NBC, BACHELORS AND BITCHIN* ICE.

I'm pretty far removed from single-hood. I've been married *murmur* odd years... (nearly two decades) Well, married in June of 1989. Our wedding was featured, in fact, on NBC Sunday Today show with Maria Shriver! (Ooooh, Aaaaah) Yes, Mrs. Arnold... our current Governor.

We were selected by the church at random to be "screened" as potential candidates for a "June is the month of Brides" type featurette they were going to do. Did I care if they gave them my number. Naw.. No biggie. I didn't know what it was about but I wasn't a high-strung bride. I wasn't running around in circles wringing my hands over tiaras, bridesmaids dresses, reception venues or caterign minutiae. So why not??- It sounded fun.

A woman called me by the name of Anne Opotowsky-- can't forget a name like that. We chatted on the phone for Oh 30-40 minutes... she was easy going, nice... asked questions about my Mom and Grandmother. Asked if either of THEM would agree to be interviewed. I said.. No IDEA. You'd have to ask 'em. I don't see why not. Turns out neither one minded much. We were all flown to Los Angeles for interviews (Oh and my then fiance too). They wanted to film my wedding, maybe the rehearsal, yada yada... No problem. So it was a go. They put a 15 min segment together about three generations of brides. (First my grandma during WW2, then my Mom, married and divorced 4 times. Then they went on to speculate on where WE were headed. (My fiance and I) It was really quite cool to have it documented that way... there was a voice over comment they must have asked my step-dad (Who I call Dad) How he thought we'd fare... and his answer aired on national TV. He gave us a thumbs up...of course I'm largely paraphrasing. That was cool too. NBC was at the reception -- in my in-laws backyard... it was low key but we all had a fabulous time.



You are wondering... WTH does ALL THIS have to do with bachelorhood???!!! Well.. it puts into perspective how long ago it was I was living on my own to appreciate this bachelor (could be a bechelorette) novelty.

We were at a bookcrossing http://bookcrossing.com/ meetup at a friends BRAND new place. The FIRST people over! Very much like launching a boat, sans champagne. We were getting the full tour and in the full pride of bachelorhood.... He opened kitchen cuppoards to show how they were all bare. Yup. Mother Hubbard's got nuthin' on him. *(Last place on EARTH I want to be when the big one hits, btw). Now I'll GRANT you it had a leather chair to DIE for and HDTV that would rival actually being there. It's just I'm thinking the power will go out and the microwave will be out... so they'd just find my malnourished bones, weeks later- in the amazing chair.

So, back to the story-- the tour is just about over... but not just yet. "Hey, there's something neat I've got to show you guys... It really works great", he says. Perhaps trying to convince us all he will survive a natural disaster afterall??? He opens the freezer and pulls out a fast food beverage cup with the original ice-- refrozen. Let me describe the cup. It has old ice in it--all Coke colored or Dr. Pepper or Pepsi tinged around the edges. He lights up... "REALLY, this is great!!! It keep the soda from getting that watered down taste! You should try it!! I've had this same cup now, oh a couppla months.. I use it every day! And.. it gets SO cold... EVEN if I use Seven UP it doesn't even get the coke taste... I just put it back in the freezer and perma-frozen ice-- ready-to-go!"

Now why didn't I think of that???!!!!! I have a first aid kit that RED CROSS would be proud of, a cupboard that visitors ooohh and aaahh over and say things like ... "save me a spot when the end is near" and "waiting for a nuclear disaster?" and things like that. BUT, I hadn't thought of THAT. I think I'm too far removed from the bachelor/ette days. It is DEFINATELY something I would have done twenty years ago. If I'd thought of it. C'est la vie. I DID suggest that In-and-Out has a COOL beverage cup (palm trees) for a stylish look that doesn't speak to a preference for Burger King, Jack-in-the Box, McDonalds..... Or tip off any future bachelorettes to your dining preferences. (Besides, In -and-Out has a hip kind of vibe if you are GONNA admit to doing fast food). SO next time I happened to be driving by an In and Out-- I'm gonna pull in and ask for a small or medium cup of ice to go. (come on,...Freeezer space is limited in a MARRIED's freezer). Next time we have a meetup over there I'm gonna peek in the freezer... if there are TWO cups... I'll know there's something (you know) going on... ;-)

I'm pretty sure NBC hasn't done a featurette on this recycled ice thing....
but you never know. I wonder what Anne Opotowsky is up to these days?

FOOTNOTE: *BITCHIN: http://http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bitchin