Archive for 'Personal' Category
Biggest News Ever! :D
12 June 2007Sorry for not having written in these past couple of months… I suppose the suspense of moving in, what it was like, how Trish and I got along, etc., was killing anyone foolish enough to expect regular updates from me. (Really, look at my track record!) Well, has it been good, living with Trish? Ohh yeah. :) It’s been the best time of my life. Which is not a snub to the rest of my life by any means, but a testament to how perfect the two of us are for each other. We were made for each other. We’re soulmates, and we’re quite ready to spend the rest of our lives together.
Which brings me to the aforementioned “news” portion of this post. Two weeks ago, May 26, I proposed to Trish… She said yes, we’re now engaged! :D We went to the Desert Botanical Gardens–where I was really hoping the Wildflower trail would have more wildflowers–and I began to tell her how I wish I could give her a huge garden with flowers as far as the eye could see (there *really* should’ve been more flowers there!), that I would give her a kingdom if I could…
“…and speaking of which… I have something for you. Now, it’s not a shoe, but…” I suppose I should explain here that one of her favorite movies is Ever After, and that months ago she mentioned that she loved the proposal therein. So, I shamelessly borrowed from it. After telling her how much she’s meant to me in these past months, I continued: “I kneel before you… as a man in love. And I would feel like a king, if you, Patricia, would be my wife.”
And I presented her with this:
The pictures really don’t do it justice. I feel silly, but I’m so proud of the ring I chose for her. It’s a tulip setting, which was popular a century or two ago, and since we both often feel we were born a couple of centuries late, I thought it was appropriate. It’s elegant and yet different. It was one of the first rings I looked at, and it just stood out against all the rest. It stood out among all others just as Trish stands out in my heart and mind. So of course, I think it was a perfect choice. :)
We went and celebrated that night at Naples Ristorante in Chandler… a nice, cozy little Italian restaurant with a great accordion player. It was a great day, and I hope Trish loved it as much as I did. I think she did. :)
By the way, I’m sorry I didn’t break the news sooner. We were waiting to tell my parents in person before we told anyone else, and our usual weekly dinner with them kept getting pre-empted. So we got tired of waiting, and finally broke down and crashed their house yesterday at lunch to tell them. So now, everyone can be in the loop!
If anyone is curious as to wedding details in the works, we don’t have any yet save for the date we’re aiming for: November 10th, the one-year anniversary that we began dating. Other details are coming slowly because we want to get married in a church, but small cozy churches are hard to come by out here, pretty dresses are intimidatingly expensive, we’re hard-pressed for bridesmaids and ring-bearers and the like, etc. But plans will come together, and rest assured we’ll keep everyone in the loop.
Oh yeah, I was going to talk about the things Trish and I do day-to-day. We keep it pretty fun… We play a lot of games. One of my favorites is this PS2 game called Culdcept, the concept of which is similar to one of those RPG trading card games (think Magic: The Gathering). It’s a blast to beat up on the computer character on there. ;) We’re also getting started playing a pen-and-paper game called Hackmaster. I don’t do a lot on Second Life these days, as there’s not much to do on there that we can’t do in person, but I have been working on a site called SLMatrix.com, which will hopefully be a good resource for Second Life store owners. Trish is totally my muse… Aside from SLMatrix, she’s inspired me to work on a kitchen/cooking website that’ll cross-ref recipes, inventories, grocery lists, etc. It’s a pretty good idea if I can flesh it out. We’re also watching the complete series of Gilmore Girls… hey don’t tease, it’s a good show. And sooner or later, Trish will probably be sitting through all of Firefly. :) I’m not sure how exciting all of this sounds to other people, but what we do every day is a blast… Life is fun, and laid back, and I love it.
Ooh, I forgot to brag about Trish’s cooking! Argh, this post could go on forever. Well, I’ll keep it short for now and I’ll have to remember to snap some pics of her delicious dishes as she makes them. Suffice to say, I’ve been blessed to fall in love with someone so gifted with food. She’s especially good at baking… breads, cookies, cakes, you name it. Last week she managed to balance making from scratch brownies and a banana cream pie–at the same time. And while she doesn’t give herself much credit with other types of cooking, I think she’s great. :)
But the big news, of course, is that Trish and I will be spending the rest of our lives together, and now it’s just that much more official! :)
Tomorrow…
29 March 2007…well, in about 12 hours really… my life will completely change forever. And I’m so happy I just can’t wait for twelve hours from now to get here!
