Who says you can’t change your mind? Who says you can’t cook a big meal, then decide to eat cereal? Who says you can’t get all the way there, then go back home to change your outfit? Who says you can’t decide to name your cat Oliver, then Pascal, then Pickle, then Lucky? Who says you can’t decide to have your wedding in Colorado, then six months beforehand, move it to Chicago?

Um…..what was that last one again?

Yup, that’s what I did. I had my entire Steamboat Colorado mountain wedding all planned out. We had the ceremony site, the reception venue, even the rehearsal dinner location all reserved. We had contacted florists, photographers, wedding bands, and wedding coordinators. We signed contracts and put down deposits.  We flew out there for the weekend to meet with the wedding planners, and even have another trip planned in a couple of weeks. It was all going to be perfect.

But then I changed my mind.

You see, it took a trip home for the Thanksgiving holiday for me to realize something very important- this wedding is not just about me and Benjamin (finally) tying the knot. And when I went home I was finally able to grasp something that I hadn’t been able to before; my parents just weren’t that into it.  I know they were trying to be excited, but Colorado is far and unfamiliar to them. Plus, with economic times being how they are, it wasn’t looking like many of their friends were going to be able to make the trek out west. Steamboat isn’t exactly the easiest place to get to, you know. My extended family wasn’t particularly thrilled about the idea either. One of my cousins is planning a Denver wedding which would mean two trips to Colorado for them, two weekends in a row. Then the icing on the cake came when I discovered that two of my best friends from growing up, both newly pregnant, were likely not going to be able to make the trip either.

So yes I had the perfect dress, the idyllic location and everything else in place, but what would that day mean without my family and friends to share it with?

I finally realized that this day is not just about me and Benjamin. It is about our parents and our siblings; our aunts, uncles and cousins; our friends and everyone else who has touched our lives in meaningful ways. No matter how perfect the day and how perfect the place, it would not be as special without the people who mean the most being there to share in our most important moment.

I wish I could say that my realization was priceless, but actually it cost $4,000.

-Nora

Andy used to pose a question to us at every staff meeting, a question for everyone to answer in hopes the different answers would bring about unity. The questions ranged from what we wanted for Christmas to our best musical experience. He once asked what our ideal weekend would be, and I want to change my answer, because it happened this past weekend.

It started out on Friday night, with a slumber party. No, I don’t have kids, but I do act like one. My roller derby team decided to have an end of the season slumber party to celebrate our awesome year. How does a slumber party full of grown women differ from a regular teen slumber party? Well, there are still games, crafts, karaoke and junk food, but there is WAY more whiskey than when I was a teenager. This whiskey results in some pretty amazing moments- I watched as a teammate sang Phil Collins’s “Against All Odds” with a screamo metal voice. Check out the lyrics to that song – it adds a little something when they are screamed in your face. I was the old lady of the bunch, heading to bed first around 3:30- I wasn’t really that tired, I just wanted to claim the only real bed in the house. I’m too old to be sleeping on the floor.

On Saturday, I went to the best wedding ever. I’ve never understood wedding culture- the thousands of dollars spent on this one event that lasts about 20 minutes (unless you’re Catholic), the Bridezillas, the ugly bridesmaid’s dresses, the $4000 cakes. My friends Jill and Brad tied the knot in a friend’s backyard, and had a pot luck picnic reception. The bride wore a white sundress and Chuck Taylors, and the groom wore his good, black overalls. Jill’s roller derby team was the color guard, and the ceremony was beautifully realistic and hilarious, to say the least. The officiant was a roller girl, and asked, “If anyone has any reason why this jam should be called off, speak now or forever hold your peace.” The picnic was amazing- since they didn’t have to spend an arm and a leg on catering, they were able to invite pretty much all of their friends. And the fried chicken, banana pudding and beer made it even better.

Later that night, I headed to one of my favorite bars to see one of my new favorite bands- Bang Camaro at the EARL! If you like guitar driven, hard rock choirs, I highly recommend this band. And I do mean choir! There were eight singers, pared down from 16 the last time you heard about them. Check them out on Simple Man this year- you won’t be disappointed. I rocked out so hard, my neck still hurts. My only complaint was about some girls who were acting like princesses in front of us. Seriously, who comes to a rock show to stand in the front row, talk to their friends and text their homies all night? That just doesn’t seem right to me. May and I almost fought them.

Anyway, after that long Saturday night, I slept until 1 PM on Sunday, watched movies on the couch with my cats all day, and then went to improv class. Ahhh… the perfect end to the perfect weekend.

What’s your best weekend ever?