I LOVE this girl!

And I LOVE that She loves this girl too. I can hardly even stand it.

Have Experiences, Not Things

Some of the best advice I have ever received.

Yoooohooo! Remember me?

The wedding process is simultaneously fun and irritating. Read more below.

We have gone together to two different reception halls to tour the facilities, gather information, and see what they have to offer. Also, in the course of it all there have been lots of hen meetings (relax, it's a joke), ring show-off sessions, and numerous Qs and As about our plans.

Each time, without exception, 95% (or more) of the eye contact and looks go to Her, as if I am not there. Now I know these things happen to ladies, espescially when buying cars or electronics or whatever. I also know how much this pisses them/you off. Understandably so. I myself take a page out of my Dad's book. When we would shop for a car for my step-mom and the salesman would only talk to or look at my dad, he would tell the salesman (in a not so polite tone) that he was talking to the wrong person and that SHE was the one he had to please. I decided long ago that if someone did that to me I would tell them, again, in not so pleasant a tone, that the person was talking to the wrong person and that I was the Her attorney here to close the deal. It's bullshit that people get treated like that and it makes me uncomfortable no matter what side of it I am on. I expect better from people. I espescially expect better from women who get that treatment more than men. Alas, here I am... experiencing it firsthand (from both sexes).

So people. Not all grooms-to-be are absentee or indifferent to it all. Last -I- checked it was my wedding too. Last -I- checked this is my only marriage too. So put away the gender profiling and assumptions that she (or She) will get whatever she wants and the groom has no say or opinion because he (I) does. Please acknowledge my existence. Please acknowledge that I care. Please acknowledge that I have a say in it all. Because I do. It really is ok to look at me and look me in the eye; I swear I don't bite. Or you might see me walk away. And I won't be nice about it.

Cigars for Everyone!

I would like everyone to welcome the newest member of the MD family!

Her name is Samsung 1080p HDTV. She is 56 inches, from corner to corner.

We are all so proud. There are tears in my eyes just typing this.

Thanks Babe! And special thanks to Her BFF for the transport from the Circuit City Hospital.

A Hundred Highways

American V: A Hundred Highways

Johnny Cash's CD. The last one he recorded (until he goes all Tupac on us). What an amazing CD, I cannot stress it enough.

Let me start with this: I do not think Johnny Cash has a good singing voice. I do not think he was a superb technical musician. I think his songs are written in simple terms to tell his stories. They are not always good stories. But I'll be damned if he isn't one of the most praised American musicians off all time. Rightfully so. If I had a million words I doubt I could explain his appeal and his legend status, but I totally agree with it. Perhaps it's the catchy melodies. Or the "legend" of the Legend. Maybe it is the unique voice and sound.

So now you know my bias towards supporting The Man in Black and the internal struggle it causes me. Because I cannot explain it.

Back to the CD at hand. Amazing. It is moving in a way few, if any, CDs have ever moved me. Now people say this all the time. You know the people, Crash by Dave Mathews moved them and changed their lives. No. It didn't. It is something you associate with certain memories and events like getting stoned and drunk with the then-love-of-your-life. So I do not say such things lightly. It.Moved.Me.

The combination of Johnny's cracked and elderly voice with somber songs is absolutely depressing, in a good way. How can it be good? Because you can hear in his voice the storms he has weathered. His graciousness for leading a very full and very blessed life. You can hear that he knows his time is up. In this CD, he is making his peace with the world. He was thankful for every up and every down. He was thankful to his maker. He gave one last tribute in honor of the love of his life, June Carter Cash. The man knew his wearied body and soul was soon to shuffle off this mortal coil and he went out the only way he knew how. Telling his story through song. And you can hear it in every note. And that's what moved me. Bravo Johnny, bravo. You will be missed.

Songs I most definitely recommend from the CD: If You Could Read My Mind, Help Me, Rose of My Heart

Irrelevant

BIG Notre Dame fan. Huge. But that does not mean I do not give love to the Fightin' Hoosiers of Indiana. A football team so irrelevant it hurts. Their football stadium is worse than most high school stadiums in Texas.

