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Today, I woke up early to do yoga.  Then I read and read until my tech group meeting on campus, followed by my cultural studies class (which I love).  Then, I came home, made soup and read some more.  I feel a little less stressed in general, partly because Dan cleaned the bathrooms and did the laundry.  Now, I’m not saying he’s doing it just “for me” since, you know, he lives here too, but just seeing a clean bathroom and an empty laundry basket makes me feel like I have less to do.  And I am grateful for a husband that tries to relieve my stress.  Ain’t he the greatest?

Yesterday afternoon, Dan and I headed down to Cincinnati for his “surprise” 30th birthday party. I say “surprise” because he knew something was going on, just not what exactly. Joyce and I had been planning a secret party at an arcade full of classic arcade games like Streetfighter and Ms. Pacman! We rented a room in the back that had two TVs that you could also hook console games up to. Ben and Matt snuck down to help us set up games. Joyce made all the food and I bargained with the owners to stay open 30 minutes later so that we could get the UFC fight on one of the TVs in the back room. Oh, and my friend Molly even made this awesome cake shaped like an arcade stick!

Streetfighter cake!

Everyone showed up around 8 and Pete brought Dan at 8:30. Dan was surprised (or so he says) and we all had a good time running around playing games, eating pizza and cake, and watching the UFC fight.  Here’s a not unfamiliar scene from the evening.

Dan and Ben on Streetfighter II and Jeff on Ms. Pacman

There are lots more pictures of our friends and family having fun if you click on the “piictures” tab.  Happy 30th birthday to my distinguished husband who just so happens to still love video games!  I love you honey!

It was the fall of 2001 and I was a junior at Miami University.  I lived in an apartment with three of my friends.  I needed to take Physics 101 to fulfill part of my science credit requirement for my middle school license.  The physics courses on campus were early in the morning and several days a week, but there was one on a branch campus in Hamilton that was three hours one night a week.  I thought it sounded like a good idea, so I signed up for it.  The first night of class, I wore a purple basketball jersey I got a Goodwill.  It was one of those t-shirts with a number on the back and some local team on the front.  I had recently dyed my hair an orangey color and braided one section.  I drove my little black ‘97 Cavalier to Hamilton, not exactly sure where I was going, but eventually found the building and the classroom.  I made myself comfortable, got out my notebook and the classroom slowly filled with students.  A young professor walked in awkwardly and mumbled through some introductions.  At some point, I looked to my right and noticed a cute boy with dark hair and a red polo.  I quickly looked back to the front not wanting to be obvious.  But, I hadn’t really gotten a good look, so after a few minutes, I slowly looked back again and noticed broad shoulders, a strong jaw and pretty brown eyes.  Oooh, he is cute.

Class ended and there was no chance to talk to the cute boy, so I got in my car and headed home.  As I passed by a gas station, I saw a blur of red.  I craned my neck and caught another glimpse.  It was the cute boy again.  It was fate… I got home and told my roommates about that boy and schemed to figure out how to talk to him.  If I only knew at that moment that he would be the one. I might have just marched up and told him so, but then he would have been scared and maybe things would have turned out differently.  Everything worked out as it should have and now we’ve been married for exactly two years.  Happy Anniversary, cute boy. 

June is my favorite month.  There are lots of reasons for this.  The first reason is the most important and has been for almost 28 years.  It’s my birth month.  I love my birthday.  What’s better than a day entirely for you?  Nothing, that’s what.

Another great thing about June is that it’s warm.  Growing up in northern Ohio, you really couldn’t count on consistently warm weather until June.  May is a very shady and deceptive month, but June, June is perfect.

Since I’ve been either a teacher, a student, or both for the last 25 years (I’m counting preschool, darnit), June is pretty great because it marks another year down and a reprieve before a new start.  Summer’s a time to replenish and June’s the beginning, the time to celebrate.

I also share the month of June with my mom (the 8th) and Marcy (D-day).  I know there are lots of other people born in June, but I like to think it’s special that I share it with two people very close to me.  My birthday is always pretty close to Father’s Day weekend too.  It’s bittersweet now, but it’s still special.

And last, but surely not least, June is my anniversary month.  Dan and I got married on June 17, 2007, which was also his parents 35th wedding anniversary.  Pretty neat, huh?  But besides being married for two years this month, Dan and I also started dating sometime around Marcy’s birthday in the summer of 2002 (what a great summer), so we get to celebrate 7 years of togetherness this month.  7 years.  Wow.  I love June.

Dan is on his way home today, but has been delayed yet again. This has been our plight in air travel ever since our honeymoon disaster, which I’ll have to tell you all about some time. He did get another flight, so now I have to keep my fingers crossed that all will work out with that one. I guess I better shave my legs and get back in the habit of closing the bathroom door when I am peeing.

Here’s a picture he sent me of the New York skyline (very tiny and in the distance) from a frustrated seat in the airport.

Just in case you haven’t heard, the video game, Streetfighter IV came out today. The Streetfighter series are one of Dan’s favorite games dating back to the arcade days. Preparation for this day has been months in the making. Why, you ask? It’s because Dan and his dad have been working on a speciality joystick just for this occasion. Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the beginning of the project, which started in Dan’s parents’ basement workroom (during Christmas break), but continued on in our very own dining room (up until this very day). Here’s Dan sanding and shelac-ing to his little heart’s content.

Here is the joystick in a quasi-finished state. That’s brazillian rosewood on the sides and zebra wood on the top. No, I’m not kidding. Cue the Hallelujah Chorus.

And, if you don’t like specialty wood, Dan even customized the bottom of the joystick with pictures of the characters in the game. Eat that.

This morning, Dan just so happened to be off of work. The game came out at noon and here he is at about 12:15, back from the store and ready to play his butt off. He even got a free bandana (think Karate Kid) that says “Streetfighter,” but he wouldn’t let me take a picture of him with it on.

And up in the multimedia paradise that is Dan’s office, he enjoys the game. Notice that he doesn’t have the custom joystick in this shot. Don’t worry though, the final coat is drying.

So, you’ve heard of golf widows? Well, I think you can make the analogy for yourself. Right now as I type, I hear the furious clicking of the joystick.

Laurie: Okay, let’s go. I’m just going to bring the tickets and my BuckID. Do you think I need anything else, like my wallet or anything?
Dan: No.
Laurie: Do you have your BuckID?
Dan: Oh, shoot (goes upstairs to get it).

Walks out of apartment, door closes and locks.

Dan: Do you have the keys?