Loving Anne

Two weeks back was our anniversary. Today, it’s Anne’s birthday. I think we can all agree that “Happy Birthday” doesn’t sound right. But it’s still a day to remember Anne and celebrate the joy and laughs she brought into our lives.

This photo is from the trivia game we MC’d at our joint 50th birthday party, held in the courtyard by the North Shore Lagoon swimming pool at McMenamins’ Anderson School in Bothell. It was a great spot to celebrate fifty years on this big blue marble. The kids swam while the adults made merry. It was one of those gatherings that felt a little like our wedding — full of people we loved from both sides of our lives.

To elevate the mood, here are some “Anneisms” — expressions she loved and used over the years. If you knew her, you probably heard her use a few of these:

“Too late, lady.”

In her younger years, Anne visited an amusement park with friends. They convinced her to try one of those tall tower rides that hoists you up and drops you. She agreed, reluctantly. Once everyone was buckled in at ground level, Anne’s nerves took over and she called out to the ride operator that she couldn’t do it and wanted off. He looked at her and as he pushed the start button, he said “Too late, lady.” Up she went. She survived, of course — and gained a catchphrase to use for the rest of her life.

“Cut it!”

Months into our relationship, we took a “train” trip to Vancouver with friends Bonnie and Mike. The train line was down, so Amtrak was running busses northbound instead. A mother with a crying baby sat a few rows up, and behind us was a disheveled man who seemed… let’s say “over-served.” The baby continued to cry on and off for the majority of the trip. After a while, clearly irritated, the man suddenly barked “Cut it!” loudly for the entire bus to hear. Boom — Anne had another catchphrase, perfect for any loud or irritating sound.

“I want that”

In the movie Napoleon Dynamite, Uncle Rico tries to sell Tupperware door-to-door. He’s sitting across the table from a couple and pulls out an incentive prize: a triple‑masted ship model. The woman leans toward her husband and drawls, “I want that.” Anytime Anne spotted something tacky, absurd, or delightfully unnecessary, she’d repeat that line in the same drawl. YouTube clip

“That’s what she said.”

If you watched The Office, you know this one. Anne and Michael Scott shared the same fondness for turning innocent phrases into innuendo.
“I thought it would be bigger.” → “That’s what she said!”
“I think it’s stuck.” → “That’s what she said!”
I can hear Anne saying it now and cracking everyone up!

“D’oh!”

Like many Gen Xers our age, Anne and I were big fans of The Simpsons’ early seasons. Anne loved Homer’s catchphrase expression of exasperation and used it frequently.

“I could eat Dick’s all night.”

This was more a favorite story than a catchphrase. Early in Anne’s career as a middle school language arts teacher, a class discussion turned to favorite foods. One boy enthusiastically declared, “I really like Dick’s. I could eat Dick’s all night.” The class erupted. Anne barely held it together and it became a favorite anecdote. (For anyone outside Seattle, Dick’s is a popular burger joint that first opened in the Wallingford neighborhood in 1954.)

“Baaaaaa!”

Anne was always cracking jokes, and sometimes she’d “prime the pump” for laughter. Right after delivering her joke line, she’d exclaim “Baaaaaa!” — her way of underlining the punchline and nudging everyone into laughter.

Love you always, Annie. -Brent

When you lose someone you love, the year ahead becomes a series of firsts without them — first holidays, first birthdays, and so on. I’ve already gone through many of these without Anne, but today brings another one. And it’s a big one. Today would have been our 21st wedding anniversary.

Last year on June 25th, Anne and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in Bologna, Italy. It was the second stop on our 17‑day family vacation through Italy, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. We had arrived in Bologna the day before, and within an hour of dropping our bags, we went out in search of tagliatelle al ragù for lunch. (What we Americans might call “Bolognese”). Later that evening, we watched Terry Gilliam present a new cut of Brazil at Il Cinema Ritrovato, the free outdoor film festival happening in the main piazza next to our hotel.

