1018: Heimlich

[Bo Lindbergh]

A diamond ring? I smell shenanigans.

[Jim Nickabocker]

It's good to know I haven't been the only one responsible for someone choking on a gift!
Also, mazel tov!

[Jordan]

There's a rather clear progression here.

• Jamie moves in and they experience various near-misses and small disasters.
• They start boning and sustain progressively more awful injuries.
• Ellen nearly dies when Jamie proposes.

It is very clear that, adorable as they are, the universe on some deep level does not want them to be together and getting married will kill them both.

[Deepbluediver]

I know there've been a bunch of very impressive/inventive marriage proposals on youtube lately, and almost all of them are also extremely public. They are done in places with lots of other people around and in some cases even involving bystanders, which all just makes me very uncomfortable. Personally, my ideal marriage proposal would be a several-hour hike into the woods and up a mountain, so that I can see that there are no other people within miles of us. I would want it to be an extremely private affair.

Does that seem off to anyone else? How do other people picture this?

It is very clear that, adorable as they are, the universe on some deep level does not want them to be together and getting married will kill them both.

That makes an almost frightening amount of sense

[spauldo]

I know there've been a bunch of very impressive/inventive marriage proposals on youtube lately, and almost all of them are also extremely public. They are done in places with lots of other people around and in some cases even involving bystanders, which all just makes me very uncomfortable. Personally, my ideal marriage proposal would be a several-hour hike into the woods and up a mountain, so that I can see that there are no other people within miles of us. I would want it to be an extremely private affair.

Does that seem off to anyone else? How do other people picture this?

It would be an awfully awkward hike back if he/she said no, though.

I wouldn't pay much mind to the Youtube proposals. People do extreme things on Youtube - otherwise, it'd be boring. Most people just propose in a fancy restaurant or something (that's what I did).

[spauldo]

Is it just an art style thing, or has Ellen lost a lost of weight?

You'd think, if anything, being with Jamie that long would make someone gain weight. Living with a good cook will do that to you.

[Deepbluediver]

It would be an awfully awkward hike back if he/she said no, though.

Is it less awkward if someone says "no" in front of a giant crowd? Or something else I was considering, do you think someone might feel pressured to say "yes" if it's done with a lot of witnesses around? I feel like there's less pressure to accept if that's an issue, because other than the two of us no one else need ever know.

[spauldo]

Is it less awkward if someone says "no" in front of a giant crowd? Or something else I was considering, do you think someone might feel pressured to say "yes" if it's done with a lot of witnesses around? I feel like there's less pressure to accept if that's an issue, because other than the two of us no one else need ever know.

Pressure shouldn't be a problem, because if you don't already know they'll say yes, you're not ready to be asking the question.

By the time your relationship has progressed to the point where marriage is a viable option, you should know how the other person feels about marriage, and specifically how they would feel about marriage to you. If you don't, then you don't know that person well enough to consider spending the rest of your life with them.

It's also a sign your communication skills are not up to the task of handling a long-term commitment. Yeah, you'll never be able to read your spouse's mind, but you should at least know how they feel about major life changing events like getting married.