I’m sorry I haven’t been more verbose as of late… I really should have been, for the few loyal readers (and friends) this thing still attracts. Part of it is just that writing in it feels so cumbersome, maybe because I feel like I need to write so much if I write anything at all. I’d rather post my life in little snippets, if I could; it’d be easier and I’m sure I’d have far less chance of boring anyone. :P But the other part of it is, I guess I just don’t feel the need to pour my heart out. I could gush and gush and gush, but selfishly, I feel pretty content, and I’d rather focus on the things I have to gush about than any actual gushing. :P
But since I’ve got this going, allow my to gush: I am so head-over-heels in love with Trish. Not just in a primal, mmm, looking-into-her-eyes-sparks-fiery-passion-in-my-heart way, although I certainly feel that. But like, I can see my whole future with her, and it’s beautiful. And even the slightly frightening parts of the future (like why did I have to rack up such an expensive car payment? We could live so much more comfortably without it) aren’t that worrisome. I know there’s a million things I can do to make life great, and I’ll do anything I have to. She’s my best friend, my lover, my soulmate, my family, my everything.
My mind is not quite capable of stringing together words in an intelligible manner right now, and in my head I keep on going from tangent to tangent so often that I forget what I want to write. But long story short, Trish is flying in tomorrow–today–shortly after 1PM. Her belongings are currently making the trip via moving truck and will arrive in about ten days. We will be spending the rest of our lives together! :) It feels so weird, I’ve felt like the eternal stay-at-home kid, and it’s hard to believe that this is happening, that I’m living my own life… Maybe I’d started to think it would never happen. But then I think about it, and realize, it was supposed to happen now, and only now, because Trish is just so right for me.
Okay, head in clouds, wrist in splint (ugh… moving + carpal tunnel != good times), body needing sleep… I’m just useless here at this point. :P I’m gonna catch some sleep, finish moving my stuff, and the next time I write it’ll be from our apartment. :D
25 and Alive!
5 February 2007I’m sorry, journal. I’ve been cheating on you. For the past four months, I’ve been pouring my heart out to someone else. No, not another jounal… Don’t get jealous. :P I’ve just been so wrapped up with Trish that I haven’t had a chance to come here and share the many, many great things to talk about. (And the few not-so-great things… meh.)
So, where to begin… Have I mentioned how amazing Trish is? Ah, she’s just amazing. We’re just so connected. Not only can we talk so freely & intimately about anything, but even more unusual, we can sit around and not talk at all and still feel perfectly comfortable. Bah, why am I trying to explain it? We’re soulmates, simple as that. I’m so crazy in love with her. :)
Really Long Survey
28 January 2007I’m way overdue for for one of those big long, life update entries, but I’m also way overdue for bed, so for now I’m just going to post this obsessively long survey. Really, it’s like 500-600 questions. Enter at your own risk. :P
On Honesty
23 November 2006With all the aforementioned developments–saying goodbye to Genelle, getting together with Trish, and the ups & downs involved in this and any new relationship, I’ve been re-evaluating my various bad habits and behaviors and my values and the way I deal with my feelings a lot.
One of the foremost of those values is honesty–one of the most important factors in relationships. More to the point, DIShonesty is especially important, namely, to failed relationships. I never thought I’d have a problem with being honest, always thought that was one of my best qualities. And really, it’s not like I lie through my teeth every chance I get. But… I’m not particularly honest about my feelings. Often, not even with myself. This is probably either one of the causes, or a direct result, of my rather underwhelming dating history–or perhaps a combination of the two.
In lieu of, y’know, regular updates…
21 November 2006Gah! I always do this… I get going with new entries on a semi-frequent basis, and then I just fall off the grid. And this time, it’s not like I can really pull the excuse of “nothing’s ever worth talking about”. Plenty of things, in fact. Hmm… Should I start in order of importance or chronological? I think I’ll tackle old business first.
My List (Revisited)
30 August 2006I was doing some tweaking to TH… (That’s right, I haven’t forgotten about this place, despite my tendency to write sparsely and sporadically. Actually, I installed a new plugin that displays “Related Posts”, and some more are coming. But I digress…)
Ahem… I was doing some tweaking to TH, and I came across “My List“. That is, a list of things I want in an “ideal” girl for me. It’s a short post, so here’s the long-and-short of it:
Eh, Danté wrote a list of criteria for the “perfect” girl, seemed cool, so I thought I’d do it. I’m not even pushing the subject lately, but lists are just cool.
1) She must be capable of providing a stimulating conversation with me, and isn’t afraid to.
- a) She isn’t afraid to defend her opinions, and
- b) is respectful of others’ opinions when they differ.
2) She must be compassionate about the world around her.
3) She must consider love a priority in life.
4) She mustn’t have a restless heart.
- a) It doesn’t mean she can’t want to see the world or experience as much as she can… I want the same, but
- b) She should find content in settling down into a peaceful life, gradually and eventually.
5) She should like those other goals or dreams I’ve set in my own life. (i.e. the “ugly green chair” thing)
- a) She should have her own goals and dreams, but
- b) ours should be relatively compatible.
6) She should take some sort of pride in her appearance.
