(no subject)

telemetry [tɪˈlɛmɪtrɪ]

n

1. (Electronics & Computer Science / Telecommunications) the use of radio waves, telephone lines, etc., to transmit the readings of measuring instruments to a device on which the readings can be indicated or recorded See also radiotelemetry

2. (Mathematics & Measurements / Surveying) the measurement of linear distance using a tellurometer

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Her: It's not a diamond on bended knee, but somehow it fits our story, with my life and heart still in disarray, to use just these 143 to say "will you marry me?"

Me: Wait, what?

Me: And yes.

Her: I know the Machine is marrying us together. And soon. But on Leap Day, a lady may ask, and I would know, were we free, would you will it? I would make my life with you, my love.

Me: I would. Absolutely.

Me: You realize that I'm sitting here in a daze, don't you?


And there is the proposal that I received from my lovely lady (via text messaging, because we live in the future like that), as well as my fumbling responses.  We will have been living together in sin for a year as of April 1st, and even though we're still married to other people, as far as Canada Revenue Agency is concerned, we're married to each other as well; as they said to my lady on the phone when she enquired, "Not only is polygamy legal: with CRA, it's obligatory!"

Still, as she says, were we free, would I will it?  And for a while now I've been feeling both the answer and the question taking up permanent residency within me.  I had told myself long ago that I would only get married once in my life and then move on if it didn't work out, chalk it up to experience, etc.  And that's the thing, really.   I don't want to get married: I want to marry her.   It's an important distinction, in my own mind anyway.  We've been together over a year now, and that sense of mutual amazement hasn't diminished.  I still look at her and have that one word form in my head, over and over: "Wow."

I hope that feeling of wonder never disappears.  Our lives are a colourful adventure together, a wondrous narrative, full of seemingly-accidental discoveries, continuous costume changes, and spontaneous dances wherever the mood inspires us.  We are in love, we are making a life together, and if we were free, I would will it.