A letter to Wheat

To Wheat on the night before we're married,

I'd like to tell you that I'm calm, collected, and excited about tomorrow's events, but you know me better than that. You know I'm freaking out inside - about little details, things we might have forgotten, chances of rain, and people who might not show up. I'm freaking out about falling during the Cha Cha Slide, crying too hard during our vows, and not having a conversation with every single one of our guests. I'm freaking out about wearing a dress all day, not stopping to soak in the moment enough, forgetting one of your relatives' names, and passing out during the ceremony. As you probably imagined, I'm freaking out about all the uncertainties, but there is one thing I'm sure of...

...and that thing is you.

Ever since I met you, you have been the one sure thing in my life. You make me laugh, push me to be a better version of myself, and make every moment I'm with you infinitely better than it would be otherwise. You've comforted me in the hard times and carried me through my grief when I couldn't walk the path alone. You laugh with me, cry with me, pray with me, dance with me, read with me, sing with me, cheer with me, and play with me. You simultaneously lift me up while keeping me grounded. You're the best part of my day and the thing I miss most the instant we part. You're the reason I love looking back, but more importantly, you're the reason I'm excited to move forward.

When I moved to Indianapolis for sports journalism graduate school, I thought I'd become a writer. I thought I'd leave a year later with a master's degree, some new friends, and a hockey writing gig. Instead, I found you, something far better than any job I could ever dream to find.

At a point that was probably far too early in our relationship for me to be saying creepy things like this, I told you that I felt like I wrote you. You seemed too good to be true - too funny, too smart, too handsome, too sweet, too romantic, too kind-hearted to be in love with me. I felt like I conjured you up in my mind, put pen to paper, and willed you into existence. But instead of being afraid that I'd lose you (which I imagined would be my subconscious natural state throughout our relationship), I felt sure. Sure that you weren't ever going away, sure that we met for a reason, and sure that I would spend the rest of my life loving you completely.

So, I transitioned from writing you to writing with you, which I assure you has been much more fun. Although the last three years have been the hardest of my life, they've also been the best, simply because you held my hand through them. You've cared for me when I was sick, wiped away my tears, put up with my celebrity crushes, slow-danced with me in the living room, introduced me to so many new, awesome things, and shown me the real definition of man meat. I can't wait to write the rest of our lives together.

You are, bar none, the best thing that's ever happened to me. I couldn't be more proud to be marrying you tomorrow.

I love you, baby bear.

- Britter

An Insincere Pumpkin Patch

I seriously don't know where time is going, so please don't judge me too harshly on my blogging inconsistency. My excuse? I'm getting married in nine days and I think I finally understand the phrase, "I feel like a chicken with its head cut off." Between seating arrangements, detail prep, and last-minute decisions and purchases, it's been a bit overwhelming. This is mostly because I'm a normal human with a full-time job, chores, and other obligations to handle. I still haven't had one single bridezilla-type meltdown, so I'd say I'm doing okay so far.

I also seem to have caught a little bug that's making me cough like crazy and sound like a grown man when I speak. So, that's cool. Hopefully that has resolved itself by the time I'm repeating my vows in front of 100 people. What should I do if I'm still hacking at every other word?

This past weekend, Wheat indulged my stereotypical, girly side by accompanying me to Waterman's Farm Pumpkin Patch. We'd never been to this particular patch before, so I was surprised to find more of a fall festival than a traditional pumpkin patch. Vendors were selling all kinds of food, arts, and crafts, while children rode on spinning pumpkins, ran through illusion tunnels, and climbed rock walls. A mechanical T-Rex was periodically fed large pumpkins that were then smashed between its metal jaws and dropped to the ground (this was also accompanied by Jurassic Park-style roars, of course). A massive blow-up monster called The Beast beckoned people inside its mouth for $5.

Wheat and I opted out of most of the festivities, though we did pet some goats and trek through the corn maze. At my insistence, he joined dozens of children at the top of a huge hay bale mountain for a picture. I bought an apple cider slushie and we took a hayride over to the "pumpkin patch." I use that term very loosely because it was actually just a muddy field with hundreds of pre-picked pumpkins scattered throughout it. Not very sincere, if you ask me.

