Even though we’ve been engaged since February, we just had our engagement photos taken last night.  I don’t know if people ordinarily get them taken earlier (I think so) but we are not most people.  Since we are getting married in January, I wanted to do an outdoor photo session while the weather is nice.  And BOY was the weather nice last night!

We met our photographer, Sarah Crowder, at the Grand Basin in Forest Park.  Shortly after we moved to St Louis, I played a wedding at the Grand Basin.  I thought it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen, and even thought to myself that I would get married there.  Of course, I would never have an outdoor wedding, but I COULD have an outdoor engagement session there!

I had the afternoon off and my shoulders were too sore to practice so I was (naturally) messing around online.  Sarah and I are both twitter addicts so we were having a little fun.

I was especially amused to have ANOTHER photo shoot on a Sunday.  That’s two Sundays in a row for putting on ridiculous amounts of eye makeup…but the results are worth it.

Anyway, we met up around 6:00 and she took a ton of pictures in various places around the Grand Basin and then near the World’s Fair Pavilion.  Some were more posed, some were less so.  We ended up having a really good time and Chris really relaxed into the shoot.  We shot photos until the light ran out, close to 7:45.  It was GREAT.

I can’t wait to see the results!  Sarah put up one on facebook (even though Chris doesn’t like himself in it, it’s all we’ve got so far…and I think he looks good).

Today’s blog post is dedicated to some fun/interesting stuff I’ve read or seen on the internet recently. 

Cute Japanese Cat Doughnuts

Bacon Truck! 

Bacon Jam!

Fashion and Classical Music:  Should Classical Musicians be judged by their attire?

Digital Media and Classical Music

Preschool:  The Best Job-Training Program (funny, people keep getting surprised by how much young children learn!)

Make your own "Cliff Bars"

That’s it for Saturday Link Randomness.  Enjoy the beautiful weather (if you are having beautiful weather like we are).

Meaning, register for wedding gifts!  The doorbell rings, the FedEx or UPS man is there with a box.  He refuses to look you in the eye ever since that one time you answered the door wearing a terrycloth robe (fully covered!).  It’s also awkward because one time he was on the bluetooth and you thought he was talking to you. He never laughs at your jokes, and when you tried to tell him once you were getting married and would be getting lots of deliveries he was nonplussed because he assumed you already were (judging!).  Oh well.  PRESENTS!  WHEEEEEE!

Complete with creepy expression!!

I’m playing for an anime convention in Collinsville tonight.  Wish me luck.

More pictures from my little sister Carrie, who was in Japan for a month this summer.

She tagged me on this one.  Not sure why.

Carrie and the Colonel.

She claimed she didn’t eat the chicken. 

Soap, wash, and dry, all in one place! 

Self explanatory!

Mr. Rose with Carrie!  Hi, Mr. Rose!!  (He was Leslie’s teacher, and my rep class teacher for years.  Love him!)

Spaceport in Osaka.  Or something.

See, it’s not just Americans who are stupid!

My gym.  Somebody drove into it.  I wasn’t there but Mike was.  I’ll have to hear more next time I see him.

http://www.kmov.com/news/just-posted/Car-smashes-into-Club-Fitness-building-127476688.html

http://www.ksdk.com/rss/article/271249/3/Car-smashes-into-gym-storefront

I know we’ve all done stupid things.  But I’ve never driven my car into a storefront before, thank goodness!  Seriously people.  Focus. 

That reminds me…frightening moments…I was on the phone with a friend yesterday.  We were chatting during our commutes (attention IRS:  I mean travel for work, not commute as home is my main location) and suddenly she says, "I just got rear-ended."  I started freaking out!  Yes, she was fine.  But still, scary. 

Speaking of scary:  My friends Alicia and Andrew are making progress (it seems?  Andrew for sure, it sounds like) but still have a LONG way to go.  The website reminds us this is now a marathon, not a sprint.  Please continue keeping them in mind.  It’s been a little over two weeks.  Unimaginable.  Life changes in an instant.  (oh don’t worry, I’m not getting wound up again…just saying!)

Watching this man on the Colbert Report right now:  Nassir Ghaemi, author of "A First Rate Madness." (link to NYtimes article) He seems to suggesting that leaders are better when they are mentally ill.  I’ll have to read the book.  It seems (potentially) controversial, but yet not perhaps that far from Kay Redfield Jamison’s writings either.  I’ve always said somebody would have to be crazy to run for president… (hyuk, hyuk)

I haven’t run since a week ago Sunday.  I’m currently icing my ankle/leg.  It’s getting MUCH better.  I plan to run this weekend (but not before.)  Who would have thought I’d miss it so much?  Weird.  Seriously weird. 

The gym this morning was tough.  Mike made me do a ridiculous amount of squats—back squats and front squats (holding the bar on the front of your shoulders).  I didn’t care for it.  The highlights of the day were when I went around a corner and almost ran into somebody, and then he almost kicked a woman who was coming around the corner.  Basically, be careful going around corners at the gym.  Perhaps use a mirror to make sure no one is coming or bending over with their leg sticking out backwards. 

The weather today is GORGEOUS…I am inside on the computer, about to start practicing.  I’ve been trying to put in at least an hour a day.  That may not sound like much, but (as I tell my students) it’s the consistency that matters. Then I have teaching. 

It’s strange because for my fall schedule (so far) I don’t start teaching any day until at least 4:30.  I could almost have a full time job and then teach violin.  Of course, I’d hate that.  When would I work out and plan my wedding?  And blog?

I updated the "life" page last night.  Let me know what you think!

I’ve been doing a bit of cruise research recently.  We’re looking at Celebrity.  Anybody cruised with them recently?  Pointers?  Advice?  Suggestions?

The regular mail carrier seems to be on vacation this week.  The substitute keeps getting our mail mixed up, plus it comes three hours later.  It’s really throwing me off!  Usually the mail comes around 11 am and now it’s coming between 2 and 4 pm. 

Chris is having a great time in Vegas.  I’ve barely heard from him at all, so I’m SURE he is!  He seems to be doing a lot of golfing…I’m sure that’s what they are doing…golfing…at least that is what he is telling me about.  (I’m kidding of course, I’m sure it’s true.  Chris loves golf.)