Poor Spelling Pays Off

Since this blog was initially a writer's blog instead of a personal blog, I decided I'd better add some thoughts on writing now and again.

One of my co-workers sent me an article titled, "The Price of Typos" by Virginia Heffernan. It was printed in The New York Times. In a quick summary, she writes about how spelling errors in the publishing world are becoming more and more common, and editors and authors can both take the blame. But what really stood out to me was her beginning insights to the benefits of poor spelling. And let's be honest--I'm one of the worst spellers in the world. My mom used to ask me, "For one who reads so much, how can you spell so poorly?" I used to ask myself the same question. Fortunately, Ms. Heffernan seems to have an answer (although I didn't agree with everything she wrote). She says:

"Bad spellers, of course, can be sublime writers and good spellers punctilious duds.... A writer with a mind that doesn't register how words are spelled tends to see through the words he encounters--straight to the things, characters, ideas, images and emotions they conjure. A good speller, by contrast--the kind who never fail to clock the idiosyncratic orthography of "algorithm" or "Albert Pujols"--tends to see language as a system. Good spellers are often drawn to poetry and wordplay, while bad spellers, from who language is a conduit and not an end in itself, can excel at representation and reportage."

So there you have it--perhaps being a bad speller is a blessing! I definitely have more of a writer's mind than an editor's, despite my current working position, and I definitely see words for their use in the whole rather than their individual meaning. Words seem to constantly flow into my mind when I write, and I try getting them onto the page as quickly as they come without stopping to worry about spelling. Even when I read, I don't focus on the actual type on the page--I'm too wrapped up in how the words are being used to portray a scene, character, etc. As much as editing can have its moments of pleasure, I'd rather avoid the technical and let someone else worry about it.

After all, I am a writer.

(Now I'm sure all my spelling errors will stand out from this point on.)

True Love

"True love blooms when we care more about another person than about ourselves."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Married Life

Richard and I have been married for almost 4 weeks now! We're completely moved in and settled into our new apartment, which we LOVE. Duplicate wedding gifts have been returned and other household essentials have been bought with gift cards. I put the kitchen together on Sunday (including drooling over my new Kitchenaid as I took it out of the box), and we even found a new couch and chair from ksl.com a week or two ago, which we're already breaking in. And my favorite part addition to the apartment? Our two new bookcases!!! They're both set up and full of all our books (aka mostly my books, although Richard did have a few to contribute to our library-in-progress). I'll have to post pictures as soon as I remember to take some...

I'm still waiting to get my DVD of photos from our wedding photographer, but as soon as I do, I'll be sure to post my favorites. Sadly, no one seems to have taken pictures of the wedding day except for the photographer and my aunt (life saver!) My aunt even presented us with an album full of her pictures when we returned from our honeymoon. I've posted a few on facebook, so I guess look there if you're interested in wedding photos until I get the professional ones (which I'll post here...someday).

We just returned from our first ward party, and I'm pretty excited about our ward. It seems to have a good blend of young married couples, well-established families, and elderly couples. And everyone seems so friendly! I'm sure they'll put us to work in no time.

In summary, married life is AMAZING. I feel so blessed not only to be married, but to be married to Richard, who is nothing short of perfect. Our first week back to real life, he got up early and made me lunches for work, including writing "Allison Mathews" on the paper bag. He has been a big help putting are apartment together (he makes our bed almost every day!) and being patient with my picky organizing and decorating wants. Perhaps he still doesn't understand why I needed new silverware and real glasses rather than the miss-match forks and spoons and plastic cups, but he has happily gone with the flow and let me do what I want. And I love him even more everyday =)

I'm still in Limbo between being Allison Morgan and Allison Mathews. As hard as I try to introduce myself as Allison Mathews, I'm still technically Allison Morgan until our marriage license arrives in the mail and I can legally change my name. Meanwhile, I have to keep signing with my maiden name since that's what it says on all the cards but practice getting used to being "Sister Mathews" or "Richard's wife"--both GREAT titles =) And practicing my new signature is like learning cursive all over again. How in the world do you go from a cursive "w" to a cursive "s"? But one positive: I now get to cross a "t"!

Well, this is beginning to sound more like one of my journal entries or a rambling voice message more than anything else. What good is a blog if there aren't any pictures? So here are a few from the Utah open-house (sorry there aren't very many, but I wasn't the one behind the camera):

The YUMMY food Richard's mom, sister, and sister-in-law prepared for us.

The guest book table with pictures from our wedding

A few nieces and nephews enjoying the ipad. I'm sure that was the highlight of the party.

Richard and I greeting guests. It was fun meeting so many of Richard's old mission companions and friends from past wards.

