The "New Normal"

Dave and I thought that after the wedding (in JULY!) we would settle in to a new normal, life would calm down and we would be happy newlyweds enjoying life. We thought, we'd move downstairs into a larger condo, to accommodate all of our junk, and provide a more suitable guest room for our parents to visit. We thought we would get a new great dane puppy and enjoy the beauty that is puppyhood. We thought new normal would be wonderful.

But things haven't calmed down, we haven't settled in and lately neither one of us has been all that happy. We got into the new condo, which we love-- and now are faced with the fact that our landlord is putting the building up for sale-- which means we can either buy the place or hope no one else will. We got our precious puppy, who is finally doing well after two months of being very ill and stressing us out both emotionally and financially. And, I was sick for over a month with bronchitis that just won't go away-- I'm still suffering from a lingering cough. I started back to school so my weeknights are filled with class, and my weekends are full of homework.

Since we got back from the honeymoon-- life has not adjusted into the new normal we thought we would have. Perhaps the new normal is this-- life constantly surprises you and for every moment of peace you get, there are three moments of stress, arguing and major decisions to be made. So basically, the new normal is the same as the old normal.

Here's to major changes not making a major change after all.

Our Wedding

Holy Sh*t! It's September Already?

What happened to our summer? I just realized I haven't posted a blog since JUNE! To be fair, I was rather busy this summer.

For one, we got married.

Our wedding, though a mountain of stress, fighting, emotions and financial strain ended up being a perfectly wonderful and glorious (albeit HOT) day in July. Dave and I loved every moment, and both of us cried throughout the entire ceremony which was perfectly personal for us. YAY, LOVE! As soon as I have some, I will share our wedding pictures. Can. Not. Wait.

Then, we went on a Honeymoon. Finally, some time together. We visited Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Venice and rounded out our trip with our dear friends wedding in London.

For more pictures of the places we visited, please visit my other blog Fauxtography.

Then, we settled into our brand new condo-- by painting and installing molding... among other tasks.

After all that was said and done, it was time for... relaxation? NO! a Puppy!

So we drove to Iowa and picked out a brand new great dane puppy. We got him home safe and sound, and two days later he was dreadfully ill-- parvo. He spent a week in the hospital, cost us a small fortune and a lot of worry. He has made it home now, but is still recovering and getting over a cold. Hopefully soon he grows out of his sickness and into a fun, chubby great dane puppy just like his  brother.

Meet Webster.

Now, if we can just all be healthy and happy, all will be right with the world...and we can finally calm down and relax... and, go back to school next week!

Bubble Baths & Vacuums

Perhaps I'm stressed.

Bubble Baths are a metaphor for my life.

Putting more and more into the bathtub seems like such a good idea. Filling it up until the bubbles practically overflow is so---fun. Until you realize you need less bubbles to actually bathe, and they are virtually impossible to get rid of.

I can't get rid of all these bubbles I've created!

Vacuuming = Time

I dream of being inside a large ballroom-- vacuuming. It is relaxing. Per my post below, I envy the old woman next door as she vacuums. Clearly I associate vacuuming as a stress-relief action associated with having the time to perform this task. The problem is, our current vacuum is the opposite of stress-relief. It has to be emptied three times for our one small rug, it is missing a filter so we use paper towels/dryer sheets as substitutes and for some unknown reason, it is wet inside. I hate it. Not fun. Not stress relieving.

Buy us a new one: Our Registry  (oh relax, I'm only half-serious, I realize no one is going to buy us a $400 vacuum-- even though it is the vacuum of my dreams -- literally)

A Love/Hate Letter

 Dear Wedding,

In the beginning, I didn't want you. I didn't think you were necessary, and I pleaded with my groom to be that we either elope or swing by the court house. But then, Wedding, you convinced me with your promises of black and white, quirky and everlasting photos. You taunted me with formal wear, and flowers, and eventually I was caught up in the whole thing.

At first, I was consumed with finalizing the big picture, the colors, the location the invitations. And, oh Wedding, how you have made everything so much harder than it needed to be, and so much more costly. You have taken up my weekends and any bit of free time I can squeeze out of my stressful work day.  And here we are, a few months away, and you have gotten worse. Now, I spend hours researching vintage charm, and where to buy orchids. I have made myself crazy with worry about if the details will all fit together or if it will appear as though we are insane mismatched hoarders.

But Wedding, I realized something. You don't have to be what everyone else wants you to be. You only have to be what Dave and I want. So, I have stopped listening to everyone else, their suggestions, and criticisms. If Dave and I love it, that's how we are choosing. Blue shoes may not match anything-- but they make me HAPPY Wedding, and that is why I will wear them. I despise roses, which is why you will not have any any. Dave loves black and white and clean lines, which is why you are designed the way you are.  Wedding, Dave and I are tired of fighting over whether or not you are what you should be-- we are re-claiming you. You will be what we want. 

And Wedding, we have had enough with your expensive taste. From now on, we will choose the things we love, and can afford, despite what you say. I will refer to you as  Family Reunion in public so I am not charged extra if I have to. You will not bankrupt us Wedding, so just give it up.

Wedding, we are looking forward to your arrival, and your departure so that we may have our weekends back.  See you in July!

Andrea & Dave

p.s. Tell Honeymoon to be patient.

This was inspired by some of the women featured on this great wedding site  who have written open letters to their weddings. Check them out!

Wedding Blues

Before we can have the super adorable,quirky, perfect, fun, gorgeous wedding photos like this one that I am in LOVE with I have to do a bunch of stuff, and spend a bunch of money.