- a) She doesn’t need have the “perfect” body or dress a certain way, but
- b) Her appearance should be reflective and representative of the type of person she is.Wow, I didn’t think I’d come up with a very good list, but I’m actually quite happy with it. I’ll give it a second looking later, to see if there is any room for addition or correction.
Oops. Did a bang-up job with that, the second look. Oh well… Well over three years later, but here I am. Interestingly, though I wrote this entry hot off the major, heartwrenching drama I went through with Genelle (and it shows), the list is still pretty accurate to what I desire. Usually when someone asks me to describe my perfect match, I tell them I won’t know her until I meet her. In fact, I guess I’ve had a reasonable idea all along.
Even more interesting: I seem to have found someone who, as best as I can determine, meets just about every criterion on that list. There are a few caveats: Her goals seem more in line with what mine were back then than what they are now. (Although, what the hell are my goals, anyhow?) I’ve yet to catch her in a situation that would require a display of compassion, especially towards the world at large. And I’m somewhat jonesing for some intellectually stimulating conversation, but again, the opportunity for such hasn’t really presented itself. But you know what? Those concerns are simply unknowns, blank spaces. They certainly aren’t ominous red X’s. And I have a strong feeling that, sooner or later, I’ll be looking at big green check marks down the line.
Not that the success of a relationship can be governed by a checklist… I’ve never believed that. Even still, I’m somewhat surprised how swiftly a real relationship and a good relationship cuts its own path, rendering expectations null and void. Every time I get together with Naomi, the occasion unfolds differently than I would’ve expected. And it’s fun that way. Yes, I’m a lucky guy, alright.
Updates in Brief
18 August 2006No, it’s not titled that because I’m in my underwear. :P Well, I am, but anyhow… Plenty of little things to talk about, but none that really need a lot of time devoted to them. You know what that means… Bullets!
- Just signed up for an “Orange Savings” account through ING Direct–4.35% interest and no minimum balance… What a great deal, huh? Thanks for the tip, Dante!
- Found a GREEN Boston Red Sox cap, complete with a red shamrock on the back. I think I may have a Red Sox cap compulsion/fetish, but this is one I’ve been wanting for a long time but never managed to find in a size that fits my ginormous head. Now I’ve got something to wear on St. Paddy’s.
- Bought a Sean of the Dead action figure. How’s that for a slice of fried gold?
- Picked up two CD’s I’ve listened to for ages but never actually picked up: Reload (Metallica) and Whatever and Ever Amen (Ben Folds Five). Good shit.
- Got a poster, too… A “Chuck Norris Badass Facts” poster. When Chuck Norris was born, he drop-kicked the doctor on the way out. Because no one delivers Chuck Norris–but Chuck Norris.
- Got our new servers at work. Actually, got them last week, installed the OS on them (Debian Linux), and sat waiting to get them networked. That happened yesterday afternoon, so today we were able to hit the ground running. Setting up what’s called a high-availability load-balancing server array, which means one of the boxes monitors the performance of the other two and distributes workload accordingly… Additionally, if the main box fails, one of the other boxes can take over. It’s pretty cool.
- Got together with Naomi last Saturday (as you probably guessed by the news the next day) which was a total blast. Saw her again Tuesday night, also cool. I excitedly await seeing her again at her sister Lisa’s housewarming party. Sheesh, it’s such torture only getting to see her for an hour or two here and there, but I’ll take what I can get… happily. :D
- Anything else? Oh… Dante and I are going in on a site together: Appleganda.com Our thinking is a combination news & financial analysis regarding Apple Computers, along with some Firefox-y grassroots-level product evangelism.
“gf”
13 August 2006Seems a little bit silly to announce it like this, partly because it’s just come about so naturally, partly because I’ve gone ten years and two or three good relationships without any real label attached to them… But it is definitely a milestone, so…
As of about 3:30 AM this morning, Naomi and I are officially an “item”, as in she gets to call me her boyfriend, and I get to call up all my friends and say, “Guess what? I’ve got a girlfriend.” Which I have done numerous times today. :P Yay!
Weird Day for Everyone
10 August 2006So apparently everyone’s had a weird day of some sorts. Naomi was feeling “not centered”, which as many of you know is something I don’t like hearing without having more details. Liz was bored but quick to leave chat tonight. My bro was oddly quiet after seeing the movie tonight–although, being WTC, leaving in an oddly quiet mood is somewhat understandable. People who tend to talk a lot weren’t talking at all tonight, and people who tend to save their words had plenty to pass along, although nothing necessarily substantial.
All in all, it’s now got me in a weird, somewhat unsettling mood, and I don’t particularly care for it. Ugh. Just can’t wait for the weekend. I feel slightly tortured that there’s this still-relatively-new person in my life, and I can’t wait to continue to get to know her better, but between schedules and distance it’s just so hard to do so. Is it possible to really “get to know” someone you only really get to see or talk to once or twice a week? Yeah, it is, but it’s slow-going and frustrating. All in good time, I know. :P
Bed beckons.