Wedding Vlog.

I guess with wedding seasons slowly coming to a close, it makes me think of last year, and my wedding. I never did blog about the wonderment of it, and the insanity. One cannot understand how truly stressful a wedding can be until you yourself go through it.
It takes a lot to make a wedding work, when you have people always saying what they think or how they feel, when in reality that's just how people are, but it's annoying when you have a vision for your wedding day, and some just don't get that vision. If you're kind like I am, you prove to these people that what you want will work, and if you've done your homework, and know yourself, then you've got it all figured out.
When it comes to most weddings especially those on a budget you can't ever EVERYTHING, so you have to make choices of what's important to you at the time. People wonder why we choose Orcas Island to get married since it was such a far a way place, there were many thoughts and decisions that were centered around that choice. To explain that choice, I need to explain one of the main reasons we choose the venue that we did.
Some little girls dream about their weddings from the time they've very small, as did I, so there's that part of the mix, throw in the fact that I grew up spending a least part of my summers in Chippewa Falls Wisconsin where my dad's from. My Grandparent's had several bridal stores, and even when I was small would send my dress up clothes from the back of the store, including bridal gowns, bridesmaids dresses, hats, you name it. So I spent my childhood in a great many senses surrounded by the bridal industry, and one summer my aunt got married back in Chippewa, and I saw that whole experience, and for the record someone else started dancing on the tables first, no one remembers that night right. :-)
  The other part of the story to add to the reason we choose the Orcas Hotel was growing up until I was about twelve, I had the privilege of my parents owning old homes and restoring them, filled with antiques. There was one particular house that they owned that many weddings of mine were planned, some by my Mom, and my Aunt Brita without my knowledge, until I was much much older,  some were planned together. This house was amazing, it was a brick Tudor from the 1930's or 40's with manicured lawns, and an apple orchard. Needless to say when you spend a great deal of your childhood with the perfect venue already decided, it's hard to find one that fits the bill, and is vintage enough.  So I guess being exposed to the many things that I was growing up, I developed quite a taste for what I wanted my wedding to be, and it was not going to be just any wedding.
When I started planning my wedding, I worked through so many different ideas, originally the idea of a winter came through, but the only problem we needed snow to make it work, and it never really seems to snow in Western Washington, and any venues that worked of worked during that time of year  were out of our price range, and not right for my vision.
I wanted something that was very English Country Garden much like something out of a Brambly Hedge book, stories I'd grown up on as a child and loved. We'd booked other venues, and thought they would work, but somehow we found some error, and they didn't fit. By an act of something higher Matt kept going back to Orcas Island to find venues, maybe it providence that lead us there, but I did one last search, and found the hotel, emailed, and found the price was something we could do.  Now keep in mind there were three things that I HAD to have at the wedding, the venue had to be vintage, which limits you in Washington, and couldn't feel cold or industrial, it had to Victorian like, and having a hotel that was built in 1904, was perfect. It wasn't big, but it something out of Brambly Hedge book, but sadly the mice didn't wear clothes. There had to be a tent at the wedding, one of those white lawn tents, and it couldn't be stuffy.
We made the choice to choose that venue because nothing else was right, and we searched for months, so the choice was that it was ok that it was far away, because it was perfect for us.
Everything else was just icing on the cake, including an amazing arch that we found and decorated, the disasters of the first cake on the ferry,( which looking back is pretty funny, and we got a replacement), the roses and calla lilies were beautiful, the eyelet lace lanterns in the tent for dinner fit perfect although a pain in the butt to hang I hear, the food was good. Everything had to be centered around the venue so the theme was vintage, and whimsical, and even my wedding dress and the bridesmaids had to match that theme, and having lanterns for the bridesmaids instead of flowers, and pink everywhere!
The day of anyone's wedding is a pain,stressful and full of hard work, and it was insanely hot that day. Running errands, getting hair and makeup done, trying to get people where they need to be at the correct times, but it all turned out great. And I loved it all, including the pinata, and the candy buffet, and the ferry ride over to the island was amazing because it felt like we were away from everything, and then the day after the wedding it rained so much so that with a fire ban, and that much rain it wasn't fun to stay camping so we canceled our trip and went to Montana instead, where we almost died trying to get a ghost town. Eventful Honeymoon!!!

I want to see you be brave. Danielle style.

I've spent the past couple of months searching for answers that I thought were my answers, but in all reality they were and are answers for others. Nothing wrong with those answers to the great questions of life, but they weren't and aren't mine. I've always done things in my own way, and my own time, despite what everyone says I forget that. I overcome great adversity, and difficulties, and arrive at the same place, but I do it in my own way. You could say that is true of anyone who wasn't blessed with the easiest lot in life, wither it be financial woes, abuse both emotional, psychological and physical, or like me being disabled. It's something that I choose to keep under wraps for fear that people won't give it the time or understand it, or as when I was a child would judge me for it, and it still occurs at times at places I've worked where some people have judged me for it, but not all, and much like my childhood, I thought I had to keep it wrapped up in a box, like it was some monster, and it was something to be ashamed of, when in all reality, I should be drawing pride from it, and what all I've accomplished despite it, and I will no longer let those who shamed me, have me keep it in the box like it has been for so many years. I have friends who struggle like I do, and they are out about their struggles, so I'm going to no longer pretend that there's something wrong with it. If you know me, you know that I am so much more than something I was born with, you base our friendships or relationships on knowing me, as a person, not anything else.

