After 20 birthdays celebrated, 4 apartments rented, 2 cats adopted, 7 jobs held, 2 car accidents experienced, 1 karaoke duet performed, 2 trips to the emergency room undertaken, 5 countries traveled, 1 cross-country trip driven, 3 grandparents lost, 1 airplane jump braved, and exactly 0 break-ups, Bryan and I are officially engaged.

For those who haven't said it aloud, I know: It's about time. But for those who truly know me, you understand. And you realize that, despite all of the above, I continue to be a little bit freaked out. Happy, but a little bit freaked out. Luckily I have sweetest boy on the planet on my side. (One who is also willing to indulge my penchant for goofy pictures, which is definitely a prerequisite. That, and this.)

All I ask is that questions regarding wedding dresses, varieties of flowers, party size, reception location, flavors of icing and DJ vs. live band are held until further notice.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Forgive me blog, it's been many days since my last post. In light of the above, things have been a little scattered, not to mention that I am now in Redmond, WA on an unexpected business trip. Despite this, there are a few items of note I would like to report. First of all, the surprise weekend mentioned last Friday was indeed built around the engagement event, which caused excess sweating (his, not mine) and excess wine drinking (mine, not his). We traveled to Monterey for two days, where in addition to eternal questions, great fun at cheesy tourist spots was addressed. A few highlights:

1. Who knew that Bubba Gump's restaurant would actually have decent food? I certainly never expected such a thing. I'm only in it for the photos. Oh, and of course, the t-shirts.
2. Jellyfish are cool.
3. Monterey is apparently preoccupied with the notion of "as seen on TV" (I mean, who isn't?) and this has manifest itself in many different ways, all of them wonderful.
4. Historic Inns offer decpetive charm, but extraordinarily comfortable beds.
5. The sign connected to these smokestacks, whose smoke eerily melds with the clouds beyond, claims to be responsible for "refractories and minerals." I have to wonder.

And I need at least 3 numbered items for...

6. Though the restaurant Bryan chose for the proposal was indeed divine, I sometimes like to say he instead selected my newest favorite west-coast spot for the task at hand.
7. The 1950s postcards, still sold in the 1950s giftshop, are beyond reproach. I will have to scan one in this weekend.
8. I wonder if the Mystery Spot holds weddings?

Though I was a little disappointed to learn that Santa Cruz is not alone, I am oddly fascinated by the prospect of a nationwide tour of, as they say, off-beat tourist attractions. I like tour guides who are "wise to government coverups and the shifty vagaries of science."

In related news, after a year or so of non-involvement, I've found the last two X-Files episodes to be quite excellent.