ok picked a veil.  I'm going to go with a petite fingertip length....with the pencil edge like in the first pic (just subtle definition....i like the satin edge but I think the opaque satin band may interfere with parts of my dress).  It'll pretty much look like this pic...but a few inches longer.

I also want the cascading sides...so the sides are kind of wavy instead of straight down.....like in this pic.  I'll probably also wear it further back on my head...so it's more invisible when you look at me straight on.

I do love the drama of the cathedral though....but i don't know if i want to lug around all that fabric....it does look really good when it's attached to the updo (instead of on  top of the head).  But i checked out ebay and other online veil shops and they are mad cheap! Maybe i'll get the fingertip AND the cathedral...puahahaha...just to wear around the house!

Veil tales....

So, apparently veil shopping is quite the endeavor.  Who knew there were so many kinds of veils.  Shoulder lenth, elbow lenth, fingertip length, chapel length, cathedral length....that's a lot of lengths.  Then there are different levels of fullness....and edgings and sparkly stuff you can put on the veil.  What the heck?  Just give me a piece of tulle and let me tack it on my head.

My favorite veil is the NO veil.....I'm only wearing one because my mom adamantly insists on it.  She says a bride is not complete without the veil.  I tried explaining the superstitious origins of the veil to her, but she wasn't having any of it.    So fine...since I have not used any of her suggestions in my wedding plans (i'm a stubborn biatch...poor mom), I decided to give in on this one.  I'll wear the stinkin veil.

So since I was clueless on the whole veil thing (I refuse to step into a bridal store ever again).  I emailed the owner of this company that makes custom veils (for much much cheaper than retail veils).  I attached pics of my dress and a quick description of what I want.

She then responded with two suggestions...either an elbow length or a cathedral length veil (I kind of have a long train).    I never even considered the cathedral length veil...I automatically assumed I'd be to short and petite for something like that.  I do like how that looks in pictures though.....but I'd have to get a pretty long ass veil in order for it to go past my train.  the elbow lenfth is cute....short enough to show off my behind.  The fingertip is the next longer length i think...but that fall to right under the butt cheek, so there is no arse visible and that won't do!

Then she started asking all these questions about how I'm wearing the veil...high on the head, low on the head.  I was like WHAT? more veil options?  She said some people wear their updo low on their head and then the veil just attaches to the updo instead of on top of the head.  Well considering that I have no idea what I will do for my hair, I guess it's just safer to wear it on top of my head and do whatever I need to underneath. 

These are the two she suggested:

This is the elbow "high" on the head.

Same thing, but "low" on the head:

And the cathdral:

More of Tobi....

I keep calling Tobi "he" since BundChen was a "he" and I got used to that.  It makes my very good friend mad that i keep calling her "he"...he corrects me every time and says I call her "he" because she has a "boy's name".  Now my very good friend calls her "Tobiko" after seeing that on the menu when we went out for sushi.  I don't understand how he can designate Tobiko as a girl's name...but whatever, I still call him...I mean her...tobi!

I can now get her to eat stuff from my fingers...like if I hold a piece of lettuce or her favorite yoghurt drops in my fingers.  She's now brave enough to come over and grab it out of my hands.  She's still a little skittish though, so I'm refraining from petting her for now.

But here are some more pics of Tobi.  Apparently, she likes to sit IN the food bowl and burrow for her favorite pieces of hamster food.

Me, catching her in the act:

Her, looking guilty:

And because I'm a sucker, I ran to get her a yummy piece of lettuce:

He's gooooooone....

No more peeping Tom.  I guess he came out again during the day....but I heard that a cop car pulled up to the building and a cop went up on the rooftop to look around with an older jewish gentleman.  I haven't seen yesterday's guy all night.  I guess someone else saw him and called the cops on him.  He was an idiot...i don't understand how he could think no one would notice him looking into people's windows with binoculars.

On another note...I got invited to happy hour by some of the (younger, single) female pharmacists at work.  I think they are under the impression that I am younger than them and still partying.  hahahaha.  But it's cool...I guess I should go and be social...even though after work, the one thing i need is a nap....not a drink!

Peeping Tom....

So my apt is next door to what I believe is an Orthodox Temple or some sort of Hebrew school or something.  Anyway, my building is pretty tall...like 20 something floors...and the Jewish building is only 3 floors.  So I can see the rooftop from my windows.  Anyway, today, i noticed this Jewish guy standing on the roof.  At first I thought he was just getting some fresh air or something.  But then he kept bringing his hands up to his brow, like he was shading his eyes or something.  And he kept looking around at the face of our buildling.  I thought it was odd, so I kept watching him....and then I realized he had binoculars or something in his hands.  And he kept looking at our building.  We have pretty big windows....and I think most people leave the shades open all day since we're higher than most of the buildings around us (myself included...my shades are never closed).

