Heidi’s wedding and more + bonfire

November 18, 2023:

Ok, yesterday was 100% my best day post-injury, and I didn’t write a word of this. That was because I slept over at the Hoefs' house and didn’t have a laptop. I posted one pic on my site from my phone, and called it a “placeholder.” Let’s go back to earlier in the day. Not even gonna cover a lot today, but meds at 8:45am not 9 because I had to leave to meetup with Heidi to get ready. I decided to skip mock trial, and thought later that was a fantastic decision.

Anyways, I went over to Jorge’s house to pick up Heidi, and brought her to the mall. First, we went to Target, and I bought thongs for the first time since the crash. Then, we met up with Aleyah, from Massage Envy in Duluth, and did Sephora. It was kinda good we did Sephora, since I’d forgotten my extra makeup bag. Also bought a new lip color thing, which was on my “potentially acquire” list. After we finished there, we went back to the Hoefs house. There, we met Naomi from high school, and her cousin Heddwen, who wants to be a nurse. I had a GREAT talk with both of them about my charming situation. Also at the house, I met a Mexican guy named Bedrich, who's Heidi’s sister’s boyfriend. I spoke a little Spanish with him and said I’d been afraid I wouldn’t be able to at this wedding. I also wrote “I could NOT have done this without the fanny pack,” which mom had suggested I leave at home. My other thought was that I really should have been wearing a fanny pack when I was a newspaper photographer, since you can carry an extra lens. Also talked to a girl, Kylie, about tattoos, and she suggested if I wanted Spanish, maybe doing a quote or a word. Good I’ve got a Google doc for my “important thoughts” in Spanish. Had white wine too. I wrote it was important I could be a “photographer happens to have a brain injury,” when there. Also that: “the brain injury is kind of just another weird quirk about me,” since that’s what it felt like there.

At the wedding, I gave out a TON of photography business cards. All the ones I had. Made me think I’ve gotta buy more. LIterally, I feel like things don’t happen if I don’t take notes on them, kinda bc of my TBI. Frankly I used my notes quite a bit to know people’s names yesterday. I didn’t write much later in the night though, so I guess it didn’t actually happen.

Oh well, I should just talk through my photos. The cool thing was that after we left the place, Holman’s Table I think, we all went back to the Hoefs house and had a bonfire. That’s where the far right photo comes from. There’s a bunch of important pics that aren’t in here. Almost like I had a very good day. Also cool because I’d been afraid I’d never be able to shoot a wedding again after the TBI bc I couldn’t earn 2,000 or something. Just told Heidi to make sure it was less than that. Josh actually is the one who Venmoed me, and he went like 100 over what we agreed on. I’m not even CLOSE to being done editing. Just wanted to get this kind of done first, tho I know I’ll add more as I remember more. I don’t even remember who the people were in the far right photo, but it was at the bonfire! Think I at least make good photo selection here, even though I didn’t get a single one that kinda captures how good the day was. Let’s do today’s now, the 19th.