Interesting story. Well I'm glad things worked out well for both of you. Hope you two have kids and a wonderful happy life together.

@DuskVamp: We're planning for a week. It's difficult as I'm sure you know, to get a time when we're both free. We both know that we can't really go any further until we meet face to face.

Looking forward to part 2.

@X19: I'm glad you enjoyed it, there's more to come! Good luck in January! How long will she be coming for?

@SlasherMan: Ah, sorry, that's always been something I get mixed up on.

@MightyDuck: I did like their Italian beef, though I have to admit I preferred Al's Italian beef more.

@DuskVamp: I had a massive smile on my face reading this.

I'm really happy for you both and congratz on keeping the long distance relationship going for over a year :D

Currently I'm in the same situation so it helps to read stories like this. Thanks Dusk for being so open and writing a blog about all the things you got up to on your trip.

Hopefully my girl will be coming over for a visit in January :)

@pyromagnestir said:

@Wrighteous86: Who's that sexy lady and can I get her number?

err... I mean did you make that, or was that already in existence?

The Giant Bomb Makeover Thread

@Wrighteous86: Who's that sexy lady and can I get her number?

err... I mean did you make that, or was that already in existence?

@Humanity said:

@Wrighteous86: You never know, it could be Kessler in a ton of shrink wrap and a mask...waiting for the perfect time..

That sounds like a sitcom in the making; some Hannah Montana-type shit.

@Wrighteous86: You never know, it could be Kessler in a ton of shrink wrap and a mask...waiting for the perfect time..

This is such a cute story. I'm happy for the two of you! ^__^

@Humanity said:

@Wrighteous86: You are a lucky duder, congrats on your duderationshipaversary.

Trust me, I am well aware. I still can't believe how well it worked out, both with the random way we met, how well we click, and how she turned out to be a hot and beautiful girl, and not, like, Kessler in a wig or something.

@Wrighteous86: You are a lucky duder, congrats on your duderationshipaversary.

@Guided_By_Tigers said:

@Little_Socrates: I wasn't late to anything, I was referencing Sufjan Stevens dude.....I wasn't trying to just make that up as a joke.

Golden. :)

Glad you enjoyed Chicago! You hit a lot of good places, especially Portillos. Too bad the Cubs lost, although unfortunately they are god awful this season. However, that is usually the case for most years.

I live down the street from a Portillos...may have to head up there for some food this weekend.

@Little_Socrates: I wasn't late to anything, I was referencing Sufjan Stevens dude.....I wasn't trying to just make that up as a joke.

@GalacticPunt said:

Maybe that's a British thing? Like the way that they call elevators "lifts." It's wacky! Cor Blimey!

Pretty sure that's not the case. It's just a relatively common grammatical mistake like typing "would of" instead of "would have", "there" instead of "they're", etc.

Anyway, there's no reason to linger on this. I just couldn't help pointing it out.

@SlasherMan said:

@DuskVamp said:

@OldGuy: I'll skip passed Six Flags.

@DuskVamp said:

We walked passed it a few times

Past.

Sorry, just a pet peeve.

Maybe that's a British thing? Like the way that they call elevators "lifts." It's wacky! Cor Blimey!

@DuskVamp said:

@OldGuy: I'll skip passed Six Flags.

@DuskVamp said:

We walked passed it a few times

Past.

Sorry, just a pet peeve.

@CaptainTightPants said:

Darn it, now I'm hungry. Are segways really that easy to ride? They always look incredibly unstable whenever I see anyone with one. I don't trust 'em.

I should mention that the fact that the person who made the segway... died... on a segway.... I am not joking.

@TheBostonPops said:

Chicago and improv duder here, you guys certainly picked a great show from Second City to check out, but I also recommend a lot of the other fine comedy joints around the city as well.

I've lived in Chicago all my life and that was my first improv show. I knew I'd love it, I just never got around to it. Before that, I had only gone to see stand up. If you're in a show next summer, we'll have to go see you!

@csl316 said:

"Legendary Wrigley Field." As a southside Sox fan, big groan. Chicago's great, so ir's nice to hear when visitors enjoy themelves.

