A Proposal at 34,000 Feet
While most South By attendees came back from Austin with new ideas about online communities or Joe Clark, I returned with something quite different: a fiancee.
Once we hit cruising altitude on the first leg of our journey to Texas, I reached into one of my carry-ons, filled with geek paraphernalia (a tangle of power cords, their associated bricks, BlueTooth USB dongles, and the odd O’Reilly book) and slipped the tiny case containing the ring up my sleeve. I turned to The Girl, who despite sleeping through take-off I was convinced would catch me preparing for the act, and coyly told her that I had something up my sleeve.
After a playful back and forth (“Is it a granola bar? A tissue?”) I took to one knee in our spacious exit row (perfect for Plan B in case she said no—that wasn’t likely though since she picked out the ring), laid the obviously prepared line about “perpetual cruising altitude” on her and popped the question.
Because it was an early flight and we had the entire exit row to ourselves, there wasn’t too much commotion when she said yes. Actually the only people who noticed were the two gentlemen sitting across from us who fortunately were awake enough to ask the flight attendant to find out where we were at that moment.
The attendant returned with “120 miles south of Indianapolis” and an offer of two complimentary screwdrivers in place of the more traditional champaign. We passed on the early morning liquor and instead gave our attention to an impromptu disco-ball light show caused by the sun reflecting off the new ring onto the cabin wall.
When we landed we called both sets of parents before boarding our connecting flight to Austin. Unfortunately I ended up getting quite sick again coming back from SXSW and haven’t had a chance to do any sort of retrospective write-up on the whole week. Feeling better I’m greeted with mounds of work to catch-up on but this story really seemed like something that couldn’t wait any longer.
049 Comments
Congratulations. That’s awesome. :)
Congrats! Can’t wait for the South By recollection write-up. ;)
Having had the pleasure of meeting both of you at SXSW, I just know how much of a blast you’re going to have together. “You make a great couple” sounds really trite these days, but you chaps really are made for each other. Congratulations!
Congratulations Shaun. Now, get healthy.
Congratulations Shaun!!! Thats so f****ing awesome !!!!
congrats shaun! do you know about the three rings of marriage? the engagement ring, the wedding ring, and the suffering…
seriously though - i wish you guys the best.
Congratulaios! That was a good plan, something to remember for years to come.
Hey, Congratulations!! ;-)
You two make a great couple.
Oh, wait… wouldn’t she have an excuse now?? “I was so high when I said yes”
Dude, you should have totally asked me for some tips when we were in Austin. I proposed to my wife almost exactly the same way. :-)
(Oh, and congratulations!)
Fantastic news. Congratulations from an Austinite who unfortunately didn’t get a chance to introduce himself while you were in town.
What a romantic! Congratulations to you both
Takes a lot of courage ;)
Hope i’ll do it someday.
Have a nice life with the girl you love. I don’t think there’s anything better to dream about, than falling in love with a girl and spending your life with her afterwards. One lucky man.
In sickness and in health… Indeed living up to the promises, eh? Congratulations Shaun, that sounds really romantic. Good idea hiding it in the bag-of-geekery, nobody would ever think to look there!
Now the question is how techy to make the wedding. My fiancée and I have talked about having a wedding website and we registered on amazon, Tivo is on top of the list. Another friend of mine at The College of New Jersey is very excited about his future weddingblog, though I don’t think his girlfriend is as enthused.
Now the question is how techy to make the wedding…
I think Shaun should pull a Kip Dynamite: “…But I STILL love technology….”
Thanks everyone—from both of us. I think we might have to dognap “Durstan” (something else I missed out on by being sick) and his iSight-on-a-stick to live vlog the whole affair. ;)
Congratulations Shaun, that’s really lovely news - re the enagagement not the flu.
But here’s the thing: I managed to get the same flu and have been knocked for 6 (oops - just realised that needs translation from the Aussie: read as “under the weather”) since leaving Austin. My only consolation will a certain infamy in being “Patient 0” for the American Flu epidemic about to hit Sydney this impending Winter…
Hope you’re feeling a bit better than I am.
ha ha… nice work! Congrats!
Congratulations Wolf. I suppose I need to stop leering at Leslie now?
Congrats! Enjoy the journey.
Congrat! Hope your feeling better soon, & both looking forwards to a long & happy life together.
That’s nuts, Shaun — congratulations! Somehow my earlier plan to be sure to congratulate you on your latest accