Spent last weekend in Philly/New Jersey attending the world's longest wedding, seeing the sights, and hanging out with a bunch of smart people from Cal-Tech. We drove there and back. While cramming two fourteen hour car rides in four days didn't seem like a bad idea at the time we came up with it, let me tell you that I don't think we'll be doing THAT again. We barely survived, subsisting on fifteen year old music, free visitor center maps and brochures, energy drinks, and mindless chatter. And we made a vow to each other that we will never, under any circumstances, drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike again. I think we made that vow six years ago when we drove out to Virginia, but this time we mean it. It's expensive to drive on that mother (thirty bucks just one way across), it seems to be perpetually under construction, and Pennsylvania- well, it's just too wide and boring.

We arrived on Thursday night and headed over to Dee's house for a kind of rehearsal dinner party. We ate Indian food, which for me was kind of a mixed bag, tastewise, politely refused Henna tattoos, and then sat around on the porch and listened to Dee's father talk about a myriad of topics including the unemployment rate, the best way to purchase a car, and Germany. It was a pretty nice time, and Dee's family was very hospitable. I especially appreciated the way people jumped in to explain the food when I stared at it rather dumbly. I've never really eaten Indian food before. I had no idea what I was looking at. I still couldn't tell you what it was that I ate. Oh, me. So uncultured.

Friday, we headed into Philly and saw the Liberty Bell (much smaller than I would have thought, totally cracked), a bunch of stuff relating to Ben Franklin, and almost went through Independence Hall but were too easily discouraged by the complicated ticketing system. We ate cheesesteaks from Jim's, walked along South Street, and then found ourselves deciding to see a movie since our bodies still had bed sores from the drive in, and it was much too painful to keep walking. We saw Food, Inc, which I highly recommend. It's already changed the way I eat.

Friday night, we hung out with some of Chris' old friends from Cal-Tech. They were all very nice, and it was great to see this one guy, Matt, again. However, I must say that there was something about this particular group of people that made me feel rather dull and uninteresting. The group included physicists and scientists and geologists and computer geeks and lawyers and even the daughter of a senator (which I thought was super cool), and then there's me. I work at a bank. I'm smart, but I'm by no means brilliant. The most interesting things about me can be directly related to the television shows I watch. I don't know- I was jealous of these people and their... accomplishments? Aspirations? Whatever.

Saturday was the wedding. Sweet fancy moses. First there was a Hindu ceremony, which lasted well over two hours. Then there was a break for lunch. After lunch, there was a Catholic ceremony, but the Catholic ceremony was delayed by an hour due to the bride not being ready. Have you ever met a bride so nice she's married twice... in one day? Now I can say that I have. After the Catholic ceremony, we had cocktails and appetizers and then went to the reception itself. I must say that the wedding was very lavish and, despite all the sitting and waiting, it was probably one of the nicest weddings that I've been to. Food and drink were phenomenal, and the whole affair was held at an upscale complex called The Mansion. Each part of the wedding took place in a different part of The Mansion, which was kind of cool. Very grand.

And then, Sunday, the drive home. I almost cried tears of joy when we pulled into our driveway after the hella long drive home. Why is it that the best part of any vacation is usually, for me, the moment of relief when my house is in sight? Maybe loving home is one of the many things that makes me dull and uninteresting- maybe I should be more interested in making the best out of a drive across a portion of the country, maybe I should see everything as an adventure to be embraced and learned from. I guess I did learn something, though. I learned how to use cruise control. Can you believe that I've never used cruise control before this weekend? Oh how I've been missing out.