Consequences

Even though it was all for fun, writing this blog has really been somewhat of a life-fulfilling activity (there have been reasons that I have not been writing in the past couple years and that will addressed at a later point).  Writing this blog over the years has had a lot of great consequences.  I've met interesting people, discovered great music, shared and received fascinating ideas, and found a lot of humor in the world.  

However, the best consequence was re-connecting Angie.

It all started with a little blog post congratulating Angie for becoming Miss Wheelchair Iowa 2009.  I had met Angie through a friend nearly 10 years earlier, at a time before she was involved in an automobile accident and becoming a quadriplegic. Around the time of the accident, our mutual friend moved and we lost touch...until the blog post.  We started hanging out again to catch up and then more often as friends and after about a year we started dating.  It's been a wild few years since then full of ups and downs - we became engaged on Dec 24th 2013. 

One Ring to rule them all...

I thought we would take is slow, maybe get married in a year or two but Angie was all "Nope, let's do this."  We were married on September 6th, 2014.  It was an exceedingly busy 9 months of planning and I am mightily thankful that Angie actually handled most of the planning and organizing.  Angie did an incredible job and created a wedding that reflected us and preferences. It wasn't your typical wedding (we are anything but typical) but it was an amazing day.

We decided to do a theme wedding...I know, I know some of those are horrible, but we decided it would be fun to have a 1920's Hollywood themed wedding.  The basis for this being that we are both big fans of both theater and movies, plus you know the outfits back then were just elegant and fun.  That was our base point for planning and the ideas developed from there.  Sticking with the theme, I had hoped to get married at the old Billy Joe's Picture Show location since I was always such a fan but unfortunately our guest list (correction - Angie's guest list) made that space a little too tight.  So after much searching we decided on the Iowa Events Center.  IEC used to be called Veterans Auditorium and I had seen many great concerts there like Kiss, Motley Crue, and Ozzy (and yes it is where Ozzy bit the head off a bat); how could I have a problem with a historic institution like that?  I think it is cool.

Of course, Hollywood themed we had to set the mood...so we started brainstorming.  We let our imaginations and desires run a little wild (sorry, this is probably going to just be a bunch of pictures).

We needed people to know where they were going.  We needed a lighted marquee.  This was created by my dad.  He did a great job, especially because I just said - "Will you make us a lighted marquee?"  We didn't know how it would be hung or where it would go, but it ended up being incredible.  Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do the lights justice.

Our names in lights

Red carpet and red curtains were a must and of course our bridesmaids and groomsmen would be seating in movie theater seats.  Gold stanchions and velvet ropes to keep the crowd in line.

The walk down the red carpet

We thought it would be funny to have us photoshopped into various famous movie posters like we have been in all these movies.  It was a fun photo shoot and our photographer (Black Label Studios) did a great job of making the posters.  The frames came from the Re-Store in Des Moines - only $10 each!

Grease, Phantom of the Opera, The Princess Bride, Singin' in the Rain, The Wedding Singer.

Top Gun - close up

Refreshments - movie popcorn and candy...what else did you expect?  Movie film, popcorn, and the velvet ropes and stanchions were loaned to us by the Merle Hay Cinema (I miss you guys already).  Movie reels were loaned to use by Fleur Cinema.  Both are places we visit regularly.

Popcorn and candy waiting for the guests.

Our star ready for the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  We also pressed our hands into "cement" ala Grauman/Mann's Chinese Theater for our unity ceremony (probably shouldn't trust us with fire).  Unfortunately that didn't turn out as great as I would have liked, just too much rushing on the day of the wedding to get it done right.

Our star

We decided we were famous enough that we needed life-size* cardboard cut-outs of us.  OK, I thought of the idea because I really didn't want to pose for a lot of pictures and figured this way that we could still let everyone get pictures with "us."  It worked like a charm.

*not quite life-size - mine is a little shorter, Angie's is a little taller to make for more balanced photos.

Feeling a little flat

Real vs Doppelganger -
Is it strange that facebook recognized and automatically tagged the cutouts instead of us?

My grand entrance song was the theme to the Muppet Show.  "It's time to play the music, It's time to light the lights..."  Angie did the more traditional wedding march, but we left to Red Sweater by The Aquabats.  Seriously, could she have been more open to strange ideas?

Center Stage  - Fur stole and tails and top hat.

We both love the movie, The Princess Bride, so we thought it was only fitting that we convince our minister to re-enact that scene at the beginning of the wedding.  Luckily, The Princess Bride is also one of our minister's favorite movies, so it didn't take much convincing (Thanks David!).  Not everyone got it...but to us, it was hilarious.

Wuv, twue wuv.

As our minister went to change into his normal clothes, our wedding had a short interruption by Elvis who serenaded us with some "All Shook Up."  This was a surprise that I did not know about until the rehearsal the day before.  Why Elvis?  I had been joking with Angie for years that if I ever got married, I was going to Vegas and getting married by Elvis.  So this was an inside joke that no one else would understand.

Ladies and Gentleman...Elvis!

The Feature Presentation

The fun and surprises continued with the reception.  I don't care for cake, of course, I would happily eat it on my wedding if Angie wanted a cake...but she agreed that we should go with Rice Krispie treats (one of my favorites).  Angie had a Rice Krispie cake made with Princess Leia and Han Solo toppers.  We also had a large selection of Rice Krispie treat flavors including: original, scotcheroo, peanut butter and bacon (the Elvis), and Fruit Pebble.  Instead of a full sit down meal, we decided to have a lot of appetizers of our favorite foods such as mini-corn dogs and white cheddar cheese curds (it had to be white cheddar...I am picky like that).  IEC did a great job with all the food and I wish I had been able to eat more.

mmmmm....

