Journal – Page 22 – commonplacebook.com

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 3

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 4, 2008
Post category:Travel

Today, we got married in City Hall, Toronto. Judy in the ceremonial chambers found witnesses for us – Harold and Steve from Houston were scheduled to get married just after us, so they were our witnesses, and we were theirs. They were an adorable gay couple from Houston, Texas — together 15 years, married for 10, making it legal today in Toronto. Steve is a consultant, Harold a flight attendant. Harold reminded us of David Guadagnoli – Dark haired and blue eyed; he didn’t look or sound exactly like him, but definitely had David’s smile and some of his mannerisms… it was sweet but a little surreal, and honestly, just a little bit heart-wrenching.

Our officiant was Basil — and in this ceremony, we got to say both “I do” and “I thee wed.” It was quite fun.

After we got married, we wandered west on Queen Street West, and saw the little bohemian neighborhood there. We were looking for the corner where Stephanie Street meets Phoebe Street so we could take pictures. I was awfully glad we did, because there are some really gorgeous Victorians along Stephanie Street and Beverly Street to photograph. And it was fun to take pictures under the street signs.

Then we wandered back up University to the hotel and went to our appointments at the spa. I’ve never had a massage before – it was heavenly. I could see spending lots of money on that.

And we wandered out in search of dinner — this time north of the hotel to the Church-Wellesley neighborhood; the “gayborhood” of Toronto. I took photos of Woody’s – the bar from Queer as Folk. And we had dinner at Fuzion; expensive, but one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I had the perfect trifecta – dirty vodka martinis, a romaine salad with anchovies, and quail with capers. Stephanie had the Fuzion salad and Sea Bass. Dessert was a chocolate tart with strawberry sorbet. All of it was also heavenly. A quite lovely, happy day.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 2

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 3, 2008
Post category:Travel

Today we took the subway to Union Station and took photos of the station, then visited the CN tower, where we hung out for half the day and had a leisurely lunch and shopped in the gift shop. The tower is worth a trip: tallest man-made structure in the world, with awesome views. There are two places to eat in the CN tower; a pricey restaurant that many people go to for romantic evenings, and a cafe. We ate lunch at the cafe; I had a truly delicious salmon dish. Also, definitely visit the “Skypod” level of the tower – the highest point you can go. Very cool.

We then took a tour of the Steam Whistle Brewery at the base of the tower. Steam Whistle is a relatively new microbrewery occupying the historic train roundhouse. It’s run by a very progressive group of young entrepreneurs and employs some young, hip and artsy folks. Lots of fun to visit and sample their tasty Pilsner.

After the tour, we headed back to the hotel and had dinner at the Peach Garden Vietnamese restaurant across from the hotel.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 1

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 3, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

We’re staying on Carleton Street near Yonge Street, which is in downtown Toronto. We got out today and did some walking on Yonge Street south of our hotel.

People seem much thinner here in Toronto than Indianapolis. In fact, I think I was the largest person I saw all day, which is not the case in Indiana. But it’s a much more pedestrian/cycling city, so that makes sense. It’s very easy to get around without a car right around where we’re staying; there’s a subway and lots of bike paths.

People are very stylish, which may also be about the part of town we’re in. The sartorialist would have a great time here in Toronto; there are tons of well-dressed, creatively-styled people to look at. I didn’t get too snap-happy with the camera because I didn’t want to be rude, but there were quite a few people rocking their look.

What we did today:

Ate breaksfast at Fran’s Diner – a great 1940’s diner on College Street.
Changed money at CIBC bank — do this in Indianapolis instead, and save a few dollars. We didn’t have the free time to do it home.
shopped at Winners – like a TJ Maxx, only better clothes and PACKED, with lines to get into fitting rooms. People seemed very serious about their shopping – possibly because they were on their lunch hour from work.
Sat in Barbara Ann Scott Park near skating rink.
Walked south down Yonge Street through Dundas Square, where there’s lots of shopping.
Visited a souvenir shop & bought a royal canadian mountie moose.
Shopped at American Apparel
Shopped at LaChateau
Saw Dundas Square, which is like Toronto’s version of Times Square.
Visited Eaton Center Mall – Shopped at Roots, Indigo Books
Too photos of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Trinity Square Park & the meditation labyrinth. This was a beautiful little square tucked in behind the mall. Toronto has lots of lovely public spaces.
Ate at the Elephant and Castle Pub for dinner. It’s a chain; we didn’t realize until we went in. But it was decent dinner.
Back to hotel & saw Baby Mama at the Cineplex Odeon near the hotel.

