what Pride means to me

I'm really excited about this weekend. In fact, the first thing I said when I got to work on Monday was, "I can't wait for this weekend." And it's not because I'm dreading work or I'm really needing a day off. I'm just really, really looking forward to Capital Pride.

And why would a heterosexual female be looking forward to Pride? Is it the half-naked men at the parade? No. I'm looking forward to Pride because that is when I met Jesse.

It was June 12th, 2004 and I had been invited to celebrate my friend Jason's birthday on the patio of Dupont Italian Kitchen. I was nervous because I was attending this celebration as a happily single girl and all of the other invited guests knew each other. Being the first one there, I got a front row patio seat for the parade. Jesse and Jason's other work friends came later, and Jesse took the seat next to me. I checked him out as he approached the seat and thought, damn, he's hot. I thought IT guys were supposed to be nerdy not football player types (nothing wrong with nerds--I love 'em.) Although we didn't really talk during dinner and the parade, I had consumed enough Stoli-Razz-and-Sprites to have the liquid confidence to strike up a conversation with him on our way to the bars.

On our way to drink some more, I found out that he loved baseball, went to VA Tech, and was very smart. He also turned out to be very sweet and irresistably likeable. I knew then that I was doomed. I was starting to fall hard for a boy. Two years later, I fall a little bit harder for Jesse with each passing day.

Pride 2004 changed my life. I wonder what Pride 2006 will bring.