Well, first off, I have to say that this didn't happen as planned. I was thinking it would be cool if my 3000th post coincided with my wedding day. Then I realized that there was no way I could control my post-whoring tendencies and hold off until then. Then I also realized, what the heck would I be doing hanging out on Hatrack on my wedding day?
So here we are. I have 3001 posts (just with the username Jon Boy—I'm really too lazy to count all the others and add them up like Pat did), and it's my 22nd birthday (as of 12:09 a.m. Mountain Standard Time). Hooray for me! *dons birthday hat*
I look over my Hatrack history with slight bewilderment. I never thought I'd be posting this much, and I never thought I'd actually be anybody. But I've been told that I'm funny, and the illustrious T_Smith even said recently that he knew way back in December that I'd be bigger than sliced bread. It's still rather odd to think of myself like that, because I'm so used to being that guy who never really fit in except with a few very close friends. But it makes me appreciate Hatrack that much more because I know that there are people here who care about me. I really feel like I belong here, and I feel like I've made some really good friendships with some really good people. I'm not going to bother to make a list of people I'd like to thank for being good to me—you probably already know who you are, and if you don't, I'm sure I'll get around to thanking you eventually.
I decided that I wasn't going to do another life story thingy, especially since I don't think my life story is terribly interesting. And yet, even as I sit here writing my post, I don't really know what I'm writing about. I guess I'm just writing about how much I love Hatrack. You are a very special community, and you are very special people. It's been especially great to see how people have reacted to the news that Diosmel Duda (aka Ruth) and I are engaged. Of course there were people saying, "Whoa, that's so fast!" but there has been an overwhelming show of support. It's good to know that so many of you have so much faith in us. It's very reassuring. This is by far the biggest decision I've ever made, and I know that it's also the best decision I've ever made.
Ruth, you may not get a chance to read this since you're going out of town, but I'm going to say it anyway. You are the best friend I have ever had. You make me whole. You are a strength to me when I am weak, and you motivate me to be a better man. Sometimes I feel like you deserve far more than I can ever give, so I will compensate by spending eternity giving you everything I have to give. I love you more than I have the words to say, but I know that you feel the same way, so I guess it makes it all right.
Once again, I'd like to give a gigantic thanks to the Cards for being the vehicle (however indirect) that brought me and my future wife together. And thanks to all of Hatrack for being the incredible people that you are. It's been a great 3001 posts, and I know that this odyssey is far from over.
But if anyone wants to hear my life story or just ask me stupid questions, go right ahead. I'll do my best to make the story entertaining, or at least give you a stupid answer to your question.
[ July 10, 2003, 03:53 AM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by Ethics Gradient (Member # 878) on :
Woo hoo!
Rock on, Jon Boy! As your sometimes partner in crime, I look forward to 3001 more... And then some!
(((((((((((((((((((Jon Boy))))))))))))))))))
All the best to you and Ruth!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Wow, great post. I particularly liked
quote: You are the best friend I have ever had. You make me whole. You are a strength to me when I am weak, and you motivate me to be a better man. Sometimes I feel like you deserve far more than I can ever give, so I will compensate by spending eternity giving you everything I have to give.
:grabs for a tissue:
You two are really lucky to have each other. I wish you both all the best.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Ethics, I didn't have the chance to say thanks for your comment in my defense on Thor's now-deleted thread. It really made my day, mate.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Congratulations, Jon Boy! I, too, feel like this place is a sort of home. It's great to know people like you and Diosmel Duda are here! I'm just so happy for you both!
Posted by Ethics Gradient (Member # 878) on :
No worries, mate
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Jon Boy,
I have a very deep and personal question to ask you. I should have asked it sooner, but... well... I've gotten really itchy about it. Man, this is taking a lot out of me to get this and Im really sorry if I offend you, or anyone, and I hope no one goes around thinking me a troll for asking for such a thing from you. But I know you are a good guy and will answer in your own way, even if its to ignore me. It would just mean a lot to me if you answered me this:
Can I have your address again? I lost it in Hotmail.
Jon, you really are a good guy and I admire you. You may look up to Pat, but I look up to you, just like the Hatracks Little Brother persona you've helped give me. Good luck Jon and Ruth! Oh, and I believe your birthday is really soon, correct?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
*pointedly ignores T_Smith*
*points to second paragraph of first post*
I'll email you my address again.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
::scratches head::
Oh well then, Happy Birthday!!!!
Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :
Jon Boy, You make your evil master Patrick the Great proud.
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
Happy birthday! This, my 400th post, is my gift to you.
(And just because it had to be said)
Goodnight Jon Boy...
