My family moved to Ashland, Oregon, in 1992 when I was about three. My first memories of the town are seeing Henry IV at OSF in the outdoor Elizabethan theatre and our almost nightly dinners at Munchies, eating chimichangas - or chimi-cha-mungas, as my father would say - and brownies for dessert. I went to college in Eugene but dropped out before my freshman year was completed. I moved back to Ashland and, after a few years of living as a wastrel, got a job in the IT department at OSF. A few years later, I moved on to work at PLEXIS, where I still am today.

I met Hayley at our friend Krag’s house during one of his weekly board game nights. I was instantly struck by her wit, intelligence, and radiant smile. I had been rediscovering my love of chess, and she offered to be my sparring partner. Although, it was soon evident that her interest was in me and not the game.

I fell in love with Hayley during those and many other games. I fell in love with her during our first trip to the Oregon coast, our first cross-country road trip, and the long but joyful days working her art booth at conventions. I fell in love with her quickly and bit by bit. Most of all, I fell in love with her completely.

Over the past four years, Hayley and I have lived together and grown into a loving and supportive partnership. During that time, I went back and completed my bachelor’s and was accepted to the University of Oxford for my master’s, while Hayley completed her second master’s and got her teaching license. Whatever our individual goals may be, we encourage and assist each other. The greatest compliment I feel we’ve ever received is that we simply “work well together.” Compatible may be an overused term, but from our outlooks, work ethic, hobbies, and even humor, we are nothing short of perfectly compatible.