...because I can't figure out how to post more than 5 at a time. Whatev.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Engagement Photos
So far, the highlights of our wedding planning experience have been:
1. "Trying out" the playlist in the living room in our jammies,
2. Baking cakes with my mom to "sample" everything,
3. Running around San Francisco for our engagement photos.
Now, I don't know if y'all have heard of the incredibly talented Emily Perello of Emily Takes Photos. But lemme tell ya, she's amazing. A-MA-zing. Neither E or myself is particularly photogenic (before this, most of our photos involved tongues sticking out and/ or crossed eyes) but Emily somehow worked with it. She captured our goofy side. Our sentimental side. Our wannabe-cool side. Our classic, sappy, "Let's-show-this-one-to-the-future-kids" side.
Words, obviously, fail me here. But for those of you who DON'T know me, and thought maybe we were some super-camera-friendly couple, let me assure you, that is not the case. I myself have a hard time "trusting" photo shoots because I just think, "Well, yeah, they're a gorgeous couple, and they're comfortable with a camera in their face."
But then I saw ours. We are NOT that couple. We are both significantly more comfortable BEHIND the lens than in front of it.
So, that's the disclaimer. But here's Emily, convincing you otherwise, proving that (somehow!) she can pull out the best of what's in us, while still letting the photos reflect who we really, truly are. *Sigh*
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Weddings and Stories
Okay, this might be a little English-major-y, but let me give you some background on the "workshop."
If you attend a graduate writing program (whether it be MA, MFA, whatever) you will inevitably come across a class called the "Workshop." What that means is, each of the 12 or so students will write stories, swap copies (so everyone reads everyone else's work), and then come to class prepared to discuss the stories. The weird part is that (in most of my workshops, anyway) the author of the piece being critiqued can't talk until the end. No questions, no explanations, no nothing. The idea is that it provides the writer the opportunity to see how the work will be received by a broad audience (even though "broad" still refers to a graduate English program, whatever), and that since you can't respond to readers' questions or commments once something is published, this process is a simulation of "what's to come."
So, anyway. That's the background. The other thing you do in graduate work that's different from undergrad is you get to ask the BIG questions. Like, "Why do we write." "Why do we read." You also get to completely disregard rules of punctuation, if you like. Which makes questions like, "What makes writing good" really fun to ask.
Occasionally, we get in these philosophical/ theoretical discussions (like, debating over happy vs. sad endings, likeable vs. unlikeable characters) and we'll go around in circles for a while, until the professor steps in. The professor I'm referring to (in this particular episode) had her work published in "The Best Short Stories of the Century," so, yeah, she knows her stuff.
Last week, we read a story written by one of the girls in the class. And there was something about it that we couldn't put our fingers on, I mean it was beautiful and the characters were there and the premise was good, but for some reason, it just BORED us ALL. We couldn't figure it out. Everything we'd been taught to pay attention to (character, plot, tension, etc) was there, but the "spark" was missing. And we had no idea why.
Finally Pam (the professor) stepped in. She said,
"Right now, the problem is that everything is too perfect. Everything fits too nicely together, too cleanly stacked in little boxes. Every other page, the image repeats, so perfectly that we're bored by it. Good stories are messy. Good stories don't fit in little rows or boxes. The best fiction comes from the inexplicable, the dirty details, because that's what makes us HUMAN. Characters are not simply nice or mean or smart or dumb. They are all those things at once, maybe some traits are more prominent than others, but they're not clean and simple. They're messy and complicated. Because that's life, and that's what we love to read about. Life."
Dun da da DUN!!
And, because this is how I think lately, I applied this little bit of wisdom to the wedding. Because, after the first typo on our "wedding website," I learned that we were NOT going to have a perfect wedding. We'll have an amazing one, but it's not going to be perfect. My manicure will chip, his bout will wilt, we might knock the cake over with some characteristically energetic dancing.
But you know what? I don't WANT a perfect wedding. I don't believe they exist, anyway. Unless, like Pam's theory, they exist, but they're boring. Who wants that?
If you attend a graduate writing program (whether it be MA, MFA, whatever) you will inevitably come across a class called the "Workshop." What that means is, each of the 12 or so students will write stories, swap copies (so everyone reads everyone else's work), and then come to class prepared to discuss the stories. The weird part is that (in most of my workshops, anyway) the author of the piece being critiqued can't talk until the end. No questions, no explanations, no nothing. The idea is that it provides the writer the opportunity to see how the work will be received by a broad audience (even though "broad" still refers to a graduate English program, whatever), and that since you can't respond to readers' questions or commments once something is published, this process is a simulation of "what's to come."
So, anyway. That's the background. The other thing you do in graduate work that's different from undergrad is you get to ask the BIG questions. Like, "Why do we write." "Why do we read." You also get to completely disregard rules of punctuation, if you like. Which makes questions like, "What makes writing good" really fun to ask.
