Expectations

And we are back! Back and better than ever! Better than the bestest thing ever!

As you all might have assumed from the last post, there is no longer that pesky 1600 miles of space between the two of us. In fact, at the moment I would say it’s only about three feet. If even that, I’m pretty sure If I used my foot I could reach you. That would be quite dexterous of you as I am much closer to your face but that point aside, there is now a Bun living in my house. In my downstairs guest room to be exact! zOMGness! In your guest room? That is crazy talk! Does he have a bow tie? Why yes, anonymous questioner, he does have a bow tie. A red one. And a matching vest. I suppose those are the perks of being my scullery maid, you get quite a nice uniform. What? Amazing! This is an advancement in the field of Digital Romance that no one has ever achieved! That’s why Love 2.0 has now entered another *drum roll*, ahem, Chapter, if you will. And so, the book of Love 2.0 enters Chapter 2!

But for those who don’t want to look back, I think we should remind them what Chapter 1 was all about.It’s not that complicated of a story really. Boy meets Girl. Girl meets Boy. Boy likes Girl. Girl likes Boy. Boy has other girl. Girl has given up on love. Boy travels state to state. Girl tries always to be there for Boy. Boy leaves other girl. Girl tries not to get her hopes up. Boy confesses love to Girl. Girl says the L word to Boy. Boy travels state to state. Girl is still always there for Boy. Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy. Boy travels state to state. Girl believes in love again. Boy has Girl? Boy has Girl. See. Not complicated at all! The most complicated part of this story lies not in the details but in the situation. The miles and miles and miles that stretched between them. Boy was, sadly, used to this. Girl, not so much. But you know, looking back, I think Girl was very strong about it, and I’m sure Boy is very proud of her. Girl knew all along that Boy was worth it. And now they are together. And by they, I mean us. We are together. And it is epic. So epic that sometimes at night stars just freak out and explode! I’ve seen it happen! It’s true! o 3 o

So here comes the point of this article. The number one question we’ve been getting both from readers and from those closest to us is this. Is it what you expected? The short answer, no. Well sort of. I think we had expectations, but things are better than we thought they would be.I don’t think any situation will be exactly how you imagine it so there’s really only two options, better or worse. And we definitely got the better option. Personally, I was expecting it to be a lot more awkward than it was. Everyone told me that meeting someone for the first time, even someone I’d spent so much time talking to, would start out really weird and it would take time to settle back down. That theory, was complete bunk. The second I saw him in the airport I couldn’t stop smiling and all my attempts to walk calmly across the baggage claim failed completely and I ended up sprinting the last few steps into his arms. I had to try very hard not to just sort of pinching her every few minutes to make sure she wasn’t gonna vanish. And I really couldn’t believe how adorable and beautiful she was (despite HOURS of video calls) and how lucky I felt that I had been able to come and see her for more than just a weekend. It was an amazing feeling. You hear people talk about climbing a mountain and seeing the world from the top. I don’t think they’ve ever really felt something like this. I’m sure they’d shut up about mountains if they did.(Romantic Epiphany btw, love ^ ^) Honestly the only thing different now is the fact that if I want to reach out and punch him when he says something stupid, I can. If I want to hold his hand when I’m scared, I can. If he makes that face that makes it irresistible, now I can kiss him. Just those simple interactions that most people in relationships take for granted, mean so much to us now. I hope we never lose that. That knowledge that all of this time together is so incredibly precious. It makes even a short morning walk and a silly game of Trivial Pursuit over muffins feel like an amazing morning to be alive.

So for the next few months we’ll be using this blog to document our first summer together. Worth the wait do you think? I do! I definitely do. And so Chapter 2 will be about silly trips, fun days, and a summer that I don’t think either of us will forget. We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we will.

P.S. I love you. But, I think you knew that already. <3 I do, but it’s always nice to hear it. I love you too. <3

The Infinite Playlist, Volume 1.2

An Infinite Playlist. A Playlist without end. Songs are added onto it continuously, and nothing is ever removed. This is our Infinite Playlist, songs gathered from every corner of existence we know of that tell of our love and affection. Now of course posting it in it's entirety would be unwieldy and massive, so we have decided to post into small segments. Now this all began when we would send songs back and forth, mentioning how they reminded us of the other person, and soon we had so many we needed somewhere to keep track of it, and so the Infinite Playlist was born.

For Volume 1, we decided to choose songs that defined us alone, and expressed us getting to realize our true feelings for one another. Ending in a declaration that it was alright, we had each other. I would also like to thank Miss Genevieve (whom you can read about here and here) for the amazing album artwork. ^ ^ She has become our resident album artist, so look forward to more of her adorable art with more of these volumes.

Now those of you who have followed our blog will notice this is a repost of an old article of a similar name. For some reason the embedded playlist stopped functioning, and so we decided to venture forth to 8tracks.com and use their services, which has lent itself very nicely to our needs. So, enjoy here, Volume 1 of Digital Romance's Infinite Playlist.

Fidelity by Regina Spektor
I’ve felt like Fidelity was my theme song for years. I’ve always been afraid. Not always sure of exactly what but I put up walls between myself and the world around me, I didn’t let anyone get too close. I suppose I can say I’ve had boyfriends before but, really, they weren’t much more than a convenience to me. I kept them further from me than anyone else and I was always surprised that I hurt them when I left because, in plain language, they meant nothing to me. Sab was the one who came into my life and changed everything. I’ve never let anyone in as fully him, not friends and not family. I don’t know how to explain why it is I trust him so much. He just fits into my life like he was always meant to be there. - Sorcha

For me, Fidelity’s words don’t hold as much meaning as the video itself. The video for this song is a wonderful visual play on the relationship between Sorcha and I. In it, Regina Spektor and her companion sit within a room devoid of all color, a wonderful soliloquy of how I see my life, even my manner of dress includes my love of the monochrome. But this girl, in a literal explosion of color, brings laughter, joy and music to the bleak world. Sorcha is that girl to me, the woman who brought me color in her hands, and wasn’t afraid to share it with me, and she will always be the one who turned my monochrome world into a Technicolor dream. - Sabrael

Can’t Say Goodbye to Yesterday by Carla White
A 40’s girl at heart I’ve always loved big band, jazz, and soft sultry voices. Can’t Say Goodbye to Yesterday fills my head with pictures of smoke filled rooms, lazy pianists nursing drinks between chords, and lipsticked singers holding the microphone close enough to kiss. A song about letting go and holding on is the perfect way to introduce the beginnings of a relationship. It’s then that you wonder which parts of yourself are truly you, which are made up of those you’ve run into along the way, and what it is that truly defines you. I see this song as an attempt to find out who you really are before you can decide to let someone else inside. - Sorcha

Carla White’s soft lyrics have always sung the song of my soul. Can’t Say Goodbye to Yesteday has been my theme song ever since I first heard it, at the end of a beautiful narrative on fate. Is our destiny ours or is it chosen for us by those with more power? For a long time, I wondered on this, and after meeting Sorcha through extravagant twists of fate I realized even if there is something up there, I am the one who needs to move forward by my own will. On my own two legs. I will carry myself. And yes, I have found my inner peace and it has a name: Sorcha G. Dubhsioc. With her at my side, I will gladly brave whatever life may decide to visit upon me. - Sabrael

Summer’s Gone by Aberfeldy
I’ve mentioned before that I started to fall for Sab looooong before I’d intended to but it wasn’t until the end of the summer that I started to give into hope. There was a time where it seemed like it was just the two of us. We talked more, ignored our well placed boundaries, and soon well hidden emotions began to peek out. As the temps began to cool to a bearable 80 degrees and the miserable Missouri humidity started to fade it seemed like there were more things changing than just the weather. We finally realized, “Well we get along, Yeah we really do, And there's nothing wrong, With what I feel for you.” At summer’s end, we finally decided to let our hearts take control of our rational minds and that is one decision that I know I will never regret. - Sorcha

The end of Summer, to most, is sad because they remember the end of summer vacation as kids. I am very pasty, and very Irish, and so the sun is not my friend. So the end of Summer to me has actually meant little but the end of too much sunshine. Autumn on the other hand, the browning leaves, the sweeping winds and the feeling of melancholy that comes over me when it begins has always been beautiful to me. And it was near the Fall that Sorcha and I came together as two lonely hearts finding solace together. Melancholy has never felt so warm and sweet before. Now I look forward to Autumn as the time when I was able to find my Sorcha, and now it is a marker of another year passed, and another year to come with her at my side. - Sabrael

She’s So High by Tal Bachman
There are three songs so far in the history of the playlist that have given me goosebumps. Technically this one is #3 but I like lists that start at the end (and it gives you something to look forward to). Every time I hear it I don my aptly named ‘idiot grin’ and am incapable of doing anything other than flooding Sab with <3’s and I love you’s. It’s not just the obvious giddiness at being compared to Aphrodite or even him seeing me as out of his league (Pshaw on that theory!). It’s the fact that this song goes both ways. I don’t know what I did to deserve having Sabrael in my life. He puts up with my ridiculous mood swings, quirks, and eccentricities with an amazing patience I will never understand. My senior year in high school we had a girls retreat where one of the activities was to write out a list of the qualities of our perfect man. Sab meets Every Single bullet point on that list. Whether it’s luck or fate, finding him is something I won’t easily take for granted. - Sorcha

