A minorly major update

A lot has happened since my last post. I mean, for one, micro-blogging. Who knew blogging in 140 characters or less would become such a cultural phenomenon? I'll admit I tried my hand at it, but here's the thing: I've never been one for brevity. My life simply doesn't fit into 140 characters. I mean, my opinion doesn't fit into 140 characters usually. Come to think of it, there's not a lot I want to say that does. Except this:

I'm getting married!

Yep, It turns out not only is Jim impossibly loving, funny and intelligent - and an absolutely spectacular cook -- he was also somehow willing to sign up for a lifetime of putting up with my somewhat inflexible or at the very least incredibly passionate points of view, mild case of wanderlust, constant need for a project or three, lack of ability to iron clothing or take out the garbage and tendency to take unnecessary chances while driving.

Which makes me a soon-to-be-wife, and Jim a crazy person, by my count.

Here's the funny and totally cliche thing: I knew I was going to marry him, probably even before we really started dating. We were acquaintences, then colleagues, then friends, and always dating other people for the first couple years we were in each other's orbit. During those times I never gave him a second thought, because I was so singularly focused on my other (failing) relationships. And then, sometime almost 3 years ago, I was suddenly single again - as was he. That was when I really took notice of him - tall, funny, generous, kind, with a Cheshire Cat grin and a whip quick wit - and never looked back.

The first time he met my mother was on my birthday, roughly the same week we'd started dating. He came to my birthday party - dinner at a great place on the water with 20 friends and then off to my favorite divey karaoke bar where 10 more of my friends and family joined us - by himself, unruffled by the fact he knew nobody there but me.

His first words to my mother? "Hi, I'm Jim. I work with slash love your daughter."

And while it would have been easy to hang back, intimidated by being surrounded by so many of my friends and family and in the midst of a brand new relationship, guess who was first up on the karaoke mike by the time we were all tipsy enough? Jim.

With an unforgettable rendition of "Lola".

I threw him right into the middle of the fire, and he held up. Single men everywhere, nake note: I didn't have to babysit him or hold back, and my friends and family certainly didn't either - and he reciprocated and thrived. While he connected with everyone in the room that evening, I never had a doubt that he was there for me, and only me. Everything he did was just the right key. And while I had a hundred scars on my heart -- reasons not to jump in -- everything in me said this was somebody who could handle me, and who I could trust to.

There's something incredibly freeing about being with a person who accepts you fully, every odd little angle of who you are. And while I might think Jim is a little crazy for being crazy about me, I am so grateful he is and that we managed to find each other. There's nobody I'd rather get old and fat and batshit crazy with than him. And in the meantime, I am looking forward to the adventure of our lives.