On the day of our 20th anniversary — our only full day in Bologna — we set off for nearby Modena and then took a shuttle to Maranello to visit the Ferrari Museum. Kate had lobbied for this particular stop, being a devoted F1 fan, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. The Ferrari museum was delightful, filled with gorgeous cars from every era, including several Formula 1 cars.

Back in Bologna that afternoon, we asked our hotel to recommend a good spot for our anniversary dinner. They suggested Franco Rossi, an upscale restaurant not too far away. We arrived unfashionably early at 7 PM and were the only ones seated, though we could hear a lively party downstairs in the private dining room.

Kate was with us, of course, and it was a lovely place to celebrate 20 wonderful years of marriage. I remember ordering a hazelnut encrusted fish, while Kate and Anne both ordered pasta. Kate snapped a picture of us to commemorate the day. By the time we finished dessert and paid the check, the restaurant was full and buzzing. It was a fun day to celebrate two decades together.

Most years though, our wedding anniversary happened a lot closer to home. We often celebrated at El Gaucho, a wonderful steakhouse in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. I can easily find photos of four recent anniversaries we spent there (see slideshow). Those nights were even better when our favorite waiter, Mok, was working.

More than once in my anniversary card to Anne, I would write that marrying her was the best decision I ever made. Anne was truly a wonderful partner and my best friend. We dated for 2 years before I asked her to marry me. You can view a few more wedding photos, read about how we met, how I proposed, and watch me read Anne’s Favorite Day, the little proposal book I made.

There are a couple more firsts still ahead for me. Anne’s birthday is on July 8, and then in August, the anniversary of her passing. I’ll have a little more to say then. With all that said, Kate and I are doing okay. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re finding joy where we can. 

I find getting out of the house for a long daily walk is really good for me. Anne and I had a five‑mile round‑trip walk we loved to do from our place. I still walk it often, but instead of chatting with Anne, I’m usually listening to an audiobook now, often a music biography or a classic novel. Right now, it’s George Orwell’s “1984”. I’ve come to really enjoy walking and listening.

I try to think about the future as an unwritten adventure. I’m not sure how it will unfold, but I’m optimistic that fun and interesting times are still ahead. Kate has one more year of high school before heading off to college and beyond. There’s a lot of change on the horizon, and I’m learning to embrace it.

…

A couple of months after Anne died, my co‑worker Scott shared a book passage with me. It’s from Of Time and Lamentation: Reflections on Transience by Raymond Tallis, who is a physician, poet, and philosopher. Scott’s dad had been reading this heady book before he died and had underlined this passage:

It has often been said that philosophy should teach one how to die. As a doctor, I have seen enough of dying to be aware of the distance of most philosophical thought from the final phase of our return to the earth which has supported our singular existence. Nevertheless, I do believe we should use the idea of death to enhance our sense of life and its mystery. Life at its most abundant is life lived in full consciousness of its finitude, in luminous awareness that our hands will grasp and our eyes will see and our hearts will beat for only a while. The art of living is also the art of outliving: to get over those who have “gone before” without becoming shallow. A meditation on time – on the mystery of the past we shared with them, the passage of time that took us past them, the future that seems to lie like a buffer between this moment and death – is an appropriate kind of memento mori, a way of getting closer to the unthinkable.

So what do I think of this passage? It’s dense and poetic and it gives me comfort. Maybe it’s helping me accept loss and find a way to live with it while still moving forward. At its core, it’s simply saying, “Make the best of whatever time you have.” Whether someone has lost a close loved one or not, that’s sound advice.

Kate and I have started planning a return to Europe for the summer after she graduates. Like Anne, Kate has developed a real fondness for Italy, so we’ll probably spend most of our time there — but who knows? It’s still early yet. We’ll see how things unfold.

Love to all of you. I have another post planned for Anne’s birthday on July 8 – Anneisms!

Brent and Kate

Exactly six months ago, on August 4th, I was at work in a meeting room. I had just finished an online meeting when my phone rang. The caller was listed as “Healthcare”. I answered it. On the other end was UW Harborview Emergency Room. They informed me that Anne had been in a serious accident and had a severe brain injury. You all know the rest. Anne died 10 days later on August 14th.