Photo Set: our first day in Toronto.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

I love traveling with Stephanie; she’s so much fun to go on a trip with, because I love talking to her and sharing things with her. I realized a couple things after looking at photos from Day 1 – we need to get people to snap pictures of us together, and we need to do goofy things in photos, because we really are having a good time, but in a few of the pictures Stephanie looks so posed.

Just Married

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 2, 2008
Post category:Journal My Photos

Stephanie and I got married on Saturday. I would have blogged about it at the time, but for some reason, I had big bundle of gladiolas in my arms and no access to a keyboard. (How’d that happen?) I picked gladiolas for my bouquet because they’re what my Grandma Mineart carried in her wedding, and I always adored the wedding photo of her carrying them that hung on the stairs at her home.

And when considering ways to make your stag do stand out, the right activity can set the tone for an unforgettable day. Bring together your mates for an experience filled with laughter, challenges, and camaraderie. Whether you’re a fan of group games or something entirely unique, this amazing option is sure to create memories to cherish for years to come.

We got married in Great Oak Commons Park, which is a beautiful little neighborhood park a block away from our house in Old Northside neighborhood. The weather was beautiful. All of our family and friends were there. Dan was my best man, and Kathy was my bridesmaid. Stephanie’s friend Michelle was her maid of honor and her friend Veronica was her brides maid. Stephanie’s niece Raven was a junior Bridesmaid, and she looked after our ringbearer, Spike, who was in the wedding party with us. Our friends Joe and Douglas were ushers, and Jonathan twittered our vows as we said them. And we had tons of other help from our family and friends; we are very blessed.

I couldn’t have been happier about how the day went. Stephanie was absolutely gorgeous, but I knew that already.

Stephanie with her mom

I can’t begin to tell you how exciting it all was to be holding Stephanie’s hands and saying to her all kinds of crazy things about how wonderful she is, and how lucky I am to share her life.

These were our vows:
I, Steph, take you, Stephanie,
to be no other than yourself,
loving what I know of you,
trusting what I don’t yet know,
with respect for your integrity
and faith in your abiding love for me,
through all our years
and in all that life shall bring us.
I will honor your goals and dreams
and help you to fulfill them.
From my heart I will seek to be open and honest with you.
I say these things to you with the whole of my being.

If you follow us on Twitter, you probably saw those come across, with the help of our dear friend Jonathan.

Steph and Stephanie with Steph's Brothers, Sisters-in-law and nieces

[ My Flickr Photoset of our Wedding ]

[ My Brother Scott’s photo album of the wedding. ]

Tonight we’re in Toronto, Canada, for our honeymoon. We’ll get married again in City Hall on June 4th to get our marriage license. Watch my Flickr Photo Stream for pictures of some of the fun we’re having. Well, not ALL of the fun. But some. 🙂
Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

My lovely soon-to-be wife

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 31, 2008
Post category:Journal My Photos

Stephanie, getting her hair done for our wedding. Our hair was done by the lovely women at All About You Salon on 116th and Guildford. They’re great; I highly recommend them.

Reading: Ruth 1:16-17

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 28, 2008
Post category:Favorite Quotes Journal

Entreat me not to leave thee,
or to return from following after thee:
for whither thou goest, I will go;
and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:
thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die,
and there will I be buried:
the LORD do so to me, and more also,
if ought but death part thee and me.

1st Corinthians 13:4-13

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 26, 2008
Post category:Favorite Quotes Journal

Love is patient,
love is kind and is not jealous;
love does not brag and is not arrogant.
Love does not act unbecomingly;
it does not seek its own, is not provoked,
does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
But now faith, hope, love,
abide these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

Selections from Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 25, 2008
Post category:Favorite Quotes Journal Poems

by Walt Whitman

from verse 9

However sweet these laid-up stores–however convenient this dwelling, we cannot remain here;
However shelter’d this port, and however calm these waters, we must not anchor here;
However welcome the hospitality that surrounds us, we are permitted to receive it but a little while.

