Joy stick and one red button
11-05-06, 11:12 PM

The BIG day arrives Tuesday! Election day? NO. My birthday? Yes, but it is not the BIG day that I'm writing about that may take place. The BIG day is the first day that I begin living with someone until I marry.

In all truth, I never thought of living with someone until I married. Perhaps this thought was due to a Catholic up-bringing or simply a matter of tradition, however modern life caused the need. How? Careers caused the move to a new city and distance apart. I also thought I'd have a traditional wedding in a church but now that I'm older and sooo much wiser, this no longer appeals to me. The idea of going into a debt entertaining friends and parent's friends whom I don't know seems impractical when trying to afford a down payment. Rather, I hope we are able to afford to elope on an island or travel to Europe which would make the occassion special to us. On some levels it is selfish, but I don't believe the guests who would have been invited to our wedding sharing our bed or assisting in paying utility bills.

Any rate, I prepared the nest for the baby bird and her mother's arrival who are now driving a VW Beatle across the U.S. Everything is sterile and in it's place for their approval and inspection in hopes I don't offend. I think I have all the comforts available to make the transition easy. I even bought a health club membership and a cell phone with a navigation system so she doesn't get lost and has place to make new friends and keep in shape. I bought the Thanksgiving turkey and stocked the fridge wine, cheese, crackers and some of favorite foods.

Sure, we're an older, first time married couple but I have the same anxieties of those in their twenties and now I can say thirties as I leave this decade behind in my life come Tuesday. Crap, I'm old. No, not old...older. However, I can still be just as competitive as those in their twenties and thirties -- damn it! On ALL levels, except the video games now... there just are too many buttons these days! What happened to the days of a "joy stick" and one red button?

Yesterday - Tomorrow