"I love you."  "I know."

Angie then surprised me with a Groom's Cake.  It was styled after a pinball machine with a hockey theme.  I had originally wanted to set up my pinball machines so everyone could play during the reception.  However that idea got thrown out early due to some demands from the IEC. So this cake was a really cool way of Angie bringing in more of my favorite things.  I am not even sure what a groom's cake is, but it was really thoughtful of Angie...and also made of rice krispie (with marshmallows and candy for various buttons and lights).

Delicious, delicious pinball

Our good friend, Tim AKA DJ NSFW, spun records for the first half of the reception.  Then our favorite local band, No Good Deed,  played a set for the second half.   I would recommend either or both for all your Des Moines area music needs.  I wish I had more time to rock out.

No Good Deed

It was a great day...and we passed the line of paparazzi as we left triumphantly.

Here are just a couple photos from the day that I thought turned out well.

On the new pedestrian bridge in downtown DM

A quiet moment before all the craziness

Thank you Angie for all the hard work and effort that you put into our wedding.  I feel like a total slacker for not doing nearly as much and for not having the creative surprises for you that you had planned for me.  I love you and think that you are wonderful.  I am glad that having you in my life has been the best consequence (by far) of this blog.  

Thank you to everyone who was able to help us celebrate or wished us well,  Special thinks to everyone who was in our wedding or helped along the way, it would not have been the same without you.  We appreciate you all.

Diabolical Deeds

On Saturday, one of Des Moines' newest rock bands, No Good Deed,  made their live debut.

This show was a little special for me...my brother, Kelly, just happens to be one of the guitarists in No Good Deed (and I had previously met several other members over the years).  Kelly has been messing around on guitar for over 20 years now.  I say messing around because I don't think he really had much drive to be in a band, he just liked playing guitar.  And despite having to listen the intro of Sweet Child O' Mine being mangled time after time in 1990-1991, you could tell that he had a good ear and picked up the guitar relatively quickly (we are not talking prodigy here, but given the same amount of practice he would be better than the average person).  It was a hobby that came and went.  He would play a lot for a couple years and then the guitar would virtually disappear for a couple...but it never went completely away.  Kelly's talent increased over the years and although told by many, many people he never joined a band.  I always imagined this response:

 I understand.  I am lazy too and doubt my talents for all things.  Its good, if you are happy you can do what you want, but I always felt that it was a shame.  Not necessarily that he wasn't in a band, but more because guitar was mainly a solitary activity for him...I don't know a lot about music (I have no talent myself) but I have seen the joy that group of people playing together and creating something larger than themselves can bring.  I was glad when he started playing with a couple of the guys from NGD a few years ago.  I really didn't think anything would come of it, but I was hoping he was getting that feeling of melding musically.  The band was off and on again a few times over the past couple years (depending on how hectic everyone's lives were).

About a month ago, Kelly sent me a message to save the date...March 3rd, the band was playing their first show.  I had heard talk of "the band" many times over the years, but had never actually heard them play.  I wasn't even sure what type of music they would play...Kelly and I both enjoy a pretty wide gambit of musical tastes.  Of course, I was going.  Kelly and I have gone to hundreds of shows together, the least I could do would be to show up for his gig.  Plus, the concert poster they made was awesome.  Even if I had never heard of the bands, I would have gone to this show based on the poster alone.  Good advertising pays off.

Love this poster

The location wasn't the best for live music - The Fremont.  I didn't know The Fremont had live music, they actually do have a smaller side room where bands and other performances take place.  I had no idea...and once I got there I knew why.  It was small.  But still good for a beginning band.  I guess the sound system wasn't great either and No Good Deed ended up setting up their own PA.  There were many obstacles to overcome to play a decent set...but the die was cast and a show there would be.

Fellow local band Hath No Fury opened and played a short but decent set.  Finally, No Good Deed took the (very small) stage.  Unfortunately, I know that several people didn't realize this and missed the show because they were in the bar's main room.  Its too bad, because for a debut show No Good Deed did a pretty good job.  They were a little loud for the size of room they were in and I felt a little bad for all the people that didn't have ear plugs (I always have mine).  You could somewhat tell that they were new to performing - lots of sweat, and sometimes looking a little scared to move too much.  They encountered and overcame small technical glitches and kept the show going at a good pace.  Communication between band members needs to be worked on and they need to get a little more comfortable on stage.  But for a first show...it was good.

Kelly, Rob, and Doug - rocking

No Good Deed sounded decent and tight (for the most part) and played a wide variety of music - half original, half covers.  How to categorize?  Well the best category is just general Rock.  Their original songs reminded me of a little heavier Jimmy Eats World...that isn't quite right, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Being a relatively new band (only 5 practices with the bass player before Saturday's show), NGD don't quite have their own cohesive sound developed...but they do have talent and I was impressed by their original songs.  I am really looking forward to seeing them progress as they perform more.  I don't think they are going to huge rockstars or anything like that (since so few do) but I think they can have a pretty good past-time/side career playing local gigs.  This is the type of band that I would enjoy going to see often (even if I wasn't related).  Check out original song "Feeling Better" below...and check out more on their Reverb Nation page.  I think you will enjoy.