An eLynah Engagement

Beeeej · January 23, 2012, 02:02:30 PM

A little over eight years ago, a newly-minted Cornell alum and devoted member of the Lynah Faithful who had recently moved to the Boston area learned about the eLynah Forum. That user's second post ever, in the (now epic, but then-only-a-few-hours-old) "HARVARD SUCKS" thread, sought information on how to find tickets to the away Harvard game. Someone suggested asking a friend who attends Harvard, even after it was clear to me the user didn't have one, so I jumped in:

You're assuming that everybody has a friend at Hahvahd - which, from reading dss28's posts, I infer that he does not.

dss28 quickly replied:

Pssst.... she. I'm a she. ;-)

Over the years from 1999 to 2009, Daina and I attended literally dozens of the same Cornell hockey games both home and away, including ECAC and NCAA tournament games. We had many of the same friends, and hung out with many of the same people both before and after the games, often in the same places, but somehow we didn't meet. She moved to New York City in 2005, right around the time I finished law school. Eventually we each started showing up in the CC fields of respective mutual friends' emails about roadtrips, and somehow I even agreed to include her when I bought tickets several months in advance for the second edition of Red Hot Hockey, but we still hadn't met.

Then, on March 29, 2009, Daina and I both went to Ship of Fools on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to watch the NCAA Quarterfinal against Bemidji State. I was there to meet friends; she was there with her uncle, also a Cornell alum. The outcome of the game was a disappointment, but the rest of the evening was not. A month later, Daina and I were dating. We moved in together four days before the third edition of Red Hot Hockey.

This past Saturday, a few hours before the home Harvard game, at the top of Libe Slope as the sun began to set, I asked Daina to marry me.

She nodded vigorously and said, "UH HUH!" ::banana::
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Photos are courtesy my friend Matt Kall '93, whose marriage proposal I surreptitiously photographed for him in 2002, returning the favor.

Since Daina and I live in Brooklyn, I also needed help with the logistics from my brother Mark '89 ("mha" on this forum), who then also secretly arranged for the Lynah scoreboard operator to do this during the Harvard game afterwards:
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I'm pretty sure the Harvard game ended in a tie, but neither of us was able to pay much attention. ::innocent::

I introduced Daina to Coach Schafer at the Boatyard Grill after the game, where he offered his congratulations. Although I think at least a few marriages have resulted from Cornell hockey fandom over the years, as far as we know, this is the first one "resulting from" eLynah.

Thanks for all your well-wishes thus far. And Let's Go Red!!

billhoward · January 23, 2012, 02:26:31 PM

Congratulations!

Our first date, I took Gwen to a Cornell NCAA regional game. Her friends thought it was so incredibly romantic, Gwen being swept away to dinner and a sold-out arena (maybe they envisioned NCAA basketball).

There must be others for whom Cornell hockey played a part in who they're with now.

Ben · January 23, 2012, 02:27:53 PM

For some reason I can't "+1" this, which is okay, because "+1" doesn't do it justice. Congratulations! ::banana::

ugarte · January 23, 2012, 02:37:13 PM

What a cheap ploy to move up the Top Users board.

Robb · January 23, 2012, 03:05:03 PM

Congratulations!

Our second date was a Cornell Club event to go watch a Dallas Stars game - that's pretty close to a first date, and pretty close to a Cornell hockey connection, but maybe falls just short of the criteria...?

marty · January 23, 2012, 03:14:34 PM

Congratulations! A match made in eHeaven.

French Rage · January 23, 2012, 03:27:00 PM

Congrats! Good to hear something good eventually came from that damned Bemidji game.

Beeeej · January 23, 2012, 03:27:39 PM

Quote from: ugarteWhat a cheap ploy to move up the Top Users board.

Funny - but if I'd wanted to use it to move up the Top Users board, I would've had someone else start the thread. A moderator can't get any +1 votes on any thread-starting posts, only on replies. :-D

EDIT: Strike that. Although the original post doesn't show any rating, it's certainly counting +1 votes. I've moved up 11 in the past hour or so. ::woot::

billhoward · January 23, 2012, 04:32:21 PM

Beeeej, for today, you're the Mayor of eLynah. Use the power wisely.

scoop85 · January 23, 2012, 04:33:03 PM

I must be getting old and soft, but as much as I (usually) enjoy the snark that typically permeates the Forum, no posting here has ever put such a smile on my face.

Congratulations on a match made in [eLynah] heaven!

billhoward · January 23, 2012, 04:33:58 PM

Quote from: RobbOur second date was a Cornell Club event to go watch a Dallas Stars game - that's pretty close to a first date, and pretty close to a Cornell hockey connection, but maybe falls just short of the criteria...?

The criteria is to marry the girl before she comes to her senses and finds better prospects.

KeithK · January 23, 2012, 04:47:06 PM

Congrats Beeeej!

marty · January 23, 2012, 05:06:23 PM

Quote from: billhowardBeeeej, for today, you're the Mayor of eLynah. Use the power wisely.

Is Age the Justice of the Peace?

ftyuv · January 23, 2012, 05:29:58 PM

Congrats to both of you!

lhayes · January 23, 2012, 05:58:57 PM

Congratulations! This is a great story!

I met my husband online, and fessed up to Cornell hockey mania in an early email, before I'd laid eyes on him. He responded favorably -- suggested a date for the Princeton game -- which helped me decide to meet him. He promptly became a Cornell hockey fan, and has now been one for eight years.

Not as good as your story though!