As a mid-twenties middle-sized-city-dweller, this year has been the year of weddings. In fact, I'm on my way to one right now, chipping in this post right before I go help friends and family to their seats [I'm an usher]. [Congrats Seung-hee and Whitney!]

At the end of 2009, I'll have been to nine weddings this year, and I don't recommend that for a host of reasons, most of which you already know.

1. Broke Phi Broke - I am broke, straight up. I don't even want to calculate the costs for Weddings 2009. I know I'll be surprised. And I know I'll not want to go to weddings again. I'll factor in vacation days with this one. All corporate drones feel me, but those 3-day/4-day weekends add up and when you can't go home for Christmas to see little Soleil, then you might get a bit snuffed.
   
2. Exhaustion - These wedding weekends really pull a number on my work schedule and there's usually a period of limbo when I'm trying to reorganize and steer back on track. Those red-eye flights, though genius in conception, put your body to work. Sometimes, I enjoy them for the sadistic anticipation just to see if "I'll make it" the next day at work.
3. Time Sink - It's tough to actually spend time with the bride and groom during these things. It's monkey-style busy and there's so much going on that when I get to see the bride and groom, it's like a celebrity sighting. This is expected, so it's all good.

My friend, Dave, and I have a number of mutual friends and we've been hitting many of the same weddings this summer. Early on, we decided that good times are legit and worthwhile and at some point in the conversation one of us said, after noticing we'd be at the same weddings this year, "memorieeeessss," and of course we laughed at our own ridiculous, nonsensical phrase. But it capped a good night and the resulting year of weddings as been more than legit.

Amidst the ongoing membership to Broke Phi Broke, the red-eyed madness, wondering if a toaster is truly the right gift, and recalculating visiting my family for the holidays [I'll make it work], Memories 2009 is looking to be a banner year. Dave is capping it off big-time with his own wedding at the tail end of the wedding season. Congrats Dave and Ji-Hye!

I'll admit it, I'm just a sucker for a good party and a legit celebration.

HOLLA