Here's another blog post I don't really know how to start. Hmm.
I went to Disneyland last week. I got engaged. Now I'll tell you how it happened.
The day was Thursday, our first day at Disneyland. I had pretty strong suspicions that there was going to be a proposal while we were there. Nay, I should say strong certainties, though I wasn't sure what the ring status was. I gave D-Rew a little teasing during the day, asking him if he had everything and if he had any souvenirs for me. When we were on Soarin' in the mid-afternoon I went so far as to pat the side pocket of his shorts and lo and behold, there was a small box in there. Then I felt really bad for spoiling things a bit, since I don't ever *really* want to have surprises spoiled (even surprises I'm expecting). As it turned out, he wasn't sure I had felt the box so that was something.
Anyhoo, a little while later, back in Disneyland it was about dinner time and my family was discussing where we were going to eat. The plan was set and we were going to head over there but D-Rew suggested we take a walk first. So walk we did. We walked all the way over to Snow White's Wishing Well by the castle, seen here:
Okay, so you can't see the actual wishing well but we were standing by the railing anyway. There was a goodly number of people standing about just then and so we discussed the color of the water while they wandered away. Finally there were just a few people standing around and Mr. Graham said he did, in fact, have a souvenir for me. And then he pulled out a ring. A ring with a star and Mickey head with rhinestones. Nice, right? Classy. I gave it a few ooo's while I tried to figure out which finger I should put it on. Was it substitute for a real one? Was he just a dense boy? However could I tell for sure? I settled on the middle finger of my right hand for no particular reason. Nice.
But then he said he had something else for me. And then there was kneeling and hand holding and a box with a little sparkly thing for me inside. Words were said, words were said in reply and oh, just look at the reenactment pictures (they are highly accurate, besides our different clothes).
And then we were happy and took pictures of ourselves before getting some handy dandy tourists to take some for us. Here, look at both:
So...yes. That is how it happened, and it was lovely. And soon we shall be wed and that will also be lovely. I went to Disneyland almost exactly a year ago and it is funny how different things were on this trip. Life changes really fast sometimes, but luckily in this case it changed for the better. Is "better" the right word? That doesn't seem to quite cover it, but you know what I'm saying. And as another bonus, now my Mother need no longer despair at my life long lack of interest in marriage.
PS: We've been engaged since March 21st. Did you know I've had a life goal to be secretly engaged? (I didn't know how I was going to do that when I didn't want to get married, but you know. Whatever.)
PS #2: If you want to read this story from a different perspective, you can check out Drew's account here.
I have one of these:
They're called boyfriend pillows. I don't know why that is because my pillow is really nothing at all like:
I want my boyfriend pillow. 13 more days.
2008 is gone forever and there will never be another one, isn't that sad? I don't generally tend to be a fan of one year more than the other--they are all good for different reasons usually--but I did really enjoy 2008. 2007 was all right for the most part but 2008 had some really great things. Here a few of my favorite 2008 things/happening/stuffs (luckily 2008 included a new camera so I am not without a visual record of these lovely things):
- Adult Reader's Advisory. Still my favorite SLIS class...which maybe is not saying much, but it is my very very favorite!
- Sundry foods: Haagen-Dazs Fleur de Sel, Gatorade Rain lime flavor, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (aka BCE), Inn-n-Out burgers, gummi coke bottles and probably some other stuff.
- Travels: Chicago, Washington, Utah (twice)
- Summer in Bloomington. Just in general.
- D'CALC! The best librarian apartment that ever existed.
I also did a number of new things, and they were all fun and exciting so I'm putting them in their own special section of specialness:
- Disneyland! Oh how do I love thee... In some ways I'm jealous that I never went as a kid, but I also wouldn't trade my maiden voyage for anything. I'm still hoping they'll have a librarian job at the Beast's Library in May...
- Las Vegas. OK, so I never actually got out of the car, but I saw the city from the ground and that is the closest I have ever been. Maybe next time I go down that way I can stop for the loo at Caesar's Palace.
- IKEA. What was my favorite part? Probably seeing those wooden drawing figures available in a variety of bright hues.
- I got to introduce the Boyfriend to my parents which was...not a big deal at all as it turns out.
Other runnerups (runners up?) for interesting events: turning down a co-worker (sorry, Nemesis), dying my hair red, nightswimming with a frog, the museum in Ohio, a crazy awesome first half of season 4 of Battlestar Galactica and some other stuff I can't remember. Anyway, 2009 is looking full of nice things as well. Since I like lists, let's look at a list of things I'm looking forward to, in rough chronological order:
- Spring.
