--1 day. Technically speaking, although it is 10 minutes to midnight, meaning the day is nearly here.

--I couldn't think of a better time to hit post No. 1,000 of this blog. Yep, you've all read 1,000 of my ramblings now. Pretty amazing. So, as I pass from bachelorhood into "the rest of my life," what better time to transition that than in the next 1,000 posts (or wherever this blog goes).

I've occasionally gone back and read some of my writings, though I haven't to date. The entire point of this blog had always been to be an online journal and an area where I could keep those who cared to read it up to date on goings-on, as boring as they sometimes were, in my life. Sometimes, I know, the posts are lacking in their appearance or content, and I don't have a schtick anymore, now that the countdown is gone, obviously.

But I hope you all will keep reading...even if you stop, I'll keep posting, because it alleviates my desire to have a permanent record of even the mundane in my life, possibly that future generations of my family can read if they so choose. I would give anything to have a "blog" or journal from my father or grandfathers or whoever. I hope that any descendants that I might be lucky to have would have that desire to know their father, grandfather, etc. I think that I've done a good job of projecting my personality and person onto this blog, and I will continue to do it, even if I never have another reader in the present.

Here's hoping the next 1,000 posts or more will be just as good as the majority of the first 1,000. The first 1,000 saw an enormous transformation of me from a post-college kid to an (here's that word that we all fear) adult. I can only imagine that the next 1,000 posts will hold even wilder transformations...and I hope you can all enjoy reading and following along as I slug my way through this thing called life.

The only difference is, I'm not "on my own" in the same way I used to be.

--2 days.

--Now, all we do is wait. The hall has been finalized, almost all of you guys are a stone's throw (though, no stone-throwing please) from the bar, and more than shouting distance (even at Laz's decibels) from me. ;) Actually, I'm sure Laz could easily fill the room with his roaring voice. :)

--Here's an insider tip for the wedding...no one wants the clinking of silverware on the glasses, plates, etc., for the bride and groom to kiss during dinner. So. I'm giving you geniuses an inside tip, because, see, they all think that if we make it "difficult" that there won't be numerous "interruptions" of dinner. Not that anyone is concerned, but I want my friends to be prepared, if they so choose. SO. Because of the movie theater history of the place, we've decided that if you want the bride and groom to kiss, you'll need to stand up and sing several (or more) lines of a movie theme song. More than one or two lines, too. Now, you guys are in the know and can practice or formulate ideas or whatever you see fit, if you so choose. If not, hey, that's fine too. :)

--Tomorrow, of course, is the rehearsal and dinner. But before that, I have plenty to do (after sleeping in for a while, to get my rest, because I need it). I have to drive out to The Brook for Kazak to go on his own mini-vacation for the weekend, just so we don't have to worry about him at the condo. Also, I have to wrap my groomsmen's gifts, which won't be difficult, but is still a task awaiting completion. And, finally, I have to go to the bank to get the final payments for several of the vendors in order.

--It's official. The Derby is Saturday, my wedding is Saturday. My friend is going to Vegas for another wedding bachelor party this weekend. Therefore, he is taking money to put down on a horse for me. Which one? TBD...actually, I've determined it, but I'm just not 100 percent yet. You'll know, obviously, at the reception, because I'll have to find out who won the Derby. :) I figure, hey, I'm lucky enough to be getting married that day, maybe I'll be lucky enough to win some money too. But we'll see.

--Those of you with digital cameras and other cameras. If you take pictures, please let me know...I would like to get copies, either burned onto a CD off your CPU (which I am more than happy to supply) or taken to Walgreens and burned onto a CD there. Our photographer is a professional, and I don't doubt that we'll have super-excellent photos. But I have a sinking feeling that he's not going to get the myriad spontaneous events that are bound to happen amongst 270 people. He might not be able to get some of the "in action" shots, because he isn't going to just snap away at his camera--he's good about taking just the right picture at just the right time. ALSO, feel free to interact with the videographers...sometimes people try overly hard to "act natural" or get away from the cameraman. I don't mean go overboard, but feel free to acknowledge the camera or do whatever comes to mind (without, again, being entirely idiotic, of course--that's my job). :)

--For now, that's it. I'm just waiting to get ready to go to Softball game #1 this evening...my work league's first game is today, and tonight is the official start of the weekend for me. I can finally get a little rest and relaxation before everything becomes a whirlwind of fun. :)

--3 days.

--This is not the kind of thing you like to see three days before your wedding. :)

--Tonight, we have our final meeting with the reception hall. We give the seating arrangements and final count, and then it's into the home stretch. We also give them the favors, table cards, etc., etc. Everything, basically, that we need at the hall on that day.

--I did up all the table cards yesterday...and let me tell you what a bitch that was. Computers, really, need to learn to talk to each other, period. In order to get my Quark design off my old Mac PowerPC, I had to do the following:
1a. Upload scanned photos to both my Mac and my PC at home from burned CD.
1. Save to serial-port, Mac formatted Zip disk.
2. Take to work and ask if we had any Zip drives anywhere.
3. Luck out that they have ONE on the premises, but no cords, and, oh, it's a USB port.
4. Go home, get USB cord from printer and take to work the next day, along with power cord from my own Zip drive.
5. Ask coworker with a Mac if I could use his CPU to upload Quark file to email to myself.
6. Forward email on my PC (without Quark program) to a designer's Mac.
7. Take CD of images and basically reinsert photos into table cards on designer's Mac. All 165 or so.
8. Redesign fonts, because Times sucks.
9. Burn Quark file back on to CD, for safekeeping.
10. Convert Quark file to high-resolution PDF and burn onto CD also.
11. Take CD home, open PDF file and print on PC with photo printer.

Suffice to say, despite the pain in the ass overall (which, I know, I asked for it), they look fantastic--just what I had envisioned. In fact, maybe, just maybe, I'll invest some money in a real Mac and legit Quark and "advertise" my wares in order to make a few extra bucks. :) But we'll see... :)

--It looks like we'll have a bit of a chill in the air, comparatively speaking, on Saturday...but as long as there's no rain, I'll be happy, because we don't really have a good backup plan to the Botanical Gardens if it rains. Thankfully, the worst forecast I've seen to this point has been "scattered showers," and I think we'll be OK with that.

--Meanwhile, amongst all of this, I need to find a way to focus and work. Ha!

--5 days.

--Well, tomorrow (today, really) is going to be a bitch at work...I've been up finishing the table cards for everyone. Not easy. Hopefully no one's name is misspelled...if it is, too bad. :)

--Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for places we could go shoot our post-ceremony portraits that is indoors, doesn't require reservations and is on the cheap? We're going to try to call the Oak Park Conservatory and see what their deal is, in case it rains on Saturday and washes out going to the Botanical Gardens. The Gardens has greenhouses, but of course, they seem to be closed for remodeling, at least as of April 15. We've got a couple of phone calls to make. :) But, if you have any ideas, let me know, in case these two fall apart.

--Ugh...I'm tired. And I should really go to bed now, since work isn't far off for me. Good night, all...