Gift opening! All the nieces and nephews wanted a turn "helping" us unwrap our gifts. It may have been close to chaos by the end, but it was a lot of fun. It feels good being an aunt =)

Happy Man

This is Richard. I have hacked into Allison's blog. I just wanted her blogosphere to know that I am the luckiest guy in the entire world to be able to call Allison my wife. That is all. You may now go back to your everyday blogging.

I am sure Allison will update this piece of cyberspace sometime in the future.

2 weeks!!!

Only two more weeks EXACTLY from today until Richard and I are married!!!

Yes, I am a little excited. It's sometimes hard to believe that the day is almost here, especially after 3 months of waiting (yes, I know--3 months isn't that long), and other times I think about it and go, "Holy cow! I'm getting married in 2 weeks!" It's still pretty surreal, especially after so many years of hoping for it and thinking about it and wondering about the who and when and how. And even though I obviously don't know what the future holds, I do know who I will be traveling the road of life with, and that's both exciting and comforting.

Another update: We're moving our stuff into our new apartment on Thursday! This was a surprise to both Richard and I as of 2 days ago when we received a phone call from the apartment complex we'll be staying at and they told us our apartment became available a week early. This is GREAT news since originally we would've been moving the day before driving to Oregon (which would've meant chaos, extreme exhaustion, and a LONG night before getting up extra early the next day and driving for 12 hours). However, this also means I'll be packing all weekend long! But I actually enjoy packing and cleaning and organizing, and this move is especially exciting because it means closing the door on one stage of my life and opening a door to another. Crazy how life works sometimes. I'll be the one staying at our new place until we're married, which will also give me a chance to start unpacking and get things settled so the apartment will be semi-put together when we return as newlyweds.

I can't wait!!!

The final sprint!

I know I should be in bed right now, or at least getting ready for bed, but a lot is running through my mind and I just have to write.

1 month until the big day.

31 days.

4 weeks and 3 days.

It feels like an eternity, and yet a speeding train all at the same time. I'm so excited, and then I look at my list of things left to do. Planning a wedding entails the craziest mix of emotions imaginable. I feel like I'm up and down constantly. I'm experience more joy than I've ever known in my life, as well as some pretty draining and stressful nights.

But it's DEFINITELY worth it. In 1 month/31 days/4 weeks and 3 days, I'll be married to my best friend! How did I get to be so blessed?

So as an update since I know I've been neglecting my blog, most of the BIG decisions/to-dos are done! Wedding colors, cake planning, engagement photos, wedding dress, flowers, announcements (we finished these tonight and will get them in the mail tomorrow--hooray!), photographer, hair, apartment shopping--all planned and done except for some reception details (my mom has been an angel and is doing a lot of work in Oregon to help get ready for this). And I must say, Richard has been a HUGE help in all of this as well (except the dress ;)) Again, I'm not sure how I got so lucky to find a man who is willing to help and add input when I ask, but otherwise let's me plan to my heart's content. I'm surprised he's not going insane yet with me constantly changing my mind about bridesmaid dresses or being picky about table centerpieces or stressing about address labels. He has been so loving and patient and supportive, and I love him for it =)

And despite the chaos of planning a wedding, we've managed to sneak away from our cares now and then and simply enjoy each others' company. In fact, last Saturday Richard planned our day: from hiking to ice cream to going to a driving range to dinner, the day was packed with fun. He certainly treats me better than I deserve!

So that's the update; at least, all I have time for since it's midnight and I do have to get up and be at work by 8. Speaking of work--the internship is going great! I also have bitter-sweet feelings about it since the internship ends in 3 months (end of August). Life after that? Who knows, but I'm sure it will be great!

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a sneak peak at some of our engagement photos:

We're almost there!

A Sea of Tulips

On Easter weekend, Richard (and I) finally got to visit the most beautiful state in the county: Oregon! (I suppose I am a little bias.) It was sunny and warm and green and glorious to behold! Spring had come and everything was in full-bloom.

There is one flower that I favor above all others, and that's the tulip (red in particular). So when my mom suggested we visit the tulip festival in Woodburn (south of Portland), I was ecstatic. And I never expected it to be quite this beautiful! As we pulled up to the farm, I thought I had reached paradise (I imagine gardens full of tulips in Heaven). Thousands and thousands of tulips spread as far as the eye could see, all in rows of different colors! It. Was. Stunning.

And since pictures say a thousand words, I'll let you take in the sea of tulips for yourself:

(My favorite color of tulips!)

Walking in the sea of tulips

Richard got a little bored and brought a toy to keep busy ;)

My beautiful mom

Tulips + Oregon + Richard = One happy girl!


And more Oregon pictures to come...