This post does not contain references to Wales, Lacan, or Doctor Who

...Except for in the title. Damn. Ruined that, didn't I?

Anyway, what this post does contain is photos. Lots of 'em.

I've been neglecting my photography lately, because frankly, I've been a little burned out. Kit and Tim's wedding was probably the last Big Thing that I photographed well, and ever since then, I've been quite lazy with the photo-taking. It's a shame because about two weeks ago my old friend Jason got married, and had I not been as sick of my camera, I probably could have done a better job taking photos at his wedding. As it was, I did take many photos, they're just not as good as I would have liked. Anyway...









It was sort of impossible for me to believe that Jason was getting married. On one hand, it was Jason, who I've known forever, since I was just a wee thing, running around at my Father's scout meetings. On the other hand, it was Jason and Lacy, who have been together for so long, and who are so perfect together; it seems as though they already were married.



(all the major wedding action took place at the rear alter, behind the large Easter candle and unity candle arrangement. So I didn't get as many good shots of the ceremony as I would have liked)



Erin and Drew! This whole wedding was like a giant Lebanon Kids/Explorer Post 11 reunion.









The reception was lovely, my table was filled with lots of Erin and Jason's friends. (All of whom were nice, but most of them refused to get out there and dance with me and I mean, COME ON PEOPLE. It's a WEDDING. You're supposed to cut a rug. Get out there and shake your dinners.)









Aren't they sweet?



This picture cracks me up every time I look at it.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Erin caught the bouquet. She and Rich were quite funny together.





I did pretty well at not crying during the wedding. It wasn't until Jason danced with his Mom that I lost it. Seriously, you would have to have been made out of stone to not cry at them. I'm getting choked up now just thinking about it. Mrs. C is so awesome, loving and supporting of her children (...and of others, including me!) that you couldn't help but just feel the love and respect radiating between them. On a related note, doesn't Mrs. C look like a million bucks in that dress? She's fabulous.



So happy for them!

Remember how I said this was like an Explorer Post 11 reunion? HOLY CRAP ON YOUR MAMA'S SHOES, THIS GUY CAME!:



My John appeared from the back mountains of West Virgina to help Jay and Lacy celebrate their wedding! I had no idea that he was coming. I mean, I hadn't seen him and six years, at least. I probably hadn't spoken to him in two. And then to just see him...The reception had just started and I was at the bar (shut up) trying to decide what wine to get. They had a nice looking Cabernet, but I knew if I drank a red I would get it all over my dress, but then I didn't feel like a Chardonnay; maybe they had a nice Pinot--- and then I felt this tap on my shoulder and heard a voice saying "I hope you'll save me a dance."

And people, I could have keeled over from the shock.

I did indeed save him a dance -- the last dance, in fact. It was the one time during the reception we got to hang out one-on-one. Most of the time he was catching up with the Carmany's or other friends, or dancing with his wife. John doesn't get up here often so he had a lot of bases to cover. But once we were dancing, I said to him, "So what is going on? Tell me everything! How are you?"

"Well," he began. "I would like to encourage you to vote for John McCain this fall."

And I LAUGHED. Hard. In his face. Sadly, he was serious. Oh Ashley, you are so wrong for me. (Confidential to Rhett: Can you hurry up and get here already?)

Still, it was such a lovely surprise seeing him. We managed to hang out a bit after the wedding, but it was with my parents there. I was itchy to do some catching up on my own, but we exchanged email addresses and blog addresses (in all probability he could be reading this. Hi, John!) and made resolutions to keep in better touch, etc.

---

Speaking of Johns I don't see very often, Dell'Osa was at Lisa's birthday party! (How's that for a transition?)





Look at this sunset! The birthday girl expressly asked me to take pictures of it.



The icebox cake. SO GOOD, people. SO EASY to make, as well. Recipe is here.



The chocolate stout cake. Holy Christ, this was also delicious. Recipe here.

I think the birthday girl going head first into one of the cakes is a good place to leave off:

I swear I'm gonna shut up about Wales soon

Sorry! I know I must be hella annoying crowing about Cardiff, but I just can't help it. It's all so incredible, dorky, and exciting for me.

So far I have taken out two new Lacan books from the library, gotten "Genesis of the Daleks" off of Netflix (seriously, how awesome is it that I can legitimately watch Doctor Who for this paper? I need to watch/rewatch some classic Who to make sure that it lines up correctly with my thesis), picked up my passport forms from the post office, and begun putting out feelers for grants and organizations that would be willing to give me money so I can go overseas and geek out.

My plan is to spend at least two weeks in the UK and Ireland. I figure I'll start off in Cardiff, spend some time in Scotland (Stouff, you need to tell me where to go!), hop over to London and then scoot through Ireland on my way out.

