You want a rant??? Oh, I'll give you a rant all right.
Geoffrey and I are trying to get wedding errands done, all the while keeping in mind our goal of sticking it to the wedding-industry Man and doing things only in ways that make us feel confortable -- which requires us to feel in control of what we're doing and to not be overcharged simply because we're getting married. So far, we've managed to bypass the System -- that great big wedding-industry machine -- pretty much at every step. I got a dress for less than $200 and not in a bridal store, Geoffrey went the same route for his suit. We're not having the reception at a receptiony place because we found those exist solely to stress people out and take large sums of their money. But invitations are proving more difficult to accomplish outside the machine. Especially since we want full control of it -- we want to design the art and lay out the pieces of paper, something, it turns out, the wedding industry most definitely does not want us to do.
Geoffrey got a call from one store with which he had left a message earlier this week, and he told the lady what we wanted. Which, in short, is an announcement of the wedding ceremony to be accompanied by an invitation to the party we'll have in Atlanta later on. All to be shoved in one envelope and sent out before the wedding. At that point, this woman from the invitation store regales Geoffrey with a shocked "You can't do that!" According to this woman, who apparently is in charge of all things, you CANNOT send out a wedding announcement before the wedding. Geoffrey politely informed her that we CAN do that (and whatever we want, considering its our wedding) and, further, we WILL do that. This is where Geoffrey and I differ. He was polite, apparently. I would have been yelling and pounding my fists. This woman is a cog in the machine, and we will not oil her, by God! I'm still considering writing a letter to this business detailing exactly how and why this woman lost our business, and how she's evil and should be jailed. Of course, she was probably only following the business' instructions, so I would probably have to rail against them, too, and tell them exactly where they, collectively, can put their can'ts. Fuckers.
OK, feeling a little better. In smoother wedding news, we finally registered for gifts. This we did -- it took all day yesterday -- at Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Both were good because they just give you a scanner gun and you scan what you want, so no one hovering and telling you that you MUST register for fine china and other things we'll never have use for. I see the point in registering, but it made me feel very greedy and weird. I hate that sending someone a wedding invitation can be seen as fishing for a gift. None of you must feel this way, ok? There are some people (mostly older, family friends) whom we haven't talked to in years and who probably won't attend our reception, but all the same we want to send them invitations just to keep in touch and share our news. But I bet they'll feel obligated to get a gift, which is so silly. I wonder if people of my generation view things this way, too? I guess it's just tradition, and of course when I hear people are getting married, I want to send a gift most times. I just hope any gifts we get are sent because the giver wants to give, not because they feel trapped by tradition.
Stupid wedding industry.
In other news, big ups to Joe and Will, who recently recorded a four-song demo. Joe gave us a copy when he was here a-visitin', and only today did I finally get time to listen to it. What amazing rock 'n' roll superstars they are! I hope you guys won't forget me when you get all famous and stuff.
Until yesterday, I'd clean forgotten about Mrs. Winners chicken I used to eat all the time growing up. And now, of course, I miss the hell out of it.
LISTENING TO: Sigh, OK. I thought about not admitting this, but I must confess. I now own the new Justin Timberlake CD. I know, I know. It's all the fault of the "Rock Your Body" song. I just love that song and I don't care who knows it. I can listen to it and have dance party all by myself in my apartment. I assure you, I dance VERY well. Anyway, I recognize that my Justin Timberlake purchase goes against everything I hold dear -- my hatred of Clear Channel and the mainstream music industry, my love of Americana music, etc., etc. -- but, well, there it is. I am a woman of mystery.
Stacy - 4:26 PM
Sunday, August 03, 2003
Oh man oh man oh man oh man. So the Lyle Lovett concert was really good. We had way back seats, though, so not within leg-humping range, alas. But well within range to hear Lyle play several new songs, so it's going to be a very, very good new album on Sept. 30, methinks.
I am getting upset about the possible outcome of a fight over whether to renew the FCC license of WNCW, the best public radio station ever, which I had the luxury of listening to while going to college in Greenville, S.C., and then, though through considerable static, during my years in Anderson. Long (very, very long) story short, there's been a lot of squabbling and staff turnover at WNCW over the past few years, and the school at which the station is located (not directly funded by them, nor run by students or college staff), Isothermal Community College, is thinking about washing its hands of the controversies -- and the station. This wouldn't necessarily mean the death of WNCW, but it gets scary. A citizens group -- preserveWNCW.org -- has expressed interest in buying the station, if it goes up for sale, and preserving its music format (Americana, bluegrass, blues, world music, etc.) and mission. But another entity also has bid. It's a Christian broadcasting company that has said it intends to change WNCW's format -- and shit, we all know there's not enough Christian radio on the airwaves. Thank God (praise Jeeeeesussss, even) someone's looking out for that constituency. Anyway, this is all worst-case scenario. There has been much public outcry in support of preserving WNCW's present format, whatever it takes, and most likely it will come out of this alive. But even the fact that it must fight makes me scared. Read more about it, if you wish, at either (preferably both) of the links earlier in this paragraph.
I am considering a career change of sorts, or at least something else to keep me busy a while. I keep missing writing, but I know I hate reporting, at least in the traditional sense. So perhaps features writing, where I can keep the reporting generally to people who don't mind talking to me and where I can have fun with the writing and be creative. I think the first step on this path is freelance writing, so I can keep my marvelous job that I love and the paycheck and benefits that come with it but still get some clips that aren't, oh, four years old or more. But I don't know exactly how this whole freelance thing works. Do I get assignments from someone? Do I write a story out of the blue and then shop it around? Chicken or egg? Not sure, but I'm doing the research, so we'll see.
Another Chandler visit now in progress. This time, it 'tis the Joe, and the girlfriend of the Joe. It has been fun times hanging out with them. But this afternoon whilst I was at work was a not-so-fun time, apparently, when on a hike Joe, who is badly badly allergic and bees and ants, got stung, of course, by bees. Of course. But he was relatively OK, got helped back down the trail by Geoffrey and Jen and was rushed to the hospital -- released later in the day. Now resting at home with Jen and a post-heart attack Geoffrey. All is well. Glad I was at work. :)
LISTENING TO: BECK/Sea Change. Never quite goes off the rotation.
Stacy - 9:47 PM