It’s still hard to believe that Anne is gone. Kate and I have mostly come to terms with it at this point. We don’t have much choice. But it still feels so wrong. And so unfair. Kate and I wanted so much more time with Anne. We still had lots of future plans – places we wanted to visit, things we wanted to do together. We will love Anne forever. She’ll always be with me in my heart. And in Kate’s.

Here is what I read at Anne’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, October 18th, 2025

. . .

Thank you all for coming this afternoon to celebrate the life of a truly wonderful person. Anne was the love of my life and an incredible mom to our daughter Kate. I treasure the life we built together and I miss her every single day. Seeing so many of you here — friends, Bryant staff, PTSA members, volunteers, and our dear host Lisa — reminds me of the incredible community Anne was part of. Your presence and support mean the world to Kate and me, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who made this gathering possible.

I’d like to start off with a couple quotes that Anne was fond of and used often. You might have even heard her say one of these. The first one is:

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”

That quote is sometimes attributed to Dr. Seuss but there is some dispute whether he actually ever said or wrote that. Regardless, it reflects the kind of gratitude Anne lived by and I loved her for that. But to be honest, I’ve cried buckets over losing Anne so for me, it’s not the most fitting quote for this occasion.

The next quote Anne was fond of has a much clearer attribution and I can really get behind it. It goes like this:

“I didn’t think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows”

That one is from Bart Simpson and demonstrates the breadth of Anne’s humor but it also pretty well captures how I’ve felt these past two months. Anne’s absence has left a huge void in our lives. I miss my best friend, my morning coffee partner, my sous chef, my co-pilot, my bananagrams opponent, my comedienne and my confidante. 

As many of you know, Anne and I met 23 years ago on Match.com. Hers was one of the few profiles without a photo, but what it did have was smart, funny prose about being a 34 year old woman hoping to find love. I wrote to compliment her sense of humor and ask about some of the movie references in her profile. Emails led to phone calls, which led to a first date—then 2 years of dating, and 20 wonderful years of marriage. I realized it then, and have only become more convinced of it as the years went by…I got pretty lucky when I met Anne.

From our first communication, it was obvious that Anne had a great sense of humor and our conversations were effortless. She was incredibly easy to talk to. That’s something I would observe in her over the many years of our relationship…the ease she had in meeting someone, subconsciously sizing them up, and knowing exactly the right way to engage that person, creating an ally in the process. She did that with kids and adults alike. Anne had a tremendous amount of empathy as part of her makeup. Combine that with her humor and a great laugh, and you had a winning combination.

I so enjoyed building my life with Anne, going on many adventures, and eventually starting a family when we welcomed our daughter Kate. With the qualities I’ve already mentioned and with her educator background going back to her mother, you can understand why Anne was such a great mom. I feel truly blessed that our daughter Kate had 16 and half years with Anne. Anne instilled so many core values in her—sometimes directly, sometimes just by example. And I love the young woman that Kate has become.

As much as we bonded over movies, we also bonded over music. We shared plenty of common music interests including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Cure, and together we attended many wonderful shows including Flaming Lips with Beck, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Elvis Costello. One of my favorite music memories was spending three hours with Anne in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London at the Pink Floyd exhibit. Just two days before her accident, we had gone to the Death Cab for Cutie concert at Climate Pledge Arena. At dinner before the show, Anne reminded me that I’d introduced her to that band early in our dating days.

Anne introduced me to a lot of things as well including This American Life with host and writer Ira Glass and also to writer humorist David Sedaris. We probably saw David Sedaris read at Benaroya Hall at least half a dozen times if not more. He would often use these readings to test out new life stories that would go into an upcoming book. I still remember one night when David was recounting buying a beach house with his partner Hugh. He remarked that all of the beach houses had names already, most of which were bad puns, often with a nautical theme. But he was determined that their new house would be different. They decided to name it “Sea Section”. That line got a loud hearty laugh from Anne…something I never got tired of hearing.