Despite his intense frustration with carving pumpkins, Wheat picked out the perfect victim and I'm still deciding whether we should carve or paint it. For now, it's serving as the perfect, untouched seasonal decoration in our living room.

On Sunday, I attended my very first Pacers Fan Jam, which is basically a free, preseason pep rally to introduce fans to the team and get them excited for the upcoming season. I'd say that I attended to watch the players scrimmage each other and play knockout, but that would be a lie. I went for the free hot dog, Dr. Pepper, chips, and t-shirt. Unexpectedly, I also got autographs from C.J. Miles, Rodney Stuckey, Solomon Hill, and Shayne Whittington. The highlight of the event, however, was the rookie showcase, where Joe Young performed "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" and Myles Turner sang The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face."

I predict my posting (and reading/commenting) will be a bit sporadic for the rest of the month, so please bear with me. I promise I'll be back in a big way with lots of pictures and excitement from the big day. Stay tuned!

The WNBA and 28 hours in Baltimore

It's official. I've tried everything in my power and life still refuses to slow down. Stubborn punk.

I can't even complain about my work week anymore. It feels like as soon as I drag myself into the office on Monday morning, it's suddenly Friday afternoon and I'm like, "Did I even accomplish anything over the last five days? Is this how adulthood works? How am I already out of Lean Cuisines?"

It doesn't help that Wheat is currently in the throes of the WNBA Finals. He's been jetting back and forth from Chicago, New York City, and Minneapolis for the last several weeks, which means our wedding planning productivity is hovering right around zero. The Indiana Fever play the Minnesota Lynx in a winner-takes-all Game 5 tonight and I'm a little concerned because I can name more members of the Fever roster than the current Pittsburgh Penguins team. I really hope the Fever win the championship - in part for the team, staff, and city, but also selfishly because I want to feel like Wheat's constant travel and my lonesome nights have been worth it.

This past weekend, I was able to attend Games 3 and 4 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Game 3 on Friday night ended with a heartbreaking, 3-point buzzer beater from Maya Moore to win the game for the Lynx, but the Fever fought back on Sunday night to force the rubber match. I was amazed at the intensity and excitement of the home crowd on both nights. The atmosphere really felt like Pacers playoff games and I must admit - those girls are fun to watch.

Sandwiched between the two Fever games, Wheat and I made a blitz trip to Baltimore for my cousin Bryan's wedding. We left at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and arrived at the airport only for me to realize that I'd left my purse and ID at home. PANIC. Wheat, who I'm sure also secretly fights crime on the side, drove back home at no less than 90 mph to pick up the purse. We sprinted to the shuttle, which miraculously was so full at 6:00 AM that it had to skip all the other parking lot shelters and head straight to the airport. Hallelujah. We bypassed check-in, anxiously made our way through the longest security line I've ever seen in Indianapolis, and ran to our gate. Well, let me clarify - Wheat did his best Usain Bolt impression while I huffed and puffed behind him, lugging our suitcase and pulling up my pants. As I stumbled along the moving walkway, I heard them announce last call for Brittany Johnson and Thomas Hotchkiss on the intercom.

Miraculously, we made it three minutes before the gate closed. Thanks to Southwest's seating policy, we had to sit separately in two middle seats, but I'll gladly take that as punishment for my forgetfulness.

Fortunately, the rest of the day was glorious. We spent the entire afternoon with my mom's side of the family, including the groom. We ate Subway sandwiches and cookies, watched Ohio State beat Maryland (which instantly made me the biggest villain in Baltimore, thanks to my loud 'O-H's), played Heads Up, and spent some much overdue time with my cousins, aunts, and uncles.

