a few thoughts on September 28th

I couldn’t decide what to tell you about yesterday, so in an homage to “This American Life“, I present to you a day, portrayed in three acts:

Last night we had our all-hall meeting.  The SMCs did a skit that involved a dozen or so whip cream pies, and afterwards we had to hose down Martin Square.  We had borrowed a small set of speakers from CIS, and I bent over to grab them and move them from the impending water spray.  As I was coming back up and shifting the speakers to the side, I hit my head soundly on the edge of a rod holding up one of the 4-foot banners that adorn our campus.  The themes shift from year to year, and apparently these are about “Hope”.  Anyway, I hit it hard enough that I grew dizzy, and Levi said he could hear the entire pole rattle.  I now have a small red lump, and my head has hurt all day. 

My question is, how do I know if I have a concussion?

Last night Joel and I were sitting on the couch after the all-hall meeting, waiting for my Advil to kick in.  We heard low male shouting and high-pitched girl screaming, and after a few moments we looked outside to see 5W Ashton standing on the patio in their boxers and briefs, serenading the ladies who had gathered on the balcony lounges with a mostly muttered rendition of “A Whole New World” from the movie Aladdin.  We watched for a few minutes, and I gave up trying to tell them to keep the noise down.  They scattered after a few minutes, and Joel and I shrugged our shoulders and went back inside.

And this, my friends, is what I do for a living.

Finally, as of yesterday I will be married in exactly 3 months.

Wow.

I think that needs little explanation.

my other page

I haven’t posted in awhile, and while this is mostly because we’re in the process of moving 440 students into the building, it’s also because I’ve been working on another project…the wedding website.

And for now, it’s finished.

Check it out.

And let me know if you see any typos.

Paula and Joel’s Wedding!

and we’re off

Remember when I used to do this everyday?  This whole blogging thing?  Just little lists of things that made me smile.  That was fun, wasn’t it?  In honor of those simpler times, I figured we could do a quick highlight reel of PA training so far.  A lot has happened, to be sure, but seeing as how I’m working from 8am to 9pm for the next five days, bullet points should probably suffice.  Here we go:

Having Joel with me at the PA Welcome Back Dinner, and for the first time in five years having “family” to introduce to the PAs.

Getting a couple of cheers upon saying, “I’m Paula Green, but I guess as of December I’ll be Paula Wetzel”.

Re-telling the story of how Joel and I met to a few of my girls, and being so immersed in the story that I missed our exit.

Unlimited supplies of coffee at Warm Beach.

Getting to teach MBTI as one of my final PA training sessions.

Watching my staff go through the high ropes course, and listening to them encourage each other along the way.

Watching various staffs put on their ropes course harnesses.  It brings sexy back.

Being in charge of training, and thus getting to talk in front of large groups of people.  A lot.  While projecting loudly.

Causing a noise violation during BCDs, probably scaring some new PAsto death.

Celebrating Sabbath.

Learning that Michael was conceived in Moyer Hall.  Don’t worry; his mom was an RLC.

Listening to the PAs play Capture the Flag in Ashton.

Getting to know a whole new group of students, savoring every moment of it, knowing that this will be the last time I get to experience life with them in this way, and recognizing that it truly is a gift.  They make me laugh all the time.

Other non-PA training related highlights:

Having my mother in town for a whole weekend, getting to share my life with Joel in Seattle with her, and feeling totally calmed by her presence.

Hearing mom refer to Joel’s dog Nikki as her “first grandbaby”.

Taking engagement pictures.

Picking out a wedding dress.  We got the one that made us cry.

Getting to share engagement status with Dana.

The birth of Berkeley Evangeline and Lilly Mae.  Your Aunt Paula is very much looking forward to getting to know you.

Discovering hulu.com.

Learning that the Arkansas-Texas game got rescheduled to September 27th.  (Note: Hurricane Ike and it’s destruction did NOT make me smile.  I’m mearly speaking of the rescheduling of the game, which now enables me to watch from here in Seattle.  While the two events are indeed related, my feelings about the two are not.)

Watching America’s Got Talent.  Oh, if I could count the ways this show makes me smile.  Hasselhoff, you are ridiculous.

Driving around in a luxurious Kia Sportage for the last 2 weeks. 

Realizing that I have the most patient fiance in the world, who has spent hours driving from North Bend to Seattle to see me when I can’t leave campus, and who is working around my crazy 8am to 9pm schedule all week long.