I must admit, I have a very sappy view of this song. The truth is I don’t feel like I am good enough for Sorcha, and I doubt I ever will feel like I am. I know Sorcha will always argue that I am more than deserving, but I will always thing otherwise. Does this worry me? No, I am in love, and as long as I can shower her with that love I will always be happy. And to add to the sap that is already filling this article, I gladly think my Sorcha is more charming than Cleopatra, more beautiful than Aphrodite, and stronger than Joan of Arc. Every time I hear this song, I think of the video: the odd girl with the staff, wings and goggles, without a care in the world. And I can’t help but think of Sorcha, with that beautiful smile and the way she makes me feel when I see her smile. And of course the desire to do anything I have to in order to make sure that smile never goes away. I am grateful to the universe for letting me have her near me, and I would never trade my time with her for anything. - Sabrael

Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows
This song will make the most sense with a small history lesson. While it is true that I met Sabrael though a mutual friend that is only part of the story. There is a good reason why we were so hesitant. Why we were never supposed to fall in love. That reason was his girlfriend. My best friend. Yes, this changes the story a bit now doesn’t it? No story ever has a set beginning and a set end, there’s always something that happened before and something will always happen after and you often can’t understand the context of one without the other. Yes, I did like Sab from the moment I met him but I never intended to do anything about it. I would fall asleep at night forcing my mind to banish thoughts of him because he was off limits. Untouchable. However if I hadn’t broken all of my rules there wouldn’t be a story to tell here. Accidentally in love is the perfect way to describe what happened to us. Neither of us expected it, neither of us pushed for it, it’s a legitimate case of it just happened. Sometimes love is just unexpected. -Sorcha

Once upon a time, I was living with a girl. She was my girlfriend at the time, but our relationship was somewhat unique. We were more like roommates and very close friends than we were lovers. She was an avid fan of Role-Playing, and through this shared hobby I met Sorcha. Now, Sorcha was sweet, and we shared many things in common, but at the time, we were simply blossoming friends. As my relationship dipped, Sorcha was there to be a reassuring and loving voice, and soon I found myself falling for her, and out of respect for my relationship, I distanced myself from her to remove my own doubts. But I would find myself feeling alone with my significant other at my side, and Sorcha was the only one who kept me company. That was when I realized things were not right. And I found myself in love with someone else. When situations reached new lows, and I moved to Los Angeles, I felt truly alone, the person who should have been there for me wasn’t, and the only person who was meant more to me than I could have expected. And so, we accidentally fell in love, even though rules said we shouldn’t. We couldn’t. But I don’t care, I am happy. And I am glad I accidentally fell in love with Sorcha. - Sabrael

Fly Me Away by Annie Little
It’s hard to expound on this song because in a way it perfectly sums up my feelings on the first few months of our relationship. The first line “Silver moons and paper chains” hold special significance to me because it reminds me of something Sab said to me while I was working on some projects for my Etsy. “She has the moon in her pocket and stars on a string.” It’s become a kind of theme for us, Sab is my Moon Man and I’m his Starry Sky. Even the simple line “Speak to me in foreign tongues” brings up all kinds of memories of inside jokes with my favorite linguist. And quite honestly, at this point I don’t know what I would do without him and I can barely remember what my life was like before he was a part of it. I think I can be happy wherever I am, as long as I have him by my side. - Sorcha

This song is simple, but I think it is a very beautiful song, and it is the one which means the most to me. Sorcha plays some piano, and I think of her playing this early in the morning, waking me up with her beautiful voice. “Now I cant think what life was like, before I had you by my side. Cant say what I'd do without you, knowing what its like to have you.” Those words are how I feel all the time. I can see my life before Sorcha, but I am not me, I am simply watching a sad movie that doesn’t get any better until this beautiful girl enters this poor boys life. I would have to paste all the lyrics here to explain myself. This song describes my Sorcha, beautiful and poetic, and it reminds me of the things that made me fall in love with her. I would gladly fly off with her and see the universe, so long as it meant I could always be with her. - Sabrael

Every Day by Voxtrot
I tried by best to keep it to myself but this past summer I went through a crippling depression. I would wake up every morning almost in tears, panicked by bad dreams. It took me hours to fall asleep because my brain would not stop churning with empty thoughts. There was one thing that I look forward to every day and the only thing that convinced me to get out of bed. That was the thought of talking to Sab and his, then, girlfriend. They were the only ones who could bring any kind of peace or meaning to my life. Through time I came to rely quite heavily on Sabrael, probably more than I should have, but he had this habit of always being there exactly when I needed him the most, like he knew. “Crane my neck to kiss your head, I know, That there is something that I can rely on, And when I strain my thoughts to push this thread I sew, It's some kind of future that I can be sure of.” I know he will always be there for me no matter what and that means more to me than anything else. He’s the one thing in my crazy life that I know I can always rely on. - Sorcha

Voxtrot is a band that takes the feelings in my heart and sings them out to the world. I have yet to find a song of theirs that doesn’t touch me, but Every Day is special. It explains of how my world was upside down, smothering me and making me lose hope in everything, only to have someone take my hands and wrench from me everything I have always tried to keep secret. Making it hard to feel lost, she was there, and I knew she would always be, I felt sure of something in my world. And she was it. Suddenly my world stopped shifting and being so chaotic, and I felt like there was a solid path before me, and walking that path I felt like I had a stable future of me, so long as it meant that future was with her. But this road was a slope, and before I knew it I was tumbling head over heels, but I was laughing the whole way because I knew I was tumbling into love. And I couldn’t have been happier. - Sabrael

I’m No Superman by Lazlo Bane
We are not perfect by any means. Both of us have confrontation issues, anger problems, fits of melancholy, and a whole host of baggage. Life loves to throw curve balls at us, either in the relationship itself or just our everyday lives. However just knowing that there is someone there, that I’m not alone in all of this, makes everything else easier to bear. Every little victory seems like we’re getting closer and closer to our goals. To truly being together like we long to be. It’s so much easier to be strong when you know that someone else is relying on you. I may not be Superman (or Wonder Woman if you feel the need for me to be gender accurate) but Sab makes me feel like I could conquer the world if I wanted to. - Sorcha

I had heard this song for the first time on my drive to work. I was in a crap job, and my life quite frankly sucked. This song always told me that it was fine, life isn’t always easy, but you never have to do it all alone. Now, I think of this song, and I think about the hardest parts of my relationship with Sorcha, and sometimes I feel like it will drown me. But then I see that little window pop-up telling me Sorcha G. Dubhsioc has sign on, and I feel like there is “a hand to break my fall”. And I realize no matter how hard it is, I’m not the only one who is dealing with it. I don’t have to be a Superman, I just have to stay strong no matter what comes my way. And true to the song, some day we will be together, and it will be a great day for both of us, but until then, I only have to keep my chin up and keep moving forwards with Sorcha at my side. - Sabrael

Baby, It’s Fact by Hellogoodbye
Now you all know where the title of my last post came from. Surprise! I may leave little notes for you guys to pick up on from time to time, just to keep things interesting. Really everything I have to say about this song was summed up here. I get so frustrated with fighting constantly to have our relationship taken seriously by others. The line that really gets me is “They don’t know how real love feels.” In all my wildest dreams I never thought I would find a love like the one I have for Sabrael. I’ve seen love in some of the people around me but it’s not the same. It’s hard to describe just how it feels to find the person who completes you and the idea that I would give that up for something as silly as some miles of desert between us is ridiculous. It’s fact, I am in love with Sabrael D. Carroll and though our start may have been somewhat unorthodox that doesn’t make our feelings any less real. - Sorcha

If our relationship had a theme song, Baby, it’s Fact would be it. It touches upon the points that both of us feel is unjust for not only us, but anyone in a long distance relationship. Everyone makes stupid comments, and ridicules us for how our love began, and how it is going now. But like the song says, the only words which matter to me are hers, because “our love is true, the way black is black and blue is just blue.” Everyone is obsessed with how love should be, but in reality, I think our love is how it should be. I fell in love with Sorcha’s words and mind long before I came to admire her beauty. And I will keep loving her thoughts for some time before I can have her in my arms. Most would call it backwards, I call it more forwards than any other love. - Sabrael

Don’t Worry, I’m Yours by DJ Dain
This is a monster of a song but it sums up love so perfectly. I am a worrier by nature. The silliest things set me off onto spiraling logic-lacking trains of thought and usually it takes all my energy to reign myself back in. With Sab I don’t feel that as much. We don’t play silly games, we don’t cloud the purity of our feelings with fights for control or jealousy arguments. We just love. He loves me. I love him. It’s as simple as that. The rest is just details. Since I was tiny (ok, tinier than I am now ^ ^) What a Wonderful World has been one of my favorite songs. Corny as it may sound, being with Sab makes me see that. He is the most beautiful person I know and he’s constantly making me see life in a new light for which I am very thankful. The world through Sabrael’s eyes is an amazing thing to see. It makes me so very glad to know that he is mine. - Sorcha

This song is beautiful. It takes three songs, two of which I hadn’t considered for this playlist, and blends them into a soothing mix that punctuates this, the first of many musical posts. I’m Yours had already been slated to appear on this playlist at some point, a beautiful song about how I am so head over heels for this amazing woman known as Sorcha. Over the Rainbow, specifically the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version, is a relaxing song that has always put me at ease whenever I hear it thanks to a certain comedy show and a very touching scene using his wonderful rendition of it, coupled with a beautiful shadow play video of What A Wonderful World. To top it off, Don’t Worry, Be Happy, a song with sage advice to someone who worries about details as much as I do, added into the mix reminds me that sometimes one shouldn’t be afraid of the situation, and instead go with the flow. Combined, this song simply puts me into a lull, and reminds me not to panic, and not to freak out, because quite frankly, I am in love. - Sabrael

And there you have it, ten songs that embody the beginning of our friendship, and leading into the beginning of the life we chose together. Next time we'll explore the songs that remind us why we are trying so hard, and why we love each other so much. From both of us, thanks for reading, and we hope you enjoyed this special Wednesday post, and we hope you enjoyed the music. Until next time, give your MP3 Players a hug, and we’ll see you next Monday.