One of the things I’ll miss the most about Anne are the wonderful vacations we took, whether it was a road trip to Sunriver Oregon and then on to Cannon Beach, or one of our trips to Europe. Our first big trip together was our honeymoon to Italy. We fell in love with each new city or hilltown we visited. Even our chaotic attempt to return a rental car in Rome became one of our favorite stories to retell. A few months ago, we returned to Italy, and visited Switzerland and Amsterdam for the first time. Anne and Kate are wonderful travel partners and I’m so grateful we got to take that trip together.

Another thing I have to mention are the wonderful human beings that came along with Anne as part of the package…Bonnie, Julia, Ryan, Craig, Trevor, Lisa, Corey…and so many more. Some were coworkers who became lifelong friends, some were friends she met on the way. And of course one of Anne’s closest relationships was with her dear sister Lisa. Anne knew how to nurture a friendship like no one else. I hope to carry those friendships long into the future.

Two days after the accident, I was talking to my mom one morning and she shared some thoughts that were going through her head while she couldn’t sleep…aphorisms that might be helpful for me to keep in mind. One in particular stood out…

”What would Anne do?”

Well, let’s think about it. Anne approached most problems with curiosity, reason, empathy, determination, and yes, humor. “What would Anne do?” I’ve gone back to that many times, trying to use it as a guiding principle in getting through this and making good choices. 

When Anne was in the hospital, I said in my blog that I was trying to balance my despair with gratitude. That’s something Anne often talked about….gratitude…especially when things are hard. Well, things are pretty trying right now and my heart is broken, but here’s my gratitude. I got to spend 23 wonderful years with an incredible woman and call her my wife. And Kate got to spend 16 years with an exceptional mother and role model. Anne is inside me, inside Kate, and inside everyone she touched. She became part of our stories — and we’ll carry her with us always. 

I love you Annie and I always will.

A short story about Anne titled “The Power of One” appeared in the December issue of University of Washington Magazine.

Read “The Power of One” here

Note: The article says Anne was a “married mother of two” but I am 99.999% sure she only had one kid.

Today, November 13, 2025, is KEXP’s annual “Music Heals” day honoring the pain of loss and the bittersweet joy of remembering. A few weeks ago, just after Anne’s Celebration of Life, I submitted a request for today for “Transatlanticism” by Death Cab For Cutie along with an accompanying story.

Today, John Richards played it just before 8:00AM. My sister-in-law Rose, who herself is battling cancer, happened to be driving her short commute to work when it came on. She pulled over and recorded it. Just now, I pulled a better quality version from the KEXP streaming archive and made a video (below).

Here’s the full story I submitted:

“I celebrated 20 years of marriage with my wife Anne last June while travelling in Europe. In early August, we attended the Death Cab for Cutie concert at Climate Pledge Arena. Two days later, Anne was struck by a car while crossing the street, suffering severe brain trauma.

Two days after the accident, while at her side in the hospital, I wrote a blog post referencing Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie. It was the first song my daughter requested by name as a 2 year old, except she called it “So Much Closer”. In the hospital, I remarked that the line “I need you so much closer” really hit hard. Anne was in a coma from which she would never emerge. She died 10 days later.

In addition to being a vibrant and loving wife and wonderful mother to our 16 year old daughter Kate, Anne was an incredible educator at Seattle schools, first as a middle school language arts teacher, and then for the past 15 years as the teacher librarian at Bryant Elementary in Northeast Seattle. To say she had impact is an understatement. She instilled a love of reading in hundreds and hundreds of kids, usually with a healthy dose of humor and pizazz. Well over 400 people attended her Celebration of Life at Bryant Elementary in October, including the mayor of Seattle who read a proclamation honoring her. Her sense of humor and giving nature were recurring themes.

I will love Anne always and miss her every single day. I take comfort knowing that part of her lives on inside each person she touched along the way.”