Occasionally, we get in these philosophical/ theoretical discussions (like, debating over happy vs. sad endings, likeable vs. unlikeable characters) and we'll go around in circles for a while, until the professor steps in. The professor I'm referring to (in this particular episode) had her work published in "The Best Short Stories of the Century," so, yeah, she knows her stuff.
Last week, we read a story written by one of the girls in the class. And there was something about it that we couldn't put our fingers on, I mean it was beautiful and the characters were there and the premise was good, but for some reason, it just BORED us ALL. We couldn't figure it out. Everything we'd been taught to pay attention to (character, plot, tension, etc) was there, but the "spark" was missing. And we had no idea why.
Finally Pam (the professor) stepped in. She said,
"Right now, the problem is that everything is too perfect. Everything fits too nicely together, too cleanly stacked in little boxes. Every other page, the image repeats, so perfectly that we're bored by it. Good stories are messy. Good stories don't fit in little rows or boxes. The best fiction comes from the inexplicable, the dirty details, because that's what makes us HUMAN. Characters are not simply nice or mean or smart or dumb. They are all those things at once, maybe some traits are more prominent than others, but they're not clean and simple. They're messy and complicated. Because that's life, and that's what we love to read about. Life."
Dun da da DUN!!
And, because this is how I think lately, I applied this little bit of wisdom to the wedding. Because, after the first typo on our "wedding website," I learned that we were NOT going to have a perfect wedding. We'll have an amazing one, but it's not going to be perfect. My manicure will chip, his bout will wilt, we might knock the cake over with some characteristically energetic dancing.
But you know what? I don't WANT a perfect wedding. I don't believe they exist, anyway. Unless, like Pam's theory, they exist, but they're boring. Who wants that?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Cred
I should probably say where my images come from. Those last two were of Eileen and Matthew's wedding today, as shot by Heather Glison of One Love Photo.
'Tis all.
Oh, except Mom and I will probably be getting a dress today. Which will be a huge relief. But other than that, nothing too wedding-y going on today. My story is being workshopped today in class, so I am, of course, nervous to the point of stupidity. I just sit there and sweat the whole time.
So that's why I'm just saying, "Oh, by the way, I'll probably get my dress today, and last night I wrote my vows."
After class, maybe I'll gush a little. Grad school + engagement don't always mix.
But happy Thursday! Tomorrow I get to go home and see my booooooooy!!!
'Tis all.
Oh, except Mom and I will probably be getting a dress today. Which will be a huge relief. But other than that, nothing too wedding-y going on today. My story is being workshopped today in class, so I am, of course, nervous to the point of stupidity. I just sit there and sweat the whole time.
So that's why I'm just saying, "Oh, by the way, I'll probably get my dress today, and last night I wrote my vows."
After class, maybe I'll gush a little. Grad school + engagement don't always mix.
But happy Thursday! Tomorrow I get to go home and see my booooooooy!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday Thoughts
Wednesdays are my lazy days. No work, usually no class, it's a day for errands, for taking my niece to Jamba Juice, meeting my sister for coffee, for catching up on the reading that I need to do, but with my mom, in the backyard.
Aaaaah, Wednesdays.
It seems too luxurious to have a day like this in grad school. And 3.5 months away from a wedding. So I'd like to turn this into wedding-project day, too. The latest project: making a flower tree.
Like those up there.
Unfortunately, Wednesdays always make me feel like I should be working out. I mean, seriously working out. I hate to ask, but how many of you work/ worked/ will work out more before your wedding. I am very anti-crazy-bride-crash-diets, but what about the 30-90 day running/ yoga stint. What do you guys think?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Still Playing
Okay, I think I've figured out how to post multiple images. And I've illustrated our "progress" to date: the STD madness, the bookmarks (that will serve as escort cards, and possibly favors, though E is quite fed up with punching all those little holes. I told him he is welcome to learn calligraphy if he would prefer to finish the 80 other name-doily-things... he passed).
Image Practice
So this is the start of our Jewish wedding contract. I thought I would try to make a sun shining through the trees, but it occurred to me too late, and I already painted the sky. So, maybe more leaves? Birdies? I dunno. Waiting for inspiration.
Okay, For Real Now...
So, that was a false start, but I'm back on the wagon. I just have to figure out how to post pictures, and I'll take it from there.
To sum it up, we have about 3.5 months to go.
So far, we HAVE:
-Picked a spot
-Figured out food (for the most part)
-Convinced an AMAZING photographer to come
-Kiiiiiiiiiiiinda picked "colors"
-Brow beaten friends and cousins into providing live music
-Compiled a playlist for the rest of the night
-Ordered invitations (delivered this week! Score!)
-Sent STDs (E's favorite wedding acronym)
-Started favor-madness
-Figured out tuxes and such
Okay, so. In the next 3.5 months, we have to:
-Get a dress (Oh, right.)
