The Man

His name is "D", better known to me as Stinky. He calls me toots, but I hate it because it's so 50s or well, before my time. I presume Stinky isn't very romantic either, but it has its charm! He is three years older than me and became a professional out in GH after graduating from Michigan State. Tall, dark, and handsome (Of course with spikey hair). He is a mix of Viet and Chinese like me, but with more Viet. He was born in Charlotte and resided in the Lansing area for most of his life. It seemed appropriate that I dated an ex-track runner since I hung out with the track team in high school. He plays the piano and alto saxophone, loves to arrange music, and is content cleaning and organizing (pretty OCD like me). He is business-minded, goal-oriented, and does not mind being the obnoxious one. He also doesn't mind being the asshole who demands good service since he for most of his days of adolecense, worked in service. (Works out for me because I couldn't give two shits if I wanted).

The Meeting

Out of all the times we could have possibly met, we met when I made it my life plan to stay single throughout college. I was a dateaholic in my third year... meeting guys from all over the place and learning about them. After being pressured to be exclusive, I decided to go on a dating hiatus in 2005 until I turned 21. I started dating again that August and met some pretty LAME dates, but that was alright because I didn't want to be in a relationship anyway. Before my fake was taken away in May 2005, Thursday nights at my favorite bar, Monte's, was my "thing". So on the Thursday of the week that I turned 21 (September 1, 2005), I revisited my beloved bar with Karen, Ron, Ryan, and Olay.

After Olay's birthday rounds, I was feeling good . All night, I noticed an Asian guy wandering by the dancefloor by himself. I remember turning to Karen and telling her, "There's a hot Asian guy looking at me!". Her response was, "ASIAN?" I had been pretty clear about not dating Asian men up to that point.

Finally, Olay and I had been talking and the mysterious guy walked behind Olay while looking at me. In mid conversation, I watched him walk around my friend. After a bit, I think Olay went to sit down. I turned around and the guy I had my attention on all evening said "Hi" to me. I leaned back and responded with a questioning "Hi". The conversation started as he asked my name and what I was. I told him I was Vietnamese and before I could finish, he said, "what are you, an engineer?" thinking that he was making a valid stereotypical joke. Then I replied, "yea". He told me to guess what he was and I said he was Swedish and Asian. Haha. When he said he was Vietnamese, I didn't believe him. He whipped out his license and proved how Viet he was with his legal last name. From there the conversation drunkingly continued. I remember being smiles all night. Karen and Ron had stood off to the side of the dance floor and Olay was chilling at a table.

His friends wanted to leave and I told him to take out his phone. He was drunk and could not figure out how to put in my phone number, but eventually did as "VIP" as he so adamantly stated. He told me that he was going to call me the next day and I said "suuuuuurrrrreeee". He leaned in for a kiss and I turned so that he caught my cheek and said something along the lines of "We'll see about that if you call tomorrow." He left and did not call the next day. Boo!

The First Date

He played the game and called 6 days later on a Wednesday. I was in my sociology class and he left a message, THANKFULLY stating his name since I forgot! I called him back on my drive home and he invited me out for a drink that night. I said no because it would take me awhile to get downtown. Then he asked for Thursday night and I said yes.

That night, he promptly arrived at 7:30PM on September 8th to take me to Bistro Bella Vita. We both did not remember what the other person looked like. My blond roommate answered the door to let him in and he was confused. We basically set up a blind date for ourselves. To make a long story short, it was the best date that I ever had. Instead of leaving to Monte's by myself, he came with me to rescue Karen from a stalker and we chilled in O'Tooles. Karen, I might want to add, appeared on our first few dates. I still laugh about that to this day. When we went to the bathroom, Karen looked at me and suggested that he was perfect for me... like we had known each other for years.

The next day, Karen and I talked and she said, "you know how they say when you meet the one, you just know? Well, I think you met the one for you!" We have dated ever since.

The Relationship

Together, I would define us as the assholes. We're pretty high standard and I think the people around us know it. We have high expectations for people and punctuality. He is more of a hardass than I am and because of that, I am allowed to keep my femininity. That's NICE! Being in a male dominated field, it's nice when I can be girly at home. Since he is harder on other people, I have grown to be softer. Anyway, I remember the first time he told me that he loved me. It's clear as day. I couldn't say it back right away because I was trying not to cry. We were at a bar in the BOB. How appropriate, huh? Hehe, well we weren't drunk or anything. It was actually on April Fool's Day. How about that? He told me loved me in a bar on April Fool's Day.

By the book, we are not supposed to be together. We are both first children in traditional Asian families. First children together = not too great of an idea. Since he is also 3 years older, our cosmic chinese zodiac signs frown upon it. The details of this will spin your heads, so just trust me. We come from different backgrounds. He grew up in an adjusted structured family and my family is anything but structured. Many of these background qualities make the relationship hard, but I'm a fighter. I never fight for what is not worth the fight. I fight not just because I want something. I fight for it because I believe.

I can't say whether he is the one or not now, for fear of being wrong or jinxing it, but we OFFICIALLY started dating on January 4, 2006. I can't believe that over a year ago, I met the reason why my life made sense. I didn't know what love was. I didn't think it could be so amazing... the kind those stupid movies make you want to feel. I didn't know, but now I do... without reserve, without doubt. There's a price to pay though. We're crazy about each other to the point that it drive us crazy. When you love someone like this, the small battles are intensified. I can't describe it to be understood. You just can't understand until you are where I am sitting. All I know is that I am happy. He makes me want to be a better person. We share so many of the same traits and joke about how he is my male version. He is undoubtedly my best friend. I know what love is now and wherever we are in our future, I know that he is always a special part of me.

...looks like we're GETTING MARRIED!!!!