I also have this entire posse of people willing to go with me. Stephanie, of course, wants to go. Renee has already secured the papers needed to get her passport. Sarah is game for crossing the pond, and Miss Tamika wants to come for the Wales portion of my trip to do some genealogy work. We're going to be so rowdy and crazy, the queen will surely kick us out.

Meanwhile, there have been actual UFO sightings in Cardiff, so I'm thinking that they know we're coming and are quivering in anticipation, just like us.

This is going to rule.

Happy Birthday Lisa!

So it's Lisa's 30th birthday (actually, it was monday, but we're celebrating tonight WHATEVER). I may or may not have done the following:

• Made a chocolate stout cake -- and ATE it (it was fucking delicious and worth every damn calorie).
  
  
• Drank an entire magnum of champagne with the girls (slugging it straight out of the bottle like the classy broads we are).
  
  
• Photographed Lisa diving head first into the icebox cake we also made for her.
  
  
• Done about 3 too many shots.
  
  
• Drunk dialed Sarah and cheered her on for being fucking awesome.

Hey guys, have I mentioned that I'm going to WALES? I love you all.

Cardiff Calling

I don't even know how to begin to talk about this coherently. I am going to type 13 words. 13 words that may well be the most dramatic in the history of this blog:

My abstract was accepted to the academic conference. I am going to Wales.

I KNOW. I've done approximately 17,457 happy dances thus far. I can't stop grinning. That sound you hear? Is the sound of me SQUEEEEEEEEEEing.

I can't even begin to describe the adrenaline and excitement coursing through me right now. I've been longing to go to the UK for ages, and now it's finally happening.

I have to say, it's an excitement underscored with a bit of fear. I've never done anything like this. I have to attend an academic conference, present my paper in front of a panel and then defend it. Holy shit.

Stephanie and I were talking on GChat:

STEPHANIE: What is the date for Wales?

KATIE: It's November 14-16

STEPHANIE: eeeek!

KATIE: I KNOW

STEPHANIE: you need to start writing!

KATIE: I KNOW

STEPHANIE: like, yesterday

KATIE: I am terrified, but stoked

STEPHANIE: let the terror guide you
and drive you to finish

KATIE: Well that worked for the abstract
So if I follow the same plan, I'll be finishing the paper on the plane

KATIE: I can't wrap my mind around this

STEPHANIE: not for the first time, doctor who has broken your brain

KATIE: I am going to the post office today to get passport forms
Look what you've gotten me into, Stephanie!

STEPHANIE: you'll thank me later

STEPHANIE: you should get knighted or some shit while we're there
then when you come to my house
you really would be a fancy guest

KATIE: for serious
Dame Katie of TARDIS

Then Renee and I majorly geeked out together:

RENEE: SQUEEEEEEEEEE! I am so proud of you, lady
So proud! I'm dancing around my cube right now.

KATIE: I've danced around my entire office

RENEE: lol

KATIE: I CAN'T SIT STILL I am both excited and terrified

RENEE: It will be fine. We will spend the summer prepping.
And stalking Terry Jones.

KATIE: I am going to be standing in front of a PANEL of SERIOUS ACADEMICS, DEFENDING MY PAPER

RENEE: It will be fine. It will be awesome. It will be like falling in love.

KATIE: I am falling in love with Wales I am only buying a one-way ticket. I will stay there for the rest of my days

RENEE: lol We need to plan!!! Oh, I'm so excited.
Positively geeked. I'm sure between me and Stephanie we will have you überprepared.
You will be supersexy and Whovians will be falling at your feet! Sorry. I just geeked out at ninety words per minute there.

KATIE: I AM SO GEEKED OUT AND DYING OVER HERE

RENEE: Why are we not together right now to squeal like 12-year-olds while jumping in a circle?

KATIE: I don't know. But my life will not be complete until we do this.

RENEE: passes out

KATIE: For real

RENEE: <3

KATIE: I am grinning like an idiot

RENEE: Faint

KATIE: I KNOW. And I have 3 weeks of vacation time saved up

RENEE: Nice

KATIE: so I am probably going to go for 2 weeks at least

RENEE: lol. Don't get knocked up!

KATIE: I'll get knocked up 14 times and need 14 abortions

RENEE: lol (That's the price of a ticket there and back at least 7 times.)

KATIE: (that joke was in poor taste, and I apologize. BUT I DON'T CARE BECAUSE I AM GOING TO CARDIFF)

RENEE: It's okay. I just had to look at an amputated baby arm, but that's okay, cuz you are going to Cardiff! And I'm stalking Pythons.

KATIE:And I am stalking every bloke with an accent

This is going to be so rad, you guys.