The 'L' Word

"So, before I give myself more time to over analyze (a common pastime of mine) and go through ever possible what if situation in my head I'm just going to go for it. For once I'm just going to say how I feel and worry about the consequences later. I love you too Sab." - Sorcha G. Dubhsioc, August 15, 2010

I love you.

Three of the most common words in the English language. In all their varied forms they can create an infinity of meanings but they never seem so powerful as when they're strung together. I've said that sentence countless time before to family and friends, both in sincerity and sarcasm. However, the way I said it on August 15, 2010 was very different from any way I'd ever said it before.

That's the great and terrible thing about the word love. It's not a constant. The way you love your dog is not the same way you love ice cream or the way you love that book you just read. Other languages tend to get more specific with their definitions of love like querer and amar in Spanish or eros and agape in Greek.

That's why love is so complicated. It's easy to know that you love but it's hard to know why, how, or even if you should. I loved Sabrael from the moment I met him but the love I have now is not the same as it was then. It's not even the same as it was last month or last week. Love is not static, it's dynamic and always changing. It is when love becomes fixed and settled that it begins to die.

I can't give you tips or clues. I can't tell you how to hold onto your love forever, I'm not even sure if I know how to do that for myself. Love just doesn't work that way. Just as it is different among all the things that you 'love' it's different among all the people who love. That's because love isn't an emotion. It's a conglomeration of feelings, experiences, interpretations, and observations. It's messy and complicated and irrational. It will never be easy but that's what makes it fun.

Considering how severe my control issues are, telling you that I loved you, Sabrael, was one of the scariest things I've ever done in my life. And every day I'm so grateful that I did. Every day I tell it to you again not to remind you but because every day I fall in love with you all over again. And I never want that to end.

So until next time add all the words for love to your custom dictionary and have a great weekend.

P.S. - Per usual, this week came bundled up with it's own set of problems and difficulties but still I woke up this morning with a huge smile on my face as I thought of you. You've been so patient and gentle with me and I can't tell you what that meant to me. It was nice having a bit of a week off from crazy projects and just be able to relax with you in my down time. I'm really excited though about the next few articles we have coming up and I can't wait to work on them with you. Oh! Also, congrats on landing the new job! I'm so proud of you! I know you'll be amazing at it. <3

Adopt-a-Couple: The Story of Miss A and Mr. B

Of course I know what it is to have long distance relationships. All of the most meaningful relationships I’ve had have either started long distance or have ended up as long distance. I know few people with the patience or the strength to deal with these circumstances, but among the people I do know, one of them knows just what an ordeal it can be, because it seems he has been unlucky enough to have quite a few people who are important to him be far off. But recently he has entered into a relationship (and as of this posting they have made clear their feelings, but I don’t care, I declared them a couple long before that) that once more sent his heart across far off distances. This person whom has captured his heart is one Miss A. And who is he? He is Mr. B, one of my closest friend and my former room mate in Los Angeles. (Points for knowing the reference.)

Now I don’t know too much about Miss A, I met her through Sorcha, and what I have gotten to know is this: in the world of wordsmiths, Miss A’s brush is blunt force trauma in the form of flat truth and brutal sarcasm that would make any forensic linguist turn green. Look at that verb splatter! She is fun to interact with, much like many of Sorcha’s friends, I hope to get to know more about her in the future. Mr. B is my area of expertise here. He is a bit of an ass, but in the way that makes you laugh even if your the victim. His taste in music is dubious, but at the same time he has been known to adapt to genres that make you pause and ask: “Mr. B listens to this? You sure?” Now, when thinking about it, Miss A and Mr. B sort of go together like Beans and Potatoes [AN: Edited thanks to a wonderful suggestion]. You think it’s weird but by god if it doesn’t just work really well and it becomes your new favorite side dish. Truth be told they are adorable, and while I avoid mixing into their business, what I have learned always makes me smile and just reminds me that Sorcha and I aren’t alone, and sometimes hearing about someone else’s struggles reminds you about how you should never quit.

Now, the reason I reference Adopt-a-Couple is because it was actually Sorcha and I (mainly her if you ask her, though I felt like I helped in my own way) who introduced the two and sort of pushed them to talk. And now we are determined to do the same for anyone else we know. We will pair up people who would never have met otherwise and we will show the world the power of love! (The thought makes me dream of Love 2.0: A Digital Dating Site! Of course a pipe dream, but still a fun thought.) Not to say long-distance love is better than people nearby one another, but sometimes the person meant for you is someone you would never have met in your own area. But more on this comparison later I think. Until next time, remember your headphones can accessorize too, and have a great week

P.S. Thanks for your help with this article, and for dealing with sick me all week. I know I’ve been out of it, but I think I’m starting to feel better, and I think our last big talk helped a lot. I’m glad I have you in my life, and even though we didn’t announce it before, Happy 6 Monthaversary! Half a year with you by my side, and I hope to have much longer than that. I love you so much. <3

In The Words of Another: Geneviéve Cuva, Part 1

I mentioned once that anyone who had any article ideas or contributions to the concept of long-distance relationships should feel free to submit it, either in the comments, or you can click our portraits right above our information at the bottom of the site. On occasion I am forced to find these people because they are too silly to point themselves out. So today I’d like to pay humble tribute to one Miss Geneviéve Cuva. Now Gen and I are only somewhat acquainted: a former room mate and good friend of my better half, her first impression on me was one of a polite young woman not afraid of her own mind, and not ashamed to express the rambling of her mind. I have witnessed her brilliance in the form of Poetry (which can be read here on her blog “Creative Streak”) as well as in artistic form (which can be seen here on her deviantART). I applaud her artistic merit, mainly because of envy, but also because of it’s sheer beauty. I’ve chosen to showcase a recent piece that instantly grabbed my attention: so my readers I present Enough by Geneviéve Cuva.

Enough
What is love if it is gone,
if it is absent from the
space beside me,
if it is stretched between
us almost to the point
of breaking? It is a string,
a road, a letter or
a short call just to say hello.
It hides in the
small moments and shines
in them, like a child’s nightlight
or a candle in the window. So
from me to you, I send love.
I hope it is enough.

Like I said. Beautiful. It evokes to me a picture of a man whose love is long away from him, troubled time have come, and he sits by candle light, quill inked and awaiting his great prose. Instead, he write those three simple words, folds the page, seals it and his messenger is off with it. I always tell Sorcha I love her. When she is doing homework and I am coding a site, and the air is thick with that unique comfortable silence, I glance up at her, face steady as she reads and I too use those simple words. And she smiles that surprised smile when I catch her by unawares, and she reciprocates. “I send love. I hope it is enough.” She always reminds me it is more than enough, and I love her more for it.

Geneviéve, you did an amazing job capturing something that is hard to describe. Those simple moments most people face to face take for granted, when you not only know they love you, but when they send it to you in some way to make for certain you know. It is a beautiful thing you wrote, and I am grateful to you for doing it. I look forward to getting to know you more in the future, you always leave such supportive comments and so I am glad to make you the first person we pay tribute to here on Love 2.0. To the rest of our readers, you can follow Gen’s own internal monologue at her other blog entitled “Strange Bird” (which I must begin by saying is one of my favorite phrases of English Slang ever, so bravo on choosing a lovable title). And with that I will end my own internal monologue by adding that if you too are an artist of any sort and would like to be featured, don’t hesitate to post a link to your work or e-mail either Sorcha or myself. Until next time, update your driver to Love 2.0, and have a great week.

P.S. My love, our plan went off a bit late, but I loved the end result. Nothing was better than getting into the old writing spirit with you. I can’t wait for our exciting continuation and the chapters from then on. I love you, and I can’t wait for our anniversary which is right around the bend along with my birthday. Having you is the only gift I could have ever asked for. <3

Icthyology and The Science of Love

Emoticons are strange creatures that come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They roam the internet searching out those that need them most. It seems that wherever Sabrael and I go, a small school of fish seems to follow. In the past few months I've had many opportunities to study these strange, silly creatures. I've taken the liberty of jotting down some of my field notes for you enjoyment and some tips for you in case you run into them someday.