[ July 10, 2003, 03:49 AM: Message edited by: Ryuko ]
Posted by T. Analog Kid (Member # 381) on :
Yes, happy birthday!
<raises glass of Dom>
what a great day it is, too!
Congrats on your forthcoming wedding as well, sir! My best to you both...
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
Happy Birthday, kid. You share it with my husband.
When you say telling your life story, how different would that be from what's on your website? (look in his profile, people )
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
Happy Birthday Jon Boy!!!
I'll let your lovely fiancee handle the spanking.
Posted by Head Ditch Digger (Member # 5085) on :
Congrats Jon Boy.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Felicitations to Jon Boy, and our condolences to Diosmel Duda
And Odyssey with Jon Boy is more like O Brother, Where Art Thou? than the work of Homer
Joking aside, congratulations, Jon Boy I'm glad you've found such happiness via Hatrack.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Cool! and many happy returns!
Posted by BebeChouette (Member # 4991) on :
Happy Birthday, Jon Boy.
You are for me a fun part of Hatrack.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Congratulations on both counts, Jon!
And kudos to Jon's handler as well.
You've been great to have around the board, i.e. you are one of the few who directly reply to my posts and that always makes my day.
At some point, I will come to a Utah gathering and give you a formal high five.
Here's to post 6002!
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
Great post afr!
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
zan, who are you talking to?
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
<----- day is made
Why thank you, Zan! Was it my obscure reference to a science fiction story whose title and author have long escaped me?
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
One of these days we'll let you drop the 'boy,' but until then...
Gives Jon Boy a dutch rub, err, I mean an indian burn, err, I mean... what's the pc term for it these days?
Posted by hansenj (Member # 4034) on :
Happy Birthday Jon Boy!
Congrats!
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
Happy Day Jon Boy!
Ruth- You need to print this out so you can remind him later in life when those bumps in the road find you both. They'll find you, be assured, but you'll make it through them. I wish you both all the best that life has to offer!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Happy 3000th birthday, Jon Boy!
I'm so proud of you, I made you a cake... or, um, jello mold, as the case may be.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
celia, your husband must be a pretty cool guy.
Hah hah, Rakeesh. (Actually, that was pretty darn funny. I burst out laughing when I read that.)
afr, we definitely need to have another Utah gathering one of these days (preferably after Ruth gets back [which, sadly, is almost four weeks away]).
T, did you get my email? My Hotmail account's been acting up, so you might not have gotten it yet. If you haven't, I'll send it from a different account.
Thanks again to everyone.
[ July 11, 2003, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by Ethics Gradient (Member # 878) on :
All I want is a wedding invitation... I mean, it's not like I could go but I would like to be able to tell my friends I was invited to a Mormon wedding in Salt Lake City!
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Fast? What was fast about this engagement? You all were slow compared to a couple I knew in southern California. They met at a Young Adult dance on a Friday night. By Sunday, they were engaged. A month later they were married in the temple. Now, that's fast.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
I got the address, Jon, thanks.
Posted by Zotto! (Member # 4689) on :
Very cool!
Muchos congratulations to you and Ruth! *cheers*
I love Hatrack too.
Jon Boy, you probably don't really know me, but I was a lurker for a while before posting anything, and I've always thought you and Ruth were very cool, kind people. Glad you feel at home here!
Congratulations, again!
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:You all were slow compared to a couple I knew in southern California. They met at a Young Adult dance on a Friday night. By Sunday, they were engaged. A month later they were married in the temple.
O_o Good grief! How do you even plan anything in a month? How do you get invitations made and mailed fast enough? I don't think three months is too short a time to plan everything, but one month is just nuts.
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
Jon Boy, I still can't believe you two are doing it in 3 months. My wife was pulling her hair out with 6 months to plan. Did Ruth have to pick out her wedding dress the day after you got engaged to make sure it was ready in time?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
She got the wedding dress a week or two before we were officially engaged. We've already got the cake, flowers, and decorations taken care of. We just got the invitations back from the printers, and now I just need to address the last few envelopes, put them together, and mail them out. We just picked a photographer yesterday. I'm sure there's probably still stuff to be done, but it's probably all little stuff that I don't have to worry about. These last six weeks should actually be relatively smooth sailing.
[ July 11, 2003, 11:59 AM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Invitiations...ugh. We had fancy-shmancy invitations, ones that have certain ways everything faces as you put it in, very much like a puzzle.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
So, um, you're not inviting people until four weeks before the wedding?