Last Saturday was the Celebration of Life for my wonderful wife Anne who died on August 14. We held it at Bryant Elementary, the school she taught at for 15 years as teacher librarian. The school auditorium/gym was the perfect location. We needed the space since over 400 people attended to celebrate Anne’s life. She touched a lot of hearts and minds. Co-workers, students, family, and friends paid tribute to Anne’s generous heart, can do attitude, and sense of humor (a recurring theme).

A special thanks to all of the Bryant staff and volunteers that helped plan and create the event. Many people contributed their time and made the event truly special. And a big thanks to Lisa Watkins-Scott who officiated the ceremony and to all of the people that shared heartfelt stories about what Anne meant to them. Another big thanks to Lynn, Steve, and Jesse for the wonderful singalong “Annie’s Song”. It was perfect.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell attended and read a beautiful proclamation officially recognizing October 18, 2025 as Anne Aliverti Day. It will be recorded that way in Seattle’s records. Scroll down for the full text.

A few relevant links:

• 14-minute movie slideshow (contact me via e-mail or Facebook)
• Online memory board (Kudoboard) (contact me via e-mail or Facebook)
• PageAhead.org supports children’s literacy. If you feel inclined, you can make a donation in Anne’s honor.

Kate and I are doing okay but we miss Anne very much. The weight of planning the event has been lifted, but the sadness of losing Anne remains. I’ve read that grief is not linear and comes in waves. I’m feeling that firsthand as it has hit me hard this week many times. I miss my wife and best friend and Kate misses her mom. Time will help most likely, but it’s going to be a slow process.

Thank you all for your support. I wish you all the best. Here are some photos from the day including the program, table displays, the mayor reading his proclamation, the musical performance, and artwork the students created.

Here is the full text of the Mayor’s proclamation:

City of Seattle • Office of the Mayor
PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Anne Aliverti dedicated 15 years of service as the beloved librarian at Bryant Elementary School, transforming the school library into a vibrant hub of imagination, learning, and connection for students, families, and educators alike; and

WHEREAS, Anne Aliverti inspired generations of young readers by fostering a deep love of books and storytelling, always greeting students by name, designing creative reading challenges, and ensuring that every child felt seen, valued, and encouraged to explore the world through reading; and

WHEREAS, under Anne Aliverti’s leadership, the Bryant Elementary library became one of the highest-circulating libraries in Seattle Public Schools, reflecting her commitment to literacy access, equity, and the joy of discovery; and

WHEREAS, beyond her role as a librarian, Anne Aliverti was a mentor, collaborator, and community builder – supporting fellow educators, leading professional development, and strengthening connections between families, schools, and the broader Seattle community; and

WHEREAS, Anne Aliverti’s enduring legacy lives on in the countless students whose lives she enriched, the colleagues she inspired, and the community she helped shape through her compassion, creativity, and commitment to learning; and

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle honors Anne Aliverti’s extraordinary contributions as an educator, librarian, and community leader – whose commitment to curiosity, creativity, and student-centered learning exemplifies the power of education – exemplifying our One Seattle vision.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BRUCE A. HARRELL, MAYOR OF SEATTLE, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 18, 2025 TO BE
Anne Aliverti Day

Mayor Bruce A. Harrell
City of Seattle

We will celebrate Anne’s life on Saturday, October 18 at 1PM

Bryant Elementary
3311 NE 60th St, Seattle, 98115

Event begins at 1:00PM. Doors will be open by 12:30PM, likely earlier. More details:

Parking
Bryant Elementary has no parking lot. There is street parking in the surrounding neighborhoods, but you will have to walk a block or two.

Attire
This is a celebration, not a funeral—so all-black is out unless that’s your usual style. Instead, think dressy casual and/or fall colors.

Cookies Potluck 
Families are invited to contribute to a Cookie Potluck following the Celebration of Life. You may drop off 1-2 dozen cookies outside under the covered play area before the event begins.

Literacy donation in Anne’s Honor
PageAhead.org supports children’s literacy. If you feel inclined, you can make a donation in Anne’s honor.

Share a Memory of Anne
An online memory board guest book will be available at the event where you can post a memory or message.

