Fields and Mountains

Kansas girl meets Colorado boy.
Within two weeks, love.
Three years later, he gets down on one knee.
She says yes…

Preface: Sophomore year, I lived in a house with seven other girls called the ‘Lady Plantation’. Our brother house, you could say, was called the ‘Mountain Dewds’ and was a couple of neighboring houses full of guys – 21 of them. Joey lived there.

For Thanksgiving, our houses got together at the Dewds’ yellow house – the one Joey lived in. I was sitting on a couch at the Dewds’ with one of the other LP roommates, Ashton. Joey walked in the room with his friend Bryce and was being loud, dropping phrases like “many leather-bound books” and “an old wooden ship” just trying to be “pretentious” and as loud as possible. I thought they seemed hilarious, and quickly noticed that Joey was pretty cute, but I minded my own business. Ashton, who knew the dewds a little better than I did, quietly told me “You definitely want to know Joey Williams and Bryce Benton – they are hilarious! They just seem so funny. You want to be their friend.” I was skeptical and said, “Oh really…? Hmmmm” – not wanting to be told who I needed or wanted to know at all.
“I’m serious!” she said.

. Fast-forward to February 8, 2008. It was Friday night and one of my friends had canceled plans on me. I had nothing to do and was somewhat moping around the house. Ashton was going over to the Dewds’ and invited me to come with. I was not in a very social mood, and initially declined, but eventually caved. We got there and pretty much sat in a La-Z-Boy recliner, watching a few of them play Call of Duty. I was SO bored and wanted to leave. I was telling Ashton we should leave when in walked Joey Williams.

It's All Bob Geldof's Fault

I was living in London and looking for something to distract me from the usual sameness of life. One day I got an email from a mailing list I'd joined a few years earlier. The email invited people to join a writing group that had been set up as a vehicle to share stories about Zimbabwe. Though my parents were both born there, I'm born in South Africa, so technically I'm not Zimbabwean. The group sounded like just the kind of hobby I was looking for so I asked to join anyway. The organizers said they'd love to have me along.

The first meeting was scheduled for a date in February, at a small fringe theatre in south-east London. I went along, putting on my best 'Sally Sunshine' face, which is my alter-ego who I bring out when I'm walking into a room full of strangers. As one of the organizers, Patrick was sitting at the head of the table, looking very stern but dignified. I vowed to give him a wide berth, feeling a bit intimidated by his quiet presence!

GoodLife

To tell the story of how we first met, I have to take you back 15 years. Yes – for those that didn’t know Dan and I first met at a small little coffee shop on the corner of Wellington and Southdale – and for you Londoners trying to figure out which one that is – I’ll save you some time – it was Country Style and it’s not there anymore – so just like the coffee shop – Our first meeting didn’t result to much.

Our next memorable meeting took place at a New Years party for the new millennium – I was happily dancing around taking pictures with my 2000 glasses on as Dan came in the door with his friends – I took a picture of them and then I’m pretty sure I didn’t see him for the rest of the night

A Love With A View

The Mister and I met and started dating over 5 years ago when I was convinced by my 2 male flatmates to attend their friend's birthday party. My flatmates had us married before I had even met him, but like they say, friends know what you are like and who will suit you.

Some Call Him Beethoven, I Call Him Piano Man

I met Horace in an online chat room. I find it interesting that given the infiltration of the internet into our culture, the demands on our lives which prevent us from actually going out to meet people “the traditional way” coupled with general guardedness and mistrust that there is still an unnecessary stigma to meeting people online – even in January of 2009.

Horace had a greeting in his online profile that said “I’m boring”. I found this rather humorous and sent him a private message asking “what makes you so boring?”

It Could Happen

The music was blaring so loud I could hardly follow the conversation of the guy in front of me. Above him on the large video screen Shakira was dancing with reckless abandon, purring into the microphone with so much sexual innuendo that if my mother was in the room I would be blushing. Fortunately, I was not with my mother. I was at Club Cafe, one of Boston's busiest gay clubs, sipping my last gin and tonic of the night, smiling and chatting with a handsome, friendly guy originally from Miami.

Please Leave A Message

Matt and I went to the same high school and had some mutual friends, but we never dated, and hardly actually hung out much. Well, about 4 yrs after high school, one of our mutual friends, Ashley (who was actually my MOH), was in town, and we went to a street dance in a neighboring town. Matt was there with some of his friends, and we all started hanging out. After that night, I couldn't stop thinking about him and I decided to call him. I got his number from Ashley and called his phone. He didn't answer, so I just left a message. About 1/2hr later he called me from one of his friends' phones. He hadn't gotten my message, but wanted to call me too! We started talking everyday and have been together since!
http://ourmtwedding.blogspot.com/

Digital Dating...The Perfect Date

Lucyjayne32

I turned on my computer and took to the daily task of perusing through the five daily potential suitors selected for me by the internet dating gods.  Guy one, hot; yes.  Guy two, weird; no.  Guy three, interesting; investigate.  On closer inspection guy three claimed to spend his days rescuing cats from trees and saving damsels in distress.  His pictures told another story; handsome, mostly drunk and often in a suit.  At the very least I supposed he was worth a chance.  Guy three, why not? Yes.

Matt315e

I was at work and my phone buzzed. Either it was a text from my friend (who Lucy now calls my boyfriend) confirming a man-date or another useless junk email. It was an email. I had a look at it and it was a ‘wink’ from Lucyjayne32.  I did the first thing guys do, and looked through the pictures. I was impressed (ding dong) so I thought I would read the words too! I liked what I saw; apparently “rarely seen without a fabulous handbag and a large coffee”, her profile made me laugh, so I thought up some of my best witty banter and fired an email off. 

Mad About Mondays

I used to work in a little cafe, and there was a big, well known coffee co-op right across the street from us. They were always really busy compared with us, although we did have a few loyal customers that always returned. The coffee co-op was always open on the weekends, but for some reason were never open on Mondays. Anyway, one Monday I went into work, and a little while after I started the most gorgeous man I've seen in a very, very long time walked in. He was with some work mates which didn't help the situation because as soon as I made eye contact with him I blushed and couldn't talk to any of them. I also completely messed up his coffee order. I thought he liked me because as he walked out he looked back at me through the window and caught me looking at him, then gave me a little smile and really, we all know that these sorts of situations only happen in the movies!! (I should probably mention at this point in the story that he's really quite shy and doesn't know how to talk to strangers properly).