22 July 2006

What's a Monthiversary?

Okay, I will be the first to admit this is silly -- but, too bad. I like that fact that Matt and I celebrate our "anniversary" on the 22nd day of every month. We celebrate the day we met (22 November 1994). It might seem a little weird, and we don't make a big deal out of it, but we do it anyway.

This came about for quite a good reason: when we first met, we were both working for a daily newspaper. He worked a swing shift as a designer in the Mesa office of the morning paper, and I worked nights in the Phoenix office as the theater critic for the afternoon paper. We worked in different offices; yet, interestingly, we met quite by chance sitting next to each other in the theater where I was reviewing a tour of the Broadway show "Crazy for You."

Both of our schedules were really wacky -- compounded by the fact that I also worked as a documentary producer for the news department of one of our local radio stations. Things were hectic, and we often went days without seeing each other.

Early on we made two vows: first, that we would at least speak on the telephone every day, if we could not see each other in person; second, that we would make sure to be together -- if only for a few minutes -- on the 22nd day of each month.

This was mostly cute, at first; but became important about a year later when the afternoon newspaper merged with the morning and I lost my job. Luckily, Matt got a job in the downtown office (where I used to work) and then bought a house close by. Although we now lived only a few miles apart, it started to become a logistical nightmare to arrange to see each other specifically on the 22nd; but we managed it -- and have not missed a day in 11.5 years.

Happy 140th monthiversary, HBSP!

6 comments:

Matt said...

Kissy kiss!

Anonymous said...

happy anniversary, most excellent boys!
you got me all misty!
and mr. c, i never knew you were the theatre critic for the paper; for some reason i thought you had been an on-camera reporter (or maybe you were....)
by the way, did you ever review "A Doll's House" at the (i think) Arizona State Theatre back in '92.
i know that was a million years ago, but my old friend susan gibney played kate to my petruchio that same year in "taming of the shrew" at the nj shakes festival and she always spoke glowingly of the reception in Arizona..

Christopher said...

Brad: I still remember Susan Gibney and her blazing performance in "Nora." She is quite the actor, isn't she -- and gorgeous, too.

Anonymous said...

That's a really sweet story. I'm glad I'm not the only boob out there that celebrates the monthiversary. :) We just call it "date night" now. If we don't make time to drop everything and have a formal date through out the month, we always do on the 29th. ;)

Christopher said...

Ryan: I don't think you are a boob at all. In fact, I wonder if more relationships would be healthier and last longer if -- at least one day a month -- the participants made an effort to be together.

So much of our daily lives keeps us apart, maybe that's how the drifting begins. With no specific event (or date) to bring them back, the inevitable occurs.

Anonymous said...

I completely agree. I know a lot of different couples that are almost strangers in the same house. They might as well be room mates. Brian, my partner, and I couldn't coexist in a relationship like that. He is my best friend and a big part of that is because we always make time for eachother. Our relationship comes first.

Here's to 1,000 more. :)