Throwback: Adult Prom

Here's another throwback wedding post from June 2014.

Podcast quotes

I listen to the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast on a regular basis.

There was an episode this week called 'The Amateur Wedding Guest.' Writer Jen Doll was a guest on the podcast, and said some pretty cool things about weddings.

I think of it as prom for adults. It’s one of the few times in adult life where we get to repeat these really orchestrated, formalized affairs. We dress up, photos are taken, it’s really important. It happens less regularly than a birthday. And they’re always different. I think when we’re going to these things where love and romance and togetherness and a spirit of bonding, not just with the couple, but with the entire group of people there, we can’t help but feel a heightened emotional state at the same time.
 It’s all very dramatic. It’s like the Oscars, or a movie. We feel vulnerable, because when we see people doing this thing, we think about where we are in life, too. And maybe we don’t measure up. It’s very hard to ever feel like you’ve done it, you’ve got there, you’re great now, there’s nothing more in life you want.
 People getting married feel the same way. Getting married doesn’t suddenly mean you’re there, everything you’ve ever wanted has been achieved. You keep wanting things, you keep achieving. You’re vulnerable as humans because you have desires and emotions and you’re living life, and life is complicated.

This is definitely true. Looking around the room that night, I was pretty proud of what all of us achieved. We finished college, we have jobs, we've moved cities multiple times, we've gone through some pretty tough stuff.

And yet, at the end of the night, we're all still together and we're still celebrating each other's achievements.

That's pretty cool, if you ask me.

Throwback: June 2014

Six years ago this week, before the world of social distancing and wearing masks to talk to your friends in their garage or front porch, I was getting ready for a wedding.

Please note that it was not my wedding. It was my bff's wedding.

I wish Blogger had a 'Memories' section like Facebook does. Since it does not, I'm going to serve as the 'Memories' reminder and bring back some old blog posts.

There are some pretty funny blog posts about it, one specifically about me getting my nails done with a stranger in my face the entire time.

Haha. Let's bring that one back on another day. 

Here's the first throwback wedding post, wherein I give my best wedding party advice that still stands true to this day.

--

Dance like an idiot.

I’ve been thinking over the past few days about what my favorite moment of the wedding was.

I think I have an answer. The dinner was good, the grand march was fun, the song that tells you to hop might be my favorite thing in the history of things, and seeing the first dance was cool.

The best man and maid of honor speeches were some of the best I’ve heard, too.

But none of those things were my favorite things.

I think my favorite thing was not paying attention to my phone. There were no selfies, no Facebook status updates, and no photos of the beautiful bride and I after the ceremony.

Phones are great, photos are great, yes, but I don’t think they should play a part in a wedding.
Weddings are for being happy, making memories, and being around people you’ve known your entire life.

If anyone wants my excellent advice for attending weddings or being a part of a wedding party, it’s this: put your phone away, have a drink, and dance like an idiot.

That was my favorite part.

There’s also a pretty awesome lyric in the song Mambo No. 5: A little bit of Monica in my life.

Cancelled.

The email that I've been waiting for finally landed in my inbox today.

Cheyenne Frontier Days will not be happening this year, for the first time in 124 years.

It's hard to care about Cheyenne Frontier Days when I live in a town with what I consider the world's greatest rodeo.*

I know that this problem is a very, very small problem in the grand scheme of life. I know that COVID-19 is real and I know it's deadly.

That being said, I decided a while ago that I wouldn't go to Cheyenne because it wasn't safe. Then my favorite singer, the one who was playing Cheyenne, for which I bought a pit ticket to, announced that he wasn't going to tour until there's a vaccine.

I've known this was going to happen for months.

I'm okay with that.

Ashley McBryde and Eric Church, I've been in the same space as you once before (in Nashville, when Ashley McBryde and I went to Church last year**). It will happen again.

In the words of my favorite singer: We shall rage. We shall roar. We shall meet again.

In my words: But we won't meet again this summer.

Perhaps I'll see the song These Boots played in Cheyenne another year. Maybe I'll hear Knives of New Orleans in New Orleans one day.

Maybe I'll hear a song from a band that saves me, man.

Maybe is enough for now.

* - I've only ever been to two other small town rodeos, though, so I might be biased. Ours is pretty great and has to be the best in the world.

** - For full disclosure, Ashley McBryde and I did not go to an Eric Church concert together last year. But I got a kick out of the fact that she tweeted she was there that night, just like us other normal folks did.