-Decide whether or not to make some food
-Practice making a wedding cake with Mom
-Finish favors
-Do seating-chart things
-Write ceremony
-WRITE VOWS
-Assume I'm forgetting stuff, and figure it out BEFORE the day of.
Okay. I'm a list person.
To sum it up, we have about 3.5 months to go.
So far, we HAVE:
-Picked a spot
-Figured out food (for the most part)
-Convinced an AMAZING photographer to come
-Kiiiiiiiiiiiinda picked "colors"
-Brow beaten friends and cousins into providing live music
-Compiled a playlist for the rest of the night
-Ordered invitations (delivered this week! Score!)
-Sent STDs (E's favorite wedding acronym)
-Started favor-madness
-Figured out tuxes and such
Okay, so. In the next 3.5 months, we have to:
-Get a dress (Oh, right.)
-Decide whether or not to make some food
-Practice making a wedding cake with Mom
-Finish favors
-Do seating-chart things
-Write ceremony
-WRITE VOWS
-Assume I'm forgetting stuff, and figure it out BEFORE the day of.
Okay. I'm a list person.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Ceremony Music
This probably isn't the first thing I should think about in terms of wedding planning (according to theknot.com, I'm 18 tasks behind schedule, and only *gasp* 214 days to go!), but for some reason, all I can think about is ceremony music. I don't care what the aisle looks like, or whether or not I actually end up making accordion programs, but seriously, I'm not playing around with the music. Neither is E. And lyrics are horrifically important to me, so I'm just going to throw some around and see what sticks.
"I Will"
The Beatles
Who knows how long I've loved you
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime
If you want me to--I will.
For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same.
Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart.
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
How you know I will
I will.
"Poprocks & Coke"
Green Day
Wherever you go
You know I’ll be there
If you go far,
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere,
So I’ll see you there
You place the name
You know I’ll be there
You name the time
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I’ll be there for you
Where there’s truth
You know I’ll be there
Amongst the lies
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I’ll be there for you
If you should fall
You know I’ll be there
To catch the call
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I don’t care
I’ll be there for you
I’ll be there for you
"Falling Slowly"
Glen Hansard
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
"Come What May"
(A little cheesy, I know, but...)
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly changed by the smile on your face
It's all because of you
And there's no mountain too high no river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Oh come what may, come what may
I will love you
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place...
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
"I Will"
The Beatles
Who knows how long I've loved you
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime
If you want me to--I will.
For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same.
Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart.
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
How you know I will
I will.
"Poprocks & Coke"
Green Day
Wherever you go
You know I’ll be there
If you go far,
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere,
So I’ll see you there
You place the name
You know I’ll be there
You name the time
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I’ll be there for you
Where there’s truth
You know I’ll be there
Amongst the lies
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I’ll be there for you
If you should fall
You know I’ll be there
To catch the call
You know I’ll be there
I’ll go anywhere
So I’ll see you there
I don’t care if you don’t mind
I’ll be there not far behind
I will dare
Keep in mind
I don’t care
I’ll be there for you
I’ll be there for you
"Falling Slowly"
Glen Hansard
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
"Come What May"
(A little cheesy, I know, but...)
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly changed by the smile on your face
It's all because of you
And there's no mountain too high no river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Oh come what may, come what may
I will love you
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place...
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Here We Go
Hello all,
I'm Tristen. I got engaged in September, spent about 30 seconds on the Knot and realized that stuff is not for me. I've been perusing Kathryn's lovely site, www.snippetandink.blogspot.com, as well as Meg's, www.apracticalwedding.com, and that is much more my speed. I wanted to find a way to join in this fabulous conversation, be inspired, and vent without annoying my nearest and dearest. I hope this blog helps me kinda sorta dip a toe into the level-headed world of happily ever after, and serves as a place for us all to ask questions, share ideas, and sob stories, too.
In a nutshell, I'm a small town girl, my darling E is a big city boy. We're both in grad school, living in the Bay Area, and trying to learn how to salsa. We come from pretty mixed backgrounds (He's Russian Jewish, I'm German/ Korean with a few scattered roots in the South) and have rowdy families. Soooo... here we go!
I'm Tristen. I got engaged in September, spent about 30 seconds on the Knot and realized that stuff is not for me. I've been perusing Kathryn's lovely site, www.snippetandink.blogspot.com, as well as Meg's, www.apracticalwedding.com, and that is much more my speed. I wanted to find a way to join in this fabulous conversation, be inspired, and vent without annoying my nearest and dearest. I hope this blog helps me kinda sorta dip a toe into the level-headed world of happily ever after, and serves as a place for us all to ask questions, share ideas, and sob stories, too.
In a nutshell, I'm a small town girl, my darling E is a big city boy. We're both in grad school, living in the Bay Area, and trying to learn how to salsa. We come from pretty mixed backgrounds (He's Russian Jewish, I'm German/ Korean with a few scattered roots in the South) and have rowdy families. Soooo... here we go!
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