport. We chit-chatted for a while and then I went home to take a shower.

My mom had to do a last minute check of my dress, so I tried it on again. I was happy to see it still fit. Then I went to the rehearsal. The rehearsal actually went pretty smoothly, considering how big the wedding party was. The priest was a little mean - but, in my experience anyway, sometimes priests don't have the best social skills, probably because they don't have to. We did our run-through. One new trend that bugs me - they have the bride and groom say their entire vows during the rehearsal. I just feel like that takes away from the actual ceremony.

After the rehearsal, we went to the dinner. Jim and Andy (Molly's husband) rode out together from Syracuse and actually beat us there. We were all so tired from the parties the night before that the rehearsal dinner was a bit of a dud. Gretchen gave us our jewelry to wear in the wedding - a really pretty pearl choker with a pendant-type deal on it, and matching earrings. It came in this neat-looking metal box (see photo). She also gave us each a picture frame - mine is a leaf with a ladybug on it. Gretchen specified that we need to put a picture of her and us in it. The food was just okay. I don't blame Bob's parents - they're not from Caledonia and I'm sure they just asked where to have the dinner and were told this place. Jim and I both had the prime rib and it tasted funny to me. The potato was a little undercooked and the service wasn't great. Oh well. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Jim and I were home by about 9 p.m. and in bed at like 11 p.m.

Tomorrow, the story of the big day and the reception! I sent in my film today, so I should have it back by next week.

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Paco Underhill wrote a book called "Why We Buy" and I am just fascinated with it. Here's a good interview from Borders.com.

I mentioned License To Ill in yesterday's entry. If you want to make a customized "best of", you can't use any songs from that particular release.

This is a good list of graphics programs that are small and easy to use, and free. I love me some Photoshop, but when I just need to resize a graphic or something, it's a pain to load it.

Sometimes you read news items that are just weird, and you know there must be more to the story but it's not being reported. Here's a good example.

Do you think Jewel takes herself a little too seriously? Like, take a break if you want to, but don't bitch and moan about how hard your life is. And then dry your tears on a hundred dollar bill.

I wish I could go the Bridge School Concert some year. Neil, if you're out there, I would like an invite. I'll make a donation or something.

I love Garry Trudeau. I have a lot of collections of Doonesbury and it's good stuff.