In all seriousness, have you already told everyone who lives a good distance away? They might need more time to plan that kind of trip.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
I was under the distinct impression that invitations should be mailed out four to six weeks before a wedding. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) As of tomorrow, there are six weeks left. Yes, we're pushing it a little, but everybody has already heard about the wedding, so everyone who's coming has had time to plan.
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
quote: We had fancy-shmancy invitations, ones that have certain ways everything faces as you put it in, very much like a puzzle.
I am embarrassed to say that when we get wedding invitations, I can now tell whether they have been put together correctly or not.
Jon Boy, you two sound like you've got it together, but there's one thing you forgot.
When's the bachelor party?
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Zan, it's already taken care of, whether he knows about it or not.
Now the question is: was I serious about that or not?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
*is worried*
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Okay, so it appears that some people have complained that my web site is terribly out of date and that half the links don't work. This is true. Obviously, my priorities have changed a little in the past few months. But now I've got a little free time on my hands, so I'll be working on my web site. If you have any suggestions for Jon Boy's World, let me know. I'll let you know when it's updated.
[ July 11, 2003, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
obviously it should have a large section devoted to me.
obviously.
Posted by Euterpe~ (Member # 2235) on :
I'm sure none of you know me, but I just wanted say something to Jonathan. I was lurking around Hatrack today when I remembered that my cousin told me that her fiance called himself Jonboy on Hatrack. So, being the eager little girl that I am, I did a search on you (having already visited your homepage). I should warn you: I called Ruth when I read what you wrote here. (Their phone was off - when is it not - but I'm sure they'll turn it on. Eventually.)
You two will be such a wonderful couple. I'm now becoming just a bit tongue-tied (what do you say to the fiance of your sister of the heart?), and I'm scared that you'll think I'm as, well, interesting, as Anastasia, but I just wanted to say that I was touched. I can only hope that I will one day meet someone as perfect for me as you surely are for Ruth.
I look forward to finally meeting you and your family in August. I know I won't really get to know you until Christmas or next summer, what with the school year being pretty much spoken for and weddings being so stressful, but I look forward to it anyways.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Hi. So which cousin are you? I'm trying to remember names and who lives where. Are you the famous Ryan that I've heard so much about? If so, I look forward to meeting you. And even if you're not Ryan, I still look forward to meeting you because it sounds like Ruth's got some really cool relatives.
[ July 11, 2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by Euterpe~ (Member # 2235) on :
Yes...I'm the infamous Ryan of Albuquerque. How'd you guess?
On a side note, after posting I checked how many posts you, Jon Boy, had made. It was something like 3046. Sheesh. All in 24 hours or so. I had been on Hatrack Young Writers since eighth grade, and I don't even think I breached 50. Probably because I boycott Hatrack during the school year. So sad, because I think I could have a lot more fun on Hatrack.
Did Ruth tell you how to say hiccup in German? It's almost joke-worthy. To me, anyway.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Well, your profile says you live in Albuquerque, and I remember she said that you live there. I put that together with "sister of the heart" and came up with you.
Yeah, Ruth told me about the German word for "hiccup" just the other day. One of my favorite foreign words is the Scottish Gaelic word for toilet, taigh-beaga; it literally means "little house."
[ July 12, 2003, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
quote:Good grief! How do you even plan anything in a month?
I don't know how they did it - she wasn't a close enough friend that I was in on the planning drama. However, I do know that they did pull it off. Personally, I thought (at the time and still think) that its an awfully short time to pull off anything, much less something as complicated as a wedding and reception. Of course, I think one should know someone a little longer than a weekend before proposing marriage to them - or accepting the proposal. Just my opinion.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Jon Boy
So long as it doesn't take you away from Hatrack, I fully approve of your (future) marriage.
Seriously, I know you'll have a wonderful life, if only because that's the way you'll make it.
Hobbes
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Bah! Yer not so special!
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Oh, what the heck. I'll feed your ego just this once!
Congratulations!
And, um, Congratulations!
Oh, and also, Congratulations!
You are one of the most infuriatingly intelligent people I know, and proof that Hatrack is welcoming of people who want to contribute something positive. You're one of the Hatrackers I hope to meet someday.
But as to how you can be both my clone and Pat's minion . . . if that doesn't make you some kind of whore, I don't know what does!
^ Not many people get the full-fledged, eight-story totem, you know. I hope you feel special!
[ July 12, 2003, 01:41 PM: Message edited by: Icarus ]
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Infuriatingly intelligent? Well, if you want to give me compliments like that, I won't argue with you.
Thanks, Icarus. I really do feel special, even if I am a whore. If you're ever in Utah, you definitely have to come visit. And if I'm ever in Florida, I'll be sure to crash one of your frequent clumps.