How'd you meet your significant other?

Lisa Velmer Nielsen: How'd you meet your significant other?

Last year on Valentine's Day I wrote about My Valentines Day Break Up with Hotmail. This year, I thought I'd commemorate the day on a positive note by asking my Facebook friends, "How'd you meet your significant other?" Great snippets from which perhaps some of my non-coupled friends and readers might get ideas :-) Love how Facebook provides a way to instantly find fun and interesting facts about friends.

Here's the note I posted:

I thought it would be fun to find out how people met their significant others. A fun collection of stories for sure. So...please share and feel free to invite your sig other to comment on your version of the story too :-)

Mike

She worked in an office I went to a lot during student government days in college. We knew each other for awhile before I asked her out.

Jacob

I was walking the streets of the Upper West Side at an outdoor singles event. I told my friend, lets split in about 15 minutes. A girl calls my name. I suppose she recognized me from other social events. I say, "who are you?" After a good laugh, we talked, roamed the streets of the Upper West Side for several hours, and as they say... the rest is history.
Deon
Still looking for mine :-(

Lisa Velmer Nielsen

@Deon, I hear good things come to those who wait :-)

Andrew

I met my significant other online on a dating site. We met in person after a week or so of chatting, had several dates, and then became exclusive. We moved in together a year later, and have since dealt with countless immigration issues (oh the joys of a gay Brit dating an gay American). We are 2 months away from 6 years together, and now own a condo in Brooklyn. Not bad for having me online huh? Go screw yourselves eHarmony!!!!

Samantha שושנה מזל

Thought I found...but didn't work out...now waiting :-) but not really...LOL

Lisa Velmer Nielsen

@Samantha שושנה מזל , so how'd you meet your almost sig other?

Samantha שושנה מזל

He contacted me on Myspace...we still talk...but it's complicated ;-) I'm moving on :-D

Lisa

Here's how I met my last three sig other's.
Current: Apres ski in Mount Snow while the guy I was kinda dating was on stage playing in a band as guitarist.
One before him: Was on a sixes volleyball team that I was helping to get better. He played without knee pads despite my warnings and ended up w/bloody knees. I gave him knee pads for the, and a relationship ensued.
One before him: At a post-volleyball tournament party and we played in the tournament the next day and came in third. He wanted marriage, kids, and the white picket fence. I jumped that fence and fled.
I guess my theme is sports :-)

Alisa

On match.com. And we just celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. He's why I am such a believer in the power of innovative technology.

Lisa Velmer Nielsen

@Alisa, love it! Congrats :-)

Christine

Well, I'm the dinosaur of the group. We met in a bar, before the Internet. An old fashioned pick up that worked out well. He tried to convince me that a Sloe Gin Fizz had no calories. He lied, but after 37 years, I guess I have forgiven him.

Janine

Over a keg of beer at a Jersey Shore lifeguard party. Just call me Snookie.

Jeff

we met at college; seems like wherever i went there she was (although she says it was the opposite). we became friends. then i needed a date for a concert, and asked her to help me find one. she did. her. which was what i wanted anyway. and we've been together ever since. (the year was 1969, and the concert was the 'who' performing 'tommy').

Sue

Online dating service (American Singles); been married a little less than 9-1/2 years.

Nicky

At a Parent-Teacher Conference. . .

Steve

walking down the street

Leslie

online

Barbara

in line for graduate school first-semester-class registration

Dorit

Met during a student strike against fees hike. He invited me to his house to listen to music. To my surprise (I had other plans in mind) we drank coffee, listened to music and talked. After 5 dates we started holding hands - - slow cooking can be a good recipe :)

Sebastian

Every week, I projected Sex & the City / the Sorpranos for a rooftop BBQ. My wife to be was the consistent friend of a friend, who never really talked to me until the last week of the summer when we realized we were the only two people who had not seen "F' 9/11" What was never an 'official' date has now become three years of marriage.

Barbara

I was 16 years old and at a house party. This really cute guy stopped me from walking through a doorway by putting his arm across it. He was drinking scotch from an olive jar and asked me where I was going - I didn't know what to do so I stayed and spoke with him - needless to say, we're celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this June. He's a trial lawyer who can outtalk anyone I know - My advice - always watch out for the cute guy drinking scotch out of an olive jar!

