Mawiage Is What Bwings Us Togevah

Today, I am so swept up and verklempt about winning Stella's dread (I always insert "pirate" here) purse, I can barely type. Actually, another reason I can barely type is The Pilot and I recently became certified on our gym's rock climbing wall and we went climbing last night and the insides of my forearms are killing me! Because becoming "certified" to be a rock climber sounds more exciting than the reality of it, I'm not going to elaborate.

Of course, The Pilot was just humoring me. He's climbed El Capitan at Yosemite, likely The Empire State Building, probably Mt. Everest, barefoot and in shorts, one arm tied behind his back.

If an activity involves danger, adrenaline and an almost certain death, The Pilot is there. Mountain biking, scuba diving, rock climbing, flying planes, helicopters, Lear jets for rock stars, deep sea diving, riding his motorcycle to work and channeling Steve McQueen in The Great Escape, waltzing through the Fire Swamp, marrying me. . . "Danger" really is his middle name.

Early in our relationship, I bought The--"Danger"--Pilot a Superman mug, because he flies and rescues people.

Stella has inspired me to write how I met The Pilot. (Actually, because this was my winning topic, I actually inspired myself, but why quibble?)

My dear friend J used to host "trauma parties," so called because they usually involved a dramatic encounter, tears, pain, something. But mostly they were fun. In October of 1998, I was on the dating scene after about a 10 year serial monogamy run. I lived in San Francisco and was just beginning my law career.

I had recently undergone a spiritual awakening/transformation and felt like a whole person for the first time I could recall. I was ready, but not desperate, to meet Mr. Right. I had even listed out all of the attributes I wanted in a man: (Intelligent, humorous, laughs at my jokes, easy-going, kind, handsome, likes to travel, adores me, spiritual (or will endure my spiritual longings), curious, loves animals, can lift heavy objects, forgiving, puts up with my shit, etc. etc.)

The trauma party that year was held on the beach near Santa Cruz, California. The Pilot ("T") was there all the way from Washington state, where he was stationed. When you are a single man and living on the rural tip of an awful, awful state, you fly to places like Santa Cruz to meet people. T is from California and his best friend from high school invited him to the trauma party. And this friend C was there because of his girlfriend, L (fiancee?) whom he had met on the Internet, was good friends with my friend J. Got that? I met T through J's friend L's second Internet fiancee, C.

As soon as I saw him, I wanted to get to know him. He was relentless in pursuing me, cornering me, plying me with drinks, pulling me over to dance, convincing me to share a room with him at the beach house for the night. Or maybe it was the other way around, the details are a little fuzzy. Good friends, bonfires, walks on the beach, talking, whispering and giggling in a room where all of my nosy friends had their ears pressed against glasses to the door.

He begged me to come visit him in Washington. I had never been to the Pacific Northwest, so I caved. Or maybe it was the other way around; again, details. I actually went to visit him a few weeks later. We went up to Victoria, Canada and officially fell in love, walking around Butchart Gardens. We had a long distance relationship for about seven months, taking turns flying between California and Washington before I moved up to live with him. What can I say, the man's got pull.

We got married nearly five years ago, in July of 2001, at a zoo. It was a beautiful, magical day.

And now every morning, we awaken to the playful trumpeting of our pet elephants, animated birds alight on our shoulders and sing, we ride our unicorns out of the castle, to our favorite hilltop with the best view of our kingdom. And all of the forest animals parade in with our morning feast that we feed to one another under the shade of the candy cane tree before I see The Pilot off to work and I return to my laptop, safe within the castle walls.

Marriage is something like that, but the details, again, a little fuzzy. Especially going on day 11 of no coffee.

Comments

[Shephard]

Is it wrong that I love that you think WA is an awful, awful state?! ;)
I so rarely find anyone who agrees with that.

I enjoyed reading how you met your Steve McQueen. :)
B & I gave up the unicorns a few years back. So high maintenance. ;)

~S :)

[Pops]

I was going to write something similar on my blog, but then I realized: I've never met your husband. Wouldn't really be much of a story then, would it?

It's a shame though because I've always wanted to see a unicorn.

[stella]

omg omg omg. I. LOVE. THAT. PICTURE.

and i haven't read all this yet. but i have to tell you 'mawwige, is what bwings us too-gethahhhh too-day' is something we say OFTEN in our home. haaaaaaaa.

love that movie.

and i assume by 'certified' you 'passed' your belay tests eh?? go you!

CLIMB ON sista! owwwwwww!

now, back to your story.

~s

[stella]

okay. i think i need a diagram j.

you met who through what, where? what happened?

;-) The zoo looks MAGICAL! how fun. he sounds like an exciting character. I know about those 'adventure' types. ha.

afterall, you probably couldn't have paid hillary to believe 5 years ago that i would ever climb a rock. or hike, or walk. much. and like it.

have you two been to africa together???

[The Pilot]

Just to set the record straight, I have never climbed El Cap. The closest that I have ever been to that particular feat is a brief peek over the edge before scuttling away for a well-earned beer and change of underwear. I'm sure that Steve McQeen will tell me when it's time...

The most dangerous thing that I have done lately has been to taunt a decaffienated Jayne. I'll probably end up sleeping out with the unicorns again...

[Kristen]

The pilot speaks!

And, I love the story Jayne. Tres romantique.

[caroline]

i should be packing but you guys are waaaay more fun. So romantic, Jayne & P-man...you two give me hope...what? stop laughing. you'll wake the unicorns...

[Laurie]

What a romantic story... sigh..

and I LOVE that picture! Like someone else commented, it's magical :-)

Rock climbing, eh? Sounds like fun, I'd love to try it myself. Someday! LOL

[stella]

HOLY SHIT!!! HE...DOES...SPEAK!!!

How did you do that Jayne?? I can't even get Finance to read my blog, let alone COMMENT.

Wait. hold on. let me go put my face on....do my hair....

[stella]

and for the record. climbing el cap...would have been mighty impressive.

you couldn't pay me enough money to climb el cap.

no thanks.

i'll stick to my boulders 20 feet off the ground.

jayne. your nappy hair purse is in the mail today.

xoxo
~s

[Jayne]

Shephard: I blame you for the WA reference. I had repressed everything about that state until you brought it up on your blog. Any place where the TV weather calls for possible "sun breaks" is just WRONG.

Pops: I thought you met him in a cave in Peru? Or was that another stack of lies? I get so confused.

Stella (x2): Love that movie! Yes, yes, I can put the gear on and take it off and climb up a little bit. Baby steps. Same with me, the camping, hiking, biking, etc., who would have known I had it in me? We haven't been to Africa together. We had our tickets and itinerary all purchased about 2 years ago but the person we were visiting had to go to Iraq for a year so we didn't go . . . but we'll go back next year for sure!

The Pilot: Well, whatever those really high places were in Yosemite ~ I've seen pictures! Or is that more green screen magic? ; ) And I've been an angel and you know it.

Kristen: Thanks! But it's full of lies, just so you know . . .

Caroline: Have fun in Utah!

Laurie: Thanks! I have a feeling a brave and adventurous person such as yourself would take to rock climbing just fine.

Stella (x3-4): I know, I love it when he comments. I scared him away with my sarcasm a few months ago but I've vowed to be nicer. I hate being nice. : ( He HAS climbed all over but I guess not the mother of all climbs . . . and I can't wait for the dread pirate purse, I won't let you down with the pictures!