So finally, I went out on the balcony...and just stared at him until he noticed me.  He then rushed back inside.  But he came back out....and I stared him down again....he went back in again.  I could even see him peeking through the rooftop door, I guess to check if I was there.  Then it started to get dark...and I thought he was gone.  And then I see a dark shadow moving around....he had put on his suit jacket, so he was more difficult to see. 

I tried to get him on videotape with night vision, but he was too far away.  I'm going to see if he appears tomorrow...and I'll tape him during the day.  Then I'll call the cops if I have to.  It's kind of hard to describe him without videotape since my whole block is orthodox jews and there are tons of orthodox jews in the building all the time.  And as per orthodox jewish traditions...all men are in suits.

Say hello to my little friend.....

Meet Tobi...my graduation present from my very good friend.  She is a fancy hamster (as opposed to a teddy bear hamster, which is what BundChen was)....which are supposedly more laid back and friendlier.  Tobi spent most of the day running around the cage like a mad woman and climbing up EVERYTHING.  It was hard to take a good picture of her since she was moving around so much.

Since she was given to me to celebrate my completion of pharmacy school, I decided to give her a medication related name.  But it was very difficult trying to find a medication name that could also serve as an actual name.   Try calling your pet Infliximab or Digoxin (my very good friend's pick).  At the end, I chose Tobi, which is the brand name of the tobramycin inhalation solution.

Graduation pics...

Unfortunately, since apparently no one in my family could figure out how to take a clear picture with my anti-shake camera, I have very very few pics of my graduation day.  I think only 10 out of 122 pictures are actually clear.

Here are some of the okay ones:

This is me getting "hooded" by our professors.

Graduation day with the family...

With some of the girls...

My graduation present from my parents...made by my daddy (pic taken by me...hahaha)

Life...

I graduated on Friday....!!!!  And on the same day, my very good friend found out that he passed his boards!!!!  It feels almost surreal that we're starting our careers and our lives.  We got away with being carefree kids for a while since we were in school and still kept that college kid mentality.  But now we're for real grown ups...with real responsibilities...and lives on our hands.  It's a nice feeling, but it's very intimidating.

More of the wedding stuff is getting done....the shoot is now scheduled for july....luckily in the late afternoon/evening, so it won't be sweltering hot.  I have my dress hanging in my apt (I LOVE MY DRESS), the bridesmaids dresses are finally chosen and partially ordered, my mom FINALLY chose her dress...and the invites are starting to be designed. 

I was originally going to order one component of my invite online...but I found someone on this wedding forum that I read who was selling the same exact thing in the color I wanted for half off.  I guess she had planned on using it, but ended up not.  She didn't have the size I wanted, but I'll take it and work with it!!!  I had my invite idea in my brain and i sketched it out for April (it was like kindergarten level drawing...i was embarrassed hahaha) who will turn it into the real thing!!! YAY APRIL (no telling, April)!!!  It's pretty simple (hahaha like everything else in my wedding) but i like it and it's what I always wanted.  And I'm managing to get it done at a very decent price, so I'm happy (my very good friend is VERY happy!!)

AND....because i'm going through pet withdrawl, I'm going to get another hamster hahahaha.  I'm only allowed cats (no dogs) and i'm like borderline anaphylactically allergic to cats....so that's a no go.  Any name suggestions for this one?!!!

Pics to come...after I get back to my apt!

My engagement shoot got postponed again.  I don't know the new date yet.  Ugh...I really hope it doesn't get pushed back to sweltering hot territory.  My face becomes an oil slick...and my very good friend gets grouchy when he's hot (especially since he'll be in a suit).  He did surprise me by mentioning that he wanted to shopping for a shirt to wear for the shoot.  He owns like 3 formal shirts and like 500 t-shirts hahaha.

oh and regarding american idol....BLAKE?  are you freakin kidding me?  Who the heck votes for him?  He sucks.  If I were him, I would step down and let melinda compete in the finals.  He can barely carry a tune.

see protected

My dad is so funny.  He bought me the latest issue of Modern Bride.  I didn't have the heart to tell him that I already own it. 

I saw it on the kitchen table when I got home today.  I assumed it was from Yach (she had given me her extra copy of Bride)...so I asked him if yach gave it to him to give to me.  He said, "No!  I bought it for you....there are lots of good ideas in there!"