Pisces Faciem
o 3 o

Adorable isn’t he? Such a silly, simple fish. You don’t believe he could change the world do you? Well, you’re right. He probably couldn’t. Be he changed mine. This is Sebastian and I first met him two days before my nineteenth birthday but I had no idea at the time how important he would come to be in my life or how I would get to see him evolve over time. He has a very sweet temperament though occasionally, if incensed, can turn into Rage Fish (pictured here O 3 O). Though this is usually just in response to Sorcha being uncooperative so he’s feeling a bit cranky and needs to throw a temper tantrum.

o 3 o

This is Belle. She is much more shy. Before August 7 (almost 5 months after the discovery of Sebastian) it was thought that she was simply a myth. Some sightings had been reported but they were all unsubstantial claims. Since then her appearances have been much more frequent. Often she appears when Sorcha has an idea to propose or if in fits of laziness she doesn’t want to do anything. Context is very important for interpreting Belle’s actions. She also has a variant similar to the Rage Fish (pictured here ^ 3 ^) however this is the Excitement Fish. Excitement fish tends to be even more dangerous than Rage Fish because she appears when excitement levels have reached near critical conditions and something is likely to explode.

Pisces Tardus
o     3     o

Though it could be argued that this fish is not truly it’s own species, merely a variation of Pisces Faciem, his impact is wide spread enough to warrant a specific mention. Known more commonly as Slow Fish or Tard Fish, his exact origins are unknown as by the time he was discovered, methods of recording became too varied for proper research to be facilitated. However he is significantly more recent than the other two. His far spread eyes give him a slow but quite lovable appearance. He often appears when someone is trying to garner sympathy or adorable points. At this point, his name is unknown. He is much less verbal than Belle and Sebastian and though he likes people isn’t incredibly social.

Pisces Tardis
(( o 3 o ))

The newest discovered fish, Pisces Tardis, or Eccleston as he prefers to be called, is probably the most fantastic of all the fish. He has the unique ability to be able to travel through time and space at his discretion, provided that there is a source of clean water awaiting him on the other end. Other than that, he’s quite a mysterious fish and little is known about him. However, he seems to be incredibly fond of BBC television and somehow always knows to show up when it is being watched.

And next time we will look into the special mutations of the Pisces family. Heart shapes eyes and rosey cheeks: signs of fanciful feelings? Or natures sense of humor? But for now I’ll just leave you with this. Don’t forget to feed your digital aquarium and have a great weekend.

P.S. I feel like I always use this segment of my posts to whine about how it was a hard week, assure you of how much I love you, and make promises about the next week being better. No more. Yes, this week was hard. Actually, most of January was hard. Excruciatingly hard at times. But you know what? That doesn't really matter. Because whether or not things get better, we found a way though it. We worked through all our obstacles, technical difficulties, and what was basically our first real fight. I feel more confident now than ever that we can make it through anything that gets thrown our way. I love you so much Bun and no matter what happens, I'm willing to fight for you. O 3 O Belle and I will always be here for you. <3

Culinary Perfection

There are many classic recipes found in cookbooks far and wide. Simplicity made complex by each chefs own personal spin on the original. Among these basic recipes is one that is held in high esteem to me is the ever beloved: Macaroni and Cheese. Macaroni and Cheese has existed in many forms from instant prepackaged, frozen TV dinner, baked in a crunchy casserole and even made fresh in a gourmet manner. Of all of these, one is a culinary perfection. But to explain this, I would have to go back into history to explain the secret ingredient.

This special item is produced from the every adorable Sorcha. Her mere presence flavors experiences with a uniqueness that is unsurpassed. She makes the most boring and mundane of events into fun-filled adventures always leaving you wanting more. One could even say she is fun incarnate, or fun’s sister that you end up hanging out with because she is just better than fun. Never afraid to be silly, and always willing to take things serious when the time is needed. Having her in your life is like the salad table of a buffet. You see the bowl of bacon bits, and the small spoon of a suggested portion, and you just take the bowl and abandon your Ceasar with the Thousand Islands on it, skipping happily to your table like a little girl locked in the bathroom with a whole cake. And that is what Sorcha is. Sorcha is the Bacon Bits that make life interesting.

And we come back to Macaroni and Cheese. Everyone loves this dish, as either a main course or a side item. I have always found Macaroni and Cheese well deserving of entree status. But while many like it baked with a crunchy breaded top coat, I have always been fond of that which emerges from the sauce pan: thick and gooey with yellow cheeses. But while this is simply good, I must argue that those who have never moved beyond this station in their life are missing something that I could never dream of being without: bacon bits. Once added, everyone looks forward to their cheesy pasta with blissful eyes and ravaging appetites. And that is what Sorcha is. She is the bacon bits on life that make me want to go on, and make me hunger for new things with her at my side. And with that, I hope you find the person who is that extra thing in your life that makes it all so bearable. Until next time, let your keyboard have a taste of pudding, and have a great week.

P.S. Last week was just silly my love, but it was fun writing side by side with you, even if our readers might not figure it out. I love you so much, and I know I’ve been a bit moody since I’ve been under the weather. Thank you for putting up with so much of my lethargy. I’m looking forward to all our plans here and in our other projects. I love you so much my Bacon Bits. <3

Through The Halls of the Mind, Episode 1

[Warning: The following is rated I, for Insane. Please do not consume alcohol or operate heavy machinery 24 hours after digesting.]

Hi Nutmeg! o 3 o Okay, so we are doing the story, and we are moving it to anniversary special post day. I love it. XD It pops. I think so, it’s junk without glitter. I never saw it, and she is ‘eh’ in my eyes. Yet to hear a song of hers I like. I was about to say “My Heart Will Go On” but that was someone else right? Ah, there we go, and it’s a good song. I actually liked Titanic, despite DiCrapio. Down among the pigs, dance hearty jig, sets me heart a-bubblin’. I may have. XD I did like him in Man in the Iron Mask. It’s good, but there is a funny part where he is laying in bed with an equally blond girl and you can hardly tell them apart. We do... er... did. It’s the story ideas for... let me copy this down: Anniversary Post Birthday 6 Month Valentine’s Pop Spectacular Glitter Awesomeness. or APB6MVPSGA. It’s easier to remember that way. And zOMG Meg, that is very lady like to mention it here. Welcome back. Was is Mountain Dew Yellow? Oh good, I always worry your not drinking enough water. Poor Meg. But back on topic, the story for the APB6MVPSGA. Yes, yes she is. o 3 o <3 I might be in love with her. And by might be, I mean I am. But you have to admit: we’re awesome. XD Exactly! So STORY! Before we get distracted again. We can tease them, after all, they don’t know what it’s about, but we can spill a few choice tidbits. Like for one, I liked our idea of starting it with tea. Also that. Also it’s the first piece of fiction either of us have written in some time, and the absolute first we’ve done together. ^ ^ That wasn’t really a short story, more of a blurb. XD

Hey Bun ^ ^ We need an epic name for that. Anniversary Post Birthday 6 Month Valentine’s Pop Spectacular Glitter Awesomeness. It’s the glitter isn’t it, really makes all the difference. Though in all actuality, Glitter was a terrible movie. God, I hate Mariah Carry. #1) Nope, Celene Dion #2) Props to you for admitting in a semi public manner that you like that song. But... but he’s hot ^ ^ Besides, my favorite part was all the Irish people. I have a thing for Irish boys, you might have noticed. Haven’t seen it yet. XD That’s awesome! Anywho, I think we’re getting a bit off topic. Though, do we have a topic, really? Ah, hold that thought. I gotta pee! What? It’s not like I gave you details. Nope! I’m properly hydrated! That’s because I’m lazy and the sink is down the hall -_- Best name ever, just to point out. Whoever came up with that must be especially awesome. See, this is what I love about this article. It’s not a filler strip though I’m sure some people will see it that way. This blog is not about our readers, it’s about us. This is us. This is what we do, this is how we talk. We’re not trying to make this a chore or turn it into some quest to be more impressive. We’re just being us ^ ^ As you (but unfortunately not our readers) can see by my awesome dance right now. But we can’t post stuff about that here. We don’t wanna spoil it for those people *points to assorted herd of somewhat terrified looking readers behind their computer screens*. Like how it’s the first piece of fiction to be featured on Love 2.0? Eh, that’s a bit misleading. You’re forgetting the Lyris and Jin tidbit that’s hidden away in Google Docs XD I need to reread that sometime... So, if we’re going to get serious about what we’re supposed to be talking about I vote we go down a paragraph.

