One year ago today, Lord Arux met me at Mucho Mas, where he drank two margaritas (which he hated but wanted to impress me) and ate mediocre Mexican food (which he didn’t hate as much but ate anyway). He’d offered to come all the way to Montrose from Lake Balboa, but I thought it more fair to meet halfway. A favorite hangout after Dark Delicacies events, Mucho Mas was the most obvious midpoint.

During our date, he told me he wasn’t ready to date. This did not stop him from proceeding to ask me out immediately for a second date.

Knowing the “I’m not ready to date” line is almost always hooey, I said yes.

If someone had told me a year and a half ago that I’d be dating a guy who wasn’t a masochist, loved Disney and covered his eyes during horror movies, I’d have said, “No way!” and laughed. Hard. But if they had told me it would be the fellow I’d fallen for big time at a LARP in 2005 — a man I’d never forgotten and who was ever a muse, I’d have said, “No way!” and let out a noise that sounded something not unlike “SQUEEEEEEEE!”

I am still “squeeeing.”

Happy First Anniversary, My Sweetheart!