bucket: do not kick.

Yesterday, the day I officially changed my ID, I had my first "What the hell?" moment concerning my new name. I went in to WM to pick up our photocards, and when the assoc. asked under what name, of course I said my maiden name. I thumbed through a photo services leaflet while she ran around the back area trying to find my order. I walked over to the camera cases and picked out a new one while she ran around the back trying to find my order. I changed my mind about the new case and came back to the counter and she was still running around in the back area, trying to find my order. Then the lightbulb went off in my head. "Uh, you know, I think I gave you the wrong name," I called. It took her two seconds to find the order under the correct name. "Ha. Just married?" she asked. Sorta. Is fortysomething days "just"?

Have finally rolled out of bed (8:15-ish) and am trying to decide what to do with the rest of my day. Got some distressing e-mails - have to go to Longs and pick up two sympathy cards*, and then schedule some BFF time ASAP. Also have to begin looking for some stuff to cover up the uglier parts of our photocards.

Yesterday my mom called me while I was on the road and said, "Did your thank-you stationery come in yet? Because your wedding guests are starting to pass away."

Seriously. Last week, one. Yesterday, one. Many of the guests were friends and family from a totally other era, it seems - and some were not well. So, definitely time to jump on the thank-yous. In 2001 I met an amazing man named George Young, one of the pillars of Chinese society in Hawaii. He was knowledgable, kind, and extremely generous with his time, talent, and many treasures. He spent a day teaching us about the Manoa Chinese cemetery and the annual Ching Ming observation - a lot of things from that day, I used in writing projects for years to come - and when we left, I felt so rich. And so fortunate to have met Mr. Young. For some reason, though, I put off writing him a thank-you letter for well over a month. I finally sat down and wrote out my thoughts, mailed them off and hoped for another meeting with him, but a couple of weeks later I heard that he passed away. I was so glad I'd written that letter.

*9:47 a.m. edit: Cancel the pet sympathy card.

'Kay, going in to work to set up for tomorrow. I checked in on Mama's blog and found THIS! Which reminded me that I need to do triple-duty work with my own little Jabberwock tomorrow. Speech Festival is upon us ... the mome raths outgrabe!