Randoms of Politics and Doctor Who

• I've got to love a political comic with a Doctor Who reference.
  
  
• Stephanie and I had a Whosday yesterday and watched the latest two episodes which were ohmygod SO GOOD and made us covet a library planet, afraid of the dark, and cry with broken hearts, all at once.
  
  
• As sad as I am that Russel T. Davies is leaving Who, I am very excited about Stephen Moffat taking over.
  
  
• I am so totally wearing my "The angels have the phonebox" shirt that Renee gave to me, in honor of la Moffat.
  
  
• Shut up.
  
  
• Back onto politics: Dennis Kucinich, bless his liberal heart, has presented 32 articles for impeachment against President Bush to Congress. IT'S ABOUT FRICKIN TIME. Judging by the lack of media coverage from any major news organizations (including the BBC!) means that fuck all will be done about it, sadly. And this is why I hate politics.
  
  
• This LJ post completely made me snarf all over the place. And also, I say yes.

More to come, soon. I have weekend updates and photos for you guys.

Oh-la-la, Artist!

Last night was the opening of my art show at the Off the Wall Gallery! Keep in mind, when I say "gallery," what I really mean is "tiny dive bar with art on one of the walls." But I don't care, because the company was great, the booze was flowing, and I was rubbing shoulders with some fabulous fellow artists.

I had such a good time, and I was dead chuffed to be a part of this show. Thank you to those of you that came out in support of me and my creative projects!

Even though I was thrilled to have so many of my friends there to support me (and drink with me), there was one person who I really wanted to be there, and when he didn't show up, I couldn't help but feel a bit bitter.

"I do SO MUCH for him, and he can't walk the seven blocks to come and see me," I bitched to Sarah and J.J.

"Things that you do for him have a way of coming back to you, even if they're not directly from him," J.J. told me wisely.

"But dude. He's my brother," I pointed out. "I still feel like I'm 7 years old, begging him to play with me."

Later on the train ride home, drunk and cynical, I contemplated how I had driven two hours to Harrisburg to see my brother's art, despite having seen the painting about a thousand times before on his apartment wall. I was coming close to sending him a bitchy text message -- "Way to come to my art show, asshole." Luckily, my train stop arrived before I could type it out, and all my concentration went towards walking home before my feet ripped themselves off of my ankles in protest of the 3-inch heels I had crammed them in all night.

20 minutes ago, my brother called me:

"OK, it's at 13th and Pine. What time does it start?"

"Um, yeah. It opened last night."

"WHAT?!?!"

"Yeah. Last night."

"I...I thought it opened on First Friday."

"It opened last night so as not to compete with First Friday."

"Oh my god! I am so sorry! I wanted to be there! I can't believe I missed it. Why didn't you call or text me?"

"I just naturally assumed that you couldn't come -- that you had rehearsal or something." Because you've bailed on me before, my brain silently pointed out.

"Oh Kate! I feel awful! I'm so proud of you. I can't believe I missed this. I feel terrible."

"Well, the art will be up until August, so you can still go in and see it."

"No, I wanted be there when it opened, to celebrate with you! I can't believe I missed this. Oh, man. I was just sitting at home doing nothing last night. I'm so bummed." I could hear how upset he was. He wasn't copping out, he felt terrible, I could tell.

"Well, no worries. Shit happens."

"Well, I will tell you what. I am going to 13th and Pine tonight, and I'm drowning my sorrows. And every single person that walks into that bar, I'm going to point out your art work and tell them that my sister did that."

He's forgiven.

See how I run

Last week at this time I was doing what I believe is known as, "Losing my Shit All Over the Place." I basically had ten million, frillion, septillion things to do, most with a Saturday deadline, so I was spazzing out everywhere.

I am pleased to say -- with a little help from friends -- I managed to get everything done that needed to get done. Huge, immense, incredible thanks go out to Tammi who did me the gigantic favor of taking my art to the gallery (Ok, ok, ok -- it's totally just a bar with art hanging on the walls. WHATEVER. THEY CALL THEMSELVES A GALLERY, SO I WILL TOO) on time for the drop off so that I could attend my cousin's graduation party.

Speaking of which, graduation party turned into Cousin-Palooza '08 with representation from all sides and factions of the family; it was lovely. Cousins are so awesome, and I can't tell you how much I enjoy and love all of my cousins' company. I feel lucky to be so close to them all, if not geographically then at least personally. Even more rad: I'll get to see most of them again at the end of the month when fellow cousin and Bishop (Oh, Cousin Bishop, as Carl would say) has his 25th anniversary of ordination. It's going to be fabulous.

