The Eastern Influence: A Love Tale

So how did Mr. Seal and I meet? It's not an overwhelmingly amazing story, but it's our story nonetheless.

It all started in the Big Apple. Well, kind of. Mr. Seal and I didn't actually meet IN New York, but you'll see what I mean.

In April of 2008, I took a week-long vacation with Mama Seal to New York. We did lots of bargain shopping (Century 21? Yes please!) and ate lots and lots and lots of pizza. Prior to leaving California, I was in a noncommittal dating situation with a guy who had just moved from Manhattan—we'll refer to him as NY#2. This is really only important to take notice of my accidental affinity for all things New York.

Yours truly on the plane ride back home—completely unaware that only a few hours later I'd be meeting the New York born-and-raised man that I would marry!:

Back in California I, reluctantly, but fabulously decked out in my new (york) accessories, returned to my job as a Sales Executive for a major cable corporation (*I've since changed professions, but I'll save that boring story for later). Anyhow, I was told by my supervisor that if I needed any help while he was on lunch that we could ask the brand new lead who'd just transferred from our call center up north in Sacramento. This was great because I did, in fact, require assistance.

A mean lady was screaming at me over the phone because she wanted a deal on her cable that I had never heard of before. Much to the dismay of the already irate woman, the company I worked for at the time wasn't so keen on us setting up non-existent deals and I had no choice but to find the new lead to appease her.

And there was my Seal—my knight with a shiny headset to rescue me from the evil witch. I remember thinking he was cute, but it was once I heard that Brooklyn accent that I knew we were destined to be!

Alright, so maybe it wasn't that fast—truthfully, the Seals got off to a pretty slow start. Firstly because Mama Seal always said you're not supposed to date people at work—so I thought about that for a couple of minutes and then decided flirting was okay. Secondly, I poisoned myself with questioning doubt—was he into ME? Mr. Seal got a reputation for being a smooth operator and despite my equally flirtatious ways, I was kind of intimidated!

Oooh, and I forgot about NY#2. Like really. I forgot about him. So that settled that.

Anyway, it took Mr. Seal about two months of my eye-batting and playful banter to finally ask for my number. Channeling my inner Miss Gazelle, I had just run nearly eight miles at Bay-To-Breakers in San Francisco and came to work feeling unstoppable. Hoping to incite a bit of friendly competition, I told Mr. S that I could text faster than him. Taking the bait, he stopped to say, "Well how are we supposed to test this if I don't have your number?" Silly Seals! I must say, it's really quite fitting that our love story would begin with a competition.

We messaged for a few hours after work and I remember legitimately saying to myself that it was the best day of my life. Before you call me a super-creeper, please recall that I had managed to successfully run my first 12K earlier that day so I was also still high from that. It took us a few more months of texting, but we officially gave things a shot in September of 2008. And I have to note that I knew fairly early into the relationship that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him.

A picture I took of the Sealman at work a few days after our texting competition (that gold chain around his neck has since been traded in for the diamond ring I wear on my left hand):

  

As a side note, while Mr. Seal and I were half-heartedly dating before becoming what I like to call "Facebook official" (because let's face it, a relationship is FAKE unless you're FB official), I read He's Just Not That Into You...which I can now say completely led me down the wrong path! That guy totally loves me.

And that, ladies and gents, is our little tale of L-O-V-E.

What about you guys? For me there was a sudden eastern influx that pointed me in Mr. Seal's direction—were there any "signs" for you?

XO,

Miss Seal 

(all personal photos)