We were making out on the couch, and I heard a noise.

“yoyo-whatever is online” the TV said.  Keep in mind that the TV is a 64″, so this pop-up message on the screen was loud enough and big enough to catch my attention, even while kissing the man of my dreams.

“What is that?”

“Oh.  It just tells you when one of your gamer friends is online.”

“Why does it need to tell you that?”

My efforts to disable the feature do not work.  We resume kissing, and I now know that “gamer tags” have a significant place in this man’s life.

Oh.  And I found out this feature is called “pop up toast”.  I only kind of get it.

I said “I do” to a world I didn’t know existed.

I thought the man I was looking for didn’t exist. One night, while salsa dancing at Seattle’s Century Ballroom, a friend introduced me to a new dance partner. Three months later we were engaged, and I started the process of moving into his place.

It wasn’t the worst bachelor pad you’ve ever seen…

…but… mounted over the fireplace on a custom plaque was… wait for it… an xbox controller.  A controller.  You see, this man I would marry… this man I’d finally found… is on the planning team for Microsoft xbox. This wasn’t any old controller.  It was a limited edition, Xbox 360 wireless controller for Halo 3, wrapped in a special design by Todd McFarlane, the creator of Spiderman’s Venom.

I tried not to move in and take over, but this thing could not stay mounted above the fireplace.

“Honey, this should go in your office.”

“Why?  It’s Todd McFarlane.  He signed it for me.”

“I know.  But it should not be mounted above the fireplace.”

A few days later it was in the office.  And thus, the pre-matrimonial negotiating for wall space, floor space and personal clutter began.