not that easily defeated

Nice try Wentzville, but it takes more than that to make me late. I stopped at the Quick Trip off of I-70 as I have done many times before on my way to Columbia for some gas. Well, an Enterprise moving truck decided to let its driver abandon it on the bridge over the highway, quite successfully blocking the normal flow of traffic through the interchange. If he had gotten the extra foot over to the edge of the road, I probably could have wiggled my little Escort through. Instead, I spent one light cycle waiting for someone to let me in, five or six light cycles waiting to get to the light, one cycle in the middle of the intersection, and a couple more to get past the truck. Fun times.

Undeterred, I spent the next hour joining those divinely-inspired speeding caravans. Fortunately, the two cops I passed happened to see me at about my slowest driving speeds of the trip. Even made it with a couple minutes to spare!

Now why was I headed to Columbia, you ask? Good question. Andy and Kim got married yesterday! I don't know him that well, but they seem sooo perfect for each other. It brings a little nostalgia, getting to see Carrie and Erin from cross country, and Elle looked great, Abby has recovered tremendously from her accident, Emilee is so big, and mainly, of course, memories of Kim, both while we were dating and since. In fact, it's actually really fascinating. I remember my emotions, the intensity of the feelings for her, and am no doubt a better and deeper person because of her. But at the same time, they're different now. I realize that's not particularly revealing for most people, that things change over time. But I am a remarkably stable, long-term kind of guy. I basically feel the same way about the world and the people who have been in my life as I did in high school. In that way, for me, Kim is particularly memorable because she's an exception.

And yes, as any of you who know her can attest, quite the exception she is. Her dress was absolutely gorgeous, and as Kim would have it, not cut just to be flattering, but also cut to be danceable. St Louis folks who want to complain about the country music that seeps into my music collection (or are curious about the first seeds planted for an interest in swing dancing), you are free to blame Kim for that.

I'm in a particularly sappy mood because combined with the excitement that is weddings, I had a couple friends stay with me last night who were in town for family that should be celebrating something exciting but aren't. There were some complications with a birth, and to make a long story short, essentially there is likely substantial brain damage. Thoughts and prayers for them are most welcome.

I came home early this morning to make them a surprise breakfast, but poof they got out of here fast! Now I'll just have to make lots of scrambled eggs and pancakes for myself. What a rough life I live.

I find myself wondering who will bring the excitement next spring? After a slow start, close friends have been getting married now at nice intervals for a couple years. Andrew, Brian, Jayn? Come on, who's throwing the parties next spring? Or if you're really cool, I suppose you could try the New Year's Eve thing. I heard that worked pretty well, too.