Thursday, December 27, 2012

M-Day Countdown Day 27: Dec 27

The last full day before getting married.


I didn't really have a plan I did have some errands I needed to get done before the wedding; pick up my newly pressed shirt and get my glasses cleaned of the paint that seemed permanently grafted onto them. But instead my day consisted of working with the plumber all day, 3.5 hours, in the end he cost us $341. He kept claiming his rate was the best out there and I didn't dispute that, I even verified by asking a neighbor friend of mine - it was true. But the problem is did it need to take 3.5 hours to get a clump of old rotted tampons out from deep in the main line? (tampons, are like woven cloth rats with their long nasty tails (the tail's the worst part) - I hated them when he pulled them out. Those things cost us lots of shit mopping and money and an arm insertion into crap filled water to try and feel for something) Because at nearly 100 bucks an hour, it adds up fast. I don't think the guy was malicious but also don't think he should've taken 3.5 hours. (even he was surprised when it was all over and it was 3.5 hours later) So who's wrong? (because it was a point of contention) Nobody. Everybody. My mom was pissed. I felt at the same time had and sympathetic to the guy and somewhat responsible and dumb and okay.




I had Elaine pick up my shirt for me. Never got my glasses cleaned, oh well it has character.

We had our rehearsal. Here for the first time you get to walk through the ceremony and it feels. It feels. The reality of it starts to set in. People are gathered. You hear the words, walk through the motions and then do it again.


Rehearsal dinner was good. My mom who's a natural Korean says the food was mediocre. I couldn't tell.


Part of the whole thing is, it's a wedding, but it's so many other things, it's a family gathering, it's a meeting new people for the first time, it's a reunion with old friends, it's a party, it's a recollection of memories, it's every emotion at the same time. I mean people spend days just to work up the nerve to meet for the first time the one person that's important to them, at a wedding you meet ten of those.

Having no best man I didn't have a bachelor party or any sort of person in charge of that department, but the girls were going out, Elaines sister in law planned a night out for her, her last as a single. So I last minute texted a bunch of dudes, many who didn't even know I was getting married, I'm not sure if that was a fair way to let them know.

"My last day as an independent, come to Dogwood. 22 Telegraph at 9" I had the address wrong because it cut off.

But with a 3 hour notice and the wrong address. 13 guys miraculously showed to the otherwise empty bar. In the chatter I got a sense how people felt about me. I'm so unaware.

My name means: Beloved

I went home slightly buzzed. I don't like alcohol anymore but I do.


Is that the way I wanted to spend my last night as an independent? I'm not sure. But I did and now it's done.

M-Day Advent Calendar:

On day 27 (oh which was my birthday, btw, I always forget): 

i was naked

M-Day Countdown Day 26: Dec 26

Increasingly more difficult to find time to sit down to write down thoughts or to even think. My only thoughts are personal pep talks reminding myself that this is good. I don't know what advice I would give a young dude looking to get married. I honestly don't.

Going all day. All day. Crunch time and family time.

Waited for over an hour in line, in the rain, in the cold at Mamas in Nor Be-atch
 Went to get a haircut and it was closed and so was this nearby store I was supposed to visit bc I met the owners randomly at a taco truck. Sad. Closed before I could reach it. 
Found a new random place. The haircut was aw-right
 but I dont really care, it's just a show
and I liked the guy so I'm going back (I'm all about the service, I dont care if the food sucks)
 I invited him over for dinner but he declined. Why? 

I invited my neighbor who helped me all day on my gasline over for dinner and he declined. I said "nexttime." He said "maybe." Why?

Errands: Mills to print stuff and grab supplies, Kinkos, Target, Micheals, Toy R Us, (got a lot done, with a lot of help) and finally back home. 
For the Feast:

And games
 And prizes
 Gearing up


For the chunky, chocolately goodness of the overflowed, clogged toilet, I had to stick my hand down.
(not pictured here)

M-Day Advent Calendar:
holy crap. 2 more days. i'm actually not trippin, I will the day of though. All those movies about runaway brides - I get it. This is the craziest position to be in. I went to a monastery once and I met this woman who was there bc she had cold feet and the dude never forgave her even though later she came to her senses. I feel like temporary insanity is normal. Sometimes you need to go insane for a time to make the right decisions. Those are actually two different versions of insane: one's to run and one's to commit, both are okay. 

On Day 26:

M-Day Countdown Day 25: Dec 25

This is what I woke up to.





literally in front of my new pad.

Shot up Hollywood, machine gun style - engine still running, all the tires blown out, gas pouring from the tank. 

My neighbor came over and helped me put in a gas line so that I could hook up this dryer I've had sitting idle for a month. I'd need it to run for when my family comes and invades my home later in the day. We watched the car sitting there and then walked to Home Depot to get parts for the line, it was strange like dang there's a shot up car but 'we got things to do'. Spent the entire day working on this, from dusk til dawn. I can't thank the guy enough - I seriously have no idea what to get a diabetic, retired contractor, whose wife is a nutritionist. Note: If installation guys charge you less than $200 to get a line installed you're getting a deal. 



the layers of my floor

Family's starting to come in. Picked up the first batch from SFO - the floridians. 




Morning exercises - gotta think about sustaining the aesthetics of the pristine beaches in the far off land I'm about to invade.

Ants invading my house - I had to launch a slaughtering campaign underneath my house - thwarting the ant invasion more urgent bc I have a family invasion coming. 
Covered in webbing, dead bugs, raid and mud I was forced to take a shower. There's something so soothing about warm water flowing over your head and down your body that's both relaxing and creates the perfect haven for thought. It's like the opposite of chinese water torture. The shower is my thought chamber, plus it's the only point in my day where I'm completely alone and there's nothing going on around me. 

I'm gonna marry this chick

Chinatown, Oakland, USA
 in search of duck
 and pastries
raiden fights the cardboard warrior.

Happy Birthday

More family is here

Moms meet for the first time

Circle talk





M-Day Advent Calendar:

On the 25th Day : 

I slept in the last room:


the one where people poo