ALONG COMES MARY

Happy Halloween! While today is one of my favorite holidays (Dressing up AND free candy?!), little did I know that I would meet my best friend, a soul mate, the love of my life, a year ago, on this day.

If you’ve been reading Along Comes Mary since the beginning, you might recall some online dating tales here and there on the blog. I’ve always been single, yet in search of a partner in crime. And, after getting fed up with what I was finding on free web-sites like OK Cupid and Plenty of Fish, I decided to give in and PAY in an attempt to meet a man. It sounds pathetic, kind of, but, reports are showing that pretty soon about half of the babies born will be the result of relationships formed through the internet. Computers ARE creating our future. At-least I know I am in good company; pretty much everyone I know has tried or is, meeting matches from on-line.

So, the day last August a Google deal arrived in my inbox offering me 3 months of eHarmony at a discounted price. Why not, I thought. Then, not too surprisingly, I was not satisfied at all. I would write to men whom would correspond with me for a second, and I even got stood up by one dude. So much fun. I knew I was going to cancel. But, before I did, an email popped up with mew matches (yippee, I sarcastically thought) and one picture was of a sweet guy with a shaved head and beard sitting on a face statue in Battery Park. I usually don’t go for bald heads and beards but, decided I am going to say hi.

And, we were off! Michael and I first connected on October 13th. We emailed throughout the day then graduated to G Chat. Confused if this gentleman was satisfied simply talking on-line, I put out the bait that I wanted to go out on Halloween, but, alas, no one was down to go with me (White lie). Mike took the bait (he says he knew what I was up to) and we made arrangements to meet at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. I would be Alice, and he, the Mad Hatter. How much awesome of a first date can you get than that? Meeting each other not as ourselves, completely, was rather fun and mysterious. I was relived he wasn’t as shy as he made himself sound in his profile, and he thought I had a strange voice, he later told me. He also confessed he doesn’t usually go for chicks with bangs! I suppose it’s a touche, since I made that baldy and beard comment.

We walked the complete carnival along Santa Monica Boulevard, then had pizza at the Beverly Center. I knew I liked him when he told me both his mom and one of his good friends are both gluten-free and that “They eat a lot of tacos” this was a man who GOT me.

Fast forward to quite a few awkward, taking it extra slow dates, and by the end of November, following a beautiful day at The Getty Center, we made it official and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

I can be a handful, or, as Mike teases me, I am an arm full, since I don’t fit in his hand. We have certainly had our challenging times and continue to learn our quirks and what makes us tick. Some days, I tell Mike he’s no picnic. Sometimes, I know he has had it with me and my weirdness. But, at the end of the day, even if its been tough and I say how can you handle that side of me, he tickles or kisses me and says, because he gets to see this side as well.

I don’t know what I did to deserve such a wonderful, compassionate, loving partner in-crime. But, Michael is my everything and I am so thankful that we found each other. I hope you have a Mike in your life, or find one soon.

Have a wonderful Halloween! xo