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  adastra : Happy Mutant

Marriage, Love and

adastra said Aug 1, 2007, 9:50 AM:

 

Hi all

Some of you may know that I've been visiting Liz in Sacramento for the last month, after a long-distance courtship of a year, with many visits (but never enough!) ranging from several days to a couple of weeks.  Everything has gone quite well - so well, in fact, that yesterday I asked her to marry me, and she said yes!  So we are now officially engaged.  :)  Sometime 1-2 months from now we are going to have a small ceremony, probably in Sacramento. 

Whoo-hoo!  :)
see also: gulp!
              huh?

love spirals,
arthur

  Ewan : Rhythm

Re: Marriage, Love and

Ewan said Aug 1, 2007, 9:58 AM:

 

Fuuuuuuuck!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!  I am so, so, so pleased for both of you.  That is wonderfully wonderful, amazing, fantastic news!

Was it planned, or did you ask on a whim?  Tell us more!!!!

  holden : no one in particular

Re: Marriage, Love and

holden said Aug 1, 2007, 10:07 AM:

 

poor bastard… I mean welcome to the happy happy joy that is marriage!!
YEahh….
Well at least your marrying a calm, patient and loving woman that isn't going to yell at yo….
Ok, good luck with that.

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 10:17 AM:

 

I do love it when you make me laugh out loud for real, Rick. Yeah, I keep him on his toes.

Literally. He's kinda short.

Liz

  Balder : Kosmonaut

Re: Marriage, Love and

Balder said Aug 1, 2007, 10:18 AM:

 

woo hoo!  congratulations, both of you!  X Cheers

first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes ….

  adastra : Happy Mutant

Re: Marriage, Love and

adastra said Aug 1, 2007, 10:45 AM:

 

Balder: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes ….

…then comes Awakened Innocence you say?  Quite so.  :p

Anyway, who needs babies when the world is so full of cats?

Ultra Cat Cuddle : WARNING: you may overdose on cuteness.

spirals,
arthur

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 10:56 AM:

 

Besides, our hands are full with mine (the two older kids) and theirs (ex and his fiance's baby). We don't need an “ours!”

They're all ours anyway, in the scheme of things, no?

Liz

  timelody : Integral Artis Dramatis Musica

Re: Marriage, Love and

timelody said Aug 1, 2007, 11:05 AM:

 

I don't know Arthur,












 … pussies do like to multiply …




(I'm gonna get kicked off this pod now. I just know it. :-)

  chris : Cerebral Potter

Re: Marriage, Love and

chris said Aug 2, 2007, 8:58 AM:

 

Arthur and Liz,
The warm, fuzzies are coursing throughout my being!!  Your journey proceeds to the next level; onward, upwards, and sideways–together.   Hoping you can feel my intense gratitude for your mutual presence and sharing.
Much love,
Chris

  chris : Cerebral Potter

Re: Marriage, Love and

chris said Aug 2, 2007, 9:09 AM:

 

I've forgotten how to post!!  It's been along time—more on that thread later!
Anyway, this posted in the wrong place and company just came by.  Just wanted to say I really appreciate your individual presences immensely also!!
Chris

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 10:16 AM:

 

We talked about it at various points in our relationship, but there was always the knowledge that we didn't even know what it was like to live in the same country, much less in the same house…so we decided to back off on the marriage idea until we were more integrally informed of all the– you know–perspectives, quadrants, etc…anyway, he asked me in the park close to my house. (Mary's been there.)

Now we're kind of in the freaking out stage. We got a little drunk last night and are both nursing hangovers. (complete lightweights. I had two beers…)

Somehow we need to put on a wedding with a budget of something like ten bucks…

Liz

  holden : no one in particular

Re: Marriage, Love and

holden said Aug 1, 2007, 10:30 AM:

 

Yeah, I remember the romantic way I popped the quesiton. I was getting shipped out of Japan and I couldn't get a VISA extention. I was talking to my future wife about what we were gonna do while walking down the street, on the cell phone, and I asked, “So, you wanna get married then?”

