Monday, September 15, 2008

Mental blocks

Last week, after over a month of trying, I finally managed to write the words that I will say to Torsten during our wedding ceremony. I showed them to a couple friends, who approved, and I read them out loud to myself a few times. I still don't know if I will cry during our wedding or not, but it was a very emotional experience just reading the words out loud to myself while sitting on our couch, so let's just say that I will definitely be applying waterproof mascara on the day of.

I told Torsten that I had written mine and that he might want to work on writing his, and I showed him a couple wedding magazine articles with pointers on writing ceremonies and vows. I also gave him the word count and general structure of what I had written. After he had gotten the requiste jokes about inappropriate comments and sharing highly personal information out of the way, he sat down at his computer, opened up a blank document... and hit a wall. Just like I did for a month. I knew the feeling, very well. It was very frustrating that I couldn't help. But it has to be a surprise.

Of course, there may have been a few threats from me that if he quoted a psalm to me instead of something he'd written himself, I would not say "I do" when it came time for the vows. And an announcement from him that he was not in a romantic mood and needed a beer before he could start writing. All part of the creative process, right?

I'm glad mine are written, because that ends the creative--and therefore agonizing--part of the wedding planning process for me. Now it's all about seating charts, making signs, tying ribbon, etc. So while Torsten stared at that blank page and Googled wedding vows, I labeled purple flip flops by size, made seating cards for people who have already RSVPed, and tied purple ribbons around our favors. I have to say that I prefer my situation to his. Plus, he's not very good at tying pretty bows.

Also this weekend, we cooked a birthday dinner for my sister and received our wedding gifts from her (purple kitchen appliances! Did you even know that purple crockpots existed? Because I didn't, but I was glad to find out). And we went to Macy's, armed with tons of coupons, with the goal of buying all the new clothes we would need for this fall and winter so that we can now stop spending money and start aggressively saving for a down payment. We richly succeeded, and now my only wish is for the 90-degree weather to go away so that I can start wearing my new sweaters.

All in all, it was a very productive weekend. I am seriously chomping at the bit, waiting for the wedding to get closer so that I can do more stuff. And yet it's only seven weeks away, and that's not very many weeks at all.

27 comments:

  1. I am SO with you on the wanting to wear Fall clothes. I'm all done shaving my legs every day, thank you very much.

    And OOH, I can't wait to see you! In seven weeks! ZOMG!

    :)

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  2. I did know there were purple kitchen appliances....even microwaves! LOL. My friend has them and LOVES them. How exciting that you are getting so much accomplished and its so close now!

    I am with you on the fall clothes and 90 degree temps. We hit 93 yesterday. Ugh!

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  3. 7 weeks?? YIKKKKES but also, yay!

    I'll trade your weather for our weather - we're getting the tail end of Ike, just the rainy part though. Promise.

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  4. We wrote ours the night before, side by side, on hotel stationary.

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  5. I have to say that I would much rather tie pretty bows than write personal wedding vows. I don't think I could handle that much pressure. And this fall weather really needs to hurry up! I have lots of cute jackets that need wearing!

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  6. Purple kitchen appliances?! I must see pictures.

    How exciting. 7 weeks!

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  7. Good luck with the vows to Torsten! You guys are so brave.

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  8. Purple kitchen appliances? So cool! Also, I'm with you: I would much rather be in the position of tying pretty purple bows and working on seating charts than facing a blank document trying to come up with the perfect vows. Just typing that sentence makes me feel all pressured and stressed, and I can't even get married!

    Not to sound like I'm gloating or anything, but I think we might just be having absolutely perfect weather for this time of year here in the PNW. We've been having sunny days with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s, but the mornings and late evenings have been cool enough to grab a light jacket or sweater. Something about dressing in layers while still wearing sandals and sunglasses makes me inordinately happy!

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  9. This is a great part of wedding planning to be in, you know? It's the "sitting down and putting the brain on simmer instead of boil" part. And it's good.

    Um, would you be upset if Torsten just made his vows up on the fly, like that very day, the very moment? Spoke from the heart? I know a lot of times when I have to come up with something, my brain says, "oooh! cookies!" and wanders off until deadline is knocking at the door demanding results.

    Sorry, it's Monday and the man is home, my older son is home, my daughter is coming over to do laundry and I've had too much coffee.

    Oh, and Fairydogmother, we ARE having wonderful weather here. I think if I could find a place where it was like this all the time, I'd be happy.

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  10. If it makes you feel better, lately I'm obsessed with buying sweaters...and I live in Florida! I'm jealous that autumn is coming up for you.

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  11. Seven weeks! They are going to FLY BY! I'm so excited for you!

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  12. Congrats on getting the vows done. I would have never been able to write anything I wouldn't have sobbed reading.

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  13. Only seven weeks!!!

    I love that you're writing your own vows. That's going to be so much more meaningful!

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  14. I just know that your vows are going to be so beautiful, so original, and so lovely--just like all the other words you write. How cool that you get to do this.

    Note to 90 degree weather: do not go away. I don't have any sweaters.

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  15. That is like NO weeks at all. You are so almost there. It is going to FLLLLLLLY by. Enjoy it!

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  16. There is so much pressure involved with writing wedding vows... good for you for getting it off your plate!
    I personally adore red kitchen appliances.

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  17. Oooh you must get a purple kitchenaid!
    I have a red one and its the greatest mixer ever!

    Ps. you just won my round two of PIF!
    Congratulations!

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  18. Colored kitchen things are the best! As are sweaters. Although in Southern California we don't get to do much sweater-ing.

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  19. Ooh, a purple crockpot! how lovely!

    I can see hitting a wall when it comes to writing big stuff. It's just so big. Where do you begin? It's like summing up a life. We don't often do that. Blogging is very different from writing vows.

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  20. purple crockpots?! no way...that's AWESOME.
    and congrats on getting your vows written!! that's half the stress off your shoulders right there!

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  21. Just wanted to let you know there's something for you on my blog.

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  22. Congrats on writing and completeing your vows - such a momentous occassion to be celebrated! I know T will come through and make your heart melt on your special day!

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  23. I'm about to start writing mine, and after a few false starts I think we're going to write them together as a joint contract that we're both in on before hand.

    Hopefully that will be a little easier!

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  24. Complain about 90 degree weather again and I'll start crying and never stop.

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  25. Sounds like a very productive weekend! I'm sure your vows are beautiful and heart-felt. So exciting!

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  26. omg I totally want a purple crock pot! Where did your sis find it?!?

    Fall is being such a tease this year. It finally shows up and them BAM! Three days of 75 degree weather. Driving me nuts...

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