This chapter begins in December 2014.  I had recently had the person I was dating move away, and wasn’t sure whether I was ready to meet anyone new.

Finally deciding to look through a couple dating apps, I stumble upon a photo unlike most I see:

I am instantly cracking up, and also interested in getting to know someone this cute who posts a winged photo on a dating app.

I message “hey, how’s it going” (I know, I’m very smooth).  Me being me, I instantly expect to not get a response, as is the case with gay dating apps oftentimes.  Much to my surprise, I get a message back saying “hi :)”

We get to talking and I learn that his name is Joseph and he’s in town going to school to become a flight attendant.  We talk about the holidays and how it’s hard for him to be away from his family, but that he’s only been the PacNW for a couple weeks.

He isn’t sure why he is on apps as he is pretty convinced that he doesn’t want to meet anyone, instead focusing on his studies.  Nevertheless, we continue talking for a few days until I ask him if we can exchange phone numbers.  Every couple days I sneak in a suggestion to meet up, even if it’s just for coffee or something.

Christmas rolls around and we are still texting, talking about our past and our families.  I’m still very, very closeted, but we still begin to follow each other on Instagram.  There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when a cute guy you’ve been talking to starts liking all your old Instagram photos 🙂

Up until that point I hadn’t really been much of an Instagram user, but Joseph was so good at it!  I tried to step up my game:

All of a sudden it was New Year’s Eve.  I was out the famous Chopsticks II, a legendary (now closed) karaoke bar in SE Portland with my best friend Josh.  We had been drinking and each had sung a song (the list there was always so long ugh).

It was getting close to midnight and I get a text from Joseph, who has also seemed to have been partaking in some festivities.  Somehow I end up walking out onto the patio and calling him.  I had never heard his voice before, it was so adorable and sweet sounding.

Some things were a bit hazy, but I remember eventually saying to him “I really want to take you out, will you just give it a shot?”  And he said yeah!

Even though I ended up turning around and having this 40 something year old woman kiss me without consent at midnight, it was still the best New Year’s Eve I have ever had.  I was finally going to get to meet this handsome fella 😀