Am I Freaking Out Yet?: Part 2 (plus NPR update)

Am I freaking out yet?  To hear my co-workers and friends tell it, I should be.  If I paid attention to what they said I should be cowering in a corner believing that on Saturday, any and all freedom I currently enjoy will be gone forever and that life as I know it will cease to exist.  Of course, I don’t believe it for a second – but that hasn’t stopped them from telling me, anyway.

It can’t really be that bad. Can it? 

So, no.  I am not freaking out yet, though I am getting slightly nervous.  Not about losing my freedom – I certainly don’t feel trapped into getting married – but the idea of getting married in front of 170 people is a bit daunting.   More than a bit daunting.  You see, I’ve never been one for public speaking, and I definitely do not like being the center of attention.  I understand that I’m going to have to get over it sooner or later – I just hope that “sooner” means before 6pm on Saturday.

To be honest, I’m kind of surprised I’m not more nervous.  I am, however, a little worried that I’m repressing my fears and that on Saturday they’ll suddenly, and without warning, manifest themselves like they did with Chris Elliot’s character in “There’s Something About Mary.”  You remember Woogie, don’t you?  He got so stressed out over Mary that he broke out in huge blotches and began itching uncontrollably.  I don’t really think this will happen to me, but then again, I’m sure Woogie didn’t expect it to happen to him, either.

What will I do to combat my growing nervousness?  I’m not sure.  I do know that on Saturday I’d like to watch the US/England World Cup match, during which time I will resist the urge to drink several pints of Newcastle.  Erica would not be happy if I showed up to the ceremony acting like a hooligan, waving a flag, and chanting incomprehensibly.

I suppose I’ll figure it out on the fly, as I actually have no idea how I’ll feel on Saturday.  If I were a betting man, I’d wager on a mix of excited and nervous, with an extra dose of clammy hands thrown in for good measure.  Until then, we’ll continue to finalize the details and look forward to seeing our family and friends.  As long as I don’t break out in too many blotches, I’m sure it will be a great weekend.

I’ll be back next week with recaps and other items of interest.  In the meantime, my interview with NPR’s Here and Now is scheduled to air tomorrow (Thursday) toward the end of the show.  The broadcast is from 12 – 1pm EDT.  There are various ways to listen, check out this website for more details: http://www.hereandnow.org/