I had to do this math thing so I Google “calculator” and the fourth hit is the “Love Calculator.” So, of course I went to the site. The test is simple, you type in the first names of the two people and you get a percentage “prediction” on whether or not your relationship will work out.

So I type in our names, “Penelope” then “Pablo” and I get back 44%. That sucks. The message I get with it, the “advice,” says that relationships are work blah blah blah. So I switched “Penelope” to “Penny.” 54%. Hmmm.

I, of course, started punching in the names of couples I know, and most of the results come back in the 25% to 50 % range, and the same message about how you have to work hard at your relationship.

So I start trying to make the best couple, thinking of what names would be most compatible, who had the best future prospects. Dick and Jane. 13%. Diana and Charles. 24%. Camilla and Charles. 44%. Jacob and Emily. (The two most popular baby names in 2004.) 54%. Bill and Dave. 66%.

Far and away, the best couple I could make?

Moises and Eva. 93%.

Penny and I were watching some wedding “reality” show (like, for two minutes) and they were showing the wedding, (after all the drama…I use the term loosely) and we both commented on the kiss…how lame it was. (Penny and I kiss with more emotion when one of us leaves the room to get some water.) And that led us to talk about our “kiss.” I’m sure there’s some sort of etiquette (not to long or short, no tongue) but it seems that common sense would prevail.

Our wedding kiss will be the most photographed kiss of our lives; maybe the most photographed single moment of our lives.

Every kiss before the wedding has paved the way to this one. Every kiss after the wedding will be compared to it. It’s the one that seals the deal. Who knew such a small thing could carry so much metaphorical weight?

Today would have been Pop's 75th birthday. 

Penny and I took a huge step forward in our relationship today. We bought cell phones together. That’s right – we’re now on a “Family Plan.” It’s been said that you don’t recognize the most important times in your life as they are happening…but I want to acknowledge to the world that I now know what it feels like to share everything with another person. Cell phones; what could be bigger than that?

But seriously…we had our first meeting about the wedding. We met with Chef O and discussed some of the basics of what we want our party to be like. Some of the best times in most our lives revolve around family and food: holiday dinners, summer barbecues, picnics…and we want to have those same feelings at our reception.

It’s probably asking too much that a wedding reception be indicative of what we want our life together to be like. What’s an appropriate metaphor when you want everyone to know that you recognize the traditions that make you happy, while indicating how you want your life together to feel? What does our choice of side dishes say about our love?

We want everyone to be comfortable. We want everyone to be full. We just aren’t sure if we want a big cake or cupcakes. No one said this was going to be easy.

 

Thanks to Ed for the pics from our engagement.