Okay, new paragraph, but I say to be even more difficult to read, we just type one after another. Let them figure out who said what. Oki ^ ^ But it’s hard to type with your cursor staring at me like that. Try to be a little considerate. It just likes you is all. Cursor thinks your adorable, and that your writing is cute. He is also of the mind that Tiny Sorchas should write in equally tiny fonts. <3 (Ok, in a random side note you really should listen to my current favorite song. You did give it to me after all. And your mustache man is making me giggle as he rides my sentence) :{D Wheeee~ (But what song is it? Hmm.) (15 Minutes by The Yeah You’s) (Ah, Easy A Soundtrack. ^ ^ Glad I could oblige.) (I’m only mildly obsessed with it. I’ve listened to it all the way through thrice but my favorites have many more plays ^ ^) (Of course. But I digress, we are off topic again) Back to the main purpose: it begins with tea. And our narrator is neither him nor her, but he knows what they will be going through, and will also have a dry witty humor... and if it had a voice it would be sarcastic and British. Very British. With no hard R sounds. I’m glad you got that impression too. So it’s not just me ^ ^ No, not just you. ^ ^ I get the feeling it’ll insult them off-handedly. There is also a good amount of adorable clumsiness and, if I remember correctly, scarves. Yes, the scarf is important. And the adorableness is overflowing from the... pages? Is that appropriate to use in a digital medium? Pages is always an appropriate word. It’s one of my favorites. ^ ^ Of course it is my love. Okay, so we have those vagaries (Did I really write vaguities there? Wow. Just making up the language now aren’t I?) (Yes you are my squeedlysplooch ^ ^) (<3 <3 <3) down, and that should be enough to make the few but dedicated readers we have wondering what it will be about. Anything we should say before we leave them wondering? (Also i vote we go up and introduce what the heck is going on to the readers before we finish up down here). (No way, our readers are smart enough to figure it out. Don’t wanna baby them. They’re not our children, love) (Okay, deal.) So are we missing anything? Our sign off. Ah, of course, to everyone out ther--- I GOT A GOOD ONE!!! *sigh* Go ahead my dear. ^ ^ So, buy your computer a decoder ring and have a great rest of the week. ^ ^ See, get the pun! Because it’s a ring! A ring! Like lovey stuff ^ ^ Like the clock ring you just sent me ^ ^ Yes, we got that dear. XD I love you. I love you too o^ ^o

P.S. Just wanted to take a moment and thank our readers once again. I’m sure I speak for both of use when I say your comments, questions and even ideas are encouraged. If you’ve got stories to share we’d love those too. Sometimes it feels kind of lonely and awkward having to explain to people that you’re in a long distance or online relationship. Yes indeed, you sometimes get those certain looks or groans from people. But if you do have stories, feel free to email them to us, sometimes even we need support too. Our profile portraits have out email addresses, and we’d gladly showcase your tales here. We hope your enjoying the new year with us here at Love 2.0, and we look forward to a long year of romance in a digital age. <3

A Farewell to the Holidays, Pt 2

When my original plan to go visit Sab and Jhovanny for the holidays fell through, to put it lightly I wasn’t pleased. I have the unfortunate burden of being a stress shopper so I promptly went out and spent all the money I’d been saving for the trip. For the first time I bought myself Christmas presents (those of you know know me well may know that I typically feel great guilt buying things for myself, not this time). Though since I had a month long winter break before I needed to be back in classes, I realized I was going to have to find something fun to do or my brains might explode from boredom. My parents and sister had already been planning a trip out to Ohio to visit my Grandparents so I convinced my Dad, on the way back, to drop me off in Indiana so I could visit some of my High School friends.

I am neither an introvert nor an extrovert. I am a curious mix of the two (a woman of contradictions remember). My extroverted side was excited, I would get to see family and friends that I hadn’t been able to in months if not years. However my introverted side was completely unaware that she would go through the most intense torture she’d been faced with since that one semester she’d thought it would be a good idea to become an RA. I did not have a single moment where I could be completely alone over the next two weeks. I slept on couches, shared beds, and napped in train seats. Even asleep I had no privacy. There were many car trips, some where I, a tiny girl of 5’2” had to squeeze to fit my legs in around the people, junk, and car parts. There was rarely viable internet so I couldn’t keep up with my YouTube subscriptions, writing (including this blog), work emails, and, the one that wore on me the most, Sabrael. There was even a time where the texting on our phones decided to give out and service was unreliable so I think our longest calls lasted about 10 minutes before they were dropped. These were some of the hardest two weeks I’ve had to endure in a long time but, also one of the best vacations I’ve ever been on.

As my friend Rachel so tastefully put it, “There was a time when you were so far up Sab’s ass, you didn’t talk to any of us.” And as much as I hate to admit this, it’s true. I’m already really bad about keeping up with old friends (when you move approximately every 3 years and have gone to four different schools in the last 6, old friends tend to pile up) already but I tend to let them drop even more when something new comes along. Not that I’m trying to replace them, but I’m just lazy and to be honest kind of selfish. When Sab came around, I’d already begun to push my friends away. I was in a bad place and really just didn’t want to deal with anyone. By the time things started to change for me, I’d fallen into a pattern.

I love Sab, with all of my heart, but that doesn’t mean I get to neglect other people who need me. I’ve got to learn to balance both sides of my life because I couldn’t bear to let either of them go. So for my January Goal (per my resolutions) that’s what I’m going to do, balance out my life. I’m going to work at staying in touch with my friends better, write letters, emails, texts, and check up on them from time to time. Then Sab and I have decided that we need some time just for us. We spend a lot of time working on projects, school work, and just generally being distracted. So every week we’re going to take some time and shut everything else down for a little while. I don’t want to neglect any of my relationships this year. So until next time, spend some quality time with your web cam, and have a great weekend.

P.S. - Sabrael, I cannot put into words how much I’ve missed you over this vacation. I am so glad that I am back, 1600 miles somehow feels so much closer than 1800. We got some great things planned over the next couple of months and I’m really looking forward to being there with you and seeing how things work out. Just don’t ever forget that I love you and you are always in my thoughts. Thanks for always being there for me when I need you, supporting me in all I do, and keeping me from rewriting this article again. <3

A Farewell to the Holidays, Part 1

And so the holidays come to a close, and we here at Love 2.0 want to welcome everyone back to a New Year. So for the last four weeks, give or take, both Sorcha and I were on Holiday (You'll read her adventures later). My oddball adventures began simply, staying with my mother a week before Christmas. I had already known before hand that I would be in charge of Christmas Dinner since my mother had recently begun a late-night working schedule. I was happy to oblige of course since as few know, I am an aspiring chef. So Christmas Dinner was a smash success: Roast Beef, Honey Ham, Loaded Mashed, Sage and Herb Stuffing and White Rice. I was applauded by my family as everyone enjoyed the food, and my mother and I enjoyed the leftovers - for days. So help me if I see more holiday ham before next Christmas I may hurt someone. I got some good gifts: a new Cook Book, Paid Hosting, A Donation for CO.CC and a fully repaired secondary laptop!

New Years Eve was uneventful, spent it alone watching TV. New Years Day was more exciting, I spent it with my former room mates and we had a blast in the Venetian Canals, browsing the shops that caught out interests. I did get to lay eyes upon a beautiful treasure: the First Copy of the First Edition of Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass". A Mere $7300 and it would be mine to own! I also found a First Edition of Card's "Ender's Game". One of my room mates mentioned seeing a display of Ptolemy's Atlas which I felt ashamed in not noticing. We also visited a Montblanc store, which in case no one knows, is a store for Moogles (Argh, bad joke). No, in reality it is a high end finery shop for the business folk. My interests lay in their assortment of writing implements and their smooth flowing ink pens. Let is be known that I would gladly pay the $800 it takes for one of those lovely items. It shall pen every first draft for the rest of my life. After all that we ate at a nice Hawaiian place then stayed up playing Munchkin and Goldeneye. Aside from that, my final week before our triumphant return has been uneventful. I did manage to get my new laptop in order among other things, and both Sorcha and I started work on keeping our resolutions.

Now as mentioned, we are changing up our format here, instead of one special article a month, we are alternating between weeks in which we update Mondays and Fridays, and weeks in which we update Wednesdays. So look forward to that. I would also like to thank those of you who have been leaving us those wonderful comments, and I welcome everyone to leave us more inspiring comments, questions, and suggestions. I will also ask that if you have any friends or family who would enjoy reading our romantic adventures, please pass on our address, which you may have noticed has changed to the much simpler http://digitalromance.co.cc. So until next time, get your laptop a shiny new processor, and have a great week.

P.S. To my beloved Sorcha; throughout the entire stint, I was cut off from you due to Holidays of your own, dealing with family, friends, and festivities. Now the whole time I missed you dearly of course, but as the days went on I began to miss you more and more. And every form of communication we had dwindled, circumstances just stacked against us. It was annoying. Now we had come into this relationship with a unique mindset that we wanted to be both a couple, as well as keep our individuality. But I had gotten used to having you there, sitting in the corner of my screen, or in my pocket, and without you so readily in contact I felt a little lost. I knew I was supposed to be willing to be myself, but I didn't want to. I was my best when you were there, even if I wasn't talking to you, just knowing there was another heart beating near mine helped all the more. These holidays made me realise why I fell in love with you, and just how much you meant to me. This was the first strain on our relationship, and I know it won't be the last. But I have faith no matter the problems that may arise, we'll fight them together. I love you so very much, and I'm glad we are back. <3

New Years Resolutions

Resolutions. The thing which everyone makes and nobody keeps. Though in all honesty, how many people do you know that make resolutions they intend to keep? Everyone says they will lose 10 pounds or read through the whole Bible or make a better effort to be organized or something equally dull. In reality, though these may all be honorable endeavors are they really things people want to do? There are enough things in our lives that we feel compelled to do shouldn’t resolutions be about things you genuinely want to do? Those things that make you happy that always seem to get pushed aside under the mountain of other obligations. So this year we’re making our resolutions together and we’ve decided to share them with you both as inspiration for your own resolutions and as a way of remembering and holding ourselves accountable. Because sometimes enjoying life is hard work. ^ ^

Sabrael’s Resolutions

Resolution the first: Limit the number of planned projects. More often than not I get ideas for projects left and right, and almost immediately they all go into planning phase and end up bottle necking projects I already had set-up, meaning I end up getting nothing done. I need to figure out a system for myself on how to efficiently streamline the idea process on my projects. And so the rules of this resolution are as follows: If I get an idea for a projects I am going to write it down with a few notes on what I had in mind when it came to me. It’ll stay there until another project is out of planning and a project spot becomes available. I will keep my number of planned projects to 4, and I must never have more than this, but I can have fewer than this if I find that one project is a big enough work load to keep me busy.