So I need help sometimes what's the big deal with that? Why can't something be bigger then myself? Why do I have to be afraid of myself and what people will think, when in all reality those who judge me, may of not been able to accomplish all of my successes. I'd rather not share the specifics of it, because it is a very complicated and intensive thing to explain , because that is still something I'd like to keep private, but all I can say is yes, I struggle, I struggle very hard some days, more then I let on, but I keep going, because I'm not ready to quit. I'm not ready to stop dreaming. Without those dreams, I won't have graduated from college, nor have dreams for a Masters, or be able to have one of the best cursive handwriting that I know, or be able to drive a car.  So now I'm looking down the road, and I will admit I have been struggling with what to fill my dreams with since the wedding ended, and I've been dreaming about that for a very long time. So now I will look towards owning the home of my dreams, maybe some day having a family, I think I'd like to adopt at least one kid, and of course I'd still love to save the world, and maybe publish a book a long the way. 

We lie to ourselves and others that we don't struggle, and believe that struggle is wrong, and something to be swept under the rug like it's nothing, but I'd like to move that we start working towards struggle is real, human and not something to be ashamed of. I'm tired of the idea of being like everyone else, because we as humans have the need to conform, conform to what? Someone else's ideas of what is considered correct? Then we're all going to continue living a lie, and hiding under the idea of the perfect person, who doesn't exist.  So I challenge all my friends to be honest about things, wither it be disability, or money. 

Those supposed perfect people who sit there and judge, probably secretly have a huge fault that they've got going on in their lives, but rather judge it in you, because they lack the ability to realize they're the ones with the huge short comings. I will say this for a disclaiming yes, there are some behaviors that are unacceptable, but if you have behaviors that don't hurt yourself or others, and they are judge, then "those" are the people who truly have a short coming. Much like the bullies from when we were kids. So I challenge you to wear and wave your flag high and proud if you have some short comings, just admit it, and those who judge just admit it you lack something for not understand  and just letting people be. So let's stand up for ourselves, and be brave, and take this long along for the ride. 

The one thing I do find without a doubt annoying is to use your short coming as a disability as a reason to excuse a poor social behavior, that isn't about social skills, but rather because you don't take the time to make the effort or follow through. Call it what it is, and don't hid behind it, I sure appreciate honesty, instead of living lies, and miscommunication is different. too so add to your list, if I can find a way around that you can too. Honest and bravery, and for people to stop being stupid are huge, then maybe we can all start being brave and stop trying to save face, for what reason? I'd rather not live a lie anymore, some lies, or hiding can be too big to carry I've lifted that weight and I feel better then I have in a long time.

You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothing's gonna hurt you the way that words do
And they settle 'neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down
By the enemy
Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing
Bow down to the mighty
Don't run, stop holding your tongue
Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

Innocence, your history of silence
Won't do you any good
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don't you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
See you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you

Poetic Wanderlust.

It's a eve of the day of my birth, which yes if any of you remember yes tomorrow is the ides of March, the day that Caesar was brutally murdered. I used to find that funny, because I am unpredictable in a sense, but now frankly I can't stand, it's only funny the first a hundred times, someone comes up with it, much like the idea of my last name can actually be turned into a word. Everyone thinks it's so cleaver and funny, in all reality it's been over done. 
Every year when my birthday comes, I stop and look back at a year's progress of where I was a year ago, and hope that I've made good choices, and the rights ones, and grown along the way, and I have for the most part. There however is one piece missing or a huge urge that can't seem to be fulfilled, and it makes it all the more important that I work towards it. I will be honest, and not to be blunt, and intentionally hurtful, but there really is very little holding me to staying in Washington. To be honest there are very few people that I consider worth staying around for, and you might be surprised. I think the concept of friendship is lost on many after college or even in our adult years, a sense of loyalty, and effort seems to lacking with many. All I know is with the past month, I have not found much support, or friendship or effort made from supposed friends up here, I often times I have found intolerance, or feelings falling on death ears, which only strengthens my need to move on.
I dream of being in a place, where it isn't nearly impossible to find a job, or a place to fit in, and where people are friendly, and warm, actually try and keep a friendship alive, out of love, and not convenience. I keep asking myself, and most of you should ask this to yourself s, other than those who have an insane amount going on in their lives, and with little time for pleasure, how I speak more with that person, and someone who works full time, has a child, and lives on the other side of the country with a three hour time difference, then I do with most local Washingtonians? Or if the tables were turned and I was swamped, I'd always manage to make the effort, or realize my own actions and how they affect people? I can't be the only one in this world, out there, but I don't think people are generally like that in Washington. So thus leads into my need for my as I call it Poetic wanderlust, and I need to find people out there where I truly feel at home. A move is a start to another part of the state, and ulimtately somewhere else in the county.