To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern,

I got your letter yesterday and I must say I’m impressed. Anyone who takes the time to mail a real live letter is a pioneer in this day and age, and I appreciate the anonymous encouragement and suggestion to keep posting. I admit, my serious writing endeavor has not developed as quickly as I’d hoped, but I remain hopeful. You asked for an update, so here it is.

Since the last time I wrote, I’ve gotten engaged, joined the gym, discovered grapefruit, baked bread, and tried to sew. Though most of these things are still unfinished or in mid-process, I feel pretty good about finding ways to avoid the winter blues. I suppose the most monumental news is the surprise ring that appeared at Christmas, though the discovery of grapefruit has also been rather thrilling. I love the texture and the color. It makes me feel exotic and sexy.

My fiancé provokes similar emotion, with the added bonuses of security, comfort, and happiness. Fantastic! Planning the resulting wedding has been less than exciting, but I have found slivers of fun hidden under all the expenses. I guess I’m just not one of those brides who loves to pick out china sets or make personalized wedding favors. I do love long dresses though, and my favorite color to wear is white. Thus the concept of a wedding dress excites me beyond all reason. So far I have purchased three dresses, all second hand, all entirely gorgeous. I was going to have my expert mother in-law to-be make the dress, but I kept accidently stumbling upon used dresses in my size. What was I supposed to do? The worst part is waiting. If I didn’t so easily spill food all over myself, I’d probably be wearing it right now. In fact, if there was a job where I could walk around in a long white dress all day, I’d be the perfect candidate. Just don’t make me wear heels.

Beyond the dress and my fondness for fajitas, our reception meal, I’m probably not the ideal bride. I don’t gush over centerpieces or dream about flower arrangements. I just want to get married and have a good time doing it, which is why we hired a band instead of putting personalized M&Ms on your dinner plate. I’m sorry if this offends you.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t believe in romance or that I am an overly practical or sturdy person. I simply don’t enjoy cheese ball antics or want the typical American wedding. There will be no bland wedding cake, pricey caterer, or overpaid DJ. And I can guarantee Austin will not take off any of my undergarments with his teeth, at least publically. The average wedding in 2008 cost $28,800, we hope to spend around $5,000. At first this task seemed daunting, but I’ve come to realize that it is not only possible but more responsible. I trust that with this economic crisis, 2009 brides will cut back on the extra layers and invest more of their time, money, and (most importantly) energy into their post wedding lives.

So there’s that speech.

I said I would stop blogging, as I have always had an aversion to such things, but maybe I am famously over thinking it and would benefit from a continuing monologue. To quote mothers everywhere, “we’ll see.”

Thanks again for the letter,

KB