HALP! (The Wedding Registry Edition)

I don't often ask for thoughts about the wedding because I'm super decisive about my style and what I like but I figured, for this topic, I'd reach out for  wee-bit-o-help from you people.

The Registry. (capital R. because it deserves some respect). 

So, here's my issue: by the time this wedding rolls around, M and I will have lived together for 2 and a half years. My point there is, we have everything we need. I'm at a loss for what to register for. 

Here are some points of interest: 

1) I know people usually use a registry to "upgrade" some items that they may already have, like silverware and dishes. I'm iffy on this. M is rammy, and has chipped 2 dishes already and broken 2 wine glasses. I don't even blink at it now because we have super plain black IKEA dishes. If we have much nicer ones, I may freak out. Also? IKEA will always be around if I need to add to the set

 (and it's $20 for 4 plates, 4 small plates and 4 bowls at IKEA. CANNOT BEAT THAT). 

2) I feel super tacky registering at places that I'd never shop at myself: Crate & Barrel & Williams Sonoma, primarily. I already feel weird about people buying things for me, but especially feeling like I'm putting my family out. I'm weird.

3) I'm not sure what's "tacky" or not to register for. So far this is pretty much all I have (from Target):

-serving bowls/tray (all white. notice a pattern? I like clean)

-new towels (that actually match our bathroom color now)

-a few sets of sheets (just the plain jersey ones)

-a blender (M broke ours.. notice another pattern? ;) ...) 

annnddd that's pretty much it. 

I handed M a computer and told him to pick something and he clicked a $200 sound bar stereo system and I died laughing. He got embarrassed and unclicked. Is that something that's tacky? What about home decor accents? like throw pillows? I'd LOVE some fancy throw pillows (and by that I mean the $30 ones at Target that I JUST can't really bring myself to buy, because..well..they're pillows.

4) I have a browser open for Bed Bath & Beyond but don't even know what I'd register for? 

5) HELP!? 

We don't really want to register for a ton of stuff "just because" ...and would honestly rather prefer money, but we fear not registering for ENOUGH stuff means people might take creative license and add things they think we may like. You know, like that embroidered pillow with wild stallions on it. yeah. 

SOOO here's my ultimate question(s): 

For those of you that lived together before marriage, what did you do about a registry?

Are there things I'm not thinking of that I already own but should "upgrade"? 

What were some things you got that you may not have thought to register for but are grateful you have?

Even though we're not trying to register for a bunch of stuff, should I add another store? So far it's just Target. 

please and thank you.

Pulling the trigger.

Sometimes, I do this thing..where I really want something.

I know deep down it'll be a good buy, but, I waffle.

 

and then I pull the trigger on it,

 

and then I want to vomit.

Which is rare, because usually I'm not a second guesser. (I did this with my wedding dress too.. a brief moment of panic, if you will...that hit 3 days later.)

 

but last night, I decided, someone needed to come live with us. I clicked buy...filled out all the shipping information, the credit card, clicked "buy!" and the SECOND that screen went to white indicating a "thank you for your purchase!" screen was coming next, my heart dropped and I had 5 seconds of "OMG TAKE IT BACK WHAT DID I DO" panic.

 

needless to say, it happened, and this is who is coming to live with us:

yup, I did it.

 

I know I tweeted a little while back asking for reviews on cameras, and the overwhelming consensus (4 to 1) was the Canon Rebel.

 

The most "amateur" version they have out right now is the T3.

 

So, after all 4 of you said this was the best, and after reading 5 pages of reviews on best buy.com that basically said "even an idiot couldn't F up taking a nice photo on this thing" (hi, me.) I bought it.

 

5 minutes later I told M and he said "What!? really? aw. I was maybe going to buy it for you."

 

merka mer.

 

except, last night it was $100 off, included the lens and body, a free 16G camera card, aaannnnddd a free 8x8 shutterfly book ---> clearly, the shutterfly book sealed the deal. OH, and free shipping. So, while waiting to count my christmas money may have made sense, I would've paid more anyway.

 

I told him instead he could buy me something like this for Christmas: 

(via)

 

If I'm going to do the "nice camera' thing, I'm going to do it cute, damnit.

 

M also looked at me and said "you better use that thing." and scared the pants off me. SO, that ought to motivate me!

 

Here's my question for you other "nice camera" owners: how did you learn?

Had you tinkered with one before?

did you just mess around with it after you got it?

did you scour the manual?

is there some secret "how to" website on the internetz I NEED to know about?

 

Help.

please and thank you.



Fight or Flight

Last year around this time, I had a fairly interesting conversation with a group of my friends about a topic I was abruptly reminded of last night..and thought it may make for a good story/opinion poll from you fine folk.

 

What would you do if you thought you heard someone in your house?