That's me, a real heartbreaker, lucky girl.

  timelody : Integral Artis Dramatis Musica

Re: Marriage, Love and

timelody said Aug 1, 2007, 10:30 AM:

 

 … . just a short message … .

We knew it was coming, right?

But at the same time … after reading this thread I have tears in my eyes.

CON - GRAT - U - LATIONS!!!!!!!!




(Oh my god, what a joyous day for ths community …  snif, sniff … better go put this on the “things I can't do” thread … :-)

  Colin : Transfigurine

Re: Marriage, Love and

Colin said Aug 1, 2007, 11:02 AM:

 

Awesome! Congratulations to you both.

You realize that you've just proven that relationships that start in virtual reality can actually translate into “real life”! Most would say that the odds are stacked against it, but I don't think that's any more true than encounters that start F2F.

Good luck with the budget. Even doing an extremely low cost wedding and reception still came in at a couple of thousand buckeroos. Most of the money was Melissa's dress, the rental of the reception hall, food and decorations (all low budget options), though, so if you have access to community (free) space, you could spend quite a bit less.

  jikishin : composer

Re: Marriage, Love and

jikishin said Aug 1, 2007, 11:07 AM:

 

To me this verifies that this is, we are, in fact a community.

Liz, Arthur, Thanks for your commitment to oneanother and to your communities, online and off.
I propose a toast. Everyone raise your expectations… Here's to the guts and the nuts to put your butts in the ruts, I mean the grooves to prove the good beauty true !

- ain't no goin' back,

Jiki

  Mascha : drop

Re: Marriage, Love and

Mascha said Aug 1, 2007, 11:38 AM:

 

Aww, that is so special. Gulp. An online courtship and wedding!! Oh, blessings, blessings, champagne & good things… I seem to be constantly at a loss for words here lately. Damn! That's not supposed to happen to wordy types babbling in 2-3 languages. Uhrr…

Arthur, set up a paypal account, you know, like Michael D did when he started Heartmind forums. Wedding gifts… can't talk about it more, will send tokens of appreciation. Okay?


Love to you both.

M

  Frans : Gone to the Dogs

Re: Marriage, Love and

Frans said Aug 1, 2007, 11:53 AM:

 

I go away for 2 hours and come back to a wedding!

Wow, congratulations, you two! I hope you’ll allow us to be the virtual wedding party - we can all have a toast to you when the “I do-s” get spoken.

Small intimate ceremonies can be very cheap and, you know - intimate. Beats a big whoopla wedding any day if you ask me.

Are you going to be Canadians or Americans?

Frans

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 12:20 PM:

 

We'll be living here in the states for now, though we will likely try to live in Canada someday. I personally have given up on the whole predicting-the-future thing. I'm grateful to have him right here and now.

As for the location and expense of the wedding, I live in community and can have it here for free, though of course everything I bring in will cost money. I'm hoping that my closer friends here will want to help do things like cook and decorate…whether or not we'll dress like pirates remains to be seen! The real expense will be the immigration lawyer and fees for processing Arthur's applications to the Dept. of Silly Walks, or whatever they're calling the former INS now.

Mascha, It's bizarre for me to even think of asking for money for wedding gifts. I have a traditional streak a mile wide in some areas (not just grammar and spelling!) I also have difficulty with ugly breaches of ettiquette, like asking for money or wearing black to a wedding. Perhaps my maid of honor will take care of that. Now I have to figure out who to ask…

I'm suddenly overcome with wanting to invite everyone. I can see why weddings get out of control. I'm hoping that many of you will come to the integral gathering here next summmer and I can meet more of you then. Maybe we'll have a re-enactment, lol!

Liz

  maryw : ponderer

Re: Marriage, Love and

maryw said Aug 1, 2007, 12:31 PM:

 

Wonderful, Liz and Arthur – this makes me very happy!

WHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!


