Wednesday, April 11, 2007

1999: Bybee and LaMonte tie the knot

Today's my wedding anniversary. #8. Trying to figure out ways to celebrate by myself. Later this evening, I'm going out with some of my students to a restaurant that specializes in -- get ready for it -- intestine stew. This is a big delicacy in Korea. Because of the language barrier, I suppose I won't be clear on if they're pig intestines or cow intestines. Does it matter, really?

Meanwhile, I've got a Tom Waits song running through my mind. I don't know the title, but it's played at the end of a movie called Pollock, starring Ed Harris (who LaMonte resembles a bit) as Jackson Pollock and Marcia Gay Harden as Lee Krasner. (who I don't resemble, regrettably)

So for now, a little blogging, a little reminiscing. Surely there have been worse 8th anniversaries in the history of the world.

LaMonte and I got married in Las Vegas. Not very literary, but eventually literature will catch up. Oh wait -- Larry McMurtry set one of his novels, The Desert Rose, in Las Vegas. That's good enough for me.

I remember which book I packed along for the 3-day trip. I was in the process of reading Middlemarch by George Eliot. When I started it, I remember wondering which side of matrimony I'd be on when I was finished. Actually, Middlemarch is a bit of a downer to read when you're on your way to the altar -- Dorothea Brooke marries creepy old Casaubon, and the nice doctor, Lydgate, falls in love with Rosamond, who is spoiled and petulant and overly concerned with her place in society.

I like to think about LaMonte's proposal, which occurred several months before the happy date. I'll fast-forward past his asking and my agreeing and drive right into the subsequent conversation:

LaMonte: ...and I've got a date all figured out. April 11th.

Me: How'd you come up with that date? [getting an idea] Hey, how about April 14th? That's the date the Titanic went down! That would be kind of cool, historical, you know.

LaMonte: [ignoring the Titanic remark] Well, the 11th because your birthday is December 11th, so it would be easier to remember that part. And April because I just like April.

Me: But April is the cruellest month. [by now you've gathered that I'm not an easy person to propose to, right?]

LaMonte: What? No, it's not! Who says?

Me: T.S. Eliot.

LaMonte: Who the hell's T.S. Eliot?

Me: He's a poet from St. Louis who moved to England.

LaMonte: Never heard of him.

Me: He's pretty famous. We had to read him in school.

LaMonte: Whoever he is, he doesn't know shit --

Me: Oh, he's dead now.

LaMonte: Excuse me, didn't know shit. April's a nice month.


*********************************

LaMonte,
I know if you had to choose between reading my blog and a healthy portion of piping-hot intestine stew, it would be a hard call, but if you do happen to visit here, happy anniversary! I like you a hell of a lot better than I would have liked old Casaubon.
xoxoxo

11 comments:

kookie said...

Congrats on your anniversary. Too bad about being apart.:(

Be sure and tell us all about the intestine soup. Blech. I don't eat organ meat as a general rule, but I'm still curious.

Isabella K said...

Happy anniversary! Awfully glad for you he didn't turn out like that dreadful Casaubon.

joemmama said...

Congats to you!! I just celebrated 32 with the Man.....We have missed you!!Glad you are back!!

Bybee said...

Kookiejar:
The intestine stew was pig intestine. Believe it or not, it really was delicious. The intestine was grilled, with a bit of kidney, then cut up and mixed in a stew comprised of kimchi, onion, water and chili pepper. The stew cooked right there at the table and smelled so good. The side dishes were more kimchi, very fresh and good, slightly boiled peanuts flavored with soy sauce and sugar, and a steaming bowl of rice topped with dried seaweed, which we mixed into our helpings of stew. Chilled ice water was the beverage. Intestine stew is very popular as a hangover cure, as you sweat while you're eating it!

Isabella,
That Casaubon made my skin crawl!! I wanted to yell at Miss Brooke for her wrongheadedness, but then felt so sorry for her on her honeymoon and after.

Joemmama,
Big Congrats to you! 32 is impressive. I missed blogging as well, but now I feel stiff and awkward at it. It's like I need a writing barre at which to warm up.

MissMiller said...

Glad to see you back again. Great post. Hope you had a wonderful anniversary!

Chris said...

'99 was a good year.

I don't think George Eliot thought much of marriage. She had her own ups and downs with it.

My dh would react the same way about the T.S. Eliot reference. Well, he would know the quote from the Simpson's (Lisa goes to a poetry reading. The MC checks the mike with that quote.)

Anyway Happy Anniversary! Enjoy the, um, stew.

Eva said...

Happy (belated) anniversary! Your anniversary is my birthday. :D I think it's a great day!

SFP said...

Happy anniversary!

Lotus Reads said...

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, Bybee and here's to many,many more!

Intestine soup!?! You do make it sound quite appetising and I probably wouldn't mind tasting some. And I'll bet you get asked this question all the time, but do they really eat dog in Korea? I don't mean for this question to be offensive or anything, I'm just curious to know if it's true or just a myth.

Bybee said...

Yeah, it's true. I never have, though. My co-workers tell me that it's not bad, though. Special dogs are bred and raised for the purpose of eating them.

The Koreans believe that it cools your blood and helps you withstand the hellishly hot month of July 15-August 15. Also, it's supposed to give a man added potency and stamina, so it gets a big thumbs-up here at my school which is 80% male!

Lotus Reads said...

LOL, Bybee, OK, I can see why it's so popular! Thank you so much for shedding light on this...I have always wondered but didn't know who to ask!