29 days

Thats how many days I have until I am no longer a "free" woman. We're down to the twenties here folks. I don't know if you know this but planning a wedding is stressful. I might have mentioned that, not sure. BUT it is also very exciting. I'm very excited. Its a little surprising how things are truly coming together quite nicely. I have a dress. Mike has a suit. We have invitations, a venue, a cake, a honeymoon, flowers, a hotel, and someone to marry us. We're down to the details now, which has been a long time coming. Of course, being me I like to make things hard and complicated. Not only am I balancing a wedding and a full-time job, I'm also staring up a duo to play at pubs/lounges/bars around the beaches and the city. We rehearse on as many nights as we possibly have free. AND I also have to start looking into getting a new apartment because, frankly, we've worn out our welcome at our current residence.  We found this AWESOME place in Manly with a harbor view (sort of) and its almost 10x the size of our current place, which doesn't take much to do. It has stain glass windows!! How cool is that?! And its at a pretty affordable price. So fingers crossed we can get it. If not, its back to the drawing board, or rather the renting website haha

Too many questions!!

I need to somehow get internet back on my computer. Mike's computer sucks. I can't type properly on it. Thats why I've been so quietly lately. Along with the fact that whenever Mike gets on the computer I don't get access until the following day, because he's a internet hog!! Not much is going on really. I took a small break from heavy duty wedding planning, and have found myself behind the list!! It seems I have some catching up to do. What is the significance of a wedding rehearsal and dinner?! Why do I need to rehearse walking down the aisle and saying "I do." Not all that hard. But, knowing myself and Mike we probably should rehease or I'll forget my one line or something. Which reminds me, I Mike and I have decided to write our vows...I don't know the first thing about that, so I might want to start attempting some drafts. Also, Mike wants me to sing at the wedding??! What the hell am I gonna sing??! Oh, and I have to make up some organized playlists for the reception. Oh, the list is endless. What was I thinking I didn't have anything to do all the month of February?!?!

Its times like these that I wish I had just paid someone to plan my wedding for me. That would have been easier. But noooooooooooo, I wanted to sve money and do it myself. What about saving my sanity?! I didn't think of that. Just thinking about all the un-noted tasks that I have to do makes me tired, and a little cranky.

Other than that things are great!! I'm trying to get a little set together with a guitarist I know, for some local pub/lounge gigs. I'm really excited about it actually. The guitarist is awesome, and we get along quite well. Hopefully we can land some good gigs soon and I can take video and post it!! I just want to sing somehow. My ideal would be to go back to shows, but I don't think thats possible at the moment. I gotta start small.

In the meantime, I'll keep you posted on my wedding planning. I'm not doing too badly. So far I have a groom, a dress, a venue, a "priest," and some invitations. Still lots to be done...

Who thought this up?!

Planning a wedding is one of the most stressful things I have ever had to accomplish. It might be more stressful than Fitness First. It haunts my dreams. I can't fall asleep at night b/c I'm too busy going over and over lists of things to do in my head. I mean, you can plan a wedding in 3 months, but it means everyday weekend you are doing something for the wedding. Whether its calling florists, or cake tasting, or working just to pay for the wedding. Then you finally check it off the list and you feel so great knowing you finished some part of it!! Then you scan down the list and realize that something else just found its way onto the list. Its never ending!! BUT good thing I have a wonderful fiance helping me along the entire way. He's not only the groom, he's my maid of honor, my mother of the bride, and my best friend. He eve helped me pick a dress!! I can't believe I'm getting married...And I feel so awful for everyone around me. I feel like all I talk about is this wedding. Is anyone else bored of hearing about it?? I know I am, haha. Well, I guess thats the fun part about getting married!! Its exciting!! Other than that, nothing else is really happening! haha. How's everyone else doing??

Fitness First

If you have been following my blog, like the dedicated groupies you are, then you will have noticed a place that pops up in almost everyone of my blogs.