The wedding was an absolute blast, too. The ceremony was short and sweet and followed by the entire wedding party doing a shot of Fireball. I finally got to meet my cousin Tabitha's precious new baby and had to fight the urge to stare at him all night. Most people, myself included, did a surprise flash mob dance set to "Turn Down for What" for Bryan and his new bride, Ali. We danced like maniacs, posed in the photo booth, ate lots of dessert (pumpkin cheesecake, pies, an ice cream bar, cake!), put on temporary tattoos personalized for the wedding, and cried at my cousin Cody's touching Best Man speech. Most of all, we celebrated an incredible, fun couple and I felt lucky to be there.

Bryan and Ali, here's to a lifetime of happiness and many more family reunions!

All the Awesome is Happening

I'll preface this post with the following (just to keep it real): As always, I have ridiculous levels of anxiety about various things in my life, including personal health concerns, health concerns for loved ones, and oh yeah, planning a wedding. I'm so very excited, but also understandably stressed about everything that needs to happen between now and Halloween. Also, wedding tip #1: Don't have your wedding on Halloween. Lots of people won't come and it will make you sad.

Now that the bad is out of the way, let me share all the awesome things that have happened lately in la vida de Brittany.

- First and foremost, Mommles is doing awesome. The oncologist has scheduled her for a scan in early November and when (cheers to the power of positive thinking) the scan comes back clear, she gets to reduce her chemo from every two weeks to once a month! Obviously, this extended recovery time will make a huge difference in how she feels and hopefully reduce some of her bothersome side effects. We're still so ridiculously proud of how well she's handled everything over the past year and a half. The oncologist really thinks she's a miracle because she's gone from stage four colon cancer to no sign of disease with no recurrences or major issues with treatment. She's a total badass, guys.

- I got an office at work. A dear friend/coworker resigned last week and I inherited her spacious office. I'm thrilled to finally have windows...because, you know, all I need is another distraction.

- American Horror Story: Hotel premiered this week and I'm finally feeling all of the October warm fuzzies. Pumpkin-scented candles are burning, Charlie Brown is wearing his ghost costume, Halloween candy is on the table, and hoodies, boots, and scarves are slowly making their way out of the closet. I really want to visit a pumpkin patch and/or haunted house at some point this month, but I'm not sure it'll happen with all the wedding festivities. Also, can we please talk about Matt Bomer as Lady Gaga's beau in AHS? Was he expertly chiseled from a slab of marble? Perfect specimen.

- Wheat and I are heading to Baltimore this weekend for my cousin's wedding. It's going to be the shortest trip imaginable, but I'm so excited to see my family and celebrate with them.

- My little brother bought a house in our hometown. I'm super proud of him and can't wait to crash on the unfurnished guest room floor. He's so much better at adulting than I am. Any suggestions for manly housewarming gifts?

- Indianapolis continues to blow my mind. For the last few months, Monument Circle has been transformed into this incredible, interactive public space with ping pong, foosball, board game rentals, a listening booth (where someone will listen to whatever you have to say), lots of seating, an outdoor library, and various performances (historical reenactments, musicians, artists, movies, etc.). When I stopped by with my mom last weekend, you could send a free postcard anywhere in the world and color Frida Kahlo. I love living in a city with pleasant surprises around every corner.

Have a great weekend, friends!

O-H! I-U!

Somehow, it's already Thursday and I'm just now getting around to blogging about my weekend. Oops.

Wheat left for Minnesota on Saturday morning to cover the WNBA finals (go Fever!), so my mom agreed to visit and keep me company. I say she 'agreed to visit' because I practically begged her to come. In many ways, I'm like a puppy that needs constant attention...except I'm way worse because I can actually complain when I don't get it. We filled our time with lots of wedding discussion, boneless chicken wings from BW3's that we consumed while watching the Bengals beat the Chiefs, and the season finale of Fear the Walking Dead.

As soon as she arrived on Saturday, we hopped back in the car and headed to Bloomington for the Ohio State-IU game. It was unseasonably chilly and drizzling that day, so we bundled up and wore bright orange Bengals ponchos, which I'm sure looked super cool. We parked in a remote lot and rode a shuttle to the game, which I highly recommend to anyone else with a debilitating fear of traffic and parking nightmares. Upon arrival, we loaded up on concession food, including a massive IU bucket of popcorn, and hunkered down in our seats, which were situated twenty rows up in the end zone.

