First Contact

Three years ago, I went on a site called OKCupid after having bad experiences with both Match.com and eharmony.  On match, I found a guy who, after three months, revealed to me that he was in love with me, wanted to get married, and was abducted by aliens.  On eharmony, I talked with a guy who seemed to have one purpose for messaging me in the first place - to tell me I was fat.  Yep.  Great experiences, right?  So thoroughly disgusted with the online dating scene and ready to give up altogether, I deleted my profiles at these other places and went on my way.  A singles group on Ravelry.com had a thread about OKCupid, so I decided to give it a try.  I had carefully constructed my profile to be really honest, because I was tired of games.  I wanted any potential date to understand my hobbies and personality.  I talked a bit about theatre and knitting, and my obsession with movies - both good and bad.  I talked about how much I loved my job, and I talked about how I didn't want any games.  That was really important to me.  I talked with several guys on there in the first couple of weeks and nothing really stuck, but I wasn't ready to give up yet.  I loved the site - the quizzes and other ways of matching people were clever and snarky.  So I decided to stick with it for awhile. 


And then one day - three years ago today, in fact, I got this message:


Hi!
What kind of plays do you normally take part in? I've always been a huge Shakespeare fan and have managed to see 9 or 10 of his plays acted out in various types of venues (when I lived in Nashville, there was a Shakespeare in the Park thing every year that was awesome!) How did you get into theatre? 


And this was my reply:


Hi back!

I'm primarily involved with Theatre 98 in Fairhope, where I've been in two plays: a dark comedy called Fuddy Meers and a musical called Quilters about the lives of pioneer women. I've done technical work for other shows, including our production of Hamlet last year. I adore Shakespeare, but have never been in one of his plays. I'll bet going to Shakespeare in the park was amazing - I try to get up to Montgomery for ASF as much as possible. They just started a Shakespeare company in Mobile too. They did Richard II a few weeks ago and it was awesome.

I got into theatre back in high school but left it for awhile because I got busy with college and then life. Last year, I tried out for the comedy I mentioned above and got a part. It's been a big part of my life since then and I love it!

What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm going to have to go with Hamlet for mine (original, I know!) but it's just such a powerful story! I love his comedies too and would really like to be in one someday.

Thanks for the message - I'd love to chat some more!


This is the first time I've shared this first conversation with anyone.  The first conversation Jon and I ever had.  Three years ago today.  Who knew at that point that three years later we would be a month away from getting married?  All I knew at that point was there was something we could talk about, which led to a lot of other things we could talk about, and eventually led to meeting in person for the first time (at Theatre 98) and having our first kiss (after a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Theatre 98) and then declaring to each other and the world that we were, in fact, in a relationship (after a performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 30 two years ago at Pensacola Little Theatre.)  Funny how theatre has been a huge part of our lives, huh?  Mainly because it was a huge part of my life at the time, I guess.  But he was always such a great sport about coming along and enjoying the theatre experience with me.


How great is it that we have a record of our first conversation?  I think it's pretty awesome!  How many people can say that?  It's all thanks to Jon, who saved everything we ever wrote to each other.  One day, that will be really fun to go back and look at, won't it?


So today I would like to say happy "first contact" anniversary to my darling Jon - and also to say thank you for sending that first message.  Thank you for looking at my profile and not being afraid of my hobbies and my directness about dating and life.  Thank you for the best three years I've ever had - and I look forward to the next three, the next 30, and beyond.


I love you and absolutely can't wait to marry you in 31 days.