Sails of Galway

Today's the day!!! Watch her for pictures, and observations, and general Irish giddiness.

Slainte...

Sails of Galway - W.G. "Snuffy" Walden

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Everyone Smile

Everyone smile, originally uploaded by crau1971.

It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful new family solemnized. I was so honored to officiate their wedding, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the house during their vows.

Best wishes to my stunning, beautiful sister, her amazing new husband, and my equally amazing niece and nephews. Happy day all around. I love you guys.

More photos here.

DJ, Play That Mutha-f****n' Song!!

Having just spent half the morning making edits and changes to my sister's "Dancing" playlist for her wedding this evening, I now have an enormous respect for wedding DJ's. Let's talk impossible tasks, shall we?

Colleen is getting married tonight, and in addition to being the officiant and legal signature on the marriage license, she has essentially made me "Queen of All Media" for this event, by charging me with the following tasks: playlist entitled "Dinner", playlist entitled "Dancing", and a slide show of pictures to play during cocktail hour. Oh.My.God! However, the adage about if you want something done quickly, ask the busiest person in the room to do it certainly rang true this week, as her best friend emailed me Wednesday morning with pictures for the slideshow. Thank god for photographer friends who know the ins and outs of all photo software out there, and are also self-professed Mac geeks. "Just use iPhoto, Courtney; it's an automatic feature there." Duh... the Queen of All Media (At Least For This Wedding) thanks her page immensely. The "Dinner" playlist was also similarly easy, thanks to the amazing playlist my friend Brian had at his wedding; I channeled that plus other songs that remind me of the bride and groom, and essentially made myself cry by the end. Rock on.

But the "Dancing" playlist, holy crap is that a minefield of potential buzz kill bombs to be had. Those of you who know me know instinctually that my musical tastes do not run the gamut of "generic wedding dance favorites". And you HAVE to have them--my mother is an unrepentant wedding dancer, and is known to be out there for long stretches of time, when the music's right. My sisters and our friends can turn any event into a dance party. HOWEVER, whereas "Boogie Shoes" definitely is a cross-over crowd favorite, and that my sisters and I have a version of "The Hustle" that scores of young Norwood bar mavens think is the REAL Hustle (thanks to a local DJ who indulged our whims constantly), I'm not entirely sure I want Mom or one of Darrin's aunts that I know nothing about out there grooving to, say, "Get Off" by Prince (a favorite in our crowd), or "Personal Jesus" (favorite of the bride, not particularly dance-able in mixed company, though). The pitfalls are endless.

So, I did some careful weeding of the playlist, which is still over 5 hours long. The old folks are going to have to deal with "Jump Around" and "Virtual Insanity", but I threw them "Build Me Up Buttercup" and "Copacabana" to even the score. Wish me luck, and wish Colleen and Darrin a lifetime of happiness. As it says on their invitation, and on a sign on their mantle, it's never too late to live happily ever after.

Play - J-Lo

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Thinking

I'm not sure how much longer this space, or my other blog, will be active. I mean, it's pretty inactive these days lately, anyway. Is it worth it to me anymore?

Mulling this over. Forgive the pause while I decide...

Changes in Attitude

This afternoon, I went on a job interview. Now, I was not actively looking for a new position; however, the ending to this school year has been challenging beyond belief, and I did tell my principal, regarding a certain insane staff member, that I would not work with this individual next year, and please read between the lines on that statement. But, I never expected to have to call in that bluff.

Until, I was called, out of the blue, to interview for a job in the neighboring town.

Clearly the universe was telling me something there. Initially, I thought it was handing me my "out"; the chance to say, "see, I told you to take me seriously!" But, as the interview grew closer, and I continued to work in my current job, I realized that wasn't what the universe was telling me at all.

What the universe decided to show me with this random interview for a job that is mine to lose, quite frankly, was the opportunity to clarify in my head what I wanted out of my job, my career, and where was I going to best be able to accomplish that. And, in spite of all the current drama, and lack of support from my principal, I realize that my current position is where I'm supposed to be right now. I still have too much to accomplish, too much I want to change in my building, work that's unfinished. I'm not ready to move away from there yet. The time is not right for that major change in my life. Not yet, anyway.

So, although it was a very successful interview, I know in my heart that I do not want to change my position. But that doesn't mean I don't want things there to change.

Sometimes, the universe throws you a bone.

Changes In Latitude, Changes In Attitude - Jimmy Buffett

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The Clouds Started Forming at 5:00 pm

My state is under a tornado watch for most of the evening. This is a really strange occurrence for Eastern Massachusetts; normally, big thunderstorms don't achieve that level of spin out here, but the atmospheric conditions are apparently in the right range for this to occur. Potentially.

I'm sitting in my living room with the lights off. The sunset outside is mixed with big clouds, which are filtering the light in strange ways. Stormy skies always have interesting colors. It's later than you'd think, simply based on the light outside the window, and eerily calm. I love a good thunderstorm as much as anyone, and although I don't actually "wish" a tornado, since I tend to run outside when thunder starts, I can see myself like Helen Hunt in the movie Twister, watching it roll down the street in awe. I do at least know to get to the basement.

I really do love the moods the light that streams into my living room creates in my head.

Tornadoes - The Drive-by Truckers

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