I can very highly recommend Brilliant Earth for those looking to buy an engagement ring (or any jewelry really). They were incredibly helpful, their diamonds come from ethically sound mines (the one I got came from the Ekati mine in Canada) and the end product was beautiful.

So that means… a wedding category. As it seems we’ll actually have to plan a real wedding, hopefully I’ll remember to update this with pitfalls we run into, good deals, ideas, stuff like that. Also, if anyone reading this as suggestions on how to do a good simple wedding without breaking the bank, please drop a comment here. It would be much appreciated.

Job

First up, I’ll be starting a new job in a week and a half. Full time performance testing on n-teir web architecture at a company here in Indianapolis. It’s a HELL of an opportunity to learn alot of exciting technologies. The fat pay increase doesn’t hurt either. It was just time to move on from my job of nearly 7 years (it’s been that long? Cheezus.) to an opportunity that will give me some career growth and advancement. Scary, but awesome.

Personal

I’ve got a heckuva special lady. She pretty much rocks my socks clean off. Living with her now in Irvington (a neighborhood here in Indy) in a rental house. 3 bedrooms, full (unfinished) basement, wood floors,yard, the works. Irvington is a fantastic, walkable neighborhood. Love living there and we really hope to buy a house in a year or so. We’re hoping to have a party of some sort relatively soon. We’re even doing Farm Fresh Delivery now and have received some amazing food, including some brats from Moody’s that were out of this world.

Politics

I really hope to do some more political blogging in the next few weeks up to the election. but short version? It’s hard not to be really optimistic right now. Obama is kicking ass, the polls look amazing and the statistical projections at 538 are not only technically very cool but are (at least right now) projecting an epic ass kicking. Even Indiana is close!!!

John McCain has decended so far into the gutter and his remaining loyalists that show up at rallies are truly disturbing people (yelling “kill him!”, “terrorist!” and “he’s a Muslim” etc).  A President Obama is goign to face soem very stiff challenges comign into office, but I’d rather has his intelligence, reason and measured calm to McCain’s irrational, emotionally charged and dangerousbehavior in the White House.

Locally, it doesn’t look good for JLT to unseat Mitch Daniels. I’m on record as being very unimpressed by JLT’s campaign. I’m not even sure I really want to vote for her. I certainly can’t vote for Daniels. Chris pretty much sums up my feelings about the decision perfectly, so I’ll just let you read that. At this point I’m not really sure who I am going to vote for. I can’t vote for the Libertarian, as not only are Libertarians generally a little delusional, but this one is a pro-life libertarian. Wrap your head around that. Tempted to write in Schellinger for the hell of it.

Other than Governor, Indiana has a chance to send at least one more Dem to congress. The 3rd around Ft. Fun is apparently close, and even Burton and Pence are fighting off strong challenges. if Obama’s ground game really kicks in and alot of the new voters vote straight ticket, who knows what could happen? Also, now that I’m in Irvington I get to vote for John Barnes for State Rep. He’ll be a great state rep. ALso pulling for Mary Ann Sullivan to unseat John “The Rod’ Elrod to join Barnes in the State House. She came to a couple Drinking Liberally nights and I was incredibly impressed with her.

That’s a good quick and dirty summary of things right now. Here’s hoping I can get back on the blogging horse again.