7 copies of book 7!

Don't worry, no spoilers here!

This is my left wrist wrapped in seven wristbands so I could buy seven copies of the seventh and final Harry Potter. Since Beth and I have a membership to Barnes & Noble, I was the appointed one to buy all the copies of the book for ourselves and our friends. Karl and I lined up at 6 p.m. this past Friday to get a wristband for each copy we reserved. Then at midnight we braved the insanity that was the store to buy the books. Only Jessie, Libby, and I waited in the line, while the rest of our crew waited outside. Everyone around us was amused by the wristbands. Once we had the books, the booked it (get it!) for home, and we all spent Saturday secluded from each other reading the book.

Karl and I put together this genealogy of how to buy the books:
1. I called to reserve the books
2. I lined up to get a card
3. I turned in my card to get a wristband
4. I lined up at midnight
5. I used my wristband to get into my group (group 6)
6. I waited till my group was called
7. I lined up near the register to actually buy the book
8. I bought the book

What cracked us up is how many times we lined up to get permission to line up later.

So that's it. Let us know when you're done reading so we can talk about it!

Our ACTUAL New House!

Above is a slideshow of our actual new house! (The previous post about our new house was actually Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. We stopped there with Chip and Marcia on the way back from the Outer Banks.) The vital stats: built 1918, Arts and Crafts style, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, detached 2-stall garage, living room, dining room, den, awesome kitchen, fenced-in backyard, big front porch. It's in a neighborhood of Columbus called Clintonville. It's northeast of the Ohio State campus, about 3 miles from where we live now. Great family neighborhood. We're two blocks away from a great park, a couple blocks from the highway, and close to grocery stores, restaurants, church, etc.

One quick note: the stuff you see in the house isn't ours - it belongs to the sellers. We took these pictures while doing the home inspection. Our closing date is set for July 29, although our current lease isn't up until September 1st. So we'll spend the month of August packing, painting, and moving in. Should be exciting! We're hiring movers for the big stuff, but if anyone wants to help with smaller boxes or painting or just hanging out at the new place, you're more than welcome! Can't wait for you all to see it!

Outer Banks 2007!

We were very excited to be able to join the Meyer fam down in Avon, North Carolina again this year. We missed it last June, and didn't realize until now how physically, mentally, and spiritually healing the trip down to the beach is. We felt like we earned this year, after graduation, parties, and crazy-busy work! Enjoy!


Our terrible view of the ocean from the house, Captain's Quarters.


Our terrible view of the ocean from the beach.


Beth found an inexpensive inflatable island at Sam's Club that we brought it down this year. Amazingly enough, it survived the wear and tear of vacation. It sat a large number of people, and thus was lots of fun when hit by a wave...


...as exampled here.


Brave Vitaly holding the baby shark he caught while surf fishing.


Dad Meyer and Uncle Ted fishing.


One of the finds this year was the Old Gray House, an early 1800's house on Hatteras Island that's now a gift shop run by an old couple. It's absolutely packed with shells and beach knick-knacks. I don't know how we missed it after all our years down at the shore.


Beth and I trying to capture some publicity shots featuring Paul Robinett candles and the Atlantic Ocean. Hint: waves = unpredictable.

I graduated!

A month ago today I trotted across the field of the Ohio Stadium, my adviser threw a hood over my shoulders, I bolted up the stage, handed my name card to the dean of the Graduate School, glanced to my left to try and see President Bill Clinton and Senator John Glenn, shook hands with OSU President Karen Holbrook (w/my right hand, like we were taught), nabbed my diploma (w/my left hand, like we were taught), and booked it for... well, not the door. I just walked back to my seat.

Yup, that was graduation day. June 10, 2007. After five (!) years (!) of graduate school, including two years of the Master's with Beth, and then three more of the Ph.D. (with Beth as my sugar momma... just kidding she's wonderful and supported me through it all), I went through the above-mentioned ceremony with 6100 fellow graduates of THE Ohio State University. (So I've been permanently branded a Buckeye, I guess.)

I was most blessed by the presence of so many friends and family in the Stadium that day. I could hear them scream when the Dean read my name. I was and have been even more blessed by all the prayers and support throughout the years of graduate school, as well as all the cards and words of encouragement from those who weren't at graduation. A big thank you to everyone.

Like all graduation ceremonies, you sit for a long time and enjoy the proceedings, while your actual moment of glory is fleeting. But that's not bad. I tried to savor every moment of walking across the field, seeing my adviser smiling as he hooded me, shaking his hand, trotting up the stairs to the stage, hearing my name, and meeting President Holbrook ("Good luck!" she told me). It all happened so quickly.

Fortunately, our good friend Kurt "Red Meat" "Out Late" Olmsted, was there with our camera. He snapped enough pictures of the ceremony and the subsequent party that I assembled them into a simple slideshow on YouTube. He took enough just of me walking the field that it works as a small movie. (Thanks, Kurt!) Enjoy!

We bought a house!

Great condition. Historic value. Late 1700's. Eight bedrooms. Twenty acre gardens. Slave quarters.