Before we take this step, before we walk down this path

Extra points to anyone who can identify the song lyrics that make up most of my post titles.

I'm late for work so this will be quick. Today is my last day of work before I take 2 weeks off for the wedding and related stuff. Tomorrow I'll be checking email from home but also running some errands prior to everyone's arrival. Kristin (maid of honor, college roommate, partner in crime) arrives tomorrow night. I think TJ's parents and granny arrive tomorrow as well. My parents and aunt and uncle from India show up on Thursday, then most everyone else arrives on Friday. Except for Kristine who's coming in Saturday morning because she's got to take some kind of dentist board exam on Friday. Good luck Kristine!

Stan, one of our good friends from Caltech (and who I've known since I was 15!), and his wife Ada are taking us out to dinner tonight. We haven't seen them in a while, so that should be fun. I guess I'll be doing my fair share of eating out this week. At least I'll have some time to get to the gym if I go early in the morning.

Yesterday went by in a flurry of work. I had a list of 5 or 6 things I wanted to get done before I left for vacation. Fortunately I made the list last week and got a good head start on those items. I was so efficient yesterday I don't have much left on the list today. I do have a meeting with the CIO of one of our partner companies today - wow, that makes me feel so grown up. It also makes me realize that as long I work at Microsoft, I'll probably never be a CIO. But I think I'm ok with that. I like my job, they pay me well, I like my work-life balance so I'm reasonably content. Of course, I'd love to make more money (you can't be too rich, though you can be too thin, for sure.)

Yes, I'm rambling. I think "wedding brain" has set in. The nightmares have started, that's for sure. A few nights ago I dreamed that everyone showed up at Canlis in jeans and just chitchatted with each other through the whole ceremony, not paying attention. Our officiant forgot major parts of the ceremony and when I complained about it, no one was listening. Plus I couldn't find my dress and had to wear some of my regular work clothes.

So really, the actual event can only be an improvement over that! Honestly, we're looking forward to it. And I'm looking forward to a nice 2 week vacation. I haven't taken that much time off at once since starting at Microsoft in November 2002. Raman out.