Fortunately, we were surrounded almost entirely by Ohio State fans, so we didn't feel threatened while cheering for the visitors. The crowd was probably 60-40 in favor of IU, but it was tough to distinguish specific fans with everyone dressed in red. However, we did witness several OSU fans get ejected for starting fights with nearby Hoosier fans. Surprise! Memorial Stadium was impressive and the enormous flag behind the opposite end zone was entrancing. The game, which featured three Buckeye turnovers and several back-breaking penalties, was far too close for comfort. The Hoosiers had a chance to tie the game with seconds remaining (causing Mommles to close her eyes for the final minute), but were unable score on fourth down. In the end, running back and Heisman candidate Ezekiel Elliott's three touchdowns were enough to secure the 34-27 victory and lift my beloved Buckeyes to 5-0.

Ultimately, the game was great, but having my mom there to enjoy it with me was even better...and I'm not just saying that because she stocked us up on groceries, hung a chalkboard on the wall, and dealt with the maintenance man when the refrigerator stopped working at midnight. Anyone else think she's a saint?

Music Bucket List

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite bloggers, Steph at Insert Classy Here, talked about scratching an item off her music bucket list. Suddenly, my imagination went wild with who I'd include on my own coveted list. Assuming that we can't resurrect anyone (hello, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles) and I can't include artists that I've already seen but would love to see again (hello, Michael Buble, John Mayer, The Rolling Stones, Maroon 5, Drake, and M83), here is my ultimate music bucket list:

- Mumford & Sons (Completed on April 24, 2016 and again on March 25, 2019): This one is pretty self-explanatory. Although I haven't listened to their new CD, Wilder Mind, I was infatuated with their previous two albums. I love their folksy vibe and complicated lyrics and Marcus Mumford's voice makes me melt. They're absolutely one of my contemporary favorites and I imagine the experience of seeing them live would be incredible.

- Led Zeppelin: If I could take my mom to any concert imaginable, I would absolutely choose her all-time favorite band, Led Zeppelin. Thanks to her, they've become a staple on my iPod. However, the band hasn't toured since drummer John Bonham died in 1980 and lead singer Robert Plant reportedly turned down an $800 million offer to reunite for a tour last year. In other words, it's not looking good for me...

- Elton John: When I think of my childhood favorites, four names instantly come to mind - Elvis, Madonna, Prince, and Elton. For years, I've been a staunch defender of Sir Elton in the eternal Elton John vs. Billy Joel debate and it'd be a dream come true to see him play the piano in-person and sing along with all of his hit songs. He's setting up shop in Vegas again this October for a brief residency, so if anyone is feeling really generous with their wedding gifts...

Via

- Tom Petty: How about this for a statement?: If you don't want to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform live, then I question not only your taste in music, but also you as a living, breathing human being. I imagine this would be the perfect summer concert when enjoyed on a blanket on the lawn with a big group of friends. Let's make it happen.

- Madonna: *see Elton John explanation* Seriously though, Madonna still performs. At the age of 56, she's crazy active on stage, channels her 25-year-old self with her dance moves, and has some of the greatest pop songs ever written in her repertoire. She was probably my first girl crush and remains one of my favorites to this day. All hail the queen.

- Lady Gaga (Completed on November 5, 2017): It only seems fitting to follow Madonna with Lady Gaga...and I don't mean the super relaxed tour with Tony Bennett, either. Perhaps unsurprisingly (given my love for Lady M), I really like Lady Gaga and think she's a very gifted entertainer, piano player, and vocalist. I love to imagine the intricate set, costume changes, and theatrics that probably comprise her live show. Plus, you know the people-watching in the crowd would be comedic gold.