I love Dave, and I will love every moment of our marriage. Our wedding, which will be beautiful and fun and quirky and perfect like our pictures, however, is slowly killing me from the inside.

Those cute blue shoes-- LOVE THEM. They cost money. Sigh.

We are trying to have an ultra David & Andrea Chicago wedding. It will be small, but fantastic. The trouble is, fantastic equals expensive. I looked at the budget the other night and went to bed in tears. A fabulous wedding on a shoe string budget AND an envious honeymoon in Italy-- my savings account hates me.

And, I have determined that despite our modest attempts at a wedding, these vendors are just out to get you!

Our budget is no where near the median for a wedding in Chicago ( $35-50 thousand). We just aren't that fancy. My dress didn't cost thousands of dollars, Dave is renting his tuxedo, and our menu options are good, but not steak and lobster. But, we do need chairs. Chairs are expensive. ($10 per chair!) We do need a DJ -- ours is great and reasonably priced, but still (almost $1300). We do need a cake ($250 extra for that 3rd tier!)  We do need rings (mine had to be custom made to fit my engagement ring-- which is costly and wasn't in the plan)

Now, don't get me wrong. My lovely wonderful supportive parents are helping a great deal and we owe them so much for that. Dave's parents are also helping by purchasing our flower arrangements which will be gorgeous-- but the part that's left over-- the part our poor little savings account has to cover--- is freaking me out!

And-- I have to do a bunch of stuff. I have to organize everything, make everything, label everything, order everything, try on things, choose things, and determine colors, print the invitations, send the invitations, write vows, learn to dance-- and so on-- it's enough to make you crazy!

2011 One More Year until the World Ends

Since the world is scheduled to end in 2012, we decided we had better make the most of 2011. Thus, big changes are in store this year. But, let me begin with what we did and did not accomplish in 2010.



Our 2010 Goals included the addition of travel to our lives. We began the 50 state challenge and thus far have accomplished the visitation of 9 states, not including Indiana (only driven through, or stayed in separately) and Texas (only crashed one night on the way to Mexico).  We also managed a fantastic winter vacation in Mexico, beginning our international travel plans. Check out pictures and details of our travels and other items at Fauxtopgraphy.

2010 also brought us the 100 Books list-- remember that?

With an amazing amount of help from friends and (mostly) family, we are just 21 books short of our goal. The remaining list below:

Number	Author	Title
1.	Arthur Conan Doyle	The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
2.	Boris Pasternak	Dr Zhivago
3.	Dashiell Hammett	The Maltese Falcon
4.	George Bernard Shaw	Pygmalion
5.	H.G. Wells	The Time Machine
6.	Hunter S. Thompson	Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
7.	Johann David Wyss	Swiss Family Robinson
8.	John Milton	Paradise Lost
9.	Malcolm Lowry	Under the Volcano
10.	Marcel Proust	Remembrance of Things Past
11.	Margaret Mitchell	Gone with the Wind
12.	Nathanael West	The Day of the Locust
13.	Nathaniel Hawthorne	The House of the Seven Gables
14.	Oscar Wilde	The Importance of Being Earnest
15.	Robert Ludlum	The Bourne Identity
16.	Stephen King	The Shining
17.	Sun Tzu	The Art of War
18.	Sylvia Plath	The Bell Jar
19.	T.S. Eliot	The Waste Land
20.	Tennessee Williams	Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; A Streetcar Named Desire

In 2010 we purchased a car suitable for our great dane, 2 iphones  and a macbook air proving once and for all that apple reigns victorious in the apple vs. pc debate, became lifelong Blackhawks fans, Dave took up golfing and we got engaged.

As I mentioned before, 2011 is going to be a year of big changes. We are trying to get more healthy, Dave has been running and Andrea is in the midst of the 30 day shred. We are getting married in July and Andrea has begun graduate school.

Our honeymoon will add to our travels, and hopefully we get enough time off this year to get a few more of the 50 states completed. We are looking forward to a great year!  Hopefully this year will provide us with some much needed new (local) friendships.

DJ's Are Cooler Than Me

DJ's: Work in a hip, modern office with ipads

Me: Work in an office that is roughly the same temperature as the Arctic, where I have to run my heater all day, even when it's warm outside.

DJ's: Know who sings every song

Me: Every time I hear a Sublime song, asks Dave, "Who sings this?"

DJ's: Have time to go to rad (that's right, I used rad) concerts and shows

Me: Lucky if I make it to the dog park once a month

DJ's: Have cool tattoos

Me: Can't decide what tattoo I would still enjoy when I'm 85

DJ's: Get invited to bunches of parties

Me: Still have no friends after living here for 3 years

DJ's: Have to work on Saturday

Me: Probably also have to work on Saturday

Meanwhile, we met our (soon to be) Wedding DJ last night. We are still working out the details, but check out their cool little shop for a preview. Toast & Jam

They even have cooler company names than me. *sigh

Ramblings of a Boring Person

I think I used to be much more interesting and intelligent when I was younger, or perhaps, in my youth I was just naive/cocky enough to believe I was interesting and intelligent. Hard to say.

I can't wait to be married to Dave, but planning a wedding that will cost thousands for a few hours of enjoyment might be the death of me.

Why can't I just chop off my hair and dye it bright red? Who said investment banking had to be so bland?

I need to find a high paying, part time job, or quit working all together, buy an RV and travel the country until I die.

I need a book to read, to distract me from my laziness

Engagement: March 2010

We wanted to share the joyous news of our engagement with everyone. We are looking forward to a Chicago wedding in the summer of 2011 and embarking on this new adventure together.

Thank you for all of your love, support and warm wishes.

Our Wedding Website

Love,
Andrea & Dave