When you are part of a couple, there is one inevitable question that is going to arise: How did you two meet? Why is this such a popular inquiry? It is as if the right answer holds the secret to pure love and a happy life. I think that this question actually does hold some innate truth about love and the health of a relationship… but you’ve got to look further than the surface.
I wore this outfit last Saturday night to the Orbit Room’s 2-year-anniversary party, which also happened to be the 2-year-anniversary of when Ned and I first met. Two years ago I was cock-tailing at this new bar when Ned confidently walked through the door. I was immediately struck by his presence and the fact that he was wearing a pocket protector in the front of his short sleeve button-up. “Oh my gosh, I want that boy” I immediately said to my fellow waitress.
My shift wore on as I exchanged intense looks with this coiffed, lanky stranger and at the end of the night we flirtatiously settled in to have a drink together. I was smitten, I had such an incredible feeling from this guy, I was intrigued and felt excited, alive, like… myself. He drove me home with no kisses but, exchange numbers. I flopped onto my roommates bed and and wailed, unable to sleep. This was so unlike me. Why did this feel so different? Why was I so obsessed already? I really wanted to know this person… I wanted this person in my life.
What we receive when we ask “How did you two meet” is that natural-genius first impression the couple got of each other. This is something perhaps best described in the book, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. This is a book about the power of rapid cognition and first impressions, how we instantly know everything we need to know about a person when first meeting them. When you ask someone how they met their partner you get to see them re-create a little bit of that instant thin slicing, that first impression that told them “this is the mate I want.” It’s sort of like using science and psychology to explain that lofty love at first sight cliche.
So now I’d like to ask you to get gushy, dear reader: How did you meet your significant other? Or if you are single, What are some couple-meeting stories that stick out in your head?
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12 Comments
1. We used to hang out at Orbit Room two years ago. We meaning me and my DJ pals at the time. The bar was always trying to recruit u but i kept saying no. Just too weird a room for a DJ if you ask me. That said, you probably served me a burger at some point.
2. As for how me and Mich met, Jessica Hopper was lucky enough to be there and chronicle the whole thing.
tankboy´s last blog ..Um, whoa.
How awesome to have your first meeting forever chronicled by someone from the outside!! Love the “Hot Snow White” descrip, very fitting I think
Yeah I agree the room is not made for Djing, I tried to put together some parties there also but my DJs kept falling through.
That would be cool if I served you some burgers but I kinda doubt it since I and a slew of the other over-hires got the sack early on. Basically my new possible-lover-honey was coming in during my shifts and I was busy playing footsie rather than waiting my tables.
But I got a husband out of the deal, so I say that’s totally fair!
i used to live directly above the orbit room…for about 3 months when it first opened. weeeird!
grace´s last blog ..helmets should look like hats.
Grace,
I always wondered what those apartments were like.
I ended up moving in with Ned who lived about a block away from Orbit, we are still at the same apt.
I love Chicago-coincidences!
My boy and I met……on FACEBOOK. Most people, especially my parents, kind of don’t take the relationship seriously because it’s long distance and the whole internet thing. But whatever to them, because it’s perfect and we’re lucky enough to see each other about once a month.
Congrats and cheers to you Kathleen! I recently read a statistic saying that most people meet their significant others online these days which really is not surprising. There was another thread on this blog where we were talking about friendship sites like dating sites and I’m wondering again if someday we’ll meet most of our friends online too.
u look sooo amazing! with that being said, i met my husband at a chance meeting at a garage band party in high school. fast-forward to a year later someone else asked me out and i didn’t want to go out on the date them. that is when my (now) husband said he would take me out instead. after we decided that we were way more than just friends, we haven’t been apart since. i love hearing getting together stories <3
Pretty Robotic´s last blog ..Now Wearing 8/18/09
Aww thanks PR! Aww friends to lovers to life partners. youve got a feel good story, and I agree I love hearing them too!
Ha, how Matt and I met is kind of odd/cheesy. He played in a local punk band and I’d seen him at shows. I was always struck by how good looking and talented (funny side note, I seem to have a thing for bass players…go figure) he was but never had the courage to say anything. Oddly enough, he’d noticed me but been hadn’t approached me because he thought I was dating one of my guy friends! Anyways, I went through a really nasty breakup, and it was so weird – I still don’t even know what made me say/think/do it, but I told my friend “I think I’m going to go after that Matt guy from the Rats”, added him on Myspace, and invited him to a party. We totally hit it off and the rest, as they say, is history (almost 2 years later, we’re married!).
Michelle´s last blog ..Sale at Heels.com!
This will sound odd, but my wife started out as my boss. Let me explain:
The day we met was my interview. I was immediately struck by her. I instantly felt like she was someone I had known my entire life. The immediate connection was crazy. I automatically had this uncontrollable desire to know her completely. I wanted to know each and every thought in her head, her every wish and desire. However, our paths rarely crossed. Because of the work schedule, we were lucky to be in the same location for 5 minutes during working hours. We both got off work at the same time though, and I found my self counting down the minutes until that time. Due to the situation, there was no way to avoid an encounter at the end of the day. My entire day revolved around this encounter. Every day I worked there I tried to ignore these feelings. I refused to admit that i had feelings for my boss. I tried not to notice how great her butt looked in her pin stripe pants. I tried not to notice how hot she looked when she got a new flattering hair cut. I did a good job of keeping myself in denial. I convinced myself for months that I just really wanted to be friends with her. One day I got laid off. Not my fault, not the fault of my employers, it just had to happen. As I left work that night I was a little down, until I heard my name. My wife had ran out after me. “This is going to sound crazy” She said, “but I was wondering if we could hang out sometime?”. I tried to hide the giddy feelings I was having, and managed to say “yeah that would be cool” when really I wanted to say “Hell Yeah!!! Wanna hang out now???”. We first got together about two weeks later, and the rest is history. The only thing I can say about our first meeting, is that I instantly knew I had met her before. If there are past lives, she was my lover in the last one. If there are soul mates, she is mine. If there is predetermined destiny, she is it. The signs started the first instant, and only continue until this day.
I know this is long, but i thought i would throw it out there.
wow! you look absolutely amazing!!! Love the whole outfit and your hair is fabulous!
I met my fiance because he was a friend of my friend on yes, are you ready? myspace!!! I couldn’t believe my friend knew such a ridiculous guy wearing, i’ll admit it a kinda cool costume lol. we started talking and then we met and we clicked instantly as if we knew each other forever, we’ve known each other for 4 years and have been together for almost 3 years, I could not be happier, ahhh I love technology
Michelle, I love the going after the band-guy stories. Very cute. Congrats on getting a husband out of going after a cute guy in a band!
Dile, your story is incredible! Seriously, she was your boss. This is the stuff of romcoms!
Glendy, He was wearing a cool costume? Do tell. Another myspace,wow that makes what 3 of you? Technology and dating is cool in my book.