- Jay-Z: Frankly, I'm shocked I haven't seen him yet. He's my favorite rapper of all-time, bar none, and I actually think he's a genius. I would have given one of my kidneys to see him and Kanye in the Watch the Throne Tour (seriously, the setlist almost makes me cry), but none of the dates or locations worked out. I didn't want to attend the On the Run Tour, which actually made a stop in Cincinnati, because I didn't want to sit through an entire Beyonce show. Has my girl card officially been revoked?

- A major music festival: Again, I'm shocked I haven't done this yet. I know it'll happen eventually - I'm just biding my time until the perfect lineup is announced. I did attend the Dave Matthews Band Caravan in Chicago a few years ago, where I saw DMB (x3), Kid Cudi, Ray LaMontagne, G. Love, David Gray, and Amos Lee among others, but I don't consider that a major music festival. I want to go to one of the classic, annual ones (Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Coachella, etc.).

- Phantom of the Opera (Completed on May 10, 2016): I don't really think this counts, but when I think of live music experiences, I also consider musicals, symphonies, etc. Of all the incredible musicals I've seen over the years, The Phantom of the Opera has somehow eluded me...and it's about time I fix that. Aside from A Chorus Line, Phantom is probably my favorite musical ever, but I need to see it in-person to cement that. The beautiful music, the storyline, the heartache, ugh.

- Dave Matthews Band: Yeah, I'm cheating with this one, but I want to see Dave Matthews Band every single day for the rest of my life. I'll never get tired of the ever-changing setlist and I love guessing what I'll hear at every show. I'll keep seeing them live until they retire or die. Facts are facts.

I would also really love to see Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding, but didn't quite think they made the bucket list yet. Please tell me - who would be on your ultimate music bucket list?

Rooftop Dance Party with the Pacers

You know the fun introduction videos that arenas or stadiums show to hype up the crowd before a game starts? Well, I absolutely love them. Whenever I see a montage of great tackles by the Bengals defense or amazing touchdown catches by AJ Green, I feel like running through a brick wall. Last year, the Pacers had a phenomenal pregame video, which we like to call 'Pacers Prom' because it features the players dressed in suits and awkwardly dancing by themselves to "Mobbin" by Grandtheft. It was, without a doubt, my favorite part of every home game. Enjoy.



This year, the Pacers decided to film their new introduction video outside...on the roof of a parking lot near Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Staff constructed a practice court, which was flanked on both sides by bleachers that overlooked the gorgeous city skyline. A local DJ was hired to emcee the event and the players spent an hour shooting around, practicing dunks, and playing knockout and 2-on-2. Employees were allowed to invite family and friends to the event and I was lucky enough to attend. I'd say it was a perk of dating an employee, but really, I accept it as repayment for Wheat's ridiculous schedule as of late.

Taken from official @Pacers Instagram account.

It was awesome to see the players socialize with each other in a non-game setting. They played around, danced like crazy, and interacted with the fans. Rookie center Myles Turner went out of his way to talk with any and every kid in the crowd, even inviting them to take a couple shots on the court. Despite the strong wind (which had an obvious effect on their shooting), we saw a few spectacular dunks and other shots. The highlight of the event, however, was how quickly this kid transformed into a dance machine when "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" came on. Watch the Pacers' reactions to him. You can also hear me dying in the background.


Honestly, the entire event felt like a strange, yet comforting bonding experience for me - a personal consolidation I didn't even know I was craving. As I looked around at the crowd enjoying their team and their city, I was overwhelmed by this perfect union of the guy I love, how hard he has worked to get where he is, and the wonderful city that brought us together. I often question if I'm where I should be and yearn for new experiences elsewhere, but in that moment, I felt perfectly at home in this place with this incredible life we've already begun to build together.

Taken from @therealnichendrix Instagram account.

...and it didn't hurt that the event was followed by free pizza, dessert, and drinks from Papa John's. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I make an appearance in the video.

Return of the Recap

In an effort to be an actual blogger again, I'm doing my duty and posting a weekend recap. Fortunately, this exciting weekend in Indy actually warrants one. Between Oktoberfest, the Irish Festival, Latin Fest, and the IUPUI regatta, it was the perfect weekend to be downtown. We kicked off Friday with pizza at our favorite Italian cafe and a long walk on the canal.

