The O - G

If you threw a dart at the middle of a U.S. map, you'll likely end up some place close to the city we met in. As luck would have it, we were introduced by a dear mutual friend, Micala Gingrich-Gaylord. Wichita is a city immortalized in Allen Ginsburg's poem as a place that, despite its history as a fairly progressive state, represented the most straight-laced and conservative of places in midcentury America. The beat poets of Kansas (many from Wichita) escaped to San Francisco in search of culture and a society that accepted counterculture. With its low cost of living, easy pace of life, and friendly people, many people in the decades since have remained aware of how difficult it is to leave such an easy lifestyle. We met at what was a moment of major change in both of our lives. But even though things were truly in flux, we simply knew we were into what was happening between us. Not knowing what was going to happen over the next six months didn't matter because we decided to focus on the present--we shared a love of nature, animals, art, and food. As things turned out, we found ourselves with the opportunity to travel together to a new place and start a life together. The biggest change possible was also the most natural--in love, in tune, and in time, we got engaged, and escaped the vortex (with Cleo in tow) for new pastures and an incredible adventure together.