So, ahem, he calls me 'babe'. It's just one of those things that has developed...as much out of need as out of compromise between other more terrible names. (Ok, I thought they were terrible, and he liked them. So, babe is a nice ,comfortable, if unimaginative on our parts, middle ground.)

We've been reading, commenting, and texting for almost 2 months, and on the phone non-stop with and writing directly to eachother for some time now. So tonight it came up that we were already talking about eachother--to others--as the person we are each 'involved' with...which led to yet another discussion of maybe we should just call this what it is.

So what is it, you ask?

It's a relationship--a girlfriend-boyfriend thing I guess. As official as profile edits and status updates on Facebook get, that's where we are. It seemed to make sense.

/>It seems to make sense.

Even though we haven't met in person. Yet. Six days and counting.

It makes sense...

And, oh yes, we're well aware of, and half-joking about, the pressure that's on for that first meeting. Dear god, I shudder to think...we're going to have to have a first kiss! I laughed on the phone "It could be terrible! It could be a total dealbreaker!" His response? "I know...but if that's the case we'll just peck until we've got it right...let's not worry about it now."

And so even though I'm a little startled by the pace of it all, I'm calmed by our frank talk about sex and relationships. It helps me to maintain courage that there will be no silent disapproval of my body or my  mind. That anything, that needs to be said, will be said. [Not that we're jumping into bed anytime soon, but better to be prepared

How can two people say that they're dating if they haven't even met? Well...we just can, I guess. Sure, it's still essentially a blind date next weekend, but we'll be mid-conversation on a dozen topics and curious about more than early stage dating anecdotes about favorite genres of music.

So it makes sense.

But I am still bemused by how absolutely unbelievably laughably nerdy our coming together has been. I know, I know...people nowadays meet online all the time. A new statistic out recently says that 33% of online only friendships (not just romantic in nature) will choose to move their acquaintance forward and meet face-to-face.