Flowers
Please don’t bring or send flowers. In lieu of that, consider a donation (above).

We will celebrate Anne’s life on Saturday, October 18 at 1PM

Bryant Elementary
3311 NE 60th St, Seattle, 98115

Please join us if you can

Claire Bryan, education reporter for The Seattle Times, wrote a lovely story about Anne. I believe it will appear in Monday’s print edition, but it is up now. Thank you so much, Claire. And thank you to all that participated in the article.

https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/seattle-school-librarian-leaves-a-lasting-legacy/

Read more stories about Anne here (in the comments), or share your own. 50 and counting.

SAVE THE DATE:
We will honor Anne’s life on Saturday, October 18th from 1-3PM at Bryant Elementary Auditorium.

Anne passed away on Thursday afternoon Aug 14 2025, 10 days after getting struck by a car in the crosswalk. It’s been the hardest and most painful 10 days for Kate and I, and grieving will continue for us, our family, her colleagues and community. Anne was a bright light with a huge community that loved her. She was an incredible wife and mother to our daughter and I still can’t believe she is gone.

Feel free to continue to leave comments here in the Loving Anne blog, and/or reach out to our family directly. If you haven’t already, Share your Story of Anne (50 and counting).

Please allow time for grieving and making sense of something so senseless and preventable.
Thank you for your support.

A celebration of Anne’s life will be held in on Saturday, October 18th from 1-3PM at Bryant Elementary Auditorium.

Brent

Read also how Anne and I met, got engaged, and married

Edit Aug 21: A coworker snapped a picture outside Bryant Elementary

A few years ago, I started digitizing some photos from our childhoods and young adult years. I still have several more of Anne to do at some point, but these will do for today. She was a cute kid!

Anne and I got married on June 25, 2005 at Trilogy, a parklike retirement community east of Redmond. The sun was out, and our friends and family gathered to watch us devote ourselves to each other. Anne’s friend Lisa (Watkins) Scott did a wonderful job officiating our wedding. Erin made a fun illustrated book of our story, one for each guest. Bonnie made our topsy-turvy wedding cake which matched the orange sash of Anne’s wedding dress. And Anne…she was stunning! It was a wonderful ceremony and reception…a real celebration. Songs played that evening included “At Last” by Etta James, “Follow You, Follow Me” by Genesis, and “Magic” by Olivia Newton John.

That night, Anne and I stayed at The Woodmark hotel in Kirkland. The next day, our first full day as a married couple, we called up Trevor and went to see Batman Begins. Anne still has the ticket stub.

Recently, we celebrated our 20th anniversary anniversary while on vacation in Europe. That particular night, we were in Bologna, Italy and went out to celebrate with a special dinner. Kate took our picture (above).

About last night’s status update: I forgot to list songs played for Anne yesterday. They included “More Than a Woman” by The Bee Gees and “Got to Get You Into My Life” by The Beatles.

Some photos from our wedding:

Dear friends of Anne,

Many of you know Anne through her years as a teacher, librarian, or star mentor. Some know her as a neighbor, roommate, or friend. She has touched countless lives. I would love for you to share a memory of Anne. It could be a story of how you met, a moment that stands out, something that made you laugh, or what makes her special to you. No memory is too small or simple.

Please share your story in the comments for this blog post, and include your name so we can know who you are. I will read your comments to Anne.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Anne’s impact on so many lives.

[Note about the blog. When you receive a new post in e-mail, it may not include the related photo. Click the title of the post or the “Read on blog” link to see the post as intended. That is where you can read any comments that are left as well.]

In the fall of 2004, Anne and I had been dating steadily for two years. Anne’s friend Bonnie, then a sought-after wedding cake creator, asked Anne early in the week if she would want to deliver a wedding cake to Port Townsend on Saturday. Anne said sure and asked me if I wanted to come. After delivering the cake, we could spend the day in Port Townsend before returning home.