I'm right there with you man; Southsider.

@Dany said:

@DuskVamp said:

@Dany said:

You two look great together and those are some great pictures.

I actually live right next to Wrigley field, fun fact.

Didn't you say in my other thread that you go to DePaul university too? We walked passed it a few times and I was saying to Wrighteous that it would be crazy if we bumped into you. I did wear my members tshirt downtown a couple times, but got no duder shout outs sadly.

Oh that would have been awesome, lol. I was there over the summer, such a same I didn't get to meet you.

I work right down the street from the Art Institute, so we've probably crossed paths once or twice in the past. I've never met another GB fan outside of Dusk though. Next summer, we're planning a week or two in San Francisco, so maybe we'll try to meet up with @snide or @Vinny or @drewbert or someone at some point, and complete the circle of Giant Bomb love.

@DuskVamp said:

@TheBostonPops: It was brilliant, I knew they would pick us out and they didn't disappoint! It was hilarious seeing Wrighteous squirm for a few minutes. I wish we knew about those other shows while we were there, we would have tried to go along. Hopefully they're still there next summer, or something equally as good, I definitely want to go to more comedy clubs.

@Dany said:

You two look great together and those are some great pictures.

I actually live right next to Wrigley field, fun fact.

Didn't you say in my other thread that you go to DePaul university too? We walked passed it a few times and I was saying to Wrighteous that it would be crazy if we bumped into you. I did wear my members tshirt downtown a couple times, but got no duder shout outs sadly.

@csl316: Haha yes, Wrighteous is a Sox fan too, he was't too upset at the Cubs dismal game. I loved it in Chicago, though maybe not walking around in over 100 degree heat. I can't wait to go back next summer.

Oh that would have been awesome, lol. I was there over the summer, such a same I didn't get to meet you.

Sweltering Chicago is right, I only leave my house for work and the bars. Too damn hot back in July. Oh and you two are adorable.

@DuskVamp: Crowd interaction is one of the best parts of a good Second City revue. About three revues ago the interns used to help the cast out, as there was this one bit a cast member did as a TSA agent who knew everything about everyone - so he would futz about guessing stuff about audience members, but the interns would pick out someone from the audience using the ticket purchases and Google information about them, which the cast member would then memorize and recite amazingly on stage in front of everyone in an absolutely hilarious (and somewhat frightening moment) with the punch line: "THERE'S NO SECRECY ANYMORE, AHAHAHAHAHA" It was insane.

Certainly the free Harold shows will still be happening a year from now, as will TJ and Dave, but as I'm an active participant in the comedy scene here, feel free to send me a PM the next time you're in town and y'all are cruising for shows, I'll give you a heads up about what to see and maybe try to get you guys some Giant Bomb discounts or comps. Glad you had fun in our city!

@TheBostonPops: It was brilliant, I knew they would pick us out and they didn't disappoint! It was hilarious seeing Wrighteous squirm for a few minutes. I wish we knew about those other shows while we were there, we would have tried to go along. Hopefully they're still there next summer, or something equally as good, I definitely want to go to more comedy clubs.

@Dany said:

You two look great together and those are some great pictures.

I actually live right next to Wrigley field, fun fact.

Didn't you say in my other thread that you go to DePaul university too? We walked passed it a few times and I was saying to Wrighteous that it would be crazy if we bumped into you. I did wear my members tshirt downtown a couple times, but got no duder shout outs sadly.

@csl316: Haha yes, Wrighteous is a Sox fan too, he was't too upset at the Cubs dismal game. I loved it in Chicago, though maybe not walking around in over 100 degree heat. I can't wait to go back next summer.

Great job guys, I wish you more happiness!

@OldGuy: Thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed reading them :) I have to admit though, apart from being exhausted and just wanting a relaxing weekend with Wrighteous, I am really not much of an adrenaline junkie. I'm a huge wuss when it comes to big rides, they just make me feel nauseous, even looking at them! And I'm definitely not a fan of long queues! Thank you though, I now know that if I ever get the urge to be violently thrown around til I vomit, I'll skip passed Six Flags.