 

 

Hopefully all of you are lucky enough to have never had your house broken into while you're home.. but I KNOW all ya'll have a "plan" in your head about what you'd do if it happened. and I KNOW most of you have "thought" you've heard something which resulted in an ultimately futile attempt to implement the "plan" ... amiright??

 

I've always SAID my plan was to quietly roll off the bed (so if they came upstairs they couldn't see me..since my side is furthest from the door) hide under the cover overhang, and quietly dial 9-1-1. Our house is old, so if I even stepped out of bed, said robbers would know that there was someone home because you can hear it downstairs.

 

M has always said his plan is to go downstairs and kick some ass.

See? I flight, he fights.

 

Well, having a cat who likes to cause a ruckus at night, we've had quite a few opportunities to practice implementing our burglar-plan. Last night, being a prime example of them. I'll tell you how it went, and also leave commentary about how if it were a real burglar, we'd all be dead:

 

laying in bed last night, we hear what sounds like people talking...and INSIDE the house. (we later learned it was the cat in the middle of some wheezing/coughing/"almost barfing but not quite" fit...he's a peach)

 

I'm putzing on my cell phone and stare at M, he says "did you hear that?" (the 'real' burglar downstairs now has notice that there are people in the house after hearing our voices, and in my world, is now sitting at the bottom of the stairs with a .22 waiting to take us out one by one. Yes, I watch too many crime shows, thanks for asking)

 

So M creeps out of bed and reaches for the shotgun he keeps under the bed (I realize on some level this is "practical" but, I hate it. because usually it's our cat. and I don't need him blowing the cat away on accident.)

 

I see what he's doing and say "DON'T YOU DARE. It's probably TJ and I don't need you shooting him." (This is where the REAL burglar would be laughing because, well, now we're unarmed. and dead.)

 

Instead of staying safely upstairs, I always have 9-1-1 pulled up on my cell phone (yes, EVERY TIME we hear a noise...again..too many crime shows) and slowly creep behind M towards the stairs. Usually this involves me hanging my head over the bookshelf/railing thing, whispering to him "do you see anything?" (BAM, M's dead. Then I don't have enough time to call 9-1-1 before the guy shoots me too. This is why I need to stick to the damn plan.)

 

so that's how this routine goes down, usually 2-3 times a month..because my cat is a lunatic. He's been known to launch himself onto one of the chairs in the living room, which lifts it up a little bit and causes a "BANG" when it comes back down.

 

It didn't help to hear my co-worker and neighbor tell us that the house across the street from him got broken into in the middle of the day a week or two ago. I've been a bit edgy since then.

 

I do prefer HIS described method of dealing with potential intruders. He told me this after he told me about the break-in, and I laughed, but it's kind of practical. and awesome. He told me if he ever legitimately thought there was someone in his house at night, that he keeps a gun next to his bed and that he'd sit at the top of the stairs, cock his gun, and scream "I HAVE A GUN. I'VE CALLED THE COPS. IF YOU TRY TO COME UP HERE I WILL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF."

 

I seriously cracked up, but I mean.. think about it: what kind of ballsy burglar is REALLY going to test that theory out?

 

SO, what is your theoretical "panic plan" in event of a burglar?

Got any funny stories about pets alarming you?



Q & A

Well, it started off as a joke on the last post, but after emailing M and telling him he was going to guest vlog (and then explaining what a vlog was), he seems to have reluctantly agreed to do so!

actually, this is what he said: 

Sooooo there's that. 

I assured him you guys weren't going to go all therapist's couch on him,. but it'd likely be "fluffier" stuff. He's also a wee bit concerned that, well, nobody "cares" or will ask questions of him. (perhaps worse?)

Here's where YOU come in! 

1. What questions do you have for M?! 

Feel free to ask anything, and obviously if he thinks it's too personal or whatever, he'll pass, but I'm assuming you will be just fine ;-)

2. What questions do you have for ME?!

This is a 2-fer-1 guys. Since only 10-15 of you comment on the reg (ahem...lurkerpants....) I figure opening it up to both of us may produce a respectable length blog. Plus, M won't feel like he's so much in the hot seat, then. 

It can be absolutely anything. 

Like, why do you talk about your cat so much? (OMG GUYS, TJ can even guest star. Oh this is going to be good)...

ooooorrrrr, are you really as "sweet" as you seem on your blog (HAHA)

but seriously, anything. 

3. What questions do you have for M about ME?!

That one could get interesting. I'm sure he'd love to oblige. 

SO, you have from now through Friday to ask ask ask!  I'm going to try to corner M Saturday at some point and get him to film this thing, and then post it by Monday. 

ready, set, GO.    

Oh, and P.s. GO VOTE today. that's all I will be saying about that.