Weekend In Review

Friday

Tried to drown my Kari and Julie going away sadness in Miller Lite. Still weeped uncontrollably at their happy hour. (OK, maybe I wasn't weeping on the outside, but I was definitely weeping on the inside. Though I think this photo really sells it.)


Saturday

Saw some great bands at the Washington Park Music Festival.



Turned bottle coozies into cup sleeves with my handy pocket knife. (Photo is an early version of my invention.)


Sunday

Cheered as the Reds won their final game of the season.

Truth Or Dare

Madonna's 1991 documentary of her Blonde Amibtion Tour is on VH1 Classic right now.

I don't want to say it's the highlight of my weekend because the steakburger I had at Morton's Friday night was damn good, but this could be the highlight of my weekend.

I've seen it no fewer than a few dozen times. Likely that number is much, much higher. But it's been at least 10 years since the last time and I'd forgotten how great it is. Madonna swinging that outrageous fake ponytail around, talking like a little girl one minute and then bossing everyone around the next. Love it.

She was about the age I am now when it was filmed and damn, I need to step up my game. Hit the gym. Take some dance classes. I could be looking a whole lot better.

My roommate Shane and our friend Adam used to watch Truth Or Dare constantly my senior year of college and we quoted it endlessly. It was impossible to have a conversation with us unless you had seen it several times because it was like we were speaking another language.

Madonna swaps Beauty for dancer 31 years younger.

Neat? Anyone who says my show is neat has to go.

I don't want to compromise my artistic integrity.

Do something else! Do my eyebrows or something!

Marty didn't come. Big deal.

He did it for all the wrong reasons. He doesn't want to heal himself.

And after seeing her uber-athletic stage show again, I realize how many of her moves I've stolen.

Thanks, Madonna. You're my lucky star!

Desktop Inspiration

Ever since I put Dwight as my desktop I've been 87 percent more determined. Thanks Dwight!

The Office desktops come in four delicious flavors.

"She's in a better place now. Actually, she's in the freezer." Dwight Schrute

Sneaky Poll Question

A little experiment here on Gina's Blog.

My new poll question is just "Yes or No?"

Yes or no to what, you ask? When the results are in, I'll tell ya. How's that?

The Fans Are Restless: Where's Our Montage?

To the rest of the songs, Matthew Wilder's Break My Stride said, "Nobody gonna slow me down," as it blew all of the others out of the water.

Forty-four percent of Gina's Blog readers feel that it's the song to make my montage complete.

I think the poll actually lasted longer than my intentions to take the LSAT (or attend law school), but that won't slow me down in creating a heart warming, winner-take-all, dramatic montage. Stay tuned.

Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride.

You Knock Me Offa My Feet Now, Baby

Last night was my good friend Kevin's wedding.

I'd been giddy about it over the last year, anticipating it to be a lively and entertaining affair. And Kevin and Marquetta didn't disappointed.

It was a traditional wedding in many ways, with singing, readings, poems and vows, yet I also found it to be one of the more unique and personal ceremonies I've ever attended. It's tough to make something so traditional your own, yet they somehow pulled off the impossible.

First of all, the wedding processional came down the aisle to Stevie Wonder's Ribbon in the Sky, and I couldn't help but kind of groove to it as I watched the seven bridesmaids make their way down.

Kevin's bride walked to the alter to After All Is Said and Done, which Kevin kind of sang as he waited for the doors to open and reveal Marquetta. It was 30 minutes after the ceremony started before anyone saw Marquetta, as the beginning of the wedding was marked by Kevin's preacher reading a poem Kevin had written, plus there were a few songs, prayers, etc.

The build-up to the bride was so long that by the time the doors swung open it was like Christmas morning everyone had anticipated it for so long.

Before Kevin and Marquetta said their vows a man probably in his 70s sang Center Of My Joy with the backing of a full choir. I've never been to a wedding where there was a full choir. And let me tell you, this 70-ish year-old man's solo brought the house down. And I mean Brought. The House. Down.

Some 300 people exploded in applause and Amens when it was over. It was a few minutes before the preacher even took back the floor everyone was so into it.

But the highlight for me was Kevin's vows to Marquetta. Even thinking back on it this evening chokes me up a bit and I can't even recall anything he actually said. It was just the feeling he said it with that I remember. He was nearly through all of it when suddenly he just stopped and started to cry. Then everyone lost it. Even the groomsmen stood wiping their eyes. Women were grabbing for tissues and fanning their faces trying to hold back tears. There wasn't a dry eye in the church and I, for my part, sat futilely trying to keep tears from streaming down my face.

It was something.

Then we all ate fried chicken, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn and got down to Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel. It was a damn good time.

This photo is of Kevin and one of his older brothers, who favors Kevin so much when I first saw him I thought they might be twins. The two of them spontaneously broke out into a choreographed dance and wowed everyone. Here are some more photos.

I also decided during the wedding and reception that Kevin is one of the funniest people I know. I know plenty of funny people, but he makes me laugh the hardest and is the most quotable. I can't write anything he's said because I'm not talented enough to capture his rhythm and timing, but some of the things I've heard Kevin say I still repeat and laugh about.

I know I always say this about my friends, but his new wife is lucky to have him. Very lucky.

More Happy Than Sad

Free t-shirts = instant fun.

Rob unintentionally looking like the painting behind him.

Hip shot.

Outside peeking in.

"I've travelled every road in this here laaaaaand."

Spidey, peeking out from a Winnebago.

Inside the Northside Chop Shop.

Night owl. My favorite.

One-eyed and bushy squared.

Bears love coffee.

Close-up.

$250 bowling pin birds. We debated getting them for our mantel until we realized they were $250 each . Sorry Rob.

New cards. It's business time.

Pam always smells nice. And she has a crush on Paul.

Devil dog.

From left to right: Nerd, nerd, nerd, Corrie.

Hipster alert.

Killing Time

The last few days I've spent an inordinate amount of time clicking through photos on Capture Cincinnati.

Basically it's a local mini-Flickr of people's Cincinnati photos. People, places, news, Cincinnati landscapes, pets, etc. Then as you click through, you vote to either "Dig" the photo or "Nix" the photo. Those with the most votes will be published in a Capture Cincinnati coffee table book. Fun!

I admit to be pretty ruthless in my Nixing. Black and white photos? Out. You're trying too hard. Sunsets, for the most part, get nixed for being boring. I'm also not very fond of landscapes or fireworks photos.

Only really good photos get my Dig It stamp of approval.

That said, you should totally vote to Dig all my photos, including this Local Honey photo I took at Gorman Farm this spring. I love the handmade sign.

The Weekend So Far

• Long bike ride through Sawyer Point Friendship Park and over to Newport for Gyros

• Watched crazy fireworks fans set up camp on the Serpentine Wall 36 hours before the fireworks

• Nearly went blind from the sun shine beaming through a cloudless, smogless sky

• Took trips to two malls - Kenwood and Florence

• Bought a sassy pair of shoes for my efforts

• Took one nap

• Attended a Labor Day party, watched the fireworks explode over the river from a condo on Eastern Avenue

• Realized I should live in a sweet condo on Eastern Avenue

• Saw a large plane flying so low over the river I felt certain it was going to crash

• Vowed to get a picture of it if it flw by again

• Watched it fly by again - equally amazed - but couldn't get a picture because I was slopping food onto my plate

• Thought about going to the gym; didn't go

• Vacuumed the rugs instead

• Currently procrastinating anymore house cleaning, but the rugs look real nice

• Hope everyone has a great Labor Day