This was my chance, I thought. I had been wanting to propose to Anne and was trying to decide just how and where I would do it. I decided to make a tiny story book called “Anne’s Favorite Day” that would end in the suggestion of a proposal, after which I would pop the question. I began work on the book. I had a small plastic case lying around that I wanted the book to fit in, so I measured the space and began writing and designing the book, assembling lots of fun pictures that I thought Anne would like. With the book completed, I purchased a box of Crunch ‘n Munch, ate a little, and then tucked the book just under the surface. I stowed the box in the back of my car.

The trip up to Port Townsend was nice, and the wedding cake delivery went smoothly. Afterward, we walked around Port Townsend a little, and then drove over to nearby Fort Worden park to walk on the beach. Just after parking and starting to walk, I said, “I’ve got some Crunch ‘n Munch” in the back…I’ll go get it.” With the box now in hand, we started walking the beach. I reached in and took a little, making sure I could easily feel the hidden prize.

“Want some?” I said.

She took the box and dipped her hand in. “What’s this?”, she said, pulling it out.

“I guess it’s the prize inside”, I returned.

“Crunch ‘n Munch doesn’t have prizes.” she said knowingly, turning it over to see that it read “Anne’s Favorite Day, a Story by Brent”.

“Why don’t you read it?”, I said. She removed the diminutive book from it’s case and read the story. At the end of the story, she looked at me and I told her how wonderful she is and asked her if she would marry me. She immediately said yes. It was the best decision I ever made!

Here’s a video of me reading “Anne’s Favorite Day”

Anne remains unconscious. She has been off sedation for two days. If you are wondering if that means she is in a coma, the answer is yes. A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness. GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) is used to measure the depth of coma with 3 or 3T being the lowest and 15 being the highest (a fully awake, alert, conversant person). The total score is a combination of three component test scores: eye (1-4), verbal (1-5), and motor (1-6). Anne is 3T currently. The T means she is intubated and not capable of making verbal responses. In short, Anne has a long journey ahead. The doctors ordered an MRI which should hopefully be performed tonight and evaluated tomorrow. It will give a more detailed picture of what is happening in her brain than the CT scans.

Today we played Anne several more songs including “Inside Out” by Spoon and “Strawberry Letter 23” by The Brothers Johnson. I read Anne some more of your lovely cards.

The time is October 2002. I decided to give the world of online dating a try…in this case Match.com. Browsing through the Match profiles, I came across one that had no photos at all, but was uncommonly well written and quite funny. One part of it read, “I like cat juggling, gasoline fights, and I can milk anything with nipples.” The first two parts I was pretty sure were movie references to The Jerk and Zoolander but I didn’t recognize the third. I wrote her (“SeaTowner”) a message saying that I thought her profile was pretty funny and that I recognized The Jerk and Zoolander, but what was the third reference from? She wrote me back saying it was from “Meet the Parents” (which I had not yet seen for some reason). She said her 30-day free trial for Match.com was about over and she wasn’t going to pay to renew as the only other guy she had met was way too into ferns. She gave me her e-mail in case I wanted to keep chatting.
 
E-mails led to phone calls which led to setting up a date for drinks at Mapleleaf Grill, a bar and eatery just up the street from my (old) house. I arrived first and a few minutes later, Anne breezed in the door. We had a great time talking and ended up having dinner as well. We talked a lot about movies that we had or hadn’t seen. I asked her if she had seen Dick? She scoffed a little. She had heard of it but had assumed from the title that it was just some stupid low-brow movie. I told her I thought it was a pretty smart comedy about two ditzy girls involved with Nixon and Watergate and that it was hilarious, and given what I had learned so far about her movie tastes, I thought she would probably like it. I told her that I had a big screen TV and Dick on DVD and we could watch it after dinner if she wanted to keep the date going. She agreed and followed me back down the street to my house. We made some popcorn and watched Dick together and she agreed it was hilarious. She drove home after the movie, and I left a message on her machine for her to hear when she got home, saying what a great time I had with her.

When recounting how we met, we will sometimes tell people that I showed her Dick on our first date. Anne likes many kinds of humor including the sophomoric kind.