Confessions of a Reverend

Two weekends ago, I had the honor of officiating at my cousin John's wedding to his longtime girlfriend Katrine. Here are five thoughts. (Confessions just sounded cooler in the title. What.) 

1. I still can't believe it. My little cousin is now married, and they already have a beautiful little daughter... and she is suuuuuuuch a cutie-pie. It's very rad seeing my cousin start his family. He was always like my little brother growing up. He gave me the name "Rara" (because he couldn't say my actual name), and I gave him the name "Sas-See" (say it like "sassy"). I have no clue why, considering I was older and could read/speak well enough. But luckily for him, as we got older, the nickname went away. I'm still Ra, of course. "Rev Ra", as they call me, as it was very cool that they asked me to perform the ceremony. 

2. I sooooooo wanted to drink before the ceremony. Seriously! This is the second straight wedding when all I wanted to do was a have a few drinks before the ceremony with all the other guys, but couldn't out of fear that I'd be sloppy in my speeches. But I wanted to be good and I took my officiant duties seriously, to give it the gravitas that it deserved. (But as soon as I no longer had to speechify? It. Was. On.)

3. I'm staunchly against doing the "first look" now. I didn't have much of an opinion beforehand, and knew very little about it. But J and K didn't want to do that... he spent the night at one of his groomsman's apartment, and she didn't even want any of the guys to see her at all until she marched down the aisle. But it was so.... I'll say "cute" to see him all nervous and jittery beforehand - not in the "cold feet" way, but in the "can't believe this is happening and can't wait to see her" way. And then... to see him as finally saw her in her dress as she walked down with her parents... to see the tears of joy and love in both their eyes as her parents brought them together... it was just surreal and so cool to witness. I had to make sure I kept my composure too, since I had to run the ceremony, but I was getting all verklempt. The ceremony went off without a hitch. But thinking about it as the evening went on, I decided that I want that moment too. 

4. How do you *not* get up to dance or at the very least start to shimmy when the opening drum beats to MJ's "Billie Jean" starts playing? That was the very first song the DJ played to get the dancing started. I stayed in my chair, sad to say, as I saw only couples getting up on the dance floor. But I did groove to it with my head and shoulders, until later on, Katrine's sister grabbed me from my chair and dragged me to the floor. It was a great time! I haven't been to many weddings, but the DJ and the music had everyone dancing - even my parents got up for a bit too! "I throw my hands up in the air sometimes..."

5. Everyone's having babies. Well, maybe not everyone... but John and Katrine have little Saylor, and Cody and Emily have Everett... other friends are looking at adopting (which I've always wanted to do), and another couple just told me they're expecting, so it's a rad time. In the case of Saylor, I can just be the cool "uncle", and you betcha I will spoil her. I'll have no legit nieces and nephews of my own, since I'm an only child, so my cousin's kids will be getting lots of love. In talking with my cuz, I was tripping out about how when Saylor turns 13, I'll be 40. To quote Joey from Blossom, "WHOA!" Haha... Johnny did ask when I'd be giving Saylor a little cousin to play with, but that's a long time coming. Although, I did get the idea to name my first son "Cameron Joseph"... the reasons being threefold. First, I like the name "Cameron". Second, "Joseph" works in honor of my mom (Josephine). Third (and why I *really* like the combo), it gives my kid options in that it's a normal middle name (which I personally do not have) AND he can go by his initials (CJ). Haha. 

I'm on a BIKE!

Yes, the title should be read as if I'm singing "I'm on a BOAT!" Because now I have this bad boy - a 17.5" 2008 Trek 7.3 FX...

...whatever that means. So truth be told, I know jack squat about bikes. Confession: I don't know how to ride one. Now, there is photographic evidence of me standing *next* to a bike from when I was around the age of 5 (it appears), so I can only assume I was in the process of learning... but then said "screw it." Or whatever the 5-year old version of me would say.

So two decades later, and I've decided that I want to learn! But the whole "not having a bike" thing kinda doesn't help with the "wanting to learn" thing... plus, now that I've done a marathon, my next racing goal is to eventually do a triathlon, and I'm not quiiiiiiite there. So in my mind, step 1 was "get a bike."

And lo and behold, my buddy Pete posted that he was selling his road bike. I inquired, got some info, and then today I drove up to check it out. He helped me get on it and get my bearings, and I did a few loops around his complex parking lot (with him guiding me and holding the back of the bike at times) and I'm still gonna be in the process of learning for awhile... but I'm optimistic. It reminds me of learning how to drive and how hella nervous driving around a parking lot was, but you eventually get the hang of things. After the test drive, I thought about it for a few minutes, then decided to be adventurous and take it! I just need to keep getting on the horse and keep moving, so I look forward to spending more time outside and getting my workout on. Because from the half hour or so that we spent outside, I was a sweaty beast! Probably from all that balancing, haha.