Resolution the second: Learn to archive old notes and ideas instead of deleting them. I find that I have old ideas and notes floating around in various places and more often than not I end up erasing them, and making a document that eventually also gets erased, only to find that sometime later I want those notes back and neither my document nor my original source are available. I need to realize that redundancy isn’t always a bad thing. And so the rules of this resolution are as follows: Whenever I stumble across notes or documentation of something that I am not working on, and don’t see myself working on soon, I will make redundant backups just in case. One will be on GoogleDocs, another on my personal website as a simple text file, and the last two will be files on both my computer and my private server’s DataSpace. If I have the opportunity, I will also print a hard copy and stash that away in an accordion file, but that one might not be very often.

Resolution the third: Maintain a self schedule and stick to it. I am very prone to distractions. And sadly it isn’t as simple as getting caught up in browsing the web or clicking that lovable StumbleUpon button. No, my distractions involve finding a new site and exploring it, or getting a new game with potential for fictional work, or the worse one yet, going headfirst into a project and ignoring everything else that needs to be done. I want to divide my time up into my various projects and obsessions, even if it means I only get a small amount time with each one, I’d like to see progress all around. And so the rules of this resolution are as follows: In any given week, I will spend at the very least 3 hours on any one project or hobby. I can spend more time on them, but only after each item has been given its allotment.

Sorcha’s Resolutions

The First Resolution: The 12 Goals. I know I’ve talked occasionally on this blog about how over the past few years I’ve gone through some real highs and lows with my depression. It shut me down, essentially. I passed up some great opportunities and let a lot of good people fall through my fingers. I know that those are things I won’t ever be able to get back but I can make a conscious decision not to let it happen again. So every month I’m going to make myself a goal. It’s going to be something I want to do, learn, see, visit, buy, explore, etc and I’m going to make it happen. It can be done by myself or with others but I’m not going to let anything stop me from completing my goals and trying something new. The rules dictate that the goal must be chosen by the first of the month to keep me from BSing something at the last minute. The goals don’t necessarily have to be something I haven’t done before but they at least have to be done in a new way. They also have to be something I enjoy doing but something that would be at least slightly challenging to complete.

The Second Resolution: Write Daily. Over the summer I was introduced to a website I absolutely love called 750words. It’s a journaling website where the goal is to write 750 words (about 2-3 pages) a day. At the end of every entry it makes charts and graphs of your mood, concerns, and content which you can share with others but all of your entries themselves are entirely private. I started off really strong on 750words, making it to an 80 day streak before technical difficulties broke my record. I got very discouraged by this and kept trying to pick it up again but something always distracted me from it. I got lazy, copying and pasting text to make the goal and really that’s entirely against the point. Sab and I are planning to set up a prompt system to help me keep on track. The rules dictate that all content submitted to 750words but be written that day. It doesn’t have to be creative writing specifically but that is what is preferred and, along with personal journaling, should make up the biggest percentage of articles. Homework cannot be copied and pasted for filler content. At least one prompt should be used per week and at least two entries should be journal.

The Third Resolution: Choose Active Entertainment Over Passive. Netflix and YouTube, like most things, are some of my greatest joys and biggest distractions. I have something playing on my computer almost constantly, even when I’m not really paying attention. Just to give you an idea, I finished watching five seasons of Buffy in about two months. Two months that were interspersed with school and work no less. I’m not saying that I’m going to give up my show addictions but I need to keep a better eye on it. I also need to keep my mindless internet stumbling to a minimum. If I’m not working or playing with something specific I should find something else to do. I need to make it a point to read more books, work on more of my crafts, go to new museum exhibitions, play games with my friends. It’s time to take back control over my brain again. The rules dictate that I should limit my online video watching to around 10 hours per week. Also if I realize that I’m just aimlessly wandering the internet I should cut myself off after an hour. School and writing work should take priority but after that’s finished I need to find something else to keep my mind busy.

And there you have it, our resolutions. Simple but progressive. It goes to show that with a little help from a loving partner, you can help enforce your resolutions on yourself. Of course, it helps if these resolutions are reasonable, as opposed to dramatic and over the top. Some people might say that relying on someone to help you with a resolution you made to yourself, a challenge you chose to take on, is a sign of weakness, or a lack of resolve. Hardly, if you can’t rely on the person you love in times of need, then who can you rely on? So until next time, promise to format your flash drives, and have a Happy and Safe New Years.

P.S. To all our readers out there, thank you for reading! We started in October, and this ends our 3rd Month of Love 2.0. Feel free to post your comments and questions here, or at our new e-mail addresses linked below in our profiles. Also, I’d like to point out our new web address at http://digitalromance.co.cc. It is official, we are here for a while still. Be sure to update your bookmarks and take care.

Holiday Hiatus

Yes, this post is filler and it is two days late but unfortunately that's not the only disappointment coming from us this holiday season. Sorry about that! Due to a mind melting finals week, a change of address, and typical holiday insanity, Love 2.0 will be taking a short, but well deserved, break. Part of this is for our own mental health and part of it is so that we can better prepare for the new year and set up some new things for you, our readers.

We've decided that the format of the joint Wednesday posts fits our schedules and our interests more so you're probably going to be seeing a lot more of them, we've planned for two per month. Though we will still continue with the Monday/Friday schedule as well. We're hoping to be able to do some more planning on the Wednesday posts to make them more interesting and involved for you.

Also as a little holiday bonus I've created a coupon code for you guys to use in my Etsy shop. Just visit Nerdette Romance and before your purchase your item type DIGITALROMANCE in the coupon code box to get 15% off your purchase. I can't guarantee your items will get to you by Christmas but I will keep this code up for a year so you have until next December to use it.

Happy Holidays, thanks so much for your patience, and look out for our next post after December 31st! Don't forget to buy your laptop a new holiday sweater and have a great end to 2010!

PS - Sab, I absolutely loved your article on Monday and I feel bad that something so beautiful and that made me smile so big only gets followed by a filler. I promise my next ones will be better. ^ ^ I love you so much, hope you have a great Christmas, and I'll see you back here soon. Muah!

Day to Day: Episode 1

On occasion, a day is interesting, a week can be notable and a month can be quite memorable. I've noticed that Sorcha and I tend to have a certain mindset when we come to our laptops. We have a topic in mind and we write on it. Now I don't mind this system of a sort of column, but on occasion I'd like to talk about my day, and how it relates to our topic here of romance. So today's article is less of a topical column and more of a simple journal from your author.

Today was a quite hectic day. It started early when my love called me on her way to a long day at work. It isn't uncommon for us to exchange texts in the morning, her while off to school, and me in gaps of sleep. But I knew she had a long day ahead of her. I actually got out of bed some time later and spent my morning rambling my thoughts off to an offline Sorcha. I know GTalk would deliver my messages when she got a chance to sign on, and I didn't need instant response, I just needed to clear my head, and even offline, my love performed that role so well. I felt less mentally cluttered and refreshed right away. And when she signed on she even sparked inquiries about my thoughts, helping me refine them. It's one of the aspects I fell in love with, the way she can ask just the right questions.

I ended up headed to a mall to help my roommate Christmas shop, and while I texted while there, I was reminded of her in a variety of ways, some sillier than most. The most obvious in the item I bought as her Christmas gift. While at a jewelry shop I was going to see if I qualified for credit to get a ring, necklace and earring set. Sadly I had forgotten my wallet at home, and so I couldn't even apply. I was going to get Aquamarine, her birthstone, but when I saw May, the Emeralds reminded me of her more. She loves green, and more importantly, it reminded me of Ireland, which always makes me think of her. While passing by the food court, I saw a Asian woman sitting and talking on her cell phone, and she was very small and her feet couldn't touch the ground and it was cute how she was just kicking them. And for those who don't know, my Sorcha is very small, and sometimes needs a pillow to sit at her parents kitchen table. It just reminded me of her. We walked by a shop with a gelatto display, and they had it all big and decorated, and Amaretto flavor was all there, and I know how much she loves it. Then we headed to The Disney Store and I saw a cute Alice in Wonderland Journal that had pink pages, and it made me think of her. One of the kiosks was selling those hugable animal pillows, and the one the guy handed me to 'test' was one I really wanted to buy: an adorable honeybee with pudgy wings.

Now, it isn't new to have Sorcha on my mind all day, it's common. But aside from simply thinking of her, it felt nice to be reminded of the things I associate to her. Alice in Wonderland Journals, Amaretto Gellato, Dangling Feet, Ireland, Emeralds, and of course Honeybee Pillows. I wish I had the money for the things I could have sent her. I would gladly send her everything that reminded me of her if I could. And while I'm not saying love is buying things and spending money, love is seeing the one you love in those things, and wanting them, just because they make you smile, even if it isn't as much as that special person does. That is love, wanting to surround yourself in memories and thoughts of them. So until next time, buy your desktop some pretty icons, and have a great week.

