Think back to your glory days. High school, college, whatever they were - there was one thing that made you feel alive, that made you feel like you were whole, complete - that one thing that made the rest of the world go away. This sounds cheesy the way I'm describing it, but really, it's so true, isn't it? Maybe it's walking out on the soccer field, the smell of grass and mud hitting your nose, the feeling of the shinguards strapped to your legs, the tensing in your legs right before the whistle blows... or maybe it's the stage where you stand with your closest friends and the music hits and while it was work while you were practicing, now the motions come completely naturally and together, as a troupe you move in sync. I could go on, but odds are, not that many people even bother reading my crap.

I recently got a membership to 24 Hour Fitness Sport. It costs a little extra, but I wanted the Sport membership because Sport gyms have a... say it with me... lap pool. Now, joining a gym is one of the last things I really had any interest in. I HATE gyms. I'm not a big guy. I'm not a particularly brawny guy. And I find lifting weights to be really boring. So, when I actually do decide to use the weights, and I saunter past all the machines, grab the freeweights, and lay on the bench to do my flys and presses with the 25 pounders right next to both a) the GINORMOUS dudebro powercurling the 375 pounders and b) the soccer mom using the exact same weight as me, it's a little humbling. I hate being humbled.

But the pool! Ah the pool... who uses the pool at gyms? Old people with joint problems. When I swim there, I pass everyone. It's a real self esteem booster, if you don't take into account the fact that the guy in the lane next to me has ear hair older than me. It's great. I never have to share a lane, either. I went out and bought all the swimming accoutrements like a pull buoy and a kickboard, and I can just see it when people come in and see my pile of stuff at the end of the lane - that look that says, "aw crap, this guy's really serious about this stuff. I do NOT want to swim with him." Not only are they good for me, but they keep me isolated from the old people!

On top of the health benefits, there are all the psychic benefits as well. The smell of chlorine that soaks into my skin. The ragged, frizzed feeling of my hair. The red circles around my eyes from the goggles. That all-over, total body exhaustion that comes from a good swim. It's probably one of the greatest feelings of nostalgia ever.

Uh, I don't know how to end this blog...

we bought our wedding bands on saturday. check it, homies:

Tungsten with a bronze gold band running through it. Untraditional, and yet, not lame looking. Plus Tungsten will never scratch or dull. This ring will be around forever....

Just like our love! ::fart noise:: ::blatantly steals from Aaron::

Don'tcha? Well, because I'm kinda PW'ed and I actually like these pics a lot, here are the photos from our engagement session, which included a professional photgrapher snapping us from all angles while we acted "natural."

In this first pic, Alli was carrying her shoes and purse in her hand. She said it would have been perfect if not for that, so I used my mad photoshop skillz. What what!

Nothing like straddling and uncomfortable rock to say "romance." Also... take no notice of my neck fat.

I can't believe he got this one! This is totally candid. I mean, we were just frolicking in the surf fully clothed at sunset as usual, and our photog just happened to catch us! What a crazy coincedence!

Ora le guey! Que onda? Chu lookin' at my heina, guey? Es muy bonita, no? If che were a beer, che'd be la heina mas fina.

You know, this photo was originally HUGE before I resized it... it was a whole lotta face. But I realized something. I have gorgeous eyes and Alli is a very lucky woman to have a stud like me around.

Okay, I have no snarky remarks for this one... it's... yeah. I dig it.

And this last one is one that Alli will hate me putting up... so here it goes. This is a real candid moment. This is a common, everyday moment in our relationship, regardless of the setting. If you ever wondered what it was like to be Matt and Alli (which you probably didn't) this photo says it. Seriously. Although, again, ignore the neck fat.

If anyone was wondering, these photos were taken on Coronado Island, out behind the Hotel Del Coronado by Greg Bluffin of Got the Shot photography, our wedding photgraphers.