Online dating, but we really clicked once it turned out we both love same kinda of video games (mostly Kojima stuff). She commented on my gaming headsets in one of my pics, but they were not even gaming headset, they were just Bluetooth sennheisers, but from there we dove deeper into our interests. Thank you Sennheisers!

Renaissance Faire, 1999, in northern California. She was a wench, I was a german mercenary (Landsknecht). It was lust and love at first sight. Four kids later, misfortune and death, and I’m still here, mourning her all these years later.

I played a song I wrote about cannibalism at an open mic night she was bartending at. She told me she liked my song and gave me a high five. I wanted to ask her out, but didn’t want to corner her while she was working, so I made some jokes and left.

She sent me a friend request on Facebook, so I sent her a message asking her out. Said something like, “Yo. You’re real pretty, and I wanted to ask you out, but doing that kind of thing while you’re behind a counter seemed uncool.” She said she was flattered, but she just started seeing somebody (I missed her by a week). She asked if I wanted to be friends, and I told her I was super attracted to her, so I wasn’t all that into being friends (in a super unshitty way). Being buds with someone I have a crush on is almost always a bad idea. But I didn’t completely close the door either.

I kept running into her, and we wound up getting closer anyway. I kept my boundaries (for the most part), and never hid that I was interested in her beyond friendship, but also wasn’t a lil creep about it, nor did I pressure her about anything, or try to guilt-trip, or any of those yucky things dudes do when they’re interested in someone who wants friendship. I was just very clear that I liked being around her, but wasn’t trying to be her best friend or anything from the get.

Her boyfriend was an abusive alcoholic, and like two yearas later, wound up on jail for a few months on his third DUI. She started hanging out more, I made my move, she dumped him while he was in jail (the only real safe way to do it), and now we’re engaged as fuck.

Sometimes people have to work shitty relationships out of their system, and I kinda pride myself on finding the balance on being around and available, but not TOO available, and real clear about my intentions. Wound up with the coolest, prettiest, kindest person I have ever met. I got hella lucky.

I looked in the mirror.

Kinda kidding, I have not found anyone for longterm but I learned to be ok with it and stop hating myself.

He fixed my bike after I smashed the detailer on a curb – and later texted the number from my form to ask if I wanted to hang out.

I worked at a college bar for beer money. Her friends came in all the time, she did not. Then one night she did, and I was literally struck dumb - just like the stories. There was a few months of seeing her here and there, a few conversations - I had never met a woman so amazing. I was a bug, and she a goddess in every way. Imagine my shock when she handed me a napkin with her phone number on it and said “call me sometime.”

You bet your ass I called her the very next day. That was 28 years ago. The crazy part is things got steadily better over the years. Nothing got “boring” it got more exciting. Looks fade, but she’s more beautiful to me today than ever. Kids didn’t drag us down, they made things more fun. Bills and chores and life’s troubles became something we worked through together - teaching us that we can overcome just about anything and be successful. I’d argue all of our success is because we’re a team.

We truly hit the love lottery when both of us were “done” and didn’t believe something like what we have is possible. Put away your baggage, and keep an open mind - your napkin could be handed to you today.

Local gaming store. I joined one of the tabletop rpgs. We talked a lot after this. He had cats which endeared me to him. I met his cats. His cats liked me. He also had a trashcan in the bathroom so I knew he was smart. We’ve been together uhhhh 17 years this December I think.

I posted on r/incels and she DMed me.

True story.

Tinder. We are married now and expecting a baby

It had an opet beta weekend prior to fully releasing as “A Realm Reborn”

At a bdsm club.

Spotted her across the way. She spotted me when I struck up a conversation with the boyfriend of her bff.

Here we are 6 years later married.

Good times.

Ok Cupid (but this was 10+ years ago, I hear it’s gotten shittier since then 🙁)

Over the internet, like a normal person.

1. Posted sexy xkcd to my blog.
2. She commented.
3. ???
4. We’re married and have two awesome kids.

I walked into Katz’s Delicatessen and ordered the pastrami reuben. One bite later and I knew my life would never be the same.

I was late for work, and I had forgotten to brush my teeth. So I ran into the sundry shop to buy a roll of Lifesavers, and she was behind the counter.

Little did I know at the time, but she would save my life in a lot more ways than just by making my breath smell better.

_{CC BY-NC-SA 4.0}