Last night I had the strangest dream....

Jul. 8th, 2004 | 08:34 am

mood: oogy

I had the strangest dream last night. I had to sit in the living room after getting ready for work and take a moment to shake the dream.

In my dream I was going to my car in a parking garage where someone had parked far too close to me and sort of wedged my car in. As I went around the car to suss out the situation and try to figure out how I was going to get out I noticed an envelope with my name tucked under the wiper blade of the other car.
There was nothing in the envelope, but there was a letter to me scrawled on the other side. It had a letter written by someone I know telling me congratulations on the upcoming wedding and that they were very happy for me.
Then it said something like:
"I left this note for you because there is something I need you to know before you get married. I... and then they scribbled out whatever it was that was written. I was trying to make it out, but could only get bits and pieces like "more than you know" and the like.

Then at the bottom it read:
Thank you for reading this far, it means a lot.
Love- a man who just found out he was going to be a father and is scared to bits.

The whole thing really gave me the heebie jeebies. I know as I write it, on paper it doesn't sound freaky, but it really seemed that way to me when I first woke up.

In other news, I made 80 wedding favors last eve, went at got my brows waxed and cleaned the apartment. Only 3 more days, only 2 more days of this job!

Times they are a changin'

Memories of my friend, Gib

Jul. 6th, 2004 | 10:03 am

mood: contemplative

His wife asked us to write something about him today. This is what I wrote:


It is hard to sum up a person in a few words. You can only say who they were to you and your own perception of who they were as a whole. It is interesting seeing so many perspectives on one man.
When someone leaves this world and everyone starts sharing their stories, more pieces of this ever-evolving puzzle that is human spirit begins to emerge. The only things we have left of someone after they leave us are our memories. These memories have a limitless value. The stories and memories are the fingerprints we leave behind.
When I think of Gib, I think of a very kind man whom I not only had the pleasure to work with but someone who I also considered a friend.
He had a very fatherly quality about him. He would check in on me and he always remembered everything I told him about the goings on in my life. He was quick with good advice but never intrusive. He had so much love for his own kids that I think it spilled over onto any other young people who came into his life. The kindest thing he ever said to me was that he would have been very proud to have a daughter like me. That may have been one of the nicest compliments I have ever received.
He spoke so much and so highly about his wife Rebeca I felt as though I knew her even though we never met. It was obvious how much he was in love with her. His care and concern was not only touching, it was inspiring!
The last time we spoke, he told me to never forget just how important family is. To not let my child grow up without spending loads of time with her and to always let the people that I love, know just how much I love them. In retrospect, I think he may have known that that conversation might be the last I ever had with him, so his words carry even more weight. It was the push I needed to leave my job and follow my dream of writing and working from home and being with my family. I only wish he were here to call up and share the exciting news with. I know he would be proud and supportive, as is his way.
If I had to choose a single memory of him, I think I would choose when we went to dinner while at a trade show in Utah a couple of years back. We had just finished a huge meal and he kept saying he could not eat another bite he was far too full. Then the waiter brought us the dessert menu.
Gib ordered a piece of caramel covered cheesecake. When it arrived at the table it must have been the size of his head.
He said, “Oh no, that is so big, I could never eat it.” And then took to the task of consuming the entire thing!
Afterward, he leaned back in his chair with a huge grin and patted his now certainly full stomach and laughed, “You know, sometimes you just have to treat yourself, it is the only way to enjoy your life!”
To me that story sums up Gib O’Neill. To me he was a person that learned along the way just how important it is to allow yourself to completely enjoy the simple pleasures in life and not to take the unimportant things too seriously.
To always leave room for dessert.

check list

Jul. 4th, 2004 | 10:08 am
mood: awake

Things I need to buy before next weekend:

1. Plates
2. Forks
3. Champagne Glasses
4. Mother's Orchids
5. Ivory Table Covering
6. Pie server
7. Napkins
8. Fortune cookies
9. 2 Guest Books (1 for ceremony site and one for reception site)
10. 10 rolls of Joy Cam Film for Guest book
11. Address book to keep on guest book table
12. Gift for my friend Margot who is being the officiant
13. Flower Girl gift
14. Ring Bearer gift
15. New Dress socks for Jon
16. Gift for fathers
17. Cases of soda

That is all we need and then we are ready.

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Harry Potter was great last eve. The best part: Darian and I were sitting through the previews and a someone started down our row. When he got closer I realized it was Jon. He knew we were going but he has been too busy at the studio so I thought we would not see him at all yesterday. He took a cab down at the last minute and got there just in time to see the movie with us. It was a totally sweet surprise!

In honor of 5 years...

Next weekend is our 5th wedding anniversary and 14 years from the day we met. I've decided to post my journal entries from 5 years ago for the next week, in real time, in honor of the big day! I hope you enjoy my little trip down memory lane!