Afterwards we walked over to a cool sushi place that they frequent... and I'm not a big sushi guy, even though a good deal of my close friends and family are. So I kinda just went with whatever they told me to try, which included raw albacore and other things w/ crab and lobster that were super delicious! I wish I'd made a note of what I had, so if I go out to other places, I'll know what to try.

But all in all, I feel like I had a good Thursday. Said "yes" to the bike, said "yes" to the sushi... as my birthday was a month ago, I was sorta "challenged" to come up with a theme or a word for this 27th year... I don't know if I have a word, but right now I'm feeling like going with the old improv saying of "yes, and..." Meaning you have to just take the opportunity given to you, then go with it and make the best of things... even if you end up feeling silly afterwards, by being a 27-year old learning to ride a bike while it's being guided by your 31-year old friend, haha...

So.

[entry deleted]

So I initially published a blog about what happened this evening, since I really wanted to write about it, but since we're not openly discussing it on Facebook and it may not be best to discuss online, I removed the details I wrote about just to be on the safe side... but basically... let's just say the expression "shit just got real" is very appropriate... what a trip... [Ask me offline.]

[And the following was how I ended the initial blog, and I'm keeping it in since I enjoy the song.]

To end on a not so scary/macabre note, I've been digging on Adele lately. This one is definitely my current favorite. Stripped down and soulful and lyrics that make me swoon - what a performer and songwriter...

Empire State of Mind

Cue Jay-Z and Alicia Keys... Because I will be going to New York! Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do... you can bet I'll be playing this song to exhaustion from now until my trip.

I'd been keeping track of flights this summer/fall, to see how feasible it would be to take little vacation. Definitely have the vacation hours saved up, and not having to pay rent helps, and I'm single and in my 20s and have no attachments, so now seemed like a good time. I actually still need to fly outside the country and visit the Philippines for the first time, but I've always had plane phobia. However, a continental flight doesn't seem as bad as 16 hours across the Pacific. 

Plus this theatre loving kid really wants to see a show! 

So this week I found out that Southwest Airlines was having a three day sale, with round trip flights to the east coast for $240! From the fares I'd seen before and from talking to my JAWP, this was a good deal. I also wanted to visit Chicago too, as I have a first cousin out there with her family. It's not NYC, but at least I could visit family and there'd still be plenty to do and see. Maybe catch a game at Wrigley Field! Initially I was thinking I'd only take one trip, and I ended up leaning towards Chicago. I could stay with my cousin and not have to worry about hotel fare, which was a huge plus. So I threw out the idea to my mom, who then talked to my cousin, and then it was game on as she told me to order the tickets. So our late summer trip is a go!

This happened on Thursday evening, which left three hours in the online sale. But I still felt a pull to visit NYC... I mean, how often would I find a round-trip flight to NYC for that low? My biggest issue was going alone, as I don't know anyone in the city and knew no one to travel with. But then with a little nudge from JAWP, I decided to go for it. Picked a few days in October, and bought my tickets. Felt so great! I still have no idea where I'll be staying, or what I'll be doing exactly, but that's part of the excitement. I'll work out the details in the meantime and get some planning of all the sights I want to see. 

And of course, I will find ways to see Broadway shows on Broadway! At least one. My number one priority right now is The Book of Mormon. Tickets are pretty pricey, as it's Broadway and it just won a buttload of Tony Awards... but to say I got to see the smash musical (of which I adore the soundtrack) with the original cast (fingers crossed) at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre - which was home to Spring Awakening?!?! 

Bring it on. 

Theatre Awards

Right now, I'm sitting at home watching the Tony Awards - which brings me to point out one benefit of living at home for the time being, which is that I can watch basic cable TV (which my cousin and I chose to live without in our apartment). So it feels kinda appropriate that as I'm watching these theatre awards that I get an email from the producer of the musical that I was in... turns out, I've been nominated for a ACT Aubrey Award in the category of "Minor Supporting Actor"! Which is pretty nifty. Makes me feel like Robin Scherbatzky when she was nominated for a LAMA. ;)

Anyways - ACT (Association of Community Theatres) is a group of 6 San Diego independent theatre companies, and apparently they had a nominations banquet earlier this afternoon for shows that were produced in the 2010-2011 season. I knew that our theatre company had submitted names for nominations, and I figured that the star of the show ("Joseph") would be nominated for Lead Actor (and he was) amongst some of the other super talented cast mates with featured roles. So when I got the email (and when the list was posted on Pickwick Players Facebook group), my first reaction was "jigga-wha?" And then "alright cool."

My part in the show was super minor obviously, but it's nice that the directors (I'm assuming) submitted me. And it's interesting because not all the brothers received a nomination. I remember hearing it discussed that you could only be submitted for one category - i.e. the actor who portrayed both Pharoah and one of the brothers could only be submitted once, which was apparently in the "Major Supporting Actor" category for his Pharaoh role (and he got the deserved nomination). So stoked that the cast/crew got recognized and that I got to be part of it all.

The awards dinner is at the end of July, and it truly is cool just to be nominated. I'll probably go just to see some of the cast again and hang... and have some adult beverages. :D

Oh, and as for the Tony Awards - I have a mancrush on NPH. He's awesome. And I also really want to visit New York and see all these shows! Especially The Book of Mormon.

