Discoveries about Girly Stuff
So in the past few days, girly thoughts have entered my mind from time to time (and they don't seem to leave).

Luckily the thought of bambinos still scares me - but that doesn't change what's entered my mind in the past few days.

I wish I could blame a lack of home work on these thoughts - but the reality is that I seem to be distracting myself with these thoughts, and have plenty of work to do to keep me busy.

I can't say what started this rush of girly-ness. But it's started, and doesn't seem to be stopping (god help us).

It was discussed a few days ago with Em why people insist on dragging out the planning of a wedding. With all other major decisions, we tend to decide (ie: I want a new car), research (ie: I want one that goes, doesn't cost lost of money, comes in turquoise and doesn't drink gas with a straw), and execute (ie: I like the Prius, I can afford it, I will go buy it - and get it in light blue, as it doesn't come in turquoise). We don't drag out the process longer than really necessary. So why do we do so with weddings?
Aside from the nice thought of inviting everyone you've ever met or shared a bus ride with - and wanting to give them plenty of time to get off of work and get to your location, what's the point. And what's the point of inviting everyone you've ever met anyways... Yes, there are some people who would be key to any major event in my life - those people know who they are, but really - do I need to invite my mother's best friend's sister there? Do I need to invite crazy aunt Ester and her friends from the convent - considering I see them all of once or twice a year, they don't know who I've been dating (they can't remember), and don't really know what I'm in school doing?
Em and I came up with the only logical reason for drawing out the wedding planning process - to prove to mommy and daddy that you are a responsible adult, can make your own decisions, and are not just doing this because you got knocked up last week. By extending the wedding planning process out to longer than 9 months, you prove that you are doing this for "really important" reasons, and not just because someone didn't get to the pharmacy in time for Plan B (which, by the way, was a sponsor for the TLC airing of the Duggar family wedding last night - which I watched).

So because one now has to extend the planning time of this event that may last anywhere from 15 minutes to a handful of hours (including post event food and drinks) - people are expected to fill every moment with planning. As none of us have any real experience at planning events for this long, we must revert back to a place in time when we could all ramble on and on for hours on end about "a shade of peach", and people considered the rambling to be "normal". Enter, our 5 year old self.
As our 5 year old self is the only entity that knows how to go on and on (not unlike this entry), we must succumb to the 5 year old's dreams and desires (as well as some realities).

A few facts about 5 year old girls:
They all love anything fuzzy/fluffy - this includes ponies, kitties, and puppies
Thye all love things that float - birds, ducks, balloons, bubbles, etc
They all love bright colors - anything bright and bold, 5 year olds love
They all love princesses - disney or otherwise, all girls love princesses
They should all love flowers - why, I don't know, but it's an assumption on the part of marketing
They all love candy - hard candies, soft candies, cake, icing, ice cream - anything that is sweet, the messier the better
They all love to pretend to be adults - fancy parties, invitations, RSVPing, the works
They cannot write - so they revert to the fictitious inner adult who uses words like "thou", "request", "proclaim", "beset", "bequeath", and others
The all have a security item - be it a doll, a stuffed animal, a bracelet, or most common - a blanket. No matter the item, it is typically drug around behind the 5 year old everywhere, particularly if the location/event is "scary"

Because our inner 5 year old is planning what is argued (lamely) as the biggest day of our adult lives, we end up with this:
Riding in on a horse drawn carriage
Walking down an aisle (because it's as close to a grand staircase princess entrance most of us will ever get) holding flowers (because let's face it 5 year olds are smelly - so we as adults in this event, must also be smelly)
Promising various things to a person, typically using words that we still don't understand (and our 5 year old self really doesn't get these words) - "obey", "submit", "vow", "unto", "forsaking", "onto", etc
Running away from the crowd once released (because that's what 5 year olds do)
Eating sugary foods (woot for cake)
Dancing like we imagine adults should dance like (as people tend to be too ashamed/embarrassed to let the real 5 year old dance stylings out)
Receiving gifts from those who came to your event (because what event is complete without gifts)
All the while, wearing a big poofy "princess" dress (as our 5 year old self's only fashion sense comes from the Disney princesses), which is conveniently constructed with a built in security blanket that we can drag around on this very scary day.

Because this event is not planned in an adult manner, we do not get adult input. No where in this plan is the impromptu dash to the store/closet to find the most killer dress that actually shows off and flatters your girly bits, some attractive undergarments (because we all would love an excuse to wear classy undergarments), and perhaps a few phone calls to update the family on your plans (or perhaps that can wait until next week).
If adults planned this "momentous" event, it would be perhaps a bit boring, but it would be down and dirty - planning might take a week, maybe a month if we really wanted to find a killer dress (or had to wait for kick ass undergarments to arrive in the mail) - but above all, it would reflect our adult self (the one that our other decided that they want to live with). It would reflect our whole self: the dressy, the formal, the informal, the offbeat, the serious, the educated, the creative, and perhaps, even a bit of the sexual side of us.

Don't ask me what will happen when it is time for me to duke it out with my 5 year old self. I can't guarantee that I won't succumb to some of her desires (I mean, who doesn't love hot pink, black, and polka dots), but I can say this: "I find nothing attractive or sexy about dragging a few yards of fabric behind your butt" - as an adult, you should be comfortable enough with the people around you, and the person joining you to not have to drag around a damn security blanket.



PS: I was going to submit you all to the torture of ugly wedding decisions - but, while some things are not in my taste, the reality is that for those who picked these items - they work. These items make some people very happy, and my adult self is drawing the line - and recognizes that there are differences in taste, and it is not my place to dis someone's design or choices.