*** - Again, for full disclosure, I'm pretty sure I was in the same vicinity as Mitch Albom, my favorite author, one time. I get a kick out of things like this.

Family

While going through old photo albums a few days ago, my Dad and I came across a picture of my Great Grandfather.

According to the photo, his name is William Springer. But, as soon as I looked at the photo, I realized who he looked like.

Steve Rogers, I said.

Yes, that's right. The gentleman in the picture, to me, bears a strong resemblance to Captain America.

I mean, does he not?

Day 8 - A song that makes you happy

Train - Drops of Jupiter

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's a time to change, hey, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

But tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated?

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star–
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

Now that she's back from that soul vacation
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey, hey (mmm)
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo
Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey, hey (yeah)

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land

But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the Milky Way?

And tell me, did Venus blow your mind?
Was it everything you wanted to find?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken?
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance, five-hour phone conversation?
The best soy latte that you ever had and me

But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way?

And tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated?

And tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself?

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

And did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day?
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
And did you fall for a shooting star, fall for a shooting star?
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
And now you're lonely looking for yourself out there

Day 8 - a song about drugs or alcohol

This song is dedicated to the amazing trip that I took a year ago this month.

I went to Nashville, Tennessee. While there, I realized that there was no possible way that I could do Broadway two days in a row.

On the second full day in Tennessee, I ventured down to Lynchburg, Tennessee, and went on a tour of the Jack Daniels distillery.

I've always wanted to go. I'm so glad I was brave enough to drive 900 miles by myself for that trip.

It was life changing.


Jack Daniels
Eric Church

I got a reputation going round
Ain't never been the kind to back down
I’ve thrown a punch or two and gave a few black eyes
But Jack Daniels kicked my ass again last night

I hung in pretty good for a round or two,
But he don’t fight fair like daddy taught me to,
Her memory turned my head and then he snuck up from behind
Yeah Jack Daniels kicked my ass again last night

Always thought this heart was made of steel and bulletproof
But the memory of her taillights fading breaks it right in two
Guess every superman has got his kryptonite
Jack Daniels kicked my ass again last night

Well I didn’t bleed and I ain't black and blue
But it ain't hard to tell who got the better of who
Cause in the morning light I’m hard to recognize
Yeah Jack Daniels kicked my ass again last night

Always thought this heart was made of steel and bulletproof
But the memory of her taillights fading breaks it right in two
Guess every superman has got his kryptonite
Jack Daniels kicked my ass again last night

That black label’s like black powder for my soul
My head feels like a bomb about to blow
Hell I’m half inclined to give that fuse a light
And let Jack Daniels kick my ass again tonight

Day 7 - A song to drive to

Day 7 of the 30-day music challenge is a song to drive to. 

I will always remember the first time I heard this song. I will always remember the specific intersection I was at in Wichita when I heard this beautiful song on the radio. 

Day 7 is dedicated to Ashley McBryde and 'A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega.' Because 'find a song that saves ya, man' is amaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzzing. 

To the bag packed, first love leaver
The heart cracked, double down dreamer
The homesick for grass that's greener
And a slice of mama's peach pie

To the flat broke, couch cushion gas money
The worker bee that ain't gettin' no honey
Missin' someone all the while runnin'
Gunnin' for the brighter lights

Here's to the break ups that didn't break us
The break down, wrong turn that takes ya
To a little dive bar in Dahlonega
Hear a song from a band that saves ya, man
It's hittin' rock bottom smoke 'em if you got 'em
Nothing's going right
Makin' the best of the worst day kinda night

We've all got a number that we don't wanna drunk dial
And a good friend we ain't seen in a while
And a slow dance left in these boots
And a chance at putting down new roots

Here's to the break ups that didn't break us
The break down, wrong turn that takes ya
To a little dive bar in Dahlonega
Hear a song from a band that saves ya, man
It's hittin' rock bottom smoke 'em if you got 'em
Nothing's going right
Makin' the best of the worst day kinda night

Here's to the break ups that didn't break us
The break down, wrong turn that takes ya
To a little dive bar in Dahlonega
Meet a girl outside Atlanta, man
when it's hittin' rock bottom smoke 'em if you got 'em
Nothing's going right
You're just singing along with your drink raised
A pretty little blonde thing's looking your way
Makin' the best of the worst day kinda night
Yeah, it's making the best of the worst day kind of night

Oh
Here's to the breakups
It's that kinda night