I've been horrificially tired and sick the past week, since Sunday, actually, when I was still in Baltimore. I have been sleeping 8 hours a night but I wake up tired and groggy. Today I actually came home from work early and I'm still tired sitting at the computer. Just thinking about editing and I want to break down and become a donut. Just round and glazed with a big hole in the middle. And having some fat guy fantasizing about me.
Um. Yeah.
So anyway, Baltimore.
I should recap that in some way, but since a few days have passed, the concept of detailing it day by day has been reduced to a general summary (see Vegas Honeymoon) because things just aren't as vivid anymore. But I'll try my best.
So I left for Baltimore last Thursday, and flew all the way, in what can only be described as a long ascend/descend stomach churner, from Bellingham to Baltimore. Started really early because Rob's flight was early, and I was hitching a ride with him. Well, basically I had to wait for 5 hours for a 7 hour flight, so by the end of the trip I was basically pudding. I felt like Edward Norton in Fight Club during the talky montage. Just looking at clocks, sitting at airport terminals, jolting awake on planes.
I stayed with Brendon's folks, Phil and Mary Louise, who are really nice people who have a great sense of humor. Always very hospitable, fun to be around. A laugh is always around the corner with those two. Andrew's the same way, a little cynical, a little brooding, and always waiting for me to crack a really inappropriate guy joke so he could laugh at it. He's a nice guy too - apparently has become a hit with the ladies, accordng to his Dad. Brendon himself wasn't really phazed by the fact he was getting married, pretty relaxed.
The preparations for the wedding were pretty much set, didn't really have to do much. I think I played houseguest and basically didn't do much helping, which I'm feeling somewhat guilty about, but hey, I enjoy relaxing, what can I say. They got some last minute stuff for the post reception, and that was pretty much it I think I saw Maralise the day before too, I'm not sure. See, forgetful already.
The actual swearing in (as opposed to cursing in?) was a smallish event, just the families, and Rob and myself. Got a lot of photos of that. It was kinda a nice little thing, we them saying their vows and being married. After that, we went to this place called the Einstein Brothers Bagel ... Place, and I had the most awesome BBQ chicken on a pesto bagel. Brendon and Maralise had a rice crispie treat faux cake eating thing.
The next day, when the ceremony was to be held, we woke up early and went over to Maralise's parents house. Dan, Maralise's Dad, was saying strange things as any Physics teacher, I guess, inhenrently was say on their daughter's wedding day. Carol was out running some last minute things, and Maralise was getting increasing perturbed with the both of them. Because I was filming most of it, I had to tell them that this was very normal, and was very much similar to a lot of other weddings that I've done.
The ceremony itself was a different one from a lot of the others that I've been to, a quiet event marked by words of kindness and memories, words from the heart. There was no officiant or priest, just like a meeting ceremony that family attended. A lot of quietness. Actually less speaking from family that I expected. Maralise looked beatiful in her hand-made, self designed dressed, Brendon looking sharp in his suit. And he would not remove that tie till the end of the night either.
The reception was also nice, although the biggest thing I remember about it was that it was hot. Simply baking in the room. We took some photos too, and somehow I became the official photographer, so Rob got the videocamera and I was telling people how to pose while I was taking pictures of the fam with Phil's digital camera.
The post reception was at Brendon's folks place, and there were a lot of people hanging out, just having fun. Rob and I talked to each other and I bored Rob with my many stories about my imaginary turnip friends who visit me in the bathroom.
We also got a chance to visit the Inner City, which is a dastardly dangerous place... Oh, I'm sorry, the jokes must be getting tiresome. It was the Inner Harbor, where Barnes and Noble soar high over the people, and Baltimoreans (or Baltimorese?) enjoyed their summer day in a half-hour rented paddle boat, which are shaped like sea creatures and other assorted floaties. There was also a submarine and a boat, which must've been important in some course of history in Baltimore, because they seemed like touristy momuments. Like Disneyland rides that you couldn't ride. At least that's what I thought.
And it was that day, when I fell horribly ill. I blame my wife, who in missing me, had to talk to me while I was standing outside in the cold, in the middle of the street to get the best possible reception for my crap excuse for a cell phone. I blame my wife because it will be her feel bad, and she would have to pamper me in my sickness. It was probably a bunch of factors. Disease carrying mosquitoes, or fireflies. Which are quite awesome, I might add. Like neon lights when they fly around. Anyway, got to 99.6, and sweated myself to sleep while Andrew watched some cartoon show that had characters named Andrew and Brendon. I think he was trying to make me think I was going insane.
The flight back floored me. Somehow, Southwest, which is a no-fringe, former sardine manufacturer airline, decided that the best route from Baltimore to Bellingham was to stop in Indiannopolis, which is like a freakin' hour away, then again in Phoenix, and finally in Seattle. That was like a 8 or 10 hour flying day. Worse, my cold had given me the inability to equalize my pressure, so whenever the plane descended for landing, the pressure did not escape from my ears and instead, built up in my brain. I had no doubts about death all three descends. I gave my sex away all three times to strangers because I thought it was going to be my last. And they gave me a bag of salted peanuts. And the car ride home was apparently, longer than usual because a truck carrying chicken parts had run afoul and it was a standstill on I-5.
But all and all, it was great to see our friends Brendon and Maralise become Mr. and Mrs... Brendon and Maralise. They looked very happy, and it made me happy to be them get hitched. And it was nice to meet the creators of the dastardly duo (2nd use of that word, thank you very much), Phil and Mary Louise, and Dan and Carol. I'd like to meet them again, but hopefully on this side of the United States.