The Hoosier glory years were in the late 80's and early 90's. Winning seasons, regular bowl appearances. Great times. I guess to be fair 1967 was huge too. Their only Rose Bowl appearance. Where they played USC. OJ Simpson's USC. Blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes, right?

But this weekend, the mighty Hoosiers face their archnemesis Purdue for "The Old Oaken Bucket". Since when did we start making up stupid ass "trophies" for these rivalry games? I guess when you are historically terrible and irrelevant, you do what you can. This year, there are implications. If IU wins they are 6-6. That is potentially bowl eligible. If they win, well... still a VERY VERY VERY long shot of them getting a bowl, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE.

And that's something.

Overrated

Look, right there, just above this. The FIRST EVER script Ohio. From a picture taken in 1932.

Wait, the first script Ohio was in 1936 you say? Ahhh yes, in the shoe by the OSU band it was. The above picture was taken in Michigan, by the Michigan band. Give credit where credit is due you unoriginal bastards. That whole thing is so overrated it makes me sick. It's the band people. The band.

I hate to have to say this... but... Go Michigan! I cannot wait to hear and see the collective chip be blown off the shoulder of Buckeyes everywhere.

Engaged in Blogging

Yeah, that's right. Back, right here, for your reading pleasure is the new and improved 10 Cents! The 10 cents brought to you by Her fiance. For the whole story, visit Her blog, linked ->.

But back to the topic at hand. No, not her hand. You know the one. It is presently encumbered by a sparkly little number, second finger from her left. NO the topic at hand is my title. The future Mr. Her? Nope. The former Notorious M.E.D.? Nope. The presently elated betrothed? Well, yes, but more importantly, I am Her fiance. She is my fiancee. This became of great import to me some 8 years back in an etymology class (that's the origin of words ya'll, not the study of bugs, that's entomology).

Fiance (pronounced Fee-ahnce): a man engaged to be married.

Fiancee (pronounced Fee-ahn-sey): a woman engaged to be married.

And don't tell me what the dictionary or dictionary.com says. Dictionaries of collections of popular usage of words. Jargon, slang, and other crap pervades dictionaries. Use a word incorrectly enough and it makes it into the dictionary (see irregardless, hisself, ain't, octopi, McMansion, and McJob). A TRUE source for words is a USAGE Dictionary. A usage dictionary discusses the proper use of words that stem from particular latin (or other) roots and origins and are not mere words used by the popular masses. Speaking of the masses, let's keep in mind half of our population is of below average intelligence. When I let that half dictate how I speak, please shoot me.

I was told saying fiance versus fiancee sounds pretentious. Well color me pretentious then, because that's the color of correct. Because irregardless of all them people daydreamin of McMansions from their McJobs, I ain't gonna talk all wrong and stuff.

Mr. Fiance, I am, I am. If you prefer, you can just call me happy. Or pleased. Or both. Because we're gooooing to the chapel and weeeeee're goooonnnaaaa get maaaarrriiiieeed.

Her fiance,
Mike

Here we go again!

7-0 baby! But with no run defense to show for it. Again. This is like 2004 all over again. Granted, most of the secondary has been hurt. So if we get some of them back... it might improve.

2005 was the year. 13-0 to start the season. Home field advantage throughout the playoffs. And a dome for the Superbowl a mere 4 hours away. Turns out such success did my boys in! Three weeks of not playing the starters for "rest" and fear of injuries had them rusty and off sync in a game requiring great timing and being in sync. God hates me.

So now they go to Foxboro, aka Boston. Again. For the fourth time in as many years without a home game against them to show for it. I hate the Patriots. Truly I do. I hate Boston fans for that matter. Always bitching and whining about being cursed when they lose. Making excuses after excuse after excuse. And the doomsday attitude gets old. "We stink, we'll always stink, curse this, fate that", blah, blah, blah. But when they're winning? You'd think it was the second coming. They deserved it, they're unbeatable, Boston is the greatest. Eat me. There are far more cities with far more pride and team support that "deserve it".

So here we go. The big showdown on Sunday night. P-money pulled one out last year, but I am worried about this year. That defense is shaky at best. I'll be watching intently. Why? Because I believe.

GO COLTS!