…

from verse 11

Listen! I will be honest with you;
I do not offer the old smooth prizes, but offer rough new prizes;
These are the days that must happen to you:
You shall not heap up what is call’d riches,
You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve,

…

from verse 17
Come, I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money,
I give you myself, before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?

Asphasia

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 21, 2008
Post category:Health

I have been losing words lately. I seem to have a chronic problem of not being able to find the word I’m thinking of, losing track of what I was going to say mid-sentence, and even sometimes saying words I didn’t intend without realizing I’m doing it–I was talking about the upcoming wedding with someone, and referred to it as Christmas. I didn’t realize I did it, but they assured me I did. Co-workers have noticed and commented on my problem a number of different times with some concerned tones.

I’m also having trouble reading at times, too. I’ll read the same page five or six times and not understand what I’m reading. I picked up a book of classic poems, and I can’t seem to follow a good chunk of the verse. I have a stack of 9 books that I’ve started and read the first few pages, but left unfinished.

I don’t know why this is happening, but I don’t think I actually have a physiological problem. My guess is that it’s a combination of stress and a mild form of ADD I’ve given myself by having too many directions of input — twitter, gmail, work email, blogs and now the IM that our work managers are pushing us to use are all chirping, beeping and blinking at me all day long.

On the stress front, we’ve obviously been wedding planning, (seriously – elope! I’m openly advocating that now) there’s a lot going on at work–I designed, created content for and help launch 3 websites last week, and am working on two more to launch on May 30–and life milestones that I’m in avoidance mode about–I’m turning 40 on June 6th.

So I need to cut back on some stuff. I turned off the gmail notification. I’m refusing to open IM. I check my work email 3 times a day, and I check twitter only a couple times while at work.

While I am looking forward to the wedding, I have to admit, the vacation afterward is what I keep daydreaming about.

Weekend Update (wedding shower recap)

Post author:HFM
Post published:May 5, 2008
Post category:Journal

Wow, I haven’t done a weekend update in quite a while, have I? Sorry. Mostly, that’s because we’ve been doing lots of wedding planning stuff on the weekends, and I vowed not to recap the wedding planning lest it drive me stark raving mad with stress. I can see why people elope, really. But hey, have you checked out Urban Weddings yet? It’s been a lifesaver in finding venues without adding extra stress! With their curated directory, we’ve found some amazing options that fit our vision perfectly. Lessen the stress by having a wedding registry so you are guaranteed to receive the gifts you want on your wedding.

Our friend Jen threw us a really great wedding shower this weekend, complete with mad-lib wedding vows, Steph and Stephanie Trivia (which Douglas won; huge surprise) lovely food, and a Curious George piñata, which I slightly felt guilty about beating with a stick, but got over when it was pointed out that he was filled with DELICIOUS CANDY filled with their favorite Birthday Favors. Too bad, George. Give up the goodies. I had way too much champagne punch, and had a massive case of the giggles when Stephanie read our mad-lib vows. I’ll have to reprint them here, because they were GREAT.

Photos from our shower

Over the last couple weekends I’ve been doing some painting in the kitchen. Because we have some drywall work to hire out on the ceiling where the roof was leaking, there are some parts where we can’t paint yet. I’ve been working on the rest in sections, mainly trying to get the large area where we wanted to hang pictures done. It took us 4 tries to get the color right. I think I now have a formula for color correction from “the way it looks in the Lowe’s paint aisle.” It will be much better than the original bright orangy-yellow color it is now. We picked a warm oatmeal color that really complements the cabinets, the white woodwork, and our dishes and the wood floor. I spend Sunday hanging pictures in the kitchen and working on my Dad’s website while Stephanie did some errands.

I’m really enjoying the Smart Car. Stephanie has been somewhat frustrated with the transmission; it shifts from one gear to another rather slowly. We also had to take him in for an engine light thing last week, too. But he’s darned cute.

It’s been really lovely taking walks around the neighborhood the last couple weeks; the trees are in full flower and spring flowers are blooming. I took a bunch of great pictures on walks.

[ Old Northside photoset ]