I owe you pics!

I FINALLY uploaded my photos from my new camera...here is a small sampling:

At Renault for a pre-Father's Day brunch:
John, in his vinter best.

A kind gentleman who didn't know how to work my camera took our pic. My dad looks like he's eating the statue. I promise you he's not.

Some Princeton shots:

Pudgie budgie on a bench.

This is Meatball, our office's domesticated squirrel. He's finishing an apple I left for him. He's clearly loving it.

Prospect Garden in full bloom.

Oh yeh, it's been really HOT:
Hammy does not approve.

In other news, John and I bought our wedding bands yesterday--I can't wait to get them! It'll kill me knowing they're here but we can't wear them. Oh well. Before we know it the wedding'll over and we'll be on our way to Disney, starting our life and Mr. and Mrs., and we'll both get to wear and look at our rings every day FOREVERRRRR! muah ha ha Seriously, though, we're both really happy with them, and I will post pics for all to see AFTER they make their debut on 11/5/11. : )

That's all for now. There are some exciting events on the horizon, like a New York City trip next weekend, and a few friends' gatherings. Ah, summer.

VACATION DAY!

Hooray! Taking my first vacation day of the summer today, and it's glorious. Most of the heat has broken, I'm doing laundry, I got my new drivers license, and I may--if I'm feeling so motivated--even go down to the florist in town to talk wedding flowers.

Sunday, John and I are meeting Mom and Dad at Renault for an early Father's Day brunch. Yum! We'll then go on a tour of the winery, and Mom and I will do a tasting. After that, John and I may go down to Stockton to walk around for a while is the weather is nice enough.

For now, it's lunch time. And about those pictures...I'm working on migrating files to this lovely new machine, and will upload my camera software soon. Hopefully I can even use the editing software that came with our Flip cam...my old comp was like, "Ahhhh, new technology...does not compute!" Poor thing.

TTFN, all.

Checking In

And the season of crafting begins!

The semester is finished at Princeton, and summer is in full swing--well, as fully as it can swing at the beginning of June. We're on our summer hours, the students are gone, and vacations are beginning. It's like we can all finally breathe.

It's getting hot, which is another sign summer is coming. Hammy is getting lazy, and has taken to sprawling out on cool surfaces. I feel bad for him in the heat...he's so floofy! But he still loves all the snuggles he can get.

Wedding plans are chugging along, and it's now getting down to the details. We just picked up the beginnings of our centerpieces. We're starting to think about music for the reception, having settled on a DJ. I need to make my first fitting appointment soon, and I seriously need to up the ante on my search for shoes. It's suddenly starting to feel like crunch time for real--we're now less than 5 months away! Eeep!

I'm also proud to announce that I'm writing this on my new laptop! After suffering a dying processor for more than a year, I finally shopped around and landed this beauty. It's so wonderful when things work as they're supposed to. : ) It's especially nice to use a laptop when it's hot out and not have it overheating and burning your thighs through your jeans!

So that's all for now, I think. Just checking in as I settle into summer.

Until the next update...

PS: I also recently got a new camera, but was waiting to get the new computer before loading the software, so I promise to have some pics up here soon...I have much to post!

Timing Fail

I just got my driver's license renewal notice. BOOO! Do I have to pay another fee when I get my name changed in like 5 months?

What's in a Name?

(Insert Shakespeare-y eye roll here.)

I've been thinking a lot--probably more than is healthy--about how my name will be changing in about 6 months.

My first thoughts are, of course, full of excitement because I think of it in terms of signing our marriage license, having our witnesses sign the license, and just enjoying our wedding day. I can't wait to have John refer to me as "wife," and I can't wait to finally and officially call him "husband." As Mora blogged when musing about being newly married, there is just a sense of legitimacy and clout in having a spouse. When you call someone your boyfriend, it can tend to seem new and somewhat of a question mark. Then you get a fiance, which causes excitement and congratulations. It seems every time I mention my fiance in front of someone new, congratulations and wedding questions almost immediately follow. But again, this can sometimes set off "new" and "young" vibes. Once you get to husband, though, it seems generally accepted that you are an adult, and that your relationship has actual "meaning." It sounds firm when you say, "I can't come in to work today. My husband fell and broke his wrist" versus "My boyfriend broke his wrist"which may be translated as "OMG my bf got a boo boo!" There's a true sense of need and belonging, and of social togetherness. I'm looking forward to all of that as much as I have enjoyed the process of getting to this point (almost 7 years in the making, thank you very much). I've felt for a very long time that John has been my husband, and now we simply get the legal documentation to prove it.