We followed that with a trip downtown for Oktoberfest on Monument Circle. Somehow, I'd never been before and we absolutely loved it. The band was great (and covered Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"), the people-watching was even better (so many people dancing like maniacs), and we somehow lucked into a lot of free German food (think: potato pancakes and apple strudel). I embarrassed Wheat by doing the chicken dance and mortified him even more by wobbling between band sets. In fact, the DJ exclusively played group dances and songs straight from middle school (ex. "Hot in Herre" by Nelly) and it was glorious to see middle-aged people grinding to Usher's "Yeah."

Saturday was IUPUI's annual regatta on the canal, but let me clarify - in this case, regatta means intense canoe races, not sailboats. Wheat and I spent several hours watching the participants race down the canal, switch rowers, and even capsize. It was wonderful to see so much activity on the canal and it made me wish the gorgeous space was utilized for more big events. Highlights of the day included watching a dog meet a massive turtle named Sheldon, hopping in a free photo booth, and watching Josh Kaufman, the season six winner of The Voice, perform practically in our backyard. It was a blast to watch the races and, as an employee of IU, I'm seriously considering partaking next year.

The rest of the weekend was filled with a quick stop at the Latin Fest in Military Park, lunch at Elbow Room, WNBA playoffs for the Fever, and, of course, football. Speaking of football, my Bengals are 2-0 and heading into a tough stretch of the season. Can I get a WHO-DEY?!

How about you? What did you do this weekend?

Here's what you missed on Brittany...

Obviously I've gotten really bad at blogging. It took me weeks to finish my Texas vacation recap, then it took me weeks to write two posts on one of the best days of my life. I'm not going to feed you excuses. I'm just busy and lazy and exhausted and overwhelmed and all those other happy things. So, if you're even remotely interested, allow me to catch you up on all things Brittany:

- I got a new job. Sorta. It's actually the same job at the same place, but I went from working 29 hours to working 40 hours. Hence, the exhaustion. I also have benefits now and my bi-weekly paycheck doubled, so that's been a positive change around here.

- I'm getting married really soon and we might even have a wedding planned for the occasion. I mean, I still don't have a florist or transportation for pictures. I still haven't done a hair trial or picked up the rings or the dress. I did send out invitations this week, though. So hopefully someone else will be there to witness it.

- Football season is in full swing and I'm over-the-moon excited. We did a live fantasy draft a couple weeks ago and it was a blast. Any excuse to talk about football and stuff my face with food, right? We even followed the draft with some euchre, so I was in my hometown happy place. On top of that, the Bengals, the Packers, the Buckeyes, and my fantasy team (Watt Me Whip, Watt Me JJ) are undefeated.

- This probably doesn't deserve its own bullet point, but Wheat, LP, and I each received a free large one-topping pizza from Pizza Hut because apparently no one else watches College GameDay. On the opening day of college football, they announced before a commercial break that Pizza Hut was giving away 10,000 free pizzas with a special promo code. We assumed that by the time we ordered, the pizzas would be gone, but we each got one. We felt a little bad when we showed up together to pick them up, but FREE STUFF IS EVERYTHING.

- The past few weekends have consisted of: trips to Ohio for wedding planning, a full round of golf (where I didn't play, but drove the golf cart), a Bengals preseason win at Lucas Oil Stadium (which was technically on a Thursday), pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen, Fear the Walking Dead, a free root beer float from the Boy Scouts of America, a quick trip to Iron's Fruit Farm for apple cider and cinnamon-cider donuts, a stroll through IMA's incredible art park, and lots of quality time with my family. It's been really nice.

I also feel obligated to point out that fall is coming and I can feel it in the air. I can also taste it in my mouth because I'm currently devouring everything pumpkin-flavored within a 30-foot radius. I'm anxiously awaiting the first day where I can finally switch from looking like an overheated summer mess to looking like a presentable girl with a cardigan, boots, and scarf. It's coming, friends.