Our Tenth Anniversary
Latest Update: The date is set - see the bottom of the post 
(It’s no good - I can’t wait until tomorrow to post this - our anniversary is actually on the 13th…)
Personal stuff ahead, and it’s all mushy - you might want to skip this one if you don’t like that sort of thing.
In case you’re not aware of it already, PigPog consists of two people - I’m Michael, and my partner is Sam. Today is our anniversary - she’s been with me for ten years, and it seems like a good time to explain just why I love her so much, and why she’s so important to me.
Friendship
I once said that our relationship was more like Bill and Ted than a ‘normal’ couple - we’re best friends before anything else. We get on well together. So well, that in ten years, we’ve never really had an argument. Can you believe that? Two people who get on so well that they could be together for ten years, and never really argue? Well, it’s true. We just love to spend all of our time together, at home, out and about, anywhere. We’ve never run out of things to talk about, things to laugh about.
Humour
We’re silly, and it’s a pretty good way to be. We can spend hours just being silly and having fun together, even with nothing much to entertain us. Sam has a wonderful sense of humour - full of strangeness. There’s things we find joy in that nobody else would, and that’s a great thing to share. The delight of seeing someone yawning whilst driving in the other direction to us. The joy of seeing a dog having a poo in the morning.
Support
Sam has always been supportive to me. She’s helped me out in any way she can for as long as I’ve known her. When my work got tough, she supported me through it. When I crashed our car, and it was written off, she helped me to get everything sorted out. When my work became too much for me to deal with, she encouraged me to quit and look elsewhere for happiness. She even wrote my resignation letter for me. I think if I’d hesitated much longer, she’d have caught the bus there and delivered it for me, and that would have been unpleasant for all concerned.
Now, she goes out to work to bring in money, so I don’t have to. I don’t go to work any more - I just stay at home and work on PigPog, and whatever else I want to do. We don’t really know how long we’ll be able to manage to keep this going financially before the money runs too low, but could anyone give a better gift than not having to go out to work?
When we were both working, we made a reasonable amount of money. I usually wanted to spend it on new gadgets and toys. Not only did Sam never stop me or complain, but when I had trouble finding somewhere that stocked the VGA iPaq I wanted, she rang around shops until she tracked one down, and ordered it for me.
Creativity
PigPog is all about creativity, but long before it was, Sam was. Her creativity inspired me as much as anything else to relaunch the site as it is now. She plays and enjoys playing more than almost anyone I’ve met.
So Why…?
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking - if all this is true and she’s so damn great, why haven’t you married her yet? I think Mil Millington explains it pretty well…
>What is it with you Americans and marriage? You seem to have some kind of confusion that makes a ritual inseparable from the thing it announces. I’m sorry to be the one to break this to you, but if you don’t have a funeral, you’re still dead, OK? No, we’re never going to get married. And we’ve spent the money it would have cost us on a loft conversion.
It’s not that we don’t want to be attached, it’s just that we’re happy to be together without any legal or religious matters getting involved.
We like to stay together because we choose to be together, not because a divorce would be too much like hard work.
We kind of like things the way they are.
Oh, never mind.
If you’re still reading at this point, you probably are Sam. (And if Sam got bored and stopped reading a couple of paragraphs ago, I guess I really blew it.)
And this may be my one and only chance to be as geeky as CmdrTaco.
So.
Sam.
kneels
I love you.
Will you marry me?
(Oh and if she says ‘yes’, does anyone know a good howto for making a ring? We need to do this thing creatively)
Update: See the comments - she said yes! W00t. So, we had to go shopping today. Turned out she didn’t want something made from soldered guitar strings. I guess I have a lot to learn…
[image:1331]
Update 2: She doesn’t hang around. The wedding is now booked - Monday April 24th, at 11:30.
January 12th, 2006 at 14:26
Holy shit!
And all I wanted you to do was dress up as Slash!
Well, one way or another I’ll get you in a top hat…
of course I’ll marry you.
Sam Harris Creative Wanderer and Wonderer
January 12th, 2006 at 15:42
Congratulations to you both. Your Mum and I are delighted with the news and look forward to seeing you soon.
Bear in mind Sam, that he’ll never get through a doorway in a top hat.
Love Irene and Tim
January 12th, 2006 at 15:51
“Holy Shit!” is not the nicest response to a proposal of marriage, but they were the first words to come out of my mouth. I’m utterly gobsmacked. I love Michael more than I’ve ever loved anyone, ever, and I’m so happy that he’s asked me to be his wife.
Irene, Tim… looking forward to using your new names from now on. Mum, Dad…
Sam Harris Creative Wanderer and Wonderer
January 13th, 2006 at 04:33
Brought a lump to my throat - no, really, it did! Michael, you old romantic! Sam, you lucky girl! enjoy folks! (can I blog it?)
http://www.thumbrella.blogspot.com http://www.featcovers.com
January 13th, 2006 at 04:49
Feel free to blog about it, Gary. Spread the joy throughout the blogosphere!
Sam Harris Creative Wanderer and Wonderer
January 13th, 2006 at 09:55
Look at my ring, everybody! See how it sparkles!
Sam Harris Creative Wanderer and Wonderer
January 13th, 2006 at 13:39
Thats Michael and Sam, who are about to tie the knot, make it legal, become Mr and Mrs and join the rest of us in wedded bliss. Well done and about time too! As best mates and kindred spirits you’ll not go far wrong, so enjoy every hot picking ticking minute of it and heres to the next fifty or so years. CONGRATULATIONS! P.S. Can I be Bridesmaid?
March 18th, 2006 at 19:18
I read the first part of the post and it reminded me a lot of my relationship with my husband. We’ve been married over 35 years now. So I wasn’t too surprised at the outcome. Don’t believe the anti-marriage hype. It can be a truly wonderful experience to grow old with someone you love. And don’t think that things will stay static either. People do change over time. True love doesn’t. You’ve got some wonderful times ahead of you both.
March 18th, 2006 at 19:40
Oh, I’m not really anti marriage - just never really saw much point as such, when things were as good as they were. On the other hand, though, it makes a lot of things simpler, and it’s what Sam wants, so I’m happy. We always planned on growing old together anyway, though.
March 20th, 2006 at 08:41
Thank you for your lovely comment, Teri. Not many people have an opportunity to marry their best friend, and I’m so glad I have. Looking forward to more wonderful times with this wonderful man.
Sam Harris (Coming April ‘06 - Re-branding!) Creative Wanderer and Wonderer You’ll have to excuse me, it’s the hormones.