"Legendary Wrigley Field." As a southside Sox fan, big groan.

Chicago's great, so ir's nice to hear when visitors enjoy themelves.

You two look great together and those are some great pictures.

I actually live right next to Wrigley field, fun fact.

Chicago and improv duder here, you guys certainly picked a great show from Second City to check out, but I also recommend a lot of the other fine comedy joints around the city as well. I highly recommend checking out the free Wednesday Harold shows at iO - they do long form improvisation, which if you haven't seen before, will totally blow your minds and tickle your funny bones. Get there early to grab seats as it fills up fast.

Also, keep an eye out for any show Tim Robinson is in. That guy is absolutely hilarious, easily one of the best performers in the city. He's an old hat at Second City but tools around with Cook County Social Club (fantastic) as well as Waterbed and other small groups. He will almost certainly be famous one day, and you can say you saw him before that.

Lastly, also on Wednesday at iO is TJ and Dave, a fantastically brilliant two man show that has been going on forever. They are absolute masters at their craft and are a joy to watch perform.

@DuskVamp said:

@frankfartmouth said:

What?! No Six Flags?

We had Six Flags scheduled for our last week, but instead used that day to just relax around the house after 5 weeks of being non stop.

First of all I've really enjoyed reading these, thanks so much for sharing your fun! Second you did right skipping the glorified parking lot with rides in it...

[WARNING! WARNING! Amusement park and coaster nut rambling ahead! WARNING! WARNING!]

Having gone to 80 or so different Amusement Parks (or Fun Fairs -- Ooooh, look at me speaking a foreign language!) and having ridden 160 or so coasters I can (with as much assurance as possible [bearing in mind that everything is an opinion and that, yes, mine might be wrong for you]) say that I have yet to visit a Six Flags park that I'd choose to go back to again just for fun (yes, riding new coasters you haven't been on is "serious business"!), excepting The Great Escape in Lake George, NY since it has The Comet (my #1 favorite coaster).

Now I will admit that I'm a tad jaded when it comes to this stuff. However, Six Flags is pretty low down on the meter particularly in terms of the care and feeding of their rides (yes, it does make a difference). Do they run? Yep. Are they safe. Sure, Are they a shadow of their potential (wood coasters, in particular, suffer the most when maintained with a "Meh, it's good enough" attitude [though steel coasters can really box your ears when they go out of true])? Sadly, that one is an emphatic yes.

Now, I've been to places where it was even more "fun" (the tiny little places barely clinging to life, mostly), where you'd see the top of the steel wild mouse move fully 1 foot in each direction as the cars went around the turns (no, it's NOT supposed to do that), the wood coaster where we had to get out and help push it to the lift chain... but I think Six Flags makes enough that they should strive to do better than they do.

[END OF CRUSTY OLD MAN COASTER AND PARK RANT]

So... there. There are some good places around Chi town (and the rest of the US and England too). I'll happily point y'all (and anyone else) to them.

@DuskVamp said:

@YoThatLimp: Do you mind if I ask you to elaborate a bit? How was it you met? How long have you been together? And who's taking the plunge to move? Sorry for all the questions (and I did hold back even more!) Wrighteous and I are just trying to figure out our future and how to go about things, so hearing from someone that's going through the same thing and what has or hasn't worked for them would be a massive help.

PM going you way

@Guided_By_Tigers said:

Come On Feel the Illinoise

You are late to that joke.

The whole album is about Illinois.

@YoThatLimp: Do you mind if I ask you to elaborate a bit? How was it you met? How long have you been together? And who's taking the plunge to move? Sorry for all the questions (and I did hold back even more!) Wrighteous and I are just trying to figure out our future and how to go about things, so hearing from someone that's going through the same thing and what has or hasn't worked for them would be a massive help.

As a guy who was in this exact position (girl from New Zealand, me from the South Side of Chicago), man these relationships are hard. You think it would get better when you get together, but in reality one of you will need to drop everything to go be with the other which causes other stressful issues. Oh, and then there is immigration. REALLY fun.

Having said that, good luck on your journey duders. It is totally worth the hassle for the right person.