P.S. I loved your article my dear. And I love being there for you. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing you smile. I would move mountains and steal stars if it pleased you. You’ll always be the most important thing in my life, second to none. I look forward to your article on Friday. I had fun thinking of you as I wrote this. <3

Romantic Epiphanies

me: XD It's ok. She wanted me to describe myself for her because I said she doesn't know who I am any more. And I couldn't think of anything. All the stuff that was coming to my mind was superficial. Likes, dislikes, hobbies. Nothing that really defined me. I'm not even sure that I have a me, just a consciousness and a disconnected body...

Sabrael: Your a strong woman, who loves helping others, but at the same time, wishes everyone would be willing to lend a helping hand without question when it is asked of them, the way you do. You don't want to be tied down to anything unless you are sure it is something you want in your life for as long as possible. You are beautiful, and brilliant, and even though you don't know it, your admired by the people that matter most. But in the end, it boils down to three words: You are Meg. And all that means is you are the person you are, and only a special handful can translate that in their heads, because your to great for words.

me: o^ ^o Romantic Epiphany
___

me: I love your voice. Accented or not. Silly voice or normal. When you're laughing, when you're distracted, when I know all you're thinking about is me, when you're nervous, when you've just woken up. I love it all.

Sabrael: o^ ^o Romantic Epiphany

If I bothered to do further research, I’m sure I’d find another term already coined for what Sab and I like to call, Romantic Epiphanies. Because it’s impossible that we are the first people who have tried to put this feeling into words.

For us, it’s almost always connected to words. One of us will say something to the other that’s almost a reminder of why we started on this relationship in the first place. I get that same giddy feeling that I had the first time he told me he loved me. My stomach flips around in my belly, I blush, and I can’t help but bring out my ‘Idiot Grin.’ And it doesn’t go away quickly either.

I always look forward to those moments, not only when I can receive those Romantic Epiphanies, but also give them. In a long distance relationship sometimes you feel like you can’t properly express yourself. When he says or does something that I appreciate, I can’t tackle glomp him, I can’t lean over and give him kisses. Sometimes I feel like the full effect of my love is lost somewhere in the distance between us when all I can respond with is a smile or a laugh. I treasure those moments when I can truly, unrestrainedly tell him how I feel and he just gets it. Somehow just knowing he understands means more to me than anything else could.

Love changes over time. This is a universal fact and an inevitability. And though change isn’t always bad (in fact, I would go so far as to say it rarely is) it can be unsettling and uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s just nice to be able to go back to the start and remember. All relationships start somewhere. Whether it’s out of a friendship, an undeniable attraction, a happy accident, a shared experience, or a commonality isn’t the point. The point is that there was a beginning and whatever it was, it should be remembered. I never want to forget how Sabrael first lured me in. Those beautiful, beautiful words. So until next time, let spell check know how much you appreciate her and have a great weekend.

P.S. I loved your article from Monday, Sab! It was so beautiful and the whole thing was simply full of Romantic Epiphanies. I also liked all the inside jokes you managed to subtly slip in there. I know this isn’t the first time I’ve said I had a hard week but I’m pretty sure this is the first time you’ve actually seen me have a meltdown. It wasn’t full implosion but I got close and you were beyond amazing the way you helped me through it. As always, thank you so much for being there for me and believing in me even when I don’t believe in myself. Especially then. Can’t say what I’d do without you, knowing what it’s like to have you. <3

Like A Thief in the Night: Stealing Words Away

First, allow me to apologize for my absence last Monday, I had gone away to Las Vegas to see my family for the holidays and the 5 hour bus rides took a bit out of me. But I digress, I hope everyone has a good weekend and let’s get to it shall we?

Words. Words are powerful. When spoken, intonation and body language lend them greater power than a dagger to the heart, or a greater joy than being able to kiss the lips of your one true love. Written, they are permanent, and their order, and choice of members, can mean the difference between being seen for what they are, or being misunderstood and causing an uproar. But words are neither good nor bad, simply the product of the thoughts of the speaking and writing. For me, my words are one of my biggest strengths. When speaking I tend to stammer if I get nervous: I pause, I stutter, and I often fail to pronounce the word I was looking for. But in writing my words are carefully chosen, and deftly positioned to impact the most. And my favorite target of these words? Why my lady love, Sorcha, of course. Leaving her speechless after a short note of love, or a simple observation of a new trait I noticed that I find infinitely adorable. That smile and the warm silence are my gifts in return for my words and I cherish them. Sorcha has begun to call these “Romantic Epiphanies” and I like to think we are coining a new term now (look for an article on Sorcha’s behalf explaining these very nice moments). Now, most people don’t know how to use their words, which, to me, seems like a shame, since it is a talent easily usable by many. You don’t need a big vocabulary, just the ability to not hide what your feeling, which seems like more of a problem with men than women. So here are 3 ways to be the Thief of the Night and escape with her words:

• Whispers. Whispers convey love and desire more so than a normal volume. When you get the chance, a kiss to the cheek, and whispered tender words. Something as simple as “I love you so much,” can send shivers down their spine. If your reply is a kiss, or simply a warm hug, it counts as a success. Care to push it further? Add context. Tell them one small thing you appreciate about them, be it physical, or emotional. Everyone likes hearing the reason why they are so desired, and if it’s something small that no one compliments, it tends to mean more. “My dearest Sorcha, I love you, and the way your smile always seems to call mine out from hiding.”
• Notes. Long letters sent to far off places, scribblings on a post-it note or a cute series of symbols on a white board attached to your refrigerator. Words written are almost eternal if preserved. And sometimes, they can mean more because of the thought put into them. When you wake up early, leave a post-it on your pillow or the lamp shade. Remind them of how much they mean to you, and how much you think of them. Write a letter, and even if you live together, drop it in your post, and let them find it, when you come home expect a nice hug in return. A scrap book, to put those post-its, letters, even Polaroids of the fridge every time those magnetic letters spell out a poem. Though if you run out of w’s, don’t be afraid to push those v’s close together.
• Song. This one people may wonder about, but it is true. Sending them a text of a song and artist, and letting them find it and hear it. It lets them know you always think of them when that romantic song comes on. As you may have seen, Sorcha and I have our own playlist in progress (here is a link to the first volume), but gathering song like this leads to a nice playlist of music you and your love can listen to together, and even sing along together. And regardless if you can sing or not, or you don’t think you are, singing them a love song while they fall asleep is always something that will make them smile.

So there you have it, three of many ways to use your words to steal theirs. Making them smile, hug you, kiss you or do something nonverbal. Even if they are just stunned, it is still a great compliment to be able to do that to them. So think those over, and until next time, give your Notepad a romantic epiphany and have a great week.

P.S. Sorcha my love, I am glad you understood about Monday, and I am glad to see both of us at our full again. I hope our filler hump is behind us and I hope to impress you with this article. I love you so much, and I can’t wait for our next special post. <3

Red String Nightmares, Part 2

(This is a continuation of an earlier article: Red String Nightmares, Part 1.)

The one time my life has ever remotely mirrored Hollywood, was that night. The typical nightmare sequence.

My eyes snapped open and every muscle in my body was tense as I snapped up. It took me a moment to realize I was panting heavily and my heart beat pounded in my ears. I gripped at the sheets as, in my confusion and darkness, I tried to remember where I was. Shakily I reached out a hand to flip on my lamp and the dark blue walls of my tiny room slowly came into focus. Sweat ran down my face and made me shiver as it was cooled by frigid blasts of the air conditioning.

I started to remember. Little snapshots of a faceless man with a large laughing mouth. He came at me with fingers like putty that only tangled around me the more I struggled. Silent screams poured from my mouth with no one to feel them. Before or since. I could feel the strength of his arms. Smell his sweat. See every pore on his face. It had felt so real and I was terrified. I needed to make it go away. I needed to stop seeing him behind my eyelids. I needed to tell someone. But who would be awake at 4:41 a.m. to answer my call?

I opened my laptop frantically, groping at straws that someone would be there to help me. And I did not hope in vain for there, when I signed in, was exactly the name I’d hoped for. Sabrael D. Carroll is online.

I told him, shared the whole dream. He didn’t tell me it was a silly fear, he didn’t tell me everything would be ok, he didn’t tell me to try and go back to sleep. He distracted me.

He filled my head with pictures of Autumn Arias, he told me secrets and plans, and we geeked out over role plays and cosplay ideas. It doesn’t seem like much and even looking back on the transcription of the conversation, it wasn’t much. But it was exactly what I needed. He was there for me and he helped me forget.

Sab and I both have problems with sleep. He has a tendency for insomnia and I for nightmares. That was the first time I called on Sab but it was not the last. It gives me more courage knowing I don’t have to face the night alone.

So until next time snuggle your webcams when they have bad dreams and have a great weekend!

