The New Happy Couple

Last week Rachel and I made the approximately twelve-hour (including stops) journey to the Ooltewah, Tennessee for my best friend Jason’s wedding. This wedding was especially momentous for a number of reasons: my friend of twenty or so years was getting married, I was his best man (as he was in my wedding last year), and it was the first wedding of one of my close friends.

While we were down there, both Rachel and I kept busy helping the bride and groom with the final preparations and unexpected tasks; in the end, all was worth it as the wedding went off quite beautifully. They found some of the coolest photographers to shoot the event too, which I confess made us a bit jealous. I took Jason into Atlanta, Georgia for his bachelor party, where we enjoyed some absolutely delicious food from the Seasons 52 in Buckhead. They’re the kind of restaurant the understands how to put together and present a balanced entrée that includes both proteins and perfectly cooked vegetables, as well as serving some mouth-watering flatbread appetizers.

I was really worried about my toast, since Jason’s toast at my wedding last year was spectacular. I’d say mine ended up rather smooth, too – the audience laughed when I hoped they would. Pro toasting tip: keep it heartfelt, concise and to the point, and deliver it confidently (remember Owen Wilson’s advice in the Wedding Crashers?). It’ll save you from the awkward rambling speeches. The newlyweds are currently honeymooning in Savannah where Rachel was able to score them a spot in one of the very nice Marriott locations. Congratulations Jason and Kaylin, now Mr. and Mrs. L! I now have at least one friend who knows the incredible rush of elation you feel upon seeing your bride walking down the aisle.

In addition to seeing two new states, we got to take the new Insight for a long drive totaling about 1700 miles when all was said and done (that’s roughly half of what I’d put on the car until then). We managed 50.1 mpg on the way down, and 55 for at least one leg of the trip back. All told, we got 49 mpg for the entire trip, including all of the short trips up and down steep hills we did while in the Ooltewah/Collegedale/Chattanooga area.

Finally, I also had the opportunity to meet Kristopher, a guy I was introduced to online via Jason. It turns out that he’s not, in fact, an owl (as his avatar suggests), and he’s just as awesome in person. Thanks, Jason, for having a wedding to bring me to Tennessee so I could meet Kristopher! In all seriousness, we’ll have to head back to visit our TN friend at some point. Thanks general ridiculousness, we can’t rent cars for a couple of years yet. This means no airborne shortcuts into the state unless somebody feels like driving us around the whole time.