@Moreau_MD said:

@Wrighteous86: Just curious, but what would you have done if it turned out one of you had been bullshitting all this time. Like if you turned up and were like 4'2 or if she was really an 80 year old transsexual from Zimbabwe?

Well, she's 5'2 and I'm 6'2, so that was an... adjustment.

I get your point though. Basically, we slowly took steps. Typing, then gaming, then talking, then video. All of that lined up. It's pretty hard for an 80 yr old tranny Zimbabwean to find a girl that looks exactly like the girl in the pictures I had seen, with the appropriate accent, that knows all of the stories down pat, and convince her to go on video chat at random moments. So I knew that, at least appearance-wise, she was who she said she was, and that the person I saw was likely the person I was talking to. Unless this was some deeply disturbed, complex, Catfish-style shit she was playing, I figured I was in the clear.

There was still a risk that she was a con artist or looking to kill or rob me, but... I'm 26. I'm running out of time to do crazy shit without totally destroying my life. I figured that one or two crazy decisions every now and then makes life worth living, so I took a shot and hoped for the best. If she turned out to be something other than what she claimed, well, I had two weeks paid in England to do what I wanted, so it was win-win in my mind... y'know, as long as all of my internal organs STAYED internal.

@Wrighteous86: I'm from LA, born and raised, and it's a great city and all, but so flat and sprawling. There's absolutely no compactness to LA whatsoever, and not much of a real urban, metropolitan feel--only about 3 real skyscrapers in downtown, so the skyline's a bit meager. At night, from a distance, it's just this huge grid, sprawling endlessly in all directions. As an American, I'm a little ashamed to say I've never been to New York, or Chicago, or Boston, even though I've been to Paris, Rome, and London.

Such an awesome story. Good luck to you guys. :)

Awh :) Thanks for sharing. :D

Come On Feel the Illinoise

I wasn't trying to be an ass, I was just wondering because it just seems odd meeting someone online and getting together. But congrats to you guys!

@Wrighteous86: Just curious, but what would you have done if it turned out one of you had been bullshitting all this time. Like if you turned up and were like 4'2 or if she was really an 80 year old transsexual from Zimbabwe?

@SexyToad: Sorry for assuming. It's hard to tell on the internet. Thanks man. It was risky, but after I went there in Feb., we were pretty confident it was safe to move forward.

@Wrighteous86: Yes, it's pretty much about Bartman and what happened along with other things along those lines including stuff about the Yankees and Red Sox fans. It certainly does not take a sports fan to enjoy it. Like I said, it's about people.

I wasn't trying to be an ass, I was just wondering because it just seems odd meeting someone online and getting together. But congrats to you guys!

@nrh79 said:

@PenguinDust said:

It's not your bad luck, it's the Cubs. They're pretty famous for having bad luck. They suck this year winning a little over 3 out of every 10 games they play.

It's you're sampling Chicago cuisine, don't go back to the UK without trying a Chicago-style deep dish pizza.

If you (this includes the lovebirds) haven't seen it, watch 30 for 30:Catching Hell on Netflix (if you have it and it's in your country). Well produced and entertaining doc on the Cubs but specifically about a certain incident in their history and how their fans dealt with it. It's a study on people; it's not so much a sports doc with all the usual trappings that accompany the stereotype of those things. It's good. Seriously, watch it.

@DuskVamp and @Wrighteous86, this is another great addition to this on-going story of duders in love.

Is 30 for 30 about Steve Bartman? If so, I'm definitely watching it. I'm a Sox fan, I love that guy. That's why I sent Dusk to a Cubs game with one of my female friends while I was at work; they're more famous and touristy, but fuck the Cubs.

@SexyToad said:

How do you guys know that the other one isn't a serial killer or has a weird hobby?