My second thoughts are of things like having to learn a new signature. I'm sorry, but the double-g i thing kills me. I have yet to discover the secret formula to make Maureen Riggi look good as a signature. But I'll have plenty of time to get it right. I also think a lot about re-establishing myself at work under a new name. Thankfully I've built steady relationships with coworkers both in and outside my office, and many of them know about the wedding, so that will be simple. And for those who I haven't worked with yet, they'll just have to search me under my new name. The HR aspect is a bit daunting, honestly. Do I get a new email address, or keep my current one since it's really just my first name anyway? Do I update my listing from Egan to Riggi? Do I hyphenate for professional use? What's the best way to transition?

This leads to what is probably the most stressful, and that's the legal aspect. I don't have a personal HR department to help me switch my name on all my various documents...DMV, SSN, bills, etc. I know it'll get done, and it's a bit frustrating, but the thought of it now is kind of overwhelming. I'll be gaining a legal alias. Hence I've been holding off on getting a passport. It's not worth it to get one only to have to update and switch it in a few months anyway.

Another thing I keep mulling over is how I'll be known as Maureen Riggi for longer than I've been known as Maureen Egan, and that's a strange thought. I mean, our parents have always been, for the most part, known to us and Mom and Dad Last Name, which is also my Last Name. Until we're older we don't really give much thought to Mom's life with Old Last Name. I know this is all way deeper thought that is normal or necessary, but this is what I've been thinking about as I doodle my name plus John's last name. It's a mini identity crisis, dag nabbit! Also, and I tease John about this endlessly, I love having an identity so obviously Irish. Several visitors to my office ask my name and as soon as I say, Maureen Egan, the immediate response is, "Oh, what a beautiful Irish name." It makes me sad that that will now be buried under Riggi. John and I were watching a program on NJN about contemporary Irish music (it was around St. Pat's), and the host was a young woman with blue hair and curly blonde hair. I forget her last name, but it was Italian. John said, "Gosh, they couldn't even get someone Irish to host?" And I snapped, "She probably is, but her married name is Italian." But it's true. It's not that I'm not equally proud of my Italian background, but I do like being so easily identified by my name and my features (a gentleman recently told me I was a classic Gallway Girl and referred me to the song). I wonder if, as I'm known as Riggi, if I'll look "more" Italian to people.

I'm, of course, happy to take John's name, and all of this is also a way of deferring some of my other wedding stresses, but I think there are more than a few concerns in there that I can't be alone in having. I'm clearly overthinking all of this. But like I said, I'm sure these aren't unique thoughts--someone has had to have shades of even the craziest crap I wrote up there.

Married friends, how did you feel as you approached your wedding date, and how was the transition to your new name and new identity as Wife? Thoughts? Advice? Anecdotes? Please do share.

Love,
Maureen

PS: another ridiculous thought...do I change Hammy's name on his vet records? He's currently Hamlet Egan. haha

House Dreams

I love our apartment. It's adorable, is the perfect size most of the time, and has many of the qualities I hope for in whatever house we wind up in: charm, hardwood floors, a layout that makes sense, an extra bedroom.

But I am just as often reminded of all the things I couldn't live without for much longer. I am continually frustrated by two spaces, which are two make-or-break points in a house sale: the kitchen and the bathroom. Both spaces are fine if you're alone. The problem is that, almost every day I'll be in, say, the bathroom brushing my teeth, and then John will wedge in and attempt to brush his teeth, too. Standing practically implanted in my side. As we fight for spitting room. In the pedestal sink. We inevitably knock things over cuz there is no room to rest anything since there is no counter. The other day on such an occasion, my toothbrush wound up on the floor. Thankfully it was after I had finished with it. But still, in that moment, I yelled, "HIS AND HERS SINKS AND A BIG BATHROOM IS A MUST IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!!" I'm pretty sure I then smoked out the ears, and blasted a hole in the wall with the lasers coming out of my eyes. While John and I were bumbling to get out of the bathroom, Hammy comes trotting in, chirping away, and rubs against my ankles. A picture of overcrowded, claustrophobic perfection.

My second biggest pet peeve also occurs in the kitchen. I'll be putting away groceries, which takes up nearly every square inch of the room, and John will waltz in, deciding he wants tea, or needs to throw something away that very second, or worse--tries to help, but just winds up getting more things in my way. His method of helping is emptying out all the bags onto the one square inch of counter space we have. Which infuriates me because I have a very specific method. It works. It doesn't involve putting everything on counters. It's sad that it upsets me because he's trying to help, which I genuinely appreciate. But this scenario is another that ends in yelling, throwing of reusable bags, and unceremonious chucking of yogurt into the fridge. And, as if on cue, Hammy comes in, selects his favorite burlap bag and lays down on it, looking up at me and purring contentedly. ::sighs::

So here it is, my HGTV Property Idiot First Time Home Buyers Wish List:
1. Preferably one floor
2. Hardwood floors (but some carpet might be nice)
3. A screened in porch for Hammy to enjoy (and to act as a buffer to enter the house should he try and escape)
4. 2/3 bedrooms
5. John needs a mancave
6. DISHWASHER
7. Washer/dryer on main floor if there's a basement or upstairs if there are 2 stories. I'm tired of nearly plummeting to my death doing laundry. Who decided a narrow, dark concrete stairwell only needed light switches and a frigging DOOR to manipulate...genius).
8. Preferably 2 bathrooms

Something also pissing me off these days: my computer, which becomes more and more senile every day. I am literally counting down to buying a new one. I almost throw this one out the window every single time I try and use it.

That's all for now.

Wedding 101, or The Beauty and Stress of Planning

Things I'm learning, mainly about myself, as our wedding comes ever closer:

Planning a wedding has only made me even MORE obsessed with organization. My life is basically maintained on my Google Calendar, and now that I have my Droid, I'm even more reliant on the calendar to keep myself straight. This is especially beneficial when wedding stuff crops up and I am away from home/computers in general. My calendar is my lifeline in keeping all of the different payments, due dates, and various to-dos in check. I'd be hopelessly lost without out. And for that, Google Calendar, I thank thee heartily.

What I've also mastered in planning is that I've become a (self-professed) financial guru. Not only do I manage "regular" bills, but it's now at the point in planning that we have to think about when payments are due to various vendors, how to make the payments coincide with paychecks, and when to mail things so they arrive on time. This morning I did a marathon of financial planning to think out photographer payments. An easy enough task alone, but when coupled with other deadlines and such, the bigger picture is a bit hairy.

Sometimes I feel like an incredible grown up. haha Another triumph includes planning a big vacation, aka honeymoon, which is BOOKED. We will be in Disney for a week. AWE. SOME. We get to book our restaurant reservations in May, meaning...more planning. We've narrowed down where we'll be on what days, and thus planned our meals and restaurants accordingly. We'll be down there for the Food and Wine Festival, so that'll be a really fun day in Epcot. Luckily, we have a private Disney guru in one of my BFFs at work, who has basically grown up in the Mouse's backyard.

Not necessarily related to the wedding, too, is the fact that I am about to (almost) pay off the balance on my credit card using my federal refund money. Paying off the credit card is a victory of a few sorts. Firstly, I'll finish payments about 4 months ahead of my initial 12-month plan (thank you balance transfer with no interest for first year!). Check. Secondly, in paying off the balance, I will finally be able to put my unemployment behind me. Check. The balance ballooned mainly after Hammy's hospitalization last year, as well as having to foot some grocery shopping and other charges while I was scraping pennies from my unemployment checks. Thirdly, I can finally invest in things I've been putting off for a loooong time, like replacing the laptop on which I am currently typing. The processor is so old that it really struggles to have a brainwave, taking an obscene amount of time to boot up and be functional. Better days are ahead. I can almost feel the smooth new keys beneath my fingers now. That said, current computer, I still need you--hang in there!

Other general observations about wedding planning: it's hard to accept that I can't please everyone individually and that I have to know that everyone is happy for us, and everyone will have a good time, and yes, everyone will even have something to eat. A big stressor has been the menu...there are diets, allergies, and diet preferences to consider. But you know what? We do our best, and everyone will be fine. Another stressor is hotel rooms and the following equation:

Ceremony Location PLUS Reception Location
DIVIDED BY 40 minute drive in between
TIMES lots of out of town guests from both north and south
EQUALS Maureen's head exploding

But again, people will deal, be happy, and maybe have to be a bit inconvenienced. And it will all be okay.

And of course we have yet to find a DJ and limo (last two big things to check off our list), and then it's all the small details--shoes, jewelry, centerpieces, hair style, nail color, bouquets--that will haunt me until I'm on the plane heading to Disney. It's mainly a fabrication problem. We see it in our heads, it's just a matter of making it in real life.

Oh yeh, I guess I should also acknowledge that I clearly survived my surgery. Two weeks later, I'm feeling basically normal, but so much better than my old normal. I can BREATHE, and breathe deeply and wonderfully. Singing feels so much better, and even just walking feels better now that I'm not passing out from lack of oxygen. My nose is still a bit swollen inside, and is still a bit tender to the touch, but it gets better every day, and this sinus rinse (similar to a Neti Pot, but it doesn't look like a jacked teapot) is amazing--I'm keeping it up even after I'm healed cuz it's pure bliss to have a free and clear nasal passages (read: no boogers! LMAO).

So that's all for now. More to come as more happens. And I'll try and get some pics up here in an upcoming spring post. I wanna take pics around Princeton's campus as trees and plants begin to bloom. There are small suggestions that spring is coming, and I'm anxious for it to arrive. I'm over bundling up.