Fort WAYNE!

A few observations from our weekend trip to Fort Wayne, Ind., home of my first post-college job. Karen and I met there, worked at one of the two newspapers, then moved away three years later. (Just to catch some of you up.)

• First off, loyal Asterian reader Drea looked absolutely stunning at her wedding (the whole purpose of our first visit back to the Fort since 2003). Her ceremony was beautiful, the drama was kept to a minimum, and Drea "The Treasure" seemed to have a great time. If she consents, I'll try to get a pic up sometime soon. Definitely one of the best weddings I've been to.

• On a related note, be careful what you order to drink at a wedding. At the beginning of the night, I ordered a vodka and pineapple juice. It's my standard open-bar fare, since I'm not a big hard alcohol drinker. A friend asked what I was drinking and ordered one. Then Karen ordered one. A few hours later we found out that everyone was drinking vodka and pineapple. It was catching on like some kind of fruity, potent wildfire. The caterers had to run to the store twice to restock the vodka and pineapple juice. At the after party, it continued to be a hit. Behold the power of ... um ... being the first at the bar?

• It was indeed surreal to head back to the Fort, but I was surprised to see how many people I still know there. The downtown's gotten a bit better, but overall it was the same place I used to live. I know, it's only been three years, but still...

• My former colleagues at The Journal Gazette were surprisingly cool with my new career choice. Two of the most veteran writers said I was smart to head to an industry with a future. Fort Wayne's been a first-hand witness to the weirdness of the newspaper field lately, so maybe they have a better sense of perspective than some.

• Driving from Birmingham to Northern Indiana still seems easier than driving from Northern Indiana to Chicago. Why? Five words: Corn. Corn. Corn. Soy. Corn.