Regina

We met at a political event at the Museum of the City of New York. Our eyes and smiles met and the rest is history. It's the best museum I know : )

Lisa

@Regina, that's my favorite museum too!

Katherine

We met briefly in a local bar. Then 6 weeks later at an Irish Fair in Coney Island. Imagine, 2 Greek-Americans needed an Irish Failr to find each other. Still together after 22 years.

Clinton

I met wifey #1 at a Bar. Salad bar, she was working in a restaurant in Fairbanks. Then I brought her back to NY so she could learn how to be rude to people. Then we married and she stomped me like a grape. But what heaven brought her and I cannot be forgotten.

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Read last year's post My Valentines Day Break Up with Hotmail.

My Valentines Day Break Up with Hotmail

Dear Hotmail,

Valentine's Day is upon us and as thoughts turn to love and romance, I regret to inform you that it has become unbearably evident that we're no longer right for each other. I have grown beyond our early days when just having a Hotmail was enough.

Hotmail, my decision to move on became clear as I reflected and realized you no longer prioritize me. You don't seem to care that I am getting all sorts of unwanted contact from strangers. In fact you keep beating me over the head with crude enlargement advertisements and despite my complaints you just don’t stop. I don’t mean to nag, but when we were first together, this was not the case. You watched out for me. Only those I liked and trusted got by you. But, alas no more.

Hotmail, do you remember when we first met? We were both so young and you gave yourself to me freely. Well, though I’ve never complained about this, I’ve always resented you for unexpectedly starting to require me to send you money for us to be together. Now don’t get me wrong. You weren’t my only option; however, even though G-mail promised it could hit the spot and shortly after we met I had a brief encounter Yahooing, I have remained with you.

As I reflect upon this decision I realize it is because I had become comfortable in our relationship. It was easier to just stay with you than to move on. Everyone knew me to be with Hotmail. At times I realize I stayed with you more not to upset others, rather than focusing on what was really right for me. I didn’t want to be one of those girls who hops around from mail to mail to mail, just looking for immediate satisfaction to whomever would service me for free. We all have cheap friends like this. We can never find them because we have no idea what mail they’re with and we usually resent them as they jump around between all these mails expecting us to track them down. I’m definitely not one of those femails, but, Hotmail, while I have felt committed to you, I must be honest, and tell you that though I really wasn't really looking, I have recently been swept away by another that has come to satisfy needs I didn't even know I had and has provided service to me in a way I never knew was possible. And…unlike with you, I’m not expected to pay for the pleasure.

I don’t mean to hurt you Hotmail, but this is not the life I want. While it was fine in our early days, I realize there is so much more to a relationship and though I’m coming out and directly sharing this today, I am sure you've noticed that I've become more distant. While I used to visit you every day…usually, twice, you are now lucky if I visit you once a week. That is because I am spending time with my new love which has given me so much more. You know, it’s funny, for those first few months I didn’t even see myself as having an affair with a new mail. In fact, when we first came into contact with one another, I didn’t understand much at all. I only started so I could understand my students better, and while many of my friends and colleagues thought I was too old for this, I have been talking to them and they too are seeing why we are right together.

Hotmail, since I’ve moved on, I’ve started to feel like I’ve been set free. I’m getting to see and learn so many random things that I never knew. And, believe it or not, even though I have all these friends now, I feel safer than when I’m with you. I feel like I now have the tools to easily protect myself and my privacy while connecting with so many others. In fact, I am now encouraged to find new friends, join and set up causes, share ideas, pictures, videos, articles and more in ways you never encouraged me to or helped me do. And, while I promise you, I truly was not interested in another mail at the time I started to stray, I slowly began seeing things differently. Little by little I started checking my mail here. Then I noticed it was only from my approved friends. You should also know that for Face people like me, it was helpful that every piece of mail came with a photo. Now that I have moved to a new mail I have learned something else. This mail allows me to see the whole thread of our conversation. Hotmail, you only seemed to remember the very last thing said.

I do feel bad about this Hotmail. I see how hard you've been trying to do better lately. You have a nice new look and you have been trying out some new things, but you are still awkward, clunky, and relatively expensive. Hotmail, for femails like me, you’re just no competition any more. I have moved on. But don't worry. Before you die (which might be sooner than you think) I am sure you will be happy with another who only needs a Hotmail to be satisfied.

I am hoping we can still remain friends and invite you to Facebook me! when you are ready.