Peter Pan should have been a cosmologist. I mean, if you want to stay forever young, nothing puts things in perspective like contemplating our place in a fourteen-billion-year-old universe. You tend to take a long view of things.
But eventually, one must grow up and start acting like an adult. Did you realize, for example, that many grownups participate in an institution known as “marriage,” which apparently involves tying your entire future history (and let’s be clear about this — I fully expect to be immortal) to that of another person? Someone, obviously, who you better like an awful lot. And who better be able to put up with you. Trust me, you really don’t want to interact with me before I’ve had my coffee in the morning.
How in the world is one expected to find such a person, in a world full of interesting but flawed characters? Well, there’s always the blogosphere. Two kindred spirits, tapping away at their matching MacBook Pros, could find each other across thousands of miles in a way that was heretofore impossible.
All of which, in a fumbling and hopefully-charming way, is to say that it’s happened. I’ve fallen hopelessly for the beautiful and talented Jennifer Ouellette, science writer extraordinaire and proprietess of Cocktail Party Physics. I first plugged her blog (completely innocently! honestly!) back in March, and we met in person at an APS meeting, of all places. Best conference ever.
And, various cross-country jaunts and countless emails later, we’re engaged to be married. If it’s clear that you’ve found the perfect person with whom you want nothing more than to spend the rest of your life, you might was well get the presents, right?
Expressions of astonishment that I could have done so well by myself, and wonderings aloud concerning what in the world Jennifer must be thinking, may be left in the comment section. You needn’t tell me how fortunate I am — I know.
Comments
97 responses to “Love and Blogging”
Many, many congrats, Sean! You’ve definitely found a great person. I hope you’re both deleriously happy together. Cheers!
So exciting! Many many congrats! And exclamation points!
Congratulations!
I love it that your courtship sort of started up in e-mail. Although my wife and I met in person first, some stage of our courtship was sort of in e-mail (in that we’d see each other about once a week at church, but would e-mail back and forth a fair amount in between that).
…and people say that the Internet is distancing us from each other, destroying personal relationships and human interaction. Foo! It’s an enabler!
-Rob
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
A Match Made In … Blogosphere!
Sean, all the best!!!
PS..good to see you last week..excellent talk!
Congratulations Sean. You sound very happy. That is always good.
This is incredible! I can’t believe you waited until this fall to tell us who won the Ultimate Showdown even though there was a winner back in April.
>Two kindred spirits, tapping away at their matching MacBook Pros, could find each
>other across thousands of miles in a way that was heretofore impossible.
Congrats to you both!
Congratulations! I’m happy for you both 🙂
Aww, Sean, Congrats 🙂
Congratulations! This duo who also found each other across thousands of miles (and an ocean) in a way that was heretofore impossible wishes you all the best. ~ Shakes and Mr. Shakes
Congratulations to the both of you!!
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Congratulations! *toasts* The best of everything to you both!
Very many congratulations to you both!!!
Congrats
Woo! Woo!
Congratulations Sean!!!
Hm. I wonder if we’re all invited to the wedding. And if they’ll have an open bar.
Congratulations!
NM
Congrats!
Congratulations Sean!
Congrats on the engagement, Sean!
Yes, all the best to you both.
Heartiest congratulations to you both!
Like Rob Knop and his wife, the PharmGirl and I met briefly in the meat-world but then also courted extensively via e-mail; when that’s all you have, it’s amazing how much you learn about one another. We finally bridged the geography and just celebrated six years of marriage.
Wishing you both all the happiness in the world!
Congratulations, I wish the both of you the best.