Moving Day(s)

So the moving has been coming along very slowly this weekend... we have until Wednesday to be out, but I return to work tomorrow. And still have some big items of furniture to move after trying unsuccessfully to sell them all off.

But in hauling the smaller things to my parents house, I've been cleaning out my old room and finding random things. Like old Disneyland maps from 1997, pre-Tomorrowland remodel. Or a pic from when I went on Splash Mountain for the first time and was utterly terrified... guess which one is me.



I found another old pic of me and Janice and her little sister Ruby May, who is not so little anymore, now that she's all married now! I still remember when we interviewed her in kindergarten (and I mean, I was only in like 2nd grade or so) and RM answered that her favorite flower was the "umbrella"... haha.

(Yes, AM - now *that* is what a young version of me looks like.)

I also found my original Game Boy (the fatty one with the gray/green screen) and then the Game Boy Pocket. I found old journals from my high school Bible class, and old papers on The Screwtape Letters, Huck Finn, My Antonia... my old SAT/ACT/ASVAB scores... my first CA ID card (pre-drivers license)... some stuff I still kept, but most of the things I threw out/shredded, as I really didn't need to know how many errors I made (8) on my DMV drivers test that I still passed.

I also found a bunch of Dawson's Creek-related things: cutouts from magazines, transcripts, quotes, the official companion guide from season 1... I was crazy about it back in the day. Anyway, in one of my folders I found that I took the time to type out the following quote and print it out in the Dawson's Creek font. Looking back at it, it sounds very much like something the character Joey Potter would say, and back then I always related to her pessimism.

You know what's great? Not having to fake a good mood. There are very few people in this world you can actually be in a bad mood around. You know how everyone is always saying the goal in life is to find someone who makes you happy? Well, maybe they have it backwards. Maybe the goal is finding someone you can just feel lousy around. 


I think they key is in finding both, but I get what she's saying. I think most of the quotes I had saved came from her... Lines from Dawson the dreamer, not so much. Haha.

Show me your teeth...

So I'm sitting at home in my parents house, recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed yesterday. I'm not quite situated in my new old home yet, but I've got my laptop and need to keep resting, so what better time to update the ol' blog...

Starting with the whole wisdom teeth thing. This has actually gone rather well! Now, I didn't *have* to get them removed, as they weren't causing me pain or discomfort. But my bottom teeth are crooked and I want to get Invisalign braces to straighten them out. My bottom wisdom teeth are impacted and coming in sideways, so those could become a problem over time. My top two came in normally but not quite perfectly either, and one has a cavity on it's side, so the recommendation was to get all four removed prior to getting my braces. I decided it was time to just get it done, though I was hella nervous.

The oral surgeon's office was nice and everyone was cool, the doctor had a pretty awesome demeanor and seemed like one of those guys who'd be fun to hang with in real life. I knew what would happen going into this, that I'd be knocked out as they took out my teeth chunk by chunk rather than pulling them out whole. My biggest worries were in being knocked out, as I've never been under anesthesia before, and then in recovery.

About anesthesia - let's do that again!!! Best experience ever. I freaked out a bit when they told me (right before) that they'd have me under IV anesthesia too (I assumed it was just gonna be laughing gas). But the nurses were nice and funny. They kept me talking and distracted as I lay down, and they started me out with the gas mask. "It'll be like you had a few cocktails, okay?" And awwww yeah it was. Forget getting me drunk again, hook me up with the nitrous oxide. I was surprised with how effective that was. We were laughing about something when the nurse got my arm with the IV anesthesia and I distinctly remember saying "Ow, you tricked me" while still laughing, to which she questioned, "Nuh-uh, how'd I trick you?"... She had me stumped, so I laughed some more and then clarified that she distracted me. Oh, and then she thought the logo on my polo was an "ass", to which the other nurse laughed and correctly noted it was a bulldog. More laughs ensued. I was then asked what kind of music I like... I replied "everything", but when asked about a favorite, I went with Foo Fighters... and then moments later, it started playing! I don't know from where, but I was stoked and thanked them for the awesome tunes. I'm sure I would've started singing along if I'd been alert long enough...

But then I passed out, apparently. Because the next thing I remember was waking up in another room on a recovery bed, and a nurse telling me "you did it!" The rest of the time was woozy, as my dad came in to get instructions on post-op care, and then they wheelchaired me back to the SUV. I passed out on the drive home, and then just rested once home. Got hooked up with Jamba Juice, took my meds, had gauze stuffed in my mouth, but the night went really well. I took the Ibuprofen and antibiotics, but no need for Vicodin at all. Very stoked about how I feel right now - like I totally could be at work even, but I'm glad to have the day off to really rest. Still sticking to smoothies and soft food, and hopefully tomorrow back to working out, though knowing me I may try to do some walking and core work at least this evening.

I still need to do a final write up on my theatre experience, and that'll come later. :)