- Spring Break! (Disclaimer: ! is not an accurate indicator of the level of excitement.)
- Graduation foreverty ever from school
- Moving to Utah, where I never planned to live again
- Disneyland! Again!
- Getting a job? Maybe? Making real money?
So I can start paying those loans back. - Spring Break! (Disclaimer: Multiple listings do not accurately indicate level of excitement.)
So until one of those things happens,
I will try in vain to enjoy winter and salivate over pictures of Disneyland. What, illustrious readers, are some things you look forward to in 2009?
Well, Christmas has come and gone once again. And even though my Dad still says it will be here again just like *snap of the fingers* that, I don't know that I agree with him anymore now than I did as a 10 year old. At any rate, it has come and gone and was one of my favorite recent Christmases. (I'm trying to remember Christmas of 2007 and...I'm blank.)
I don't really like listing and comparing Christmas presents...it usually makes me feel like I had some kind of inadequate Christmas and then I'm irritated with myself for feeling that my Christmas was inadequate when really it was (adequate, that is). But since I haven't blogged for a while and I did get a few things I'm particularly pleased with, I'm going to show y'all a few things I got for Christmas. Do not feel inadequate.
Jeeves! I am so very impressed that my Mom went to all the trouble of ordering this over the Internet. Have I mentioned this show before? It is so funny and British. (Why do they use the American flag image for the box? It's British!)
New Snow Patrol! I like them more all the time. (Though shame on them for putting in the F-word.) This one wasn't exactly a surprise since I personally put it into Santa's cart...and then put it into my own stocking. Ah well, it doesn't take any pleasure out of the listening.
The Office! Who doesn't love it? I only have Season 2 (which I maintain is the best), and much as I love it, I'm looking forward to watching this season again. A lot of the episodes I've only seen once or twice and that can really affect my Office trivia score on Facebook. So it's entertaining and useful!
Overall it was a great Christmas. Tasty foods, fun times, a sparkly Christmas tree and sleeping in. So even if one of you got plane tickets to Tokyo or a lifetime supply of McDonald's breakfast burritos, I will not feel inadequate! Oh, and did I mention my favorite present that came the day after Christmas? Let me illustrate:
Don't worry, we like each other (4 rillz). Oh wait, should I illustrate that too? Okay.
Last Saturday I got up bright and early-ish and headed off to Kroger with my roommate to enjoy the promised (free) bounties of their grand re-opening. Also, I needed conditioner. I got lots of free food, and it was a tasty food too but it was all rather salty. Corned beef? Pasta sauce? Sea salt potato chips? You get the idea. So it was very exciting to see a nice middle-aged man at an orange juice station. "I love orange juice!" I said to myself and made a beeline for it.
"Hi!" I said brightly to this nice man in a Santa hat. He greeted me similarly, and, eying my snappy brown hat, said, "I like that hat. I like your style." "Well," I said very cheerily, "you have a very nice hat too."
At this point he just started looking at me and smiling while I stood waiting for him to pour that dratted orange juice. "Well I just like your style!" he enthused. "Um, thanks," I said. Give me the orange juice. "What's your name?" he asked, still beaming at me relentlessly. I tell him, hoping it will get me the orange juice faster. Although at this point I was very ready to go get the egg nog a few steps away.
"Well, Miss Julie, I just got to ask for your number!"
...
Give me the orange juice!
"I...don't think my boyfriend would appreciate that..."
"Probably not, I'm sure you've got two."
"At least!"
Finally he pours me the most measly amount of orange juice ever, wishes me a happy holiday then looks me up and down before his parting words: "Why...I...I just like how you walk, I like your style!"
Yeah, okay, sir, thanks for giving me a creepy thing to associate orange juice with.
Okay, so you can't see the actual wishing well but we were standing by the railing anyway. There was a goodly number of people standing about just then and so we discussed the color of the water while they wandered away. Finally there were just a few people standing around and Mr. Graham said he did, in fact, have a souvenir for me. And then he pulled out a ring. A ring with a star and Mickey head with rhinestones. Nice, right? Classy. I gave it a few ooo's while I tried to figure out which finger I should put it on. Was it substitute for a real one? Was he just a dense boy? However could I tell for sure? I settled on the middle finger of my right hand for no particular reason. Nice.
So...yes. That is how it happened, and it was lovely. And soon we shall be wed and that will also be lovely. I went to Disneyland almost exactly a year ago and it is funny how different things were on this trip. Life changes really fast sometimes, but luckily in this case it changed for the better. Is "better" the right word? That doesn't seem to quite cover it, but you know what I'm saying. And as another bonus, now my Mother need no longer despair at my life long lack of interest in marriage.