As for the wedding gifts – I also did not want to ask for wedding gifts when I got married. We had an intentionally cheap (and kinda silly) Vegas wedding (and, lol, my maid of honor wore black), but we did have a reception some weeks afterwards, and I wanted the invitations to specify “no gifts.” However, my mom-in-law talked me out of it, pointing out that people will bring gifts anyway, and then you'll end up with stuff that you probably don't want. So I got talked into having a registry …

In retrospect, I wished we'd specified in the invites that in lieu of gifts people could donate money to a certain charity or a cause (although I hear then even when couples do that, they'll still end up with some gifts anyway …)

EDIT: I see now that you're talking about the conundrum / breach of ettiquette of asking for money as a wedding gift, duh. (And I didn't even have any beer last night). I say: go for it. Yaarrr.

A toast to you both, with a big wide grin, and love oozing through my pores,

Mary

P.S. – Here's a pic of Liz and Arthur in that park where he proposed – I took it with Liz's camera last Thanksgiving.

  Frans : Gone to the Dogs

Re: Marriage, Love and

Frans said Aug 1, 2007, 12:43 PM:

 

The Dept. of Silly Walks - I’ll send baking powder and a few shrubs, Ni!!!

f

  Gina : dancing

Re: Marriage, Love and

Gina said Aug 1, 2007, 1:02 PM:

 

Congratulations you two!

Thank you for sharing your news and thereby inviting us to participate in your joy!

Please set up some sort of account so we might be able to support you…. I am sure there are a few of us that would love to kick in for a virtual beer or two!  (ok so I don't drink beer, but you get the idea)

Either that, or I will send really ugly tea cozies with ducks and chickens, your choice

g

  Mascha : drop

Re: Marriage, Love and

Mascha said Aug 1, 2007, 1:22 PM:

 

Repeat: Please set up some sort of account so we might be able to support you….
I am sure there are a few of us that would love to kick in for a virtual beer or two!  (ok so I don't drink beer, but you get the idea)

Either that, or I will send really ugly tea cozies with ducks and chickens, your choice

g


Yeah, what Gina said. And don't make us send dozens of PMs to achieve the same effect.


grouphug  grouphugs

  adastra : Happy Mutant

Re: Marriage, Love and

adastra said Aug 1, 2007, 1:46 PM:

 