Not sure if you're being an ass or genuinely curious, but we vetted each other for about a year before meeting in person. Video calls and access to Facebook helped us check out each other's stories, and everything we told each other from the very beginning (before either of us thought/knew/expected it would come to this) checked out, so we hadn't been lying or full of shit. We slowly ramped up access to one another's lives until we felt somewhat comfortable. And then I went to visit her first, because it's (slightly) less risky for a guy to do something like that. We gave each other access to our credit cards too, in a sense, since we played on each other's Steam accounts, and nothing bad happened. Before we met, we knew each other as well as we possibly could, and after, as well as any couple could. Once you meet someone's friends and family, you usually get a good sense of them. It's easy to hide parts of yourself, it's harder to do that with those intrinsically tied with your life. So unless she's secretly Dexter, I think I'm safe at this point.

Also, we met on Giant Bomb. That's a pretty weird shared hobby, haha.

@Nentisys said:

This is fucking weird.

A cynical jerk on the internet? Somebody call Ripley's, cuz I don't believe it.

@demonknightinuyasha said:

You picked like the hottest summer we've had in who the fuck knows how long to visit, but glad Chicago treated you well :)

Fuck man, it's SOOOOOO hot here. Thank god for AC.

@PillClinton said:

Nice bog--an enjoyable little read. Looks like it was a good time in Chitown. I especially like the picture at the dock with the city skyline and sunset in the background. I'd like to go there myself one day and see that amazing metropolitan center at night.

Where you from? Chicago is an amazing city, but it's probably less "touristy" than New York. If you're the type to just live and breathe in a city though, it's one of the best. The food, the music, the culture, it's pretty great (and has a different feel to NY).

@the_OFFICIAL_jAPanese_teaBAG said:

I dunno, since Kanye and Common are from Chi-town Ive had this preconceived notion that the music scene is amazing over there and that theres a lot of jazz with trumpets and stuff. Wow, that deep dish pizza is really deep. Its like a quiche!

Blues and Jazz. Lots of Jazz bands (we saw one covering some hit songs for a wedding reception) and lots of old black Blues guitarists. And a fair amount of rappers, though that scene is bigger elsewhere. Our music scene is great though for going into a club, getting some drinks, and just mellowing out. And yea, deep dish definitely earns its name. After I got back from the UK, we actually shipped some to the guys as thanks for hooking us up. They made a pretty funny mailbag out of it.

@Tim_the_Corsair said:

This might be because I just received my wedding photos back, but you both have somehow managed to thaw my icy black heart enough to make me go "d'aaaaaawwwww" once again. And now my workmates are looking at me strangely.

Congratulations man. How's the married life so far?

@NegativeCero said:

Sounds like a great time was had by all. The long distance thing is kind of crazy to me, but I wish you two the best of luck. I'm curious though, if it came to it (and now that you both have visited each other's cities) would you be willing to move closer to the other? Hopefully I'm not being too nosey here.

She's still in school which complicates things a bit. Uni in America is also crazy expensive comparatively, too. Once she's finished with college, we might move her here to go to Uni and just bite the bullet on loans (unless we can find some good transfer/scholarship programs). In a perfect world, I could work there until she's done with school, but it's almost impossible for someone outside of Europe to work in the UK (unless their company sends them over). So, in 2 years, if it's still going good, we'll try to get her here one way or another. If anyone has any experience or advice on moving to another country, or going to school/work overseas, we're all ears.

@Lunar_Aura said:

Why did I click this allI got was mind cavities and insatiable feelings of envy. You both look so cute together and ugh, fml.

Hey man, I found a crazy hot, cute, sane girl on an internet gaming message board. If I can do that, anything's possible.

@PenguinDust said:

It's not your bad luck, it's the Cubs. They're pretty famous for having bad luck. They suck this year winning a little over 3 out of every 10 games they play.

It's you're sampling Chicago cuisine, don't go back to the UK without trying a Chicago-style deep dish pizza.

If you (this includes the lovebirds) haven't seen it, watch 30 for 30:Catching Hell on Netflix (if you have it and it's in your country). Well produced and entertaining doc on the Cubs but specifically about a certain incident in their history and how their fans dealt with it. It's a study on people; it's not so much a sports doc with all the usual trappings that accompany the stereotype of those things. It's good. Seriously, watch it.

@DuskVamp and @Wrighteous86, this is another great addition to this on-going story of duders in love.

Why did I click this allI got was mind cavities and insatiable feelings of envy. You both look so cute together and ugh, fml.