Gallery

Welcome to the Zoom lecture right after our midterm paper. Genesis constantly fidgeted with her hair and challenged Dr. Lloyd with impossible questions. Michael showed a total of 2 facial expressions.

This is Genesis' face moments before she sent Michael her phone number via Zoom chat. Michael barely had enough time to snap a photo of her number before Dr. Lloyd ended the last class' Zoom session!

Ever among the most important aspects of our lives, we corresponded subliminal and not-so-subliminal messages, personality traits, and more, through song. This was Genesis' first musical contribution.

This was Michael's.

The first selfie Michael sent over. She may have been the only one, but Genesis was very into Michael's mustache (and continues to be).

The first picture Genesis sent over that also featured herself within it. She was celebrating a late birthday dinner in the Serea restaurant of Coronado Island with her family.

Michael accidentally sent over a soup recipe instead of a childhood photo and Genesis LOST IT. Though she's teased him about it ever since, this was a very attractive, goofy oopsie to Genesis.

The first time Genesis introduced her fantabulous bedroom-sanctuary to Michael.

Michael introduced his guitars to Genesis as proudly-but-collectedly as a boy lizard does push-ups to impress a girl-lizard.

The first show General Ed. put on since the pandemic. It nicely coincided with UCR graduation and was the FIRST time Genesis and Michael saw each other in-person after zooming/messaging for 3 months.

Michael repping the Lakers at his UCR history major human-drive-thru graduation ceremony.

Genesis being photographed by Raul, her father, a day later for her UCR psychology major human-drive-thru graduation ceremony.

This photo was from when Michael and Genesis reminisced about bygone times, and he shared his high school senior prom pictures (and many juicy tales of his unintentional heartbreaker ways).

Following suit, Genesis shared her high school senior prom pictures, too. She was 1 of 2 Latinas there. :)

Michael wasn't the only unintentional heartbreaker! Genesis joined her similarly date-less lady-friends for prom and had the kind of groovy-licious time only adolescent female solidarity can bring.

Genesis repping General Ed. at Stater Bros with an exclusive t-shirt Michael had shipped to her. She wanted to make sure Michael felt woohoo-ed for the band's first show at Pomona's dba256 in a while.

Michael watching 'This Is Us' with the familia while en route to Seattle, Washington as part of his graduation celebration. Genesis suggested the show to him; he now has an honorary degree in dadness.

The FIRST 'hang-out' Genesis and Michael shared. The very special event happened 5 months after our first message following the last Dr. Lloyd zoom class. She was very giddy in this picture.

We toured UCR on our second 'hang-out'. Her's "Breathing Easy" played from Sebastwo, Genesis' speaker, tied to her belt. Michael's sunflower bounced from her shirt. We said "I love you" that night. <3

The first 'hang-out' as a couple Genesis and Michael shared with friends at UCR's remote/nearly inaccessible 'Picnic Hill'. Here, Genesis picked grass and placed it on Michael's knee for safe-keeping.

On our third 'hang-out', Michael introduced Genesis to the Beatles poster in his bedroom that started it all.

Michael had gone shopping to his go-to business-casual supplier (Banana Republic) for suitable substitute-teaching attire, and Genesis asked if he could please model the acquisitions. She approved.

Here we are at Desert Daze Festival 2021 (3 MINS AWAY FROM GENESIS' HOME!) to witness THE DEVENDRA BANHART, an artist Genesis has musically and philosophically followed and loved since pre-teenhood.

This was the first time Genesis and her mom, Mary, saw General Ed. perform at an indoor venue. They had a fantastic time and also experienced for the first time just how cold Pomona becomes at night.

Our first Christmas together! Here, contrary to Michael's instagram post, Genesis *does* have a neck/chin. The both of us are goofily wearing/showing off the awesome gifts we prepared for one another.

We celebrated Michael's 23rd birthday with his family in their home. This was also the day Michael accidentally left his car, the "Spaceship", *on* for the entirety of Tom Holland's third Spider Man.

Michael showing off his post-bacc campus to his very excited lady. This 'open-mouth' pose is very popular with Genesis. Michael looks casually beautiful here. We ate Trader Joe's jellybeans afterward.

For our 1 year anniversary, we relaxed at our favorite Riverside park, Andulka Park, before heading over to Michael's family home. Angie, Michael's mom, made us delicious carne asada tacos for dinner!

Michael and Genesis emitting adoration from each other's eyes, profoundly recognizing each other's irreplaceable preciousness in the other's life. We then sang/danced to Diana Ross' "It's My House".

Our first completely solo trip to Disneyland! Michael bought Genesis Ariel ears, but the reality is, they look even more dainty on Michael. If you look closely, you can observe sunburns in the making.

This is a still from a video Genesis took while her and Michael frolicked at a Coronado beach. Here, he is consoling Genesis after she lost her favorite red sunglasses to the ocean. He is pure love.

For our second anniversary, we went to the Mission Inn's "Las Campanas" restaurant to enjoy some yummy Mexican food. Michael had just bought this especially colorful shirt on a recent trip to Vegas.

This is right before an end-of-the-year dinner with Genesis' lab mates from UCR's Social Neuroscience Lab. We had never looked SO snazzy and adult-like. It was the first time we ate Ethiopian food.

On Genesis' 23rd birthday, Michael gifted her the most beautiful guitar that's ever been made. It was also sassily petite, just like her. Michael documented her regression to her kindergartner self.

This is right before we missed our reservation to eat at Coronado's Serea restaurant. We kinda got annoyed at one another, but after a great chat, we felt better than ever and ate plenty of In-N-Out.

For another anniversary, we revisited the UCR grounds where we shared lunch during our second 'hang-out'. To respect the native species in the bushes in front of us, we left earlier than anticipated.

Here, Israel and Zlata, Genesis' brother and sister-in-law/college bff, showed us proper foraging techniques for locating and identifying wild mushroom species. Being in nature together was wondrous.

After eating at Riverside's Tio's Tacos, Genesis insisted that Michael consistently snaps pictures from an angle that disappears her neck/chin. He, aware of this, persisted in his use of evil angles.

Genesis returned the favor.

On Wednesday, July 6th, 2023, Michael had a plan... to PROPOSE to Genesis. Unbeknownst to her, *the* ring was in the backpack Michael wore. She spoke EXCESSIVELY. He didn't get to propose in the park.

He thought about proposing at Riverside's "The Old Spaghetti Factory", where we shared a lovely dinner after our time at the park. However, it didn't feel right to do it here, either...

So, where did it happen? AT UCR, WHERE IT ALL STARTED! Both Michael and Genesis emotionally traversed the many stages of related euphoria- shock, speechlessness, tears, unparalleled joy, giggles, etc.

Two days later, we took 'engagement pictures' at our aforementioned favorite park where Michael had originally planned to propose. We tried to look as composed as possible, but...

THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE WERE FEELING! To this day, it merely takes thinking of one another to feel the explosive, transcendental happiness, respect, and love we find and reciprocate within and between one another.

"The mere idea of you, the longing here for you ... I see your face in every flower, your eyes in stars above, It's just the thought of you, the very thought of you, My Love" Lyrics by Al Bowlly.