the heretic genetic algorithm

Well, lots has happened, and it should be updated about.

First of all, our wedding was fab. It was surrounded by stress and woe, but once we got down to Huntstile Farm on the Friday, I felt I could put that stuff aside and get on with it for 24 hours. I decorated the marquee myself - lots of spring flowers, a general butterfly theme, and tables named after GFs from Final Fantasy 8. Absolutely perfect. Making a table plan is harder than you think, especially when you want to keep your inlaws away from your bitchy family members, but it worked ok. And I even managed to get some sleep Friday night :)

Saturday morning was more of the busy, then around lunchtime I went to get ready, with help from the able Ninneviane. Although, to be fair to my own abilities, I have got the hang of make-up now. The photos actually do a reasonable job of making me look somewhere between presentable and reasonably attractive (:P) which is really where a gaming-girl-geek should aim for her wedding day.

The ceremony was fab and everything we could have wished for - the druids did a great job of making something meaningful, an having the whle of the Somerset Levels spread in front of you as you make your vows has to be inspiring. Lots of wonderful people came, I made a speech, we ate and drank to our hearts' content and partied late courtesy of the Jellied Reels. T be honest, I could say so much more, but it's a strangely personal event that I'd have to dwell on a long while before I regurgitated in any meaningful fashion, so that it the that about it, really.

The honeymoon was also good, despite having to break for 0ct0pus' grandma's funeral. It was a wedding sandwiched in death, which made it kind of bizarre. Although wonderful, I still feel a layer of detachment from it and a certain residual stress at the huge conflict of emotions around the whole thing. It was great to meet some more in-laws. Glen Coe moved me deeply. And then we spent a week parked up in a beautiful campsite near Arisaig. Ten steps from the beach of silvery sands cupping shallow blue lagoons. Cuckoos and boat trips to Muck (with an orca) and lovely walks. Gazing at the gentle breathing of the water in and out of the estuary next to the van. We will most definitely go back.

Two down points. A first mild one in the most boring hitcher known to man. Either don't say anything, or earn your keep with interesting tales, will ya? And the second much more serious in that the brakes locked (or something - I'm still unclear) on the M6 on the way back and someone rear-ended us. Which could have been a lot worse (we were in a roadworks zone doing 50) but still has shaken me and put me right off camper vans for life.

Time since we got back has been spent going to my own grandparent funeral, and trying to integrate back into real life. Like I said, the strain of so much going on in such a short space of time has left me uncharacteristically knackered, but given that I've not stopped in four or five years, this is probably a god thing and only to be expected. I've been working on my garden a lot, and slowly getting back to my gardening jobs. I've volunteered for an artistic collaboration with a total stranger just to push the boundaries, but other than that I will be taking it rather easy for the summer.

I'm too busy right now. Whirling through things. Seems even a low-key wedding takes some input...

The Prodigy Gig was absolutely spiffing. Ironically, my brother and his ex seemed to be getting on the best they ever had. Which made life easier for me and 0ct0pus, but will probably only last until the ex finds out he was dinking someone else for a month before he dumped her for being boring. Mind you, saying that, he's dumped the new one because it was all a bit intense. I think I can hear the squealing of train brakes being applied just a little too late to avoid a crash.

Oh well. prodigy were good and I did much dancing. Lots of stuff from their new album, which I really like, and a good mix from their back catalogue. Even the DJ before them was pretty fine, getting some Baba o'Reilly into the mix and managing to whip the crowd into a threshold before fever pitch which made for a pretty explosive gig.

That gave me plenty o'energy for a week or so, during which I invented the nouveau concept sport, RAGING. Like a combination of raving and jogging which means you plug in your IPod and combine stylish dance moves with running in a parkour-esque new urban exercise concept. Or alternatively (and this is also covered in the name) you look like a 28 Days Later zombie. And I also have Global Gathering tickets to keep the party running.

The energy has been eroded. Grandad is still ill (improving physically, but not really eating) and one of my aunt's goes round expeting him to die pretty much at any minute. Which rubs off on me a bit and has been quite depressing. He's not well, and it's risky, but he's not actually that ill. Ironically, she's the born again aunt. I don't get her - in my opinion, the only bloody advantage in believing in god is to have some purpose, positivity and serenity in life. Otherwise, what's the point?

Also, the bairn is having a whiny week. Meh. And did I mention the wedding planning?

Anyway, had a great and groovy birthday (visited Batsford Aboretum and was given Beowulf and a lovely new camera case).And went to see The Boat That Rocked, which was far far better than I expected. The garden is all but re-landscaped (pictures soon, really), running is going well, and I really so need to get back into my yoga thing.

Who knows if I'll post again before wedding and camper van trip to Scotland? Hope so, but if not see y'all in May!

We have the legal wedding in slightly over a week. Everything is fine with this. I'm not really bridezilla material, and this feels more like a job interview - good things will come of it, but right now boxes need to be ticked and so on. Roll on the May shenanigans, in my opinion. But the dress is nearly made and goddam gorgeous. It has been accessorised and ably cosmetically enhanced by the skills of the wonderful ninneviane. Nibbles are bought, flowers ordered, and my man apparently looks right hunky in his outfit :)

Presents are proving to be a chore, though. And I say this in the full knowledge that I probably sound like an ungrateful git. We'd originally said no pressies (really, we have enough plates :)), then conceded either charity donations or contributions via Amazon to a new TV. But that ain't working for the in-laws. Oh no. Firstly, they don't want to give to charity, because they already do that. Really, I don't see what difference it makes where your money lands after it's left your bank acount but each to their own. Unfortunately, plan B isn't working for the either. Apparently there are things in our house that aren't as good as they should be, and so we should (psychically) guess what they are and ask for replacements.

This pisses me off righteously, to be honest. Firstly, it's patronising. We aren't short of cash, ergo it's likely that our lack of relentless consumerist upgrade is due to the principle that if it's not bust, we're not going to fix it. The sofa has been cited as an example - it's a practical, reasonably attractive, and a mere 8 years old. But apparently not comfy enough. I'm not having a problem, to be honest. I find sitting up straight helps.

But seriously, I'm at a loss here. We've managed an IKEA voucher to upgrade the offspring's room as one suggestion. But really,Ｉ　so lack need that this is becoming a struggle :(