The biggest accomplishment is that I got that fragging abstract done. I got it in right under the deadline at 11:49pm on Saturday. It was all kind of slapdash -- If you remember, I originally did paper on Hegel and Lacan, then the Doc advised me to just focus on one of the philosophers. So I chose Hegel, thinking that he would give me more to work with. I struggled all week long with this stupid abstract, really having issues with both the writing style and Hegel's philosophy (oh god, I HAAAAAATE Hegel -- he's impossibly dense and cerebral) and feeling quite discouraged. Then, at the Rosemont Reading on Friday night (which went really well, by the way, I got a good response on what I read), one of my fellow readers read a piece called, "Sarah Died From Her Lacanian Struggle" a fictional short story inspired be the Critical Theory class she and I both took, the class that spawned this paper in the first place. You guys, that story was exactly what I needed to hear. So at the eleventh hour, I changed my mind again and decided to focus solely on Lacan. So Saturday -- on the ride to my cousin's graduation -- I rewrote my abstract. I didn't run it by the Doc or anyone, I just sent it in. I don't think I did it properly, writing style-wise, but writing in a serious academic fashion is so difficult, and writing in serious academic fashion while still feeling like it was "my own" is darn near impossible. So I took a breath, trusted my gut and natural writing instincts and just did it. I have no idea if it will be accepted, but if it's not I'm OK with that. A lot of this exercise was about trying something new, putting myself out there. I did the best I could, and I am satisfied with myself. The bigger picture now is figuring out how to get myself to Ireland/the UK, because deep down, that's what this is really about. Omen-wise, this post of dorky Lacan jokes appeared on McSweeney's the same day. Which I don't take as an omen that I'll get to the conference, rather that I did the right thing writing about Lacan.

Meanwhile, summer classes continue to be crazy. My company's softball team continues to rock -- they're 6–0 right now. I may have finagled myself as a correspondent for Montgomery County Newspapers (I know. What? How did that happen? The editor for Ticket is my teacher for my summer class, and he invited me to do a few articles, that's how. Sadly, unpaid. Gotta start somewhere, I guess). Mike's girlfriend has temporarily moved in with us. I've told Gary he can move in with me come fall. (YEAH. What have I gotten myself into? This could be either incredibly bad or incredibly awesome. We'll find out which.) I've got another wedding this weekend, so it's home home home, and of course, more photos. Art show is TOMORROW NIGHT and I couldn't be more stoked. I hope to see you all there! You're coming, right? You're all invited! Come on, you know you want to drink booze with me and help me pretend I'm a famous artist!

It's a crazy, wild time I'm having this summer. I kind of like it.

Finally

(image by Shepard Fairey)


You know, I have to say I do admire Hillary Clinton. Girlfriend worked it, right up until the end. There's something to be said for tenacity, and she certainly has it. At the same time, I am so glad that she's not the nominee. I am currently of two minds on if she should be on the same ticket with Obama -- on one hand, it would be so immense and historic and more importantly, it would unite the party. On the other hand, Hillary and Obama don't exactly see eye to eye on a lot of issues, not to mention all the other qualms I have about Hillary.

Obama continues to impress me with his humility and kindness:

That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she’s a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.

We’ve certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who’s shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning – even in the face of tough odds – is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children’s Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency – an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

He did not have to say all of that. All he had to do was congratulate Clinton on her victory in South Dakota and thank her for running a fairly clean campaign. (Well...debatable, but you know what I mean) You could argue that him saying all of that was a calculated attempt to sway Clinton supporters or prepare his supporters for the possibility of having Clinton on the ticket. But you know, I believe in him. I believe that he's a decent, stand up guy who specifically chose to say those things because he sincerely means them. He's nice, this Obama guy, and I'm glad he's our party's nominee.

Something else that stuck me was that during Obama's speech when he mentioned Hillary everyone in the audience clapped and cheered for her. And this is something that I've noticed about Obama supporters as opposed to Clinton supporters: Obama supporters don't dislike Clinton -- they like her and they respect her, but they like Barack more; are more inspired by his vision. I mean, as mentioned, I have qualms about her, but come November if it was her as the party's nominee, I would vote for her no problem. Whereas Clinton supporters have a tendency to be more fanatical and one-sided. I've heard several Clinton supporters announce that if she wasn't on the ticket they were voting for McCain. Which is so counter-productive, it drives me nuts.

In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.

Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.

It’s not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.

OH, BURN! Prior to Hillary and Barack speaking last night, John McCain made a speech, putting into sharp relief how vastly different the two sides are, how content John McCain is to just totter along in the same path that George W. Bush has forged. I've lost such respect for John McCain in the past 8 years, as he's blithely allowed himself to follow whatever Bush has said.

In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.[...] America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

I AM SO READY, YOU GUYS. LET'S DO IT.