Joke is what you get when you smoosh our names together. Joey and Jake smoosh into Joke.
Tomorrow is our 17th wedding anniversary.
Isn’t that surreal?
Come January, we will have known one another for 30 years.
Why, it seems like just yesterday we had our first date…
Our first date was on our wedding night. We went to an overrated steakhouse downtown. We used a gift certificate we got at the wedding.
Yep.
We didn’t date. We skipped dating.
Before we were a couple, I remember a trip to the bookstore, and I remember a trip through the Hardee’s drive-thru for coffee. I think we were adults then. *checks* Yes, he says we were adults then, he thinks he was in his mid 20’s then. That’s all I got in the way of places we went alone. But we weren’t dating then. We were simply two people who liked books and coffee and keeping company with one another. There always was that. And music. And movies. And arguing. We always did enjoy arguing.
Wasn’t dating the absolute worst part of being single? I mean to tell you, were I to find myself single again, I wouldn’t want to date anyone. I snarl just thinking about it. Icky.
It’s better to fool around with your friend in September …
I’d been sitting pondside with Tori, drinkin beer at dusk, and she asked me, “Do you love him?”
“I do.”
“Do you want to be with him?”
“No.”
“So I can have him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Cause.”
“Cause you love him.”
“Of course I love him. I’ve loved him forever.”
“And if you love him, you want him to be happy, right?”
“No.”
“You don’t want him, but you don’t want anyone else to have him?”
“Right.”
Another year passed before I called HME.
“I think I might have a fear of commitment?”
“Haha ya think? Hahaha!”
…
“Oh no, you didn’t know? Oh Joey, I’m sorry. Yes. Yes, you have a fear of commitment. I thought you knew!”
Yes, fool around with your friend in September and fall in love over the winter and spend about a year in denial, clutching your fear of commitment and waving your feminist flag until you realize you have no control over your stupid fucking feelings drowning out the voice of your own good sense.
When we called people to tell them we were getting married, there was a lot of silence on the other end of those calls.
“Why?”
“What?”
“Are you sure?”
“Is this a joke?”
Best joke ever.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday, SoCS ‘date’ is brought to you by LindaGHill
What a truly lovely post;but then I have always been a sucker for Love stories. Congratulations and Happy 17th Anniversary.
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Thank you 🙂
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Beautiful couple! Happy Anniversary. Taco and I eloped. My phone calls were like “Hey, guess what? I got married!” And it wasn’t even a shotgun wedding ;p
You are seriously such an awesome couple. Congrats 🙂
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Thanks!
We should have eloped. Truly.
No shotgun here either — I do think people thought…
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When you know, you know…no need to “date” 🙂
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It was so like that, Jill. When you know, you know. It’s inescapable, hm? x
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I dunno if you got a pingbacky thingy, but you’ve been chosen for an award. No worries if you can’t cumplir, just know you’re awesome anyway 🙂
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As are you, yes, thank you 🙂
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Welcome 🙂
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Lovely story, Joey. Congratulations to you both, and here’s to your life being one long joke! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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This was a truly awesome love story if I ever read one!!! 🙂
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Thanks, cause real. 🙂
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how cool that the names make “joke” – and even cooler is your unique story – very special and congrats on 17 years – ❤️❤️❤️❤️
and side note – I actually loved some of my dating years – although it is a mixed bag and not for everyone – I truly had some very special years of dating and see how some short term boyfriends helped shape me to appreciate my hubs – I see it more in hindsight – but even at the time dating was very rich in my life – about ten or eleven years ago there was a book that was all the rage in the Christian community – it was called “I kissed dating goodbye” written by a young dude and I am not sure why I never spent the hour or two it would take to read it – ha! but it was so annoying to see the hype over it – and so I guess my closing thought is that not everyone needs to date – and when head games start coming up – argh – but sometimes dating is wonderful – yet even that can be layered depending on how far folks gon- like are they playing married – living together – etc.
anyhow – the feature photo in Black and white should be in a frame!
xxoo
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Oh thank you for your thoughtful commentary!
Yes, I agree, dating did raise the bar quite a bit! I often discovered what I didn’t like, what I wouldn’t tolerate. Just today, I said to my husband, “I’d expect so much more from a man now,” so he’s definitely raised the level of expectation even higher.
I’ve never heard of that book, of course, my circle isn’t particularly Christian.
Both photos are framed, thanks again! xo
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oh cool that they are both framed – and 30 years – whew – stable Mabel and steady eddy -💕💕💕
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Lovely story. Congrats on making it work! ☺
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Thank you 🙂
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☺ 🌷
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Love, love, love. (Happy anniversary.) Personally, I think the ones who start out as friends turn into the best loves. We tell Bear that all the time — you will be happier if you love someone that you also like. Great post!
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I agree. I had a boyfriend when I was in high school, we broke up, stayed friends, and we had a much better relationship later. It’s like we had to be friends first. Of course, we didn’t stay together, but the point still stands, being friends is tantamount to partnership.
