Bearmageddon

Ew they hugged. Don’t worry, every time a tender moment happens in an action movie of any kind it only means the bad guys are about to take things to the next level and things are about to get real.

That said, who doesn’t love a good hug? Especially when it’s the woman of your dreams. The most memorable hug of my life was on an eHarmony date. I had been alone most of my life. I was 31. Never in a long term relationship. I didn’t pretend to be married while dating, that’s not how I do things. As an overweight guy most of my life with a broken hearted mother who had been let down by every man in her life, I didn’t get a whole lot of affection, especially physical. This led to a complex that made me think nobody on this earth really wanted to touch me. I’m sure there are a lot of pudgy guys in webcomic land who can relate to this to some extent.

Anyway, this was our first date. I had spent three years on eHarmony looking for my future wife and at a point of giving up, when suddenly this girl who is way too pretty for me requests communication. We start talking and we can’t stop. We message multiple times daily for weeks. Finally we set up a first date. The plan is to get coffee at Klatch in Rancho Cucamonga, a 45 mile drive for me.

When we meet, my immediate first thought upon seeing her is “well, that’s too bad. She’s way to hot for me, she’ll never find me attractive.” I defeated myself like this mentally all the time. But then another thing sparks in me, “I may as well try to make her laugh anyway”.

I’m nervous as hell, but something happens. Something I am pretty sure I didn’t believe you could put any stock in. Actual chemistry. It was real. We sit down outside and talk for an hour and a half. Then we go inside and sit on a little couch and talk for another hour and a half. She had brought a list of questions to ask on a first date (which was really adorable) and we answered every single one in a long oratory essay. After three hours was up I ask her if I can take her on another date right now. She says yes and we go out to dinner.

In all the, date lasted a good 6 hours and it felt like six minutes. When I took her back to her car, it was time for that goodbye hug, or kiss, or whatever it is that is suddenly going to happen in that awkward moment that goes horribly wrong 99 times out of 100. But this was perfect. She leaned into me and we came together like two puzzle pieces. It was a hug, yes. Any observer would simply see two people hugging. But it was something else too. Something that stuck with me. It wasn’t my first time being touched by someone, but it felt like it. The sensation was that new to me.

I drove home floating and in shock. I had found my wife and I knew it. I wasn’t sure if she was convinced yet. All the way home I could still feel her sinking into me, embracing me, and I wanted to feel that forever. I am blessed to have married this woman and she remains one amazing hugger.

I have no idea how to segue out of that. Did you see this week’s Web Comic of the Week? Don’t miss it, Thunderpaw deserves a look from both eyeballs in every skull possible.

This week on Patreon I started posting process images of the new book cover I am working on, as well as a new series of posts revealing every one of my TV pitches, from the first one. I will go through ever pitch I ever made, posting them all in full and talk about the experience of getting to pitch, creating a pitch, getting three of them optioned and what that process was like.

Most of these pitches are full of art and ideas I have never posted publicly. For $2 or more per month you can get access to these articles and PDFs of my work. Plus, you get a zip file with 5 of my books, free when you join me on Patreon.

Ethan

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