It's been a while...

While it may not be considered much to other people, last night I watched some Nic' At Night with this guy:


He's a really nice guy, and he giggles a lot.

8 Rodens in one day...

Friday. What a day. Road trip to Austin to finally verify that Dave didn't make up some girl that he's been courting. Evidently, he's not making her up. Thankfully she's as awesome as he made her out to be. Ava was giving her godfather the cold shoulder most of the day, but it turns out she was sick. Even though she was sick, she wanted to be held by strangers. Okay, not strangers, but strangers to her. She seemed to enjoy Chase and Kate Roden. I go to meet 6 new Rodens on Friday. Chase and Kate's daughters Wren and Jane, along with a whole new clan of Rodens that I had only known via Wimpkiller icons before. So yes, it was a busy day.

Yesterday (Sunday) I got a phone call that I had been expecting, but it still caught me by surprise. An old friend that shared a back fence with me is back in Texas (see Dave, people can always come back). Long story short, after being out of state for roughly 3-5 years, he has returned. Maybe I'm being naively optimistic (which is rare for me), but I believe that he really wants to get his life back in order. I also believe I know a way that he can do just that. We'll see.

Anniversary

Three days ago I posted about How Lina and I started dating. Today is something else.

Four years ago today I rose after a night almost completely without sleep. I got up and showered, because tired or not it was to be the biggest day of my life up to that point. I got up, and went to the grocery store to buy some tea. Lots of tea. Seriously, who makes tea on this day? I do. People would need tea. After the grocery store I go to a small convention center and make the tea. Many gallons of tea. I go back to my apartment (it was my first one on my own) and get cleaned up. Again. I sweat a lot that day. I spend quite a long time fixing my hair. I had to look good for my lady, right? I went to my Mimi's house to pick up my big brother, because we always said we'd be there for each other for this. The whole time I miss her. Adam (my brother) and I get to St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Pasadena, where we wait for the others. I'm looking good in my white t-shirt and jeans, with converse and an awesome pompadour. The other guys show up, and we take some pictures, my favorite of the shots being at the top of this post. we also had an awesome Abbey Road type shot. After we get done with the tom foolery (for the most part), we all take our clothes off in the back room and get dressed up. I miss her terribly. Guests begin arriving, and I greet them as I'm supposed to, not really paying attention to the sentiments people are giving me, the pats on the back, the congratulations, the smiles. All I can think of is how much I miss her. How it is taking too long. I'm told to go in to the back and wait. Wait?!? Are they stupid? Crazy? Both? I go back with my brother by my side. After what seemed like at least 4 hours (I was told it was only 10 minutes) I hear the organ start playing Journey. Through all the tension borne of impatience, Adam and I giggle at the fact that we can hear everyone singing "Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going aaaaaa-neeeeee-where..." Yeah, I know. It's awesome. My brother and I walk out in front of everyone and take our positions. Then I hear a song that for my entire childhood I thought was written for a Kodak commercial. As a teenager I discovered it was written by Pachelbel. I knew she was close now. I didn't miss her as badly. I try to step up on my toes without anyone noticing, just to get a peek of her veil. I succeed, and all emotion lets loose. Every single bridesmaid is crying along with me, my brother, and almost every groomsman. So here you have 13 crying people (two of my seven groomsmen didn't cry) waiting for the guest of honor. Finally she is walked to me by her father. We now have 28 teary eyes at the altar. My dad very slyly hands a handkerchief to my brother, who slips it to me. I try to stop my blubbering long enough to speak my vow to the woman who is becoming my wife. I only partly succeed. I end my promise to her by simply saying "I love you". Then, four years ago today, "the rest of my life" became "forever".

I love you baby.

5 minute break

I have been (somewhat) diligently doing schoolwork for about 3 hours, and I am taking a small break.

While I mentioned that yesterday was my birthday, I neglected to mention what I got. I am very pleased to mention that two things I have wanted for a while (one longer than the other) were birthday presents. Friday Lina took me to get my ears pierced to 2 gauge (actually they were pierced with a 4 and stretched to 2). They used to be 00g, but the jewelry was knocked out of my ears in a 4wheeler accident. I was in no condition to go look for the jewelry, so my ears tightened back up, and I haven't worn anything in almost seven years. I have wanted to stretch them back out ever since, but have never taken the time to do it. Time? Who needs time?!? getting up to 2gauge was the hardest part before, so this time I just cut right to the chase.
My other noteworthy present was from my brother. He got me a flippin' Wii. He had a fairly new (less than 3 weeks old) demo unit from the Game Crazy he was running. The store was closing, but Nintendo sent the unit anyway. Nintendo doesn't reclaim units from stores, so he gave it to me. He also bought me Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Awesome game.
Okay. I'm going to get back to work...

On this day, six years ago...

Six years ago today many things happened. I turned 22. Chuck Norris turned 62. Rick Rubin turned 39. It was the 100th anniversary of the day that the US court ruled that Thomas Edison did not invent the movie camera. It was also the first time I cuddled the girl that was to become my wife. Six years ago today I held the last woman I will ever hold again. Six years ago today I started a relationship that would give me my daughter. Six years ago today, I listened to the intro music to Fight Club for 5 hours because I didn't want to let go of her long enough to turn off the DVD player. Six years ago today I began the rest if my life.

Congrat's to Uncle Rupee!

I would like to announce that my dear friend, and Ava's godfather, Dave Rupert (or "Uncle Rupee" as we're trying to teach Ava to say) is now officially engaged to Jessie "Chuy" Conklin. I can only assume Chuy is as awesome as Dave keeps telling us, because we have yet to actually meet her, but that will all change on March 14th. Chuy, Dave, Lina, Ava, and I will all converge on that date, in the capital of the greatest state ever. We will join the Rodens, and eat hamburgers. This will probably be one of the greatest days ever. Then again, this all depends on how awesome Chuy is. From precursory examinations performed by us VK's, she seems like the real deal. for this reason, I officially bestow upon her the title of being Ava's "Aunt Chuy". This means, on behalf of the Von Kanels, I would like to welcome the future Mrs. Chuy Rupert to our family. Can't wait to meet you!

Homework is lame, but steak makes it better

Once again, I am not out doing fun things. Nope. I am doing an assignment that is quite stupid. At the end of the post, however, I will give you my solution to all boredom (at least it's my solution since I quite drinking and taking copious amounts of narcotics!).

Essentially it's just a ton of reading (85 different psalms), which must be followed up with a paper about "what [I] think is important about the psalms". Seriously. My 10 year old nephew could write this paper. Frivolous busy-work is one of the reasons I did so poorly during junior-high and high school. Over the past two semesters of Bachelor's studies it has been rare that I will get an assignment that challenges me, makes me have to take a stance on something I had never considered, or (at a minimum) entertains me. The rest of the time it's just writing papers to prove that I read my assigned reading. Instead of spending the afternoon with my in-laws, enjoying great company and generally not being away from my wife and daughter, I am writing a stupid paper. Why can't they just give me a test?

So, what is my solution to this aggravation and boredom? Steak. There is a gigantic steak that my mother-in-law bought me that has been in the freezer for quite some time. Originally there were three, and Lina and I ate two of them for VD (read: Valentine's Day). So I thawed #3 in a marinade that I am quite proud of. I will then pan-sear it to a nice pink medium-rare, and gorge until I can't see straight. I will be eating it with cheddar Goldfish.