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What an awesome post. Happy Anniversary to you and The Mister.
That’s one joke that you have the right to tell over and over and over…
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Thank you 🙂
I hope you’re not sick of us yet 😉
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Aw I love this, what a great Joke! 😉 Happy anniversary! ❤
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Thank you ❤
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A beautiful story Joey! Happy anniversary and may your Jokes last a lifetime !!!
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Thanks, Ritu 🙂
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😍
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Congratulations to both of you! Super sweet story. p.s. I am still in denial and clutching my gear of commitment…it’s been 15 years…
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Hahaha! Well I say if it’s been 15 years, you’re clutching appropriately 😉 Don’t fix what ain’t broke and all that. And thank you.
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What a great story! Happy Anniversary!
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Thank you Phil 🙂
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I love stories like that. I am married to my one and only one-night stand since 30+ years. We never dated either. Happy Anniversary
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Thank you 🙂
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Happy anniversary!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! !! ! !!! !!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!! !
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Thank you !!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! !! ! !!! !!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!! !
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Wonderful and happy! So rare and precious! Thanks
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Thank you so much 🙂
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All joking aside…love is grand, from start to finish. Congrats on all your years and a lifetime of love together with one another.
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Thanks so much 🙂
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Happy Anniversary. Such a sweet, totally familiar story. We knew each other a long while, tried a traditional “date” and it was so boring. Surprised us both when we got/stayed together. Going on 46 years since that first date. Dating is overrated. Commitment must have been, too. I understand. Congrats to you both. Hope you don’t see this until you are done celebrating !! ☺
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Oh thank you 🙂 I’m glad it’s a familiar tale, that sweetens it 🙂
We have dropped the children and done some stuff, but we’re not celebrating big — just being alone is quite nice! It’s been a while!
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Wonderful story all full of the warm and fuzzy. Congrats to you both 🙂
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Thanks 🙂
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Don’t know who the joke is on, but congrats…
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Thank you 🙂
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Happy 30th and 17th anniversaries to you both. I wish you two love everlasting.
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Thank you so much 🙂
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Ahhhhhhhhhh! Very much congratulating over here!! Choked me up too, your tale. Wait, let me make our joke: Manco? hmmmmm…. maybe better Marja?
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I like Manco, it has that powerful double consonant sound 🙂 Thank you!
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Happy Anniversary on y’all’s special date! Loved reading about how y’all got together, and the names mashed together is the best one I’ve seen! ❤ May you have many more anniversaries!
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Thank you so much 🙂
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What a wonderful love story. Happy anniversary. I think 17 is milkshake.
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Thank you 🙂
17 is nothin. Just nothin from 15 to 20, then china. Pfft, china!
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Hey, don’t diss china. When you’ve spent 20 years eating off the same mismatched stoneware you bought at the Reject Shop for ten bucks, an excuse to buy decent dinnerware is handy.
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Haha! I’m not dissing china, but I have at least two posts about how I’m not a china person. I have Fiestaware, which is of course, mismatched and sturdy!
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I didn’t catch those. I’ll have to go and get educated. 🙂
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Congratulations to you, Joey!
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Thanks! 🙂
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I love happy endings!! … and your’s is truly a happy ending 🙂
Happy Anniversary and best wishes ❤
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Thank you ❤
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What a great story. Thanks for sharing it.
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Thanks 🙂
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Now, that’s an interesting and unique story! I enjoyed it, especially the dialog. Happy anniversary!
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Thanks 🙂
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I am glad that I finally got up the nerve to just kiss you. I am glad I was able to turn your life upside down. Through it all, good and bad, I would not change a thing. Well, if I had to do one thing over again, we would have eloped.
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Me too. ❤
They say you only regret what you didn't do, well, in this case it's both!
Let's elope next lifetime!
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I game!
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I AM game. Wow! I word so good sometimes. Yuck!
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Congrats on the 30/17 years together!
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Thanks! 🙂
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I think my family would just die (of laughter) if I called and told them I was getting married.😅
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You never can tell!
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Wonderful and happy!
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If I could love this I would! Happy Anniversary! Xox ❤️❤️
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Fanks again! xo ❤
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Your friends’ reactions were a riot. Happy Anniversary!
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Thank you!
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Happy anniversary! Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. It made me a little weepy. But in a GOOD way.
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Aw, thanks ❤
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Happy anniversary! The two of you must be perfect for one another. Thirty years together, seventeen married? Wow… Mary and I were engaged less than a year…
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Thanks John 🙂 When you know, you know.
We weren’t together 30 years, we’ve been friends about that long now.
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Happy Anniversary you two lucky jokesters!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations! Happy Anniversary
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Thanks!
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Love this post! We didn’t date until months after we had moved in together. Overrated. Though when we told people we were engaged, it was overwhelming how unnewsworthy it was! 12 years and not counting (we’re still having fun).
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🙂
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What a wonderful story with a happy ever ongoing ending. ❤️
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Thank you! ❤
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I think Joke is a better celeb couple name than Bennifer.
Happy anniversary!
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