When I matched with Jenno through our very modern matchmaker Hinge, I remember thinking *hell yeah* this person looks awesome. VERY handsome, playful, artistic, and with a green thumb, so I started the conversation, eager to chat. Right off the bat we talked about art, music, (discovered our shared love for belting the Cranberries at any given moment) poetry, physics, and more. I liked them right away, it was refreshing on these apps to finally talk to someone that felt real and honest, unburdened by trying to seem cool or edgy, they were just genuinely interesting. After I gave them my number, I jaunted off to a winter vacation in Vermont with some friends, where I promptly lost my phone off a ski lift and for those that know what the online dating scenes are like these days, I was SURE going dark in the middle of an early connection appeared like I was ghosting. Meanwhile, I was sat in front of a rural fireplace asking all my friends to let me try to sign into my Apple messages on their phones or computer, "This person might be my soul mate, and right now they think I'm a flake!!" I accepted that I would be phoneless for the rest of the vacation and just explain when I got back to Brooklyn, hoping they didn't think dropping your phone into snow drift was weirder than ghosting. Luckily for me, they were gracious and funny in response, when my digital access was restored. We agreed to meet for drinks at Goldie's, a bar in Greenpoint down the street from my apartment at the time. Seeing them for the first time, in a retro polo and big canvas work jacket, with their dimples alight under the street lamps, I felt like the Tasmanian devil with heart eyes. Goldie's was so crowded we could barely get in the front door. I took them over to Diamond Lil's down the street, no seats available. This wasn't how I planned the start of the night to go, just wandering around my neighborhood. I wasn't sure what they were thinking and I was talking fast, "Sowecouldgosomewhereelse,sorryforthewalking,Jesus,it'ssobusy!FridaynightsamIright? - Am I making you nervous?" I said pretty much all in one breath. And they paused for a second and said sweetly and with a healthy dose of humor, "You know, a little bit!" But it was a kindness, it calmed me and reminded me that this person wants to be here and I could just chill out. We walked a couple blocks down, and uncovered that we both loved Tennessee Williams plays, and we gushed about other queer artists of the past and present that meant something to us. We arrived at A Bar, a no-frills punk spot, and aside from the soundtrack - it was quiet. We were able to grab a perfect table in a perfect nook and spent the next several hours unwinding ourselves to each other. I had no walls up, and neither did they. We made each other laugh, flirted, discussed personal details about our families, our journeys - the very high peaks and the very low valleys. It came incredibly naturally, to share myself with this person - and to know them in return. Like we had done this all before. As the weeks turned into months and admiration turned to love (that transformation was quick and easy) I became privy to all the wonder that is Jenno Snyder. Their brilliance, their kindness, their fierce advocacy for justice and what is right, their wry and charming sense of humor, their tender care for all living things - big and small. My friends loved them. My family loved them. And I undeniably loved them, and love them, and will love them forever more. How lucky am I? <3 Xoxo Soph

For our second date, I suggested we cook dinner together—homemade ravioli with marinara. I assumed we’d meet at her place in Brooklyn again just like our first date. But a few days before, she surprised me by asking for my address. She was coming to Staten Island! By boat! For a second date! I was floored. And then I immediately panicked—I started cleaning the whole house from top to bottom. I patched holes in the wall, bought new shower curtains, and even rearranged the furniture. I went to my favorite Italian store to make sure I had all the best ingredients. I might have even brushed up on my onion dicing skills. And most of all, I wanted to give her something—a book we spoke about on our first date. Not the most romantic book, but my favorite book, Frankenstein. I found a hardbound copy with blue anatomically correct hearts on the cover. Perhaps there was something subliminal there. Anyway, the big day comes. I am nervous waiting at the ferry terminal. Everyone gets off the boat and I don’t see her. I become worried that she got lost, but as soon as I have the thought, I see her hair emerging from the dock. She gets in the truck and with a big hug completely disarms me and we get to talking like old friends. I took the scenic route home, winding along the shoreline with the whole city stretched out across the water. I wanted to show her how beautiful Staten Island could be. (If you’re reading this now, it definitely worked.) We got back to the house and started on the ravioli as if we had done this before. A few Aperol spritzes and very full plates of ravioli later, she says, “I have something for you.” I said, “No way! I have something for you.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out a book. I reached into mine and pulled out my book. We got each other books! On our second date. How gay is that? We stayed up all night and in the morning, we slow danced and got bagels. We drove to the shore and listened to each other’s music for the first time. And believe it or not, we even talked about marriage. And the rest is history.