Mascha: Repeat: Please set up some sort of account so we might be able to support you….
I am sure there are a few of us that would love to kick in for a virtual beer or two!  (ok so I don't drink beer, but you get the idea)

~~~~~

lol, OK, OK!  Just say no to ugly tea cozies!  :p

Seriously, though…yeah, awkwardness and traditional faux pas aspects aside, we'll look into that.  The process of getting our trans-state relationship together is going to be costly, so anything would help.  Thanks for this suggestion.  :)  We don't really need more THINGS anyway.

If anybody knows how to set up a paypal thingie or something like that, please let us know.

Liz is upstairs having a nap.  We're such wusses beer-wise; she had 2 last night and I had 3, and we're both kinda wiped out today, lol.  (Hey, it was SIRIUS beer, which had a nice “Harry Potter” vibe going for it, I thought.)

cheers
arthur

  Jane : riversong

Re: Marriage, Love and

Jane said Aug 1, 2007, 3:51 PM:

 

Wow, Liz and Arthur….it is all quite amazing. You are an intriguing couple. I am kind of amazed at how the situtation works two people make the commitment to let the relationship serve the awakening…. a commitment to truth and honesty.

I for one think we will have to have some sort of a re-enactment next summer, including and elaborate wedding cake and a funky dance…. maybe we can do it after the day with Robert and Dianne… nothing like a day of deep process work to strip the defences and make way for a ho down…

Much love to both of you.
Jane

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 4:05 PM:

 

Always with the dancing, Jane, lol! I think that'd be a great deal of fun.

Anyone know of someone in California who could do the officiating? Neither of us actually has any religious affiliation, and we don't want something dry and meaningless…but I also don't want some hideously lengthy self-indulgent we-wrote-our-own-vows crap, either:  “Oh, Gertrude, I pledge to make you coffee every morning and lick your toes at night, to honor your selfhood and always listen to you, even when we're disagreeing on foreign policy…”

Shit, we have a lot of work to do. Vegas is looking good, Mary.

Oh, and we're looking into making everyone shave their heads for the wedding. Sounds good, eh?

Liz

  timelody : Integral Artis Dramatis Musica

Re: Marriage, Love and

timelody said Aug 1, 2007, 4:19 PM:

 

I can, uh, help ya around Las Vegas.

(Perhaps this is finally the key to my evil plan to make everyone come here to visit me!)


I was just about to post this but -no, that's it. You must have a Integral Vegas wedding!

  Liz : Intersection Princess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 4:35 PM:

 

Congratulations to you both.

It's hardly a surprise. Reminds me, I need to post that parcel to you, will get it done(Writes note to self)

It would be really , really nice to hold an on line party for you in Second Life. Think about it and if you're up for it I'll do the organising. You just have to show up and party. The whole gang in Sl would be a hoot, even if just for a one off event. I can't think of a better excuse.

Off to find my big knitting nedles for a tea cosy now and a wee hankie( sniff)

Awesome, guys

Liz

  maxie : Zaadster

Re: Marriage, Love and

maxie said Aug 1, 2007, 6:09 PM:

 

Tim,

This is off topic sort of, but you have just given me an idea for a new reality show!

Its about a guy or a girl that we pick up in their home town and give them ten grand to go to Vegas and find someone to marry them in 24 hours with the promise that there will be another 10 grand in it for them if they go through with it.

Not a lot of writing, but a great chance to do some hilarious auditions.

Bergman and Antonioni in two days.  I wonder what the two of them will say to each other up there.

best,
M

  Dave : Aristos

Re: Marriage, Love and

Dave said Aug 1, 2007, 5:09 PM:

 

Mazel Tov to you two. beerchug.gif  

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you. 

May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

  Pelle : dancing

Re: Marriage, Love and

Pelle said Aug 1, 2007, 5:30 PM:

 

Congrats you two!

You should totally open an online Integral dating service now, using yourselves as rolemodels LOL


Tim:

I was just about to post this but -no, that's it. You must have a Integral Vegas wedding!

Sounds great. Do remember to bring a couple of trash cans for Tim's yard though :P



Pelle

  maxie : Zaadster

Re: Marriage, Love and

maxie said Aug 1, 2007, 5:50 PM:

 

So that's what Arthur's recent “chaotic distraction” was all about - the proposal!

I don't suppose that you might need a, um, er … religious type for the officiatin', like a Pope for instance?

Actually, I like the idea of a registry as some people never know what to get and really feel relieved to just go buy some silver.  (I recommend silver service as it is very healthy, you use it every day, and each time you touch it you will remember how much joy you felt when you got married)

Conversely, some people will never even look at the registry, and get what they want anyway.  You guys do the getting married part, we will do the we're-so-happy-to-see-you-make-such-a-committment thing that we will buy into it with some deeply thoughtful doo-dad or other so we can come and stay at your house whenever we want to from now until the end of time.

