Securing my digital future

Recently, I renewed my URL for this blog as well as the URL of my own name. You should always try to maintain the URL of your own name, just in case you become famous or something. Or, to prevent your own identity from being hijacked by someone who builds a website filled with horrible things -- like parallel parking and olives.

I rent my house and I lease my car but, gosh darn it, if I don't own URLs. Does it get any more "millennial" than that?

Anyways, as typically happens when I'm looking at URLs and protecting future me from the humiliation of having a website dedicated to parallel parking under my name, I fell down the rabbit hole of looking up what other URLs are still available. This may sound like a boring activity, but it's actually pretty intriguing. For example, did you know that www.LindsayLovesJellyBeans.com is still available? It would be perfect for when I start my restaurant specializing in wine and jelly bean pairings.

In the end, though I was tempted to purchase LindsayAndBeyonceBFF.com, I opted to just add various versions of my soon-to-be married name to my URL arsenal. And I threw in a new email address.

This is something I think is missing from all these "So You're Getting Married, Here's a To-Do List" lists you are bombarded with when you get engaged:

If you're gonna change your name, you gotta scoop up that domain. 

(I should trademark that! Searching ChangeYourNameScoopThatDomain.com as we speak...)

This is where I should note that you don't have to change your name. I just want to make it clear that I do not believe women/men need to change names when they get married. Have different names. Switch names. Make up a new name. Whatever. 

If I thought J would go for it, I'd suggest we become "The Aaawesomes." Triple A to ensure any future offspring will be in the front of the alphabet for things like Line Leader Day and Graduation. Then we can grab that diploma and skip out for ice cream faster than they can say Bueller, am I right? 

But back to my original topic. 

I'm neither an internet nor wedding expert, but you can't neglect your digital presence just because you are buying wedding magazines and picking out colors. C'mon, people, have some priorities.  We had our wedding hashtag within three days of getting engaged. We didn't have a venue or a date but, gosh darn-it, there was a hashtag. 

And now I have a URL and an email address to throw into the mix. The whole marriage thing seems very real when you see your new name in an email address. I'm ready. Let's do this.  

Things I've learned about puppyhood

Jordan and I have been woken up every two hours for the last four nights by our five-month-old puppy, Norman. I won't go into the details but let's just call it a "bowel situation."

Every two hours.

For four straight nights.

The fact that Jordan and I are both slightly dying more and more with every 3AM outing does not bode well for any children in our future.

Every two hours.

For four straight nights.

(At this point, will the moms please spare me the "girl, you have no idea!" comments. Puppies are not the same as babies. I know this. But I'm still tired. Just let me have this one, please.)

Really, the fault is ours. Let this be a warning: Don't ever go on vacation without your dog. He will know. He will know and you will pay.

I suppose we should be honored that Norman loves us so much. The feeling is mutual, after all. In my unbiased opinion, he's the very best, most adorable, sweetest, kindest puppy that there ever was.

But, MAN, can he hold a grudge.

An open letter to Bumble and The Hallmark Channel

To Whom It May Concern at Bumble and The Hallmark Channel:

You may already be aware of this fact: Weddings are expensive. Like, really expensive. We want a simple-yet-classy wedding but I've also always wanted to invite all my loved ones, which is quite a few (#blessed). So, even though we're pretty laid back about the aesthetic and vision of our wedding, it adds up.

That's where you come in. I am presenting you with a unique opportunity to put a price on love.

I am inviting you to sponsor our wedding. Here's why:

Bumble,

You're the reason for the season. We met because of you!

We're your classic, modern day love story:

• Girl sees boy on Bumble. Girl swipes right for boy. Boy sees girl on Bumble. Boy swipes right for girl. Bzzzz...it's a match!
• Thanks to Bumble, girl has all the power and comes up with some pithy, intriguing line like "Hi." (I'm not actually sure how our convo started but clearly I #nailedit).  
• Boy and girl meet for drinks so that they have an easy out if things get boring/weird/etc. 
• Boy seems nice. Boy makes girl laugh. Girl is intrigued. 
• Next day, boy and girl text and immediately set up second date for later that week. 
• Eleven months later, ENGAGED.
• Boy and girl live "APPily" every after. (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?)

Of all the (often tedious and exhausting) dating apps out there, you finally came through for us, Bumble. Like a breath of fresh air. He flew into my life. The buzz of our wedding is all because of you! (See, I have so many bee puns you could use!)

I'm back...again. This time with a fiance & a puppy.

Me again.

I'm still here. Boy, have I had a year. (This is not going to be a poem. That was a coincidence).

I finished grad school, got a new job, and, as you probably know because you likely clicked through to this blog from my social media and/or you're my mom, I'm getting married in December.

And my fiance, Jordan, and I got a puppy.

And we moved across the river to Alexandria, Virginia where we're renting a town home and do things like trim hedges and hire gutter cleaners.

See, do I win for life updates or what?

I keep getting asked (hi mom) about the blog and if it's coming back, so I've been thinking about it. I mull it over. Then, I get distracted by things like drinking wine on the deck and I stop thinking about it. But now I'm on a wedding diet and I don't have as many happy hours and so I'm thinking about it again.