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January 13, 2009 :: The photobooth calls

I know, I'm supposed to be posting about my house. I'll get to that. Just wanted to mention in the meantime, two pieces of advice I have for anyone considering throwing a wedding or wedding-esque party:

1. Freaking Out (about anything) is totally unnecessary. Why? Because things are going to happen the way they will happen. My best formula for curbing worries of any kind would be to do what I did. Ask your very talented friends to do simple tasks that are related to their very talentedness, and then trust them to do their jobs. That's it. Turned out perfectly for us, and we didn't raise our blood pressures a single point. Now, if you have crappy, flaky friends, that's another matter, I suppose. Maybe you should get a wedding planner...
2. Get a photobooth. Posed shots are cool. Candids taken by a professional photographer are wonderful. Having someone rig up a snazzy backdrop (like the hand-painted one above, created by my riduculously talented friend Stephanie), a camera, and some lights, and letting your guests take pictures of themselves is more than a riot. It's epic. Again, especially if you have interesting friends. And goodness, who doesn't have those?
   

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January 13, 2009 :: Wedding Accomplished

I'm pooped, people. And it's two days after the big event. But, that was that. With the kiss, the picture and the whole big night on Sunday, thus ends my holiday season. Blake and I are so, doubly, amazingly, completely married now--and a couple hundred people witnessed it.

Thanks to everyone who came and partied, wished well, played, spun records, manned sound booths, sang, quoted Rumi, ate, drank, danced and snapped 100s upon 100s of pictures. It was the most special night of our lives. We're floored.

More to come, of course. Now, back to work.

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January 6, 2009 :: Starting Over

On January 1, 2008, Audrey and I started northern and southern constitutional as a walking/blogging/photography experiment. Boy, did we have grand ambitions, too. A post a day, a walk a day, a photo a day. I think it lasted about two months before Audrey irritated an old injury and stopped walking, and I started posting once every 20-some days (if I was lucky).

It's time for a change.

In August of 2007, I became a grown-up; specifically through the purchase of 675 square feet of Fulton County, Georgia. It seems strange, now that I think of it, that I could put down money for something that I love so much. Since then, Blake and I have made the little house a home, but haphazardly, mostly by the simple accumulation of musical equipment, random grime and the shimmery patina of Ollie's bulldog spit.

It's time for a change here too.

2009 is the year of the house, and SouthernConstitutional will be the place I document what we do here--how we live inside the plaster walls, what changes here and how it changes us, the thrilling rollercoaster of Benjamin Moore paint numbers and hammers and spackle, and probably a fair amount of calls for advice. I hope you stick with me here.

But First: I have to admit that the "new year" as it were really won't (and can't, there simply aren't enough hours in the day) start until after January 11, 2009. Because until then there's going to be a lot of distracting work and fun and oh yeah, I get to re-marry Mr. Rainey on stage at the EARL on January 11.

Don't worry, that'll make it here too.

Until then - Happy New year. It's going to be a great one.