Two months ago, I asked Melissa’s parents for their blessing to marry her. After receiving it, I started plotting my proposal. I gave her little white lies when I was going to the jewelry store so she wouldn’t become suspicious. I was having a lot of difficulty because Melissa has a sixth sense about what I am doing and can always see things coming far before I do. I knew that surprising her would be a challenge. Almost immediately, I went to the jeweler to have a custom ring made. It took just over a month, but with plenty of time to spare before my set proposal date of May 2nd.

Melissa, her mother, and a family friend reserve the same weekend at Crystal Pier Cottages in San Diego. It is a girl’s only trip and I knew that this would be the perfect moment to catch her off guard. However, within the two months after I received her parents blessing, she started to grow impatient, wondering when the day would come. She didn’t know that she had correctly guessed the days that I was at the jewelry store and the weekend that I would be proposing! She kept me well informed that she wished she would be engaged by her ‘Girl’s Only’ weekend. I kept her at bay by telling her that I hadn’t even gone to the jewelry store yet.

Finally the day came. Last Sunday, I got up at 3:30 am to make the 135 mile trip to San Diego. I had butterflies in my stomach all weekend and was extremely worried about screwing up a little speech I had planned. I wished I had slept a bit more that night, but had stayed up because SpikeTV was airing the entire Star Wars series. I should have recorded it because 3:30am came very early. Throughout the entire drive, I was nervous, practicing my speech over and over. I got to San Diego at 6:45am and began walking to the end of the Crystal Pier. I stood out in the cold just above the water waiting until 8:00am to secretly call and announce my arrival to her mom and friend. Moments later, Melissa’s mother’s friend, Laura, coaxed her out into the cold to walk to the end of the pier. Without her glasses, Melissa is near-sighted and could not recognize me until she was very close. Melissa never seen it coming.

Today, Melissa told our story on the radio. Listen below.

Our Proposal on 104.3 MyFM.

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Finally got this working so that I can update my website on my mobile phone and my iPod touch. It only took three hours!!

Feels good to be back in the grind. I have forgotten so much. Fingers are hurting a bit from all the notetaking, but worth it.

I have been sniffling for days. Help me.

Police have arrested a Georgia woman who they say forced her son to kill his pet hamster with a hammer as punishment for earning a bad grade.

The 12-year-old boy told his teacher about the killing and the teacher reported it to the Division of Family and Child Services, who contacted police.

The 38-year-old Lynn Middlebrooks Geter faces one charge each of animal cruelty, child cruelty and battery.

But, hey, at least he’s not grounded.

So where do we draw the line at pet homicide? What if his punishment was to flush his goldfish? I got it. The cuter the pet, the worse it is. Watch out Chihuahuas.