P.S. I had a ton of fun working on the Thanksgiving post with you last week! I always like writing with you and can’t wait til we get to do it again. Don’t feel bad about missing Monday. There were buses and pies and volcanic coffees to distract you. I’m sure you’ll write a great on next week. Also thank you for taking care of me this week in my infirmities and being patient with my random lapses in consciousness. I love you dearest and I’m looking forward to spending a nice, relaxing weekend with you. <3

Simplicity

Thanksgiving. An often misconstrued holiday where we partake in glorious feasts, long naps and many, many slices of Pumpkin Pie. Obviously the one time colonists and Indians were able to be friendly with each other deserves celebration while we ignore the mass genocide and destruction of culture taking place right after the meal. With food. Lots and lots of food. Because food heals all. But we digress, on this day in modern connotation, many people hold the tradition of declaring aloud what they are grateful for in their lives. While this may seem cheesy to many (ourselves included), it’s important every once in a while to take a look at the things in your life that make waking up every morning worthwhile.

Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can be thankful for warm cups of tea and cool morning breezes. And those three special words that make the loneliness go away. And the simple emoticons in life like o 3 o and XD and ^ ^ that always bring smiles in darkness. And conversations about nothing that mean absolutely everything. And those moments that make your heart flip and remind you why you fell for them in the first place. And silly jokes no one understands but you (bunp). And those days where you’re hair’s a mess, you didn’t feel like putting on makeup, you’re still wearing PJs at five in the evening, and you haven’t brushed your teeth and they still tell you you’re beautiful. And that feeling they give you that makes you feel like your the only person in the world. And the feeling that if they were the only person in the world, you’d never be lonely again. And the shiver that runs through you whenever you think of their smile. And how you can’t help but laugh at the silly things they do even on the worst of days. And the way all your worries melt away as soon as you hear their voice. And how everything you see reminds you of them in ways only you could understand. And how they understand all your quirks and find ways of making you feel better about them. And how the little victories seem so much more meaningful than the big ones. And how your biggest argument is over what to put on pancakes or the proper way to eat a salad. And how you still can’t help but smile every time you see their face. And of course, the fact that there is someone out there who understands you, sometimes even more than you understand yourself.

Sometimes with greater distance comes a greater understanding of the importance of the seemingly small and insignificant. Details lost in the greater sea of life sometimes become the only things that help you make it through the day. And many times though we take these nuances, subtleties for granted, simple accessories to our lives, we mustn’t forget their impact on the greater whole. Life is rarely comprised of the stuff of epics, great battles of love and honor. It’s routine. It’s simple. And it’s mundane. An attention to detail can make all the difference. So this Thanksgiving, forget the big things. Look for the little things. So until next time, let your monitor have the wishbone, and have a Happy Thanksgiving. We’ll see you next week.

P.S. I Love You

My article last week had all kinds of problems with it and for that I apologize. It was late, it was filler material, it was short, and I forgot my typical P.S. at the end. So this week, it’s all one big P.S. If you don’t mind, I will ignore you today, my dear readers, and talk to Sabrael himself. Thanks for your indulgence, I’ll get back to you guys next week. Until next time, sing to your headphones for once and have a great weekend.

P.S. – Sabrael, I can’t even tell you how much you have meant to me these last few weeks. I’ve had a deluge of essays, tests, and pointless confrontations. I’ve gone days without food. I’ve had crazy arguments with my parents. I’ve had nightmares. I’ve called you in tears. Through all of that, you were always right there with me. I called and texted at all hours of the day and night and you always knew exactly the right thing to say. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

Not being able to see you has been so much harder than I ever thought it would be. I figured, we talked for months before with never seeing each other but I’ve been spoiled. Practically anytime I wanted I had the ability to push a button and see your adorable face smiling back at me. I could hear your voice whenever I wanted. I steal so much strength from your smiles. It’s impossible for me to feel weak or sad or lonely when I see them.

Monday was our 3rd month-iversary, a small step for most but a big one for me. Not only are you now, officially, my longest relationship but you’re the only one I’ve bothered to keep up a timeline with. All my past relationships where a hassle. I had to force myself to care, I was annoyed whenever I was around them, and it was a constant stress to keep things together. It was a little bewildering at first to realize how genuinely happy you make me (still the idiot grin lingers ^ ^). We don’t play games (well, we only play fun ones!), we don’t cut corners, we’re honest and straightforward, we’re simple and sweet. The way love is supposed to be.

I love you so much Sabrael. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for keeping me sane(relatively). Thank you for making me smile. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are and sharing him with me.

P.P.S. – I loved your article on Monday. It made me happier than you can imagine and I walked around with my idiot grin all day long. I’m looking forward to working on another awesome Wednesday post with you next week and an end to all my fillers. <3 Muah!

S.W.A.K.: Sealed With A Kiss

Hello my dear Readers, while I had an interesting topic in mind for my post this week, I decided to sun you, as well as Sorcha, with a SUPRISE ARTICLE. Now, an interesting point of news is that my Laptop, a sub-par Sony VAIO named Ginbana, was recently dealt an injury in the screen department. Now this left me little time to work on my article this week, but that isn’t the reason for this filler. Upon hearing of my blight, my dearest Sorcha informed me of a spare laptop she had, also plagued with screen damage, but much, much less than mine. Along with a few other choice items she had meant to send me, she decided to send it all to me in one quaint package. Now I expected this package to take some time, but I was lucky enough to receive it this weekend. Now aside from the laptop, with a more than workable screen to be honest (so why am I blaming my laptop loss?), there a few other parcels, but let us start at the beginning. KidRobot, a simple Gateway Laptop with an awesome keyboard, was my second biggest treat. Covered in decorative stickers, something I’ve never been able to bring myself to do with Ginbana. Adorable glitter monkeys and the knowledge that the world was being made better one organic pajama at a time. Now my laptop will be fixed soon, but I have chosen to make it my goal to restore KidRobot to a better condition, because she is an adorable laptop, and who knows, may serve me much better in the future than Ginbana can since Ginbana is suffering from a bad battery.

Also included in my package was a shirt bearing a rare triple entendre and a more than epic set of tea. But despite these two very nice gifts, I think the third best gift was a small soft fox who goes by the name of Volly. Volly will now be my companion until I can get to my Sorcha, and it means very much to me. When I saw her in the box I did a sort of acrobatic maneuver off the handle and into her heart, and she into mine (You get points for knowing where this is from). So then we have number two and three, what was the number one item in my package? Why the letter. Hastily written on a torn out sheet from a spiral bound notebook, and as the title says, sealed with a kiss. Now even Sorcha claims that this letter was hastily written and not her best, but it still meant so much to me. I’ve never gotten many letters, hand delivered or otherwise, and I appreciate them all. So have a letter from Sorcha was part of the reason I was excited when the package arrived (with the laptop coming in a very close second). Letters are forgotten in this world of ‘now’. And now that I have seen hers, my dilemma on what to put into a letter has been solved.

So what was the point of this article? That my girlfriend is awesome and I love it when she writes to me. You thought there was another point? I’m just gloating. So until next week, give your spell check some flowers, and have a great week.

P.S. Expect a letter in return my Honeybee, I’m not sure if my idea will work, but we will see. Your letter made me smile, and I’ve been rereading it all morning. You are the best thing to have ever happened in my life, and I would never give you up. Not for all the tea in china, not for all the books of the world, not for all the stars in the night sky. <3

The Poets

It’s been a hard week. I mean, a really hard week. There were assignments and arguments and apprehensions and assurances. No, that’s not really an excuse for me not to have provided you with a real post this week and I apologize for it. I promise that I will have a real new post next Friday and Part 2 of The Nightmare will be coming soon (hopefully on time, unlike this bothersome filler). So here, for your enjoyment, are the first two poems we sent each other way back in August, a couple of weeks into our relationship. Hope you like them and I promise I’ll do something for real next week. Until then, make sure to hug your monitor, and have a great weekend.

"You Make Me Think of Beautiful Things (Like Strawberries)"by Sabrael D. Carroll

A rabbit once did run and hide, from the world he saw,
Until the day a foxy came and took him by the paw.

Said she to him, "I do believe we have yet to meet.
I'll show you fun and happiness, and things oh so sweet.
Now I know I am a fox, and you should indeed be scared,
But you'll find I'm different," or so the Fox declared.
Like the stirring waters, I'll change all you think you know.
You'll see you'll like it all, along with what I'll show."

The Rabbit flinched, but took her paw, resolving to be brave,
He wanted to be different, be strong, and not just Fear's slave.
And with a smile the Rabbit spoke, though not sure what to say,
He found himself so happy in the world he lost just yesterday.
And so the Rabbit and the Fox did play for quite some time,
But this isn't the end, not yet you see, there is more to this rhyme.

The Rabbit said to the Fox, after many years had gone,
"You freed me from my prison and showed me a new dawn.
I am glad you came to me that day, once long ago,
And if you were to go, I would certainly be in woe.
I love you dearly I find, and I do so without regret,
Because we are a matched pair, together in a set.
Whenever I think of you, only one thing comes to mind,
The peace and happiness, without you I wouldn't find.
You showed me many things like how the blue jay sings,
And when I think of you, I think of beautiful things."

"Red"by Sorcha G. Dubhsioc

The fox tried always to be gentile
But it never went her way
Her teeth were much too sharp
So from soft flesh she'd stay

Though Bun broke through her defense
And caution she did not heed
She was so careless when they played
And from his side he did bleed

I'm so sorry Bun she did cry
I never meant to hurt you
I am a wild animal
And don't know all I can do

I cannot promise you that it
Will never happen again
But know I will always love you
Emotion I cannot feign

So please heal fast and know that I
Am always here just for you
To piece you back together
When I play too rough with you