I met Kevin when I wasn't really looking for a boyfriend, which it turns out is the best way to find a boyfriend. We met on Hinge, and his long hair caught my eye prompting me to "heart" his profile. We struck up a pretty typical conversation on Hinge and decided we'd meet a few days later at a Ramen shop near where I used to live in Hillcrest, Rakitori. It was still during COVID times when we met in 2021 so we didn't really get to see each other's faces until the food came to the table. The first thing I noticed about Kevin in person was his laugh. It's the kind of laugh that really fills up a room, and since then I have on more than one occasion found him in a crowded room just hearing his laugh. The second thing I noticed is that he really seemed to care for others and embodied this sense of leaving this world better than he found it. Safe to say there was a second date, which I famously picked the most depressing movie ever created when Kevin asked me what I wanted to watch at the theaters. After that date, I was certain that there wasn't going to be a third date just because of how depressing that movie was. I thought, maybe I should have picked a more "date-like" movie, maybe I was too much "myself". But it turns out Kevin likes depressing and introspective stuff just as much as I do and what I thought was going to be a turn-off for him ended up being a really good thing and to this day we really enjoy talking about art, movies, and the meanings behind them. And just like that 2 dates turned into 3 and then 4, and then he met my dog. It's always a good sign when Clarence doesn't bark at someone the first time meeting them, and now Clarence likes Kevin more than me *eyeroll*. Next thing I knew Kevin was spending every weekend at my apartment eating all my food. I haven't stopped cooking for him since. We've traveled all over the country, we've watched probably a million movies, I've probably eaten 1,000lbs of spaghetti and meatballs (if you know, you know), and laughed more than I ever have in my entire life. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. Kevin is truly my best friend and I am so excited to marry him. I wish I could list all the reasons Kevin is my soulmate here, but I'll save the rest of the sappy stuff for the wedding. Consider this a preview. Anyways, shout out to Hinge! Thank you for reading this rambling. <3

At no point in my life have my days been more full of love, laughter, and joy than they are now, since I met Jill. We met first on Hinge, when she sent me a heart in response to my hopes that a date would be willing to go to a metal concert with me. Despite that beginning, our first date wasn’t at a concert, but at a restaurant called Rakitori in Hillcrest. That first date was a great introduction, where I learned a lot about Jill’s kindness, intelligence, and creativity, and she impressed me enough to agree (after a lot of pestering) to a second date. When I suggested seeing a movie, I was interested to see what movie she’d pick. I knew it was a good sign when she picked “The Dry” - an interesting, but depressing murder mystery taking place in a remote, decaying, drought-stricken town in Australia. Since then, Jill and I have spent many a night watching spooky and/or introspective movies or shows together, and I love watching those types of things with her and then unpacking the experience together afterward. Each of those experiences helps us learn more about each other and grow closer together.

In another good sign of things to come, weeks after our first date at Rakitori, we had our first “weird” date there. Around Jill, I feel 100% comfortable to be my goofy self without any self-consciousness or worries about judgement, and she’s right there with me. We have so much fun together, to the point that we regularly spend whole evenings just talking and laughing for hours. Other nights we often spend eating delicious food together, either out at restaurants or at home (almost always Jill’s cooking, since I take forever in the kitchen). When we first started dating, I was still trying to finish up my PhD, which involved many long days in the lab. Jill was incredibly supportive and made that time much more manageable and enjoyable. So many times she prepared delicious food for me, and every time, I deeply appreciated the love and kindness she put into those meals. She even would meal prep for me sometimes on the weekends, meaning I wouldn’t have to worry about lunch all week. That continues to this day, and every time I eat a delicious, home-cooked meal that Jill made for me, it reminds me of how truly lucky I am to have found and fallen in love with her. After the time we’ve spent together so far, I know that Jill and I make a great team, and that we could do anything, go anywhere, and conquer any challenge together. That’s why I’m so excited to marry her and be together forever.