So...How Did You Meet Anyway?: Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied

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From Russia with Love

It's party time in Colorado Springs... Julie, my friend and co-worker, just got engaged. I've never been to an engagement party before, coming from Russia, where diamond rings aren't given out before weddings

A Big Win for Texas

We met at our orientation BBQ for grad school. I suppose many would call it fate... we never saw each other the entire event.

Earlier in the day during orientation I had met some fellow religion students, so I had strictly mingled with my new friends, while James (who didn't have orientation until 2 weeks later) made himself some friends.

Several people in both our groups wanted to meet the president of the university, so while our friends attempted to weasel their way closer to the president, we ended up face to face introducing ourselves- having a side chat. Within 5-10 minutes James had left his new group of friends to spend the remainder of the night with us.

I called him the next day and well you know how that turned out.

Finding That Perfect Ride

I was at my first real college party. I was out of my dorm room with friends I had only just met that week, at a party being thrown by upper-class-men junior boys.

I repeat: upper-class-men boys. Yeah, I know, it was pretty awesome. I didn’t have parents waiting for me to get home, I hadn’t had to create an elaborate rouse to allay suspicions of my whereabouts, and I wasn’t trying to pretend the drink in my hand was just a diet coke.

I felt like a real college student. An adult, if you will.

There was only one thing that can put a damper on a perfect evening like this: your ride telling you she’s ready to got home. I had an immediate pang of disappointment since I was definitely not ready to leave yet.

The booze was just starting to hit me and I had lots of people surrounding me and wanting to talk. I belonged, and I wanted to stay. “Okay,” she said, “We’ll just find you another ride home.”

Close Your Eyes and Defy Gravity

The story of how we met began in November of 2007. My best friend suggested that I go to her company Christmas party with a coworker she wanted me to meet. I have never been the type of person eager to be set up, so I was happy to tell her that I had plans for that same day.

Time passed, and my family and I paid a visit to this same best friend on New Year's Eve. She made mention of this coworker again. Once again, I blew off the idea of getting set up.

Flash forward to April of 2008.

No Fancy Car

In March of 2002, Merkus’s sister Karah from called to tell him about a work friend of hers named Stacie. She was a college-educated, independent professional, while

he was a long-haired college dropout, the lead singer of an obscure band

According to Karah, however, they had a lot in common…interest in Tom’s of Maine products, Crystal Deodorant and yoga. Hmm.

At the time, Merkus was living in Los Angeles and working in a series of bad jobs. His band was doing great, but no one gave a shit (and, in his words, they still don’t). Karah asked him if he’d be interested in meeting Stacie.

“Is she hot?” Merkus asked.

A Perfect Balance

Jonathan and I met a week after my 21st birthday.

It was at a dueling piano bar and my friends decided to dedicate a birthday song to me, which led to me trying to hula-hoop on top of the piano while they sang happy birthday.

I saw Jonathan with his friends sitting at the table next to the piano and thought he was cute.

My friends decided to let him know of my obvious crush and before you know it, he buys me a birthday drink. Although we exchanged numbers, after a few minutes of talking, I was not very smitten by his charm. He called a few days later and I decided I just wasn't interested.

I had just ended a bad relationship, and he was enjoying his single life.

From Fantasy to Reality

Our love story starts out in 2003 with a man and his dog in Dallas, Texas and woman snowed in, in Kansas City, Missouri. I’m originally from Texas so the Kansas City winters were killing me. I hardly even went out to the store let alone dated. Mostly stayed at home and played online computer games. I wasn’t interested in romance at the time.

Meanwhile my husband to be was in Dallas taking his mini schnauzer for a walk. The dog, Willum, slipped his leash and ran off. Hubby to be took off after him tearing though yards and alleys. He stepped in a hole and blew out his Achilles tendon. A neighbor found the dog and brought him home. Hubby went to the hospital the next day for surgery to repair his ankle. He ended up in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg.

It is a miracle that we met at all. Considering the fact that never one of us was looking for a mate and neither of us left the house much. The cosmos decided to bring us together despite our every effort to remain single.

Photo Okayed

One day a proposal came to my father from the prospective suitable boy's maternal uncle. Our family was known to them. After the initial proposal, the uncle and the prospective boy's father came to discuss the proposal with my father one evening. Maa made necessary preparations to receive the important guests.

During the meeting the suitability of the boy was discussed which included his education, which was pretty impressive, his profession and family. The uncle then asked baba about me. Both seemed to be satisfied and agreed to progress. Photographs were exchanged. The boy's photo was shown to me and my opinion was sought. I saw the face of a reasonably personable young man and decided he would do. I guess the young man also thought the same, for it was rumored his telegram to his parents read 'Photo Okayed'.

Ours was a very traditional arranged marriage with each other’s consent. Arranged marriages usually conjure a picture of a practical, well planned affair, devoid of any romantic aspect. In my experience, ours was far from it. One constantly thinks of the distant person. The element of surprise and anticipation of falling in love is incredibly romantic.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied

The closest I came to watching the brilliant, yet disturbing film, "Black Swan" was surreptitiously glancing at my seatmate's movie screen on a transatlantic flight. Even with the cushion of visual distance and no sound, I watched the tortured Nina through fleeting sideways glances, unable to endure her emotional and physical despair. So, it was with great joy that I learned the true ending of the film;the happy union of Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied. For those of us who love a "happily ever after" ending...thanks!

The brilliant and beautiful Natalie Portman was swept off her feet by NYC Ballet principal dancer, Benjamin Millepied during the filming of Black Swan. Millepied trained Portman to execute her amazing Oscar winning role as Nina, the lead dancer in the company's rendition of Swan Lake.

Millepied also played the role of Nina's dance partner, and found himself in awe of Portman and her performance. Natalie and Benjamin are engaged and had a son this past June. In her Oscar award acceptance speech, Portman thanked her fiancee' for giving her "the most important role of her life".
Happy endings to all!