yer pal,
Michael

  Lauren : mammal

Re: Marriage, Love and

Lauren said Aug 1, 2007, 5:59 PM:

 

How beautiful. You two have made my day.
Love and great blessings on your marriage.


Here is a poem for you:

The Wedding Vow

by Sharon Olds

I did not stand at the altar, I stood
at the foot of the chancel steps, with my beloved,
and the minister stood on the top step
holding the open Bible. The church
was wood, painted ivory inside, no people—God’s
stable perfectly cleaned. It was night,
spring—outside, a moat of mud,
and inside, from the rafters, flies
fell onto the open Bible, and the minister
tilted it and brushed them off. We stood
beside each other, crying slightly
with fear and awe. In truth, we had married
that first night, in bed, we had been
married by our bodies, but now we stood
in history—what our bodies had said,
mouth to mouth, we now said publicly,
gathered together, death. We stood
holding each other by the hand, yet I also
stood as if alone, for a moment,
just before the vow, though taken
years before, took. It was a vow
of the present and the future, and yet I felt it
to have some touch on the distant past
or the distant past on it, I felt
the wordless, dry, crying ghost of my
parents’ marriage there, somewhere
in the echoing space—perhaps one of the
plummeting flies, bouncing slightly
as it hit forsaking all others, then was brushed
away. I felt as if I had come
to claim a promise—the sweetness I’d inferred
from their sourness, and at the same time that I
had come, congenitally unworthy, to beg.
And yet, I had been working toward this hour
all my life. And then it was time
to speak—he was offering me, no matter
what, his life. That is all I had to
do, that evening, to accept the gift
I had longed for—to say I had accepted it,
as if being asked if I breathe. Do I take?
I do. I take as he takes—we have been
practicing this. Do you bear this pleasure? I do.





And a little something else from Ogden Nash:

To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong admit it; whenever you're right, shut up.



  Portico : Yoga

Re: Marriage, Love and

Portico said Aug 1, 2007, 6:54 PM:

 

Congratulations Arthur and Liz!  A beautiful summer becomes a Color-Full Fall!

Jai Ma!
Portico

  David : ~

Re: Marriage, Love and

David said Aug 1, 2007, 8:02 PM:

 

Hey, you're really lucky, you two. It makes me feel like posting a love poem–but I'm in an internet cafe, being sans connection today, and can't remember the one I want to post nor even the name of it. So, all I can say is … love to you,

David

  Frans : Gone to the Dogs

Re: Marriage, Love and

Frans said Aug 1, 2007, 8:34 PM:

 

Trash cans - I almost forgot!!! Thanks for reminding me Pelle - looking forward to a trashy Vegas wedding.

f

  Liz : tamgoddess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 1, 2007, 8:46 PM:

 

Lauren, I don't know how much you've paid attention to my usual hatred of poetry, but that one really speaks to me. Thanks!

I don't know about Vegas, but it's not out of the running. I'm trying to envision Arthur's parents from the outskirts of Nova Scotia, basking in the Vegas heat. We don't want dead in-laws…perhaps not.

I do like the idea of a second life wedding party in addition to real life. It might be something I delegate to you, Liz, since it was your idea. Then Leela might even join us!

Feeling all enveloped in love,

Liz

  Gina : dancing

Re: Marriage, Love and

Gina said Aug 1, 2007, 8:49 PM:

 

Oh and if you get married in Vegas PLEASE tell me it with either be Elvis or Aliens!

otherwise hoop skirts for ALL the bridesmaids (and groomsmen for that matter)

:)   (tee hee)

  timelody : Integral Artis Dramatis Musica

Re: Marriage, Love and

timelody said Aug 1, 2007, 10:05 PM:

 

Dem's sunshine's a' do d'em old timers some good! Actually, once September rolls around in these parts it's actually quite lovely. (Heck it even rained today! … for the first time in about nine months. And believe it or not it has snowed twice since we've lived here. See! We have chosen the perfect place to await climate change due to Global Warming!)

  maxie : Zaadster

Re: Marriage, Love and

maxie said Aug 1, 2007, 11:45 PM:

 

(… See! We have chosen the perfect place to await climate change due to Global Warming!)

Ahem.  Las Vegas?  Sin City?  That's where climate change is coming from!

  timelody : Integral Artis Dramatis Musica

Re: Marriage, Love and

timelody said Aug 2, 2007, 12:15 AM:

 

You'd be surprised. There's a lot more God fearin' amber here than there is sin. That's for the tourists (like you people when you come) -which used to be red but has now been taken over by orange.

Customer service for you sinning?

  maxie : Zaadster

Re: Marriage, Love and

maxie said Aug 2, 2007, 12:35 AM:

 

Well then its out as a wedding venue for the dread pirates liz-the-bald and Arthur Modfinger unless there is a Willie Nelson concert nearby where the wedding party might feel safe.  I heard the Pope was coming down to look over some of his desert holdings,  Now he might need a little servicing.

  Sa'Rah : Ordered Chaos

Re: Marriage, Love and

Sa'Rah said Aug 2, 2007, 10:23 AM:

 

thank you for this sweet loving inspiration…many blessings…S.

  Liz : Intersection Princess

Re: Marriage, Love and

Liz said Aug 2, 2007, 11:26 AM: