Sorry for the delayed Sunday post.
This weekend was Jordan and Penny's wedding! I flew into Atlanta Saturday, explored with Brock, Nemesis and her BF, Heavy Metal Painter. Then the pre-wedding party, the wedding, and a 330am wake up call for a flight back to a full day of work. Hence the lack of blog.
So let's run through the good times! First I'm happy to say the wedding itself was drama-free. Sometimes big family gatherings can lead to a lot of conflict, stress and short tempers. Instead, this one was a great reunion of friends, where any anger and grudges was put aside in celebration of a happy moment.
Brock had rented a car and picked me up with Nemesis and HMP and we decide to explore Atlanta. After parking in literally the middle of the city (no of course Brock did not bump into the car behind him while paralleling-- at least it wasn't an old woman), we walked like two miles through a beautiful southern style wealthy neighborhood, where every home was unique and huge and just lovely, as was the company where we just caught up because none of us had seen each other for a while. We ate at Fat Matt's which apparently is super famous and even mentioned in the movie Up in the Air. Loved our ribs and chicken and rum baked beans! So good! We then wandered back to, passing by Piedmont park and the botanical garden to drive to Roswell about 45 minutes away, where our hotel and the wedding would occur. We met up with the rest of the crew that evening for drinks. That crew included Mama G, AVP, Kareem, Bridges, Green Suited Pastaman, and our dear friend from Australia, Kangaroo Kev and his GF. We had a great time talking, catching up, and laughing at the crazy antics alcohol makes people do. Kev's GF was at one point on a table stacking beer cans to the ceiling and people were drinking drinks through tim tam chocolates. Yup...
Everyone was awake and alive and feeling good the next day though. I had stayed up writing a paper after the party but got up in time to join Brock, Nemesis and HMP and head back to Atlanta to wander through Centennial Park, famously built for the Olympics. We had great times playing in the fountain and then headed back to get ready for the wedding, which took place at a historical home in Roswell. After some amusing tie-tying lessons for a few of the guys, we made it on time. The crew had expanded to include Clark, Sunshine Knives, Faithful Filmer, and many others. Our family was far from complete, missing many key members, but it was still a bit of a reunion, especially for me no longer living near any of these people. The outdoor wedding was simple yet gorgeous with an amusing Irish (my guess Northern Irish) minister making jokes throughout. He at one point interrupted Penny's vows to say if she could make it through the vows without crying there'd be a nice ring at the end of it. He ended the ceremony after the procession out saying, you all know where you can find me... at the bar!
It was open bar and we ate great southern food. So much I can't describe though my favorite was seafood gumbo with a grits soup. My New Orleans blood danced with joy. The speeches were lovely (good job Kareem) the music very good (despite the country, which Penny loves) and I spent good times talking with Faithful Filmer, dancing with Ms. PeaceLove, another good friend from high school who was there as well as all the others there. Even AVP was dancing a bunch, though Clark maintained his firm stance against dancing, using a silly excuse like he'd broken his foot. I know a friend who danced for 26 hours on crutches! Oh well. The wedding ended with us all belting "Don't Stop Believing" and then blowing bubbles (instead of throwing rice) for the couple to drive off in their classy old fashioned limousine.
Then I basically hopped on a plane back to work cuz it was late. And drank three cokes to survive the day. But it was worth it. I'm sad I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone but feel privileged to have been invited to our first family wedding.
That little reunion wasn't the only time I touched based with the old crew. I had a Skype (well google vid chat) one on one with some of my old staff members too. As usual, what was going to be me meeting with one of them turned into three, King Wrangler, Red Button, and Pokeboss. Despite having a paper to write, I got lost in the jokes, the gossip and just catching up. Totally worth the no sleep. At some points, it was just like old times with me giving them the professional and tactful responses. At other times, we talked like old friends, catching up on the I can't believe they did that kind of conversations. I was especially amused by how I could never hear Pokeboss (or see her on the screen), how Wrangler seems so lost without his co in Red Button but at the same time seems to have, dare I say it, grown as an RA, and how Red Button seems the same, maybe even a bit younger and more carefree. We shall have to do it again soon.
Now I go because it's late here. On Friday, I leave for Rome. This is my once in a lifetime opportunity to join Naysayer P Squirrel for a wedding of a mutual acquaintance. Somehow, she has gotten permission to be wed at a small chapel in St. Peter's Basilica. The pope will be blessing her marriage and we will all have a private audience with him. I don't know how these connections have been made but I know I've been invited to come and cannot wait. I see this as both a grand week-long party and a deep spiritual pilgrimage, which I think, as a Catholic, is my religion in a nutshell, though I'm sure others would disagree. I hope to chronicle the trip like I did Europe, so be prepared for a lengthy update in two weeks. I hope to have internet too, for next Sunday's update. Wish me luck on safe travels and see you all when I see you!
-JTY
Listening to: Adele- Someone like You... I'm kinda into Adele right now. My sister tends to give me music trends and this one kinda speaks to me.
Reading: Where are you from- a compilation of stories from minority students that influence a paper I wrote about where I am from, and the complexity of that statement. Where are you from? Maybe next time I'll share what I wrote...
Playing: Nothing right now :( but League of Legends with Dungeon Daddy and Spam Boa and Math Magician and Heavy Spy is hopefully in my future.
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