Steven Turk and Jenna Sackett were getting married and decided to do a little matchmaking. We had both been told that we HAD to meet the other and thus had horrible expectations. She was expecting a stuffy academic and he was just trying keep the tiny ember of hope in his heart from blowing out entirely. They were paired up in the wedding party and had a lovely evening talking together. He was not so stuffy as all that and she really was as amazing as Steven had claimed, leaving Him feeling like there had been some glitch in the Matrix. They didn't exchange numbers that night. She went home and deleted her online dating profiles, even if they weren't meant to be she had found her new standard in men. He was pursuing a PhD in Kansas and she was in California. He had a decision to make.

We had been talking for months by phone, mostly texting. We would send each other long essays on everything from religion to theories about why the chicken crossed the road. I came back to Temecula and knew I had to ask her out on a date. A real live date. I called, something we rarely did in those days. She gradually realized I was in town and within dating range. I sensed the danger and blurted out. "Would you like to have dinner?" Before she could. We had a lovely evening getting curry in a hole-in-the-wall Thai joint. I made the faux pax of ordering beef with mine. Then we took a long walk around the park. The night was over too soon and we both remembered that the box we spoke too every day had a person on the other side that we were growing to love with every passing day.

It was a warm summer night. I had been driving for two days strait with nary a wink of shuteye (or so it seemed at the time). I had a plan, we would spend the weekend hanging out and I'd pop the question on the beach. Then we'd all meet up at a little taco joint for beer and tacos. She was standing on the curb, looking as beautiful as ever, as I pulled up . I hopped out of the car and kissed her and realized in that microsecond that it was a stupid plan. So, giggling, I said "Wait here, I have a surprise for you". She covered her eye's and tried to manage her expectations. I went back to the car and pulled out the ring, I knelt, she was shocked and said softly "Of course I'll marry you!" I stared blankly. "Your supposed to say yes." "Yes!?" "Ok ... " long pause ... "Here, this is for you." I said. Anyway, everyone agreed that the old plan was stupid and the new plan was great. No secrets, no carefully laid plans, Just a private moment and a wonderful life.