Fitness First

Otherwise known as, my job, work, or hell. BUT I am pleased to announce that this will be my LAST 2 weeks working at that place!! (thunderous applause) I'm hoping to take a much needed stress free break from working in February. But only if Mike finds a job by then. I have big plans for this break. I plan to go to the gym everyday. Wait, I know you're asking yourself "If Melodi hates working at the gym then why would she go there everyday when she doesn't have to anymore?!" The answer, my lovelies, is that I have indeed GAINED weight since starting there, hahaha. Trust me, the last thing you wanna do at the end of the day is do your own work out and stay there longer than you have to. Anyway, I plan on losing the weight I gained. I also plan on spending a lot more time singing. How sad is it that I haven't seriously sang in like 6 months. Depressing. So, I'm going to sing everyday. I'm going to intently search for auditions and also write some of my own material. I'm really excited!! Of course, all this hinges on whether I'll still have to work or not. Please, keep Mike in your prayers that he'll be successful, haha. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with another month of my bitter ranting about "The Man" and his attempt to hold me down.

Crescent Head

This is a possible venue for the wedding. This is Aunt Jenny's house in Crescent head, just north of Sydney. We are thinking of possibly having the ceremony on her deck. The pictures a bit dark, but thats because of the time of day it was taken. Any how,  this picture is for the annoying family member who kept bugging me for it. Erin, you know who you are :o) 

Presents?!

I'm at work, but I'm definitely not working.

Christmas came and went!! Can you believe it?? I had a wonderful holiday, though now that I look back it barely felt like Christmas. Probably because it was completely different than any other way I've celebrated. From the beginning...I had to work on Christmas Eve. Throughout that week prior Mike kept asking me for my moms number because he wanted to talk to her. This information is worthy of one eyebrow raise. Then Christmas Eve morning my ring goes missing before I go to work. A note worthy of two raised eyebrows. Mike drove me to work that morning, and on the way there he's going off how he can't believe I lost my ring and how he also can't believe its been a whole year since we gave each other our rings. At this point I'm thinking something is going on. Before I got out of the car I asked him to look for my ring while I'm at work. Anyway, works over and he picks me up around 3ish. We were spending Christmas with his entire family up at Port Macquarie on the Central Coast. I love it up there. Its gorgeous. So on the way there Mike tells me he left my gift back at the house. The drive up there wasn't too bad. I ate and sang along to the radio. Then around 6:50pm Mike starts to get quiet and aggitated that he can't find his cigarettes. So we pull over at the gas station to get some. We head out on the road for about another 10 minutes before he pulls over again to a random shoulder of the road. I'm thinking he's gotta pee or something. He tells me that he didn't forget my present and that its actually in the trunk. I'm thinking I don't want my present now, just wait a night!! Then he says to me, "Look what I found today..." and he pulls out a diamond earring. Oh nice, he got me ONE diamond earring... then he says "Look what else I found..." pulls out my ring and drops to one knee "...will you marry me?" Oh my word!! Even though I knew we were eventually going to get married and I had a feeling he was going to ask, it never compared with the real thing of him asking. The look in his eye when he asked was something so special. It was beautiful. He was more gorgeous to me then than ever before. I said yes. So, Merry Christmas to us, we're officially engaged. YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We spent the next two days at Uncle Marty's in Port then spent the next 4 days after in Crescent Head at Aunt Jenny's. I looooooove Crescent Head. Mike and I are thinking of having the wedding ceremony up there on her front porch. Its so wild and beautiful and serene. I'll post pictures. While we were up there we went to the beach, tried to surf, tried to dirt bike ride, played tennis, but mostly sat around. It was the best. Mike's family loves to hear me sing so they made me sing a bunch of times. It was so hard to leave. I did get California home sick while I was there. I missed my family and friends. I missed singing christmas carols and such. All in all, I had a very lovely Christmas. I look forward to New Years tonight, and an interesting 2009. 

postcards from nowhere

So, I think I'm gonna have to give in. I have been trying to avoid blogging something like this, but the temptation is getting unbearable. 

Here is a list of everything I miss back home...(in no particular order)

• long talks and lunches at Chilis
• hugs from Papa
• being in "Christmas Is..." or watching rehearsals of it
• DRIVING!
• singing showtunes in living rooms and practice rooms
• Guitar Hero tournaments
• DISNEYLAND
• Mel and the Gays 
• AUDITIONS 
• stalking about the Citrus music building
• ^ that includes the parking lot
• baking and movie watching 
• going to the movies
• Victoria Gardens
• Starbucks
• my yappy little mut dog
• ice blocking
• Cheesecake Factory, Wendy's, and Panda Express
• christmas caroling (souvenirs?)
• living rent free

Thats all I can think of for the time being, but I'm sure there is more to that list that I'm forgetting.