It all begins in November...
As noted previously, there are some major changes going on in my life right now. This is the third and final change.
There are a few people out there that read my blog to hear my thoughts on software installation topics. There are others who read my blog looking for tidbits of information about how Open Source works at Microsoft. There is a third group of people that read my blog to see if their name shows up in text anywhere. This blog entry is all about one person in that third group, Jennifer Marshall.
A little more than three years ago, I met Jenny at the Century Ballroom. I arrived early for the open dance that night and was waiting for the Swing class to finish up. For those of you that have you’ve never been out social dancing, let me paint you a picture.
Imagine a gigantic square hard wood floor with a two story open air above it. Imagine a stage up front and white covered tables around the other three edges of the dance floor. Now, imagine two rings of about sixty people dancing. On the outside ring, the leads (usually men, but this is Capitol Hill so you never can be sure <smile/>) face in and on the inside ring of people the follows (usually women) face out. The instructors (one lead, one follow) are in the middle providing, er, instruction. Finally, imagine the instructors calling out “Switch” every couple minutes and having the inner ring of follows move one lead to the left so everyone dances with everyone else.
I was sitting on the window sill across from the stage watching the beginner dance class. I had been taking classes for a month or so by then and was able to tell which follows we following well. One follow in particular caught my eye.
She was all the way across the dance floor. I wish I could say it was her dancing that caught my eye but, honestly, I don’t remember. I do remember seeing her long hair, fitted button-up shirt and sleek black slacks. But what caught my eye was how she moved from one lead to lead with confidence. When class ended shortly after she caught my eye, I watched her practically glide off the dance floor.
Jenny loves to tell this part of the story but you’ll have to do with my rendition for now. I hopped up off the window sill and slid up in front of her. By this point, Jenny will tell you I was smiling from ear to ear but all I remember was saying, “Hi, I’m Rob. Are you staying for the dance tonight?”
Jenny didn’t stay that night, she had a test to go study for. However, the following week as the introduction to Swing dancing circle went around before open dance and she showed up before me. I said, “Hi, Jenny.” she said, “Hi, Rob.” and we have been dancing together since then.
Today Jenny and I are making together forever official. November 4th, 2006 at the Edgewater hotel Jenny and I will be married.
Everyone should be so lucky to have someone as caring, generous, happy, outgoing, and beautiful as Jenny in their life. We have been through quite a few adventures in the last three years and I really look forward to what the next many, many years will bring us.
I said before, “It all begins in November.” For Jenny and I life really does. For the rest of you, Jenny and I are taking a couple weeks off to go enjoy Kauai and Maui. We’ll be back in time for Thanksgiving and I’ll get back to writing sometime around then.
Until then, keep coding. I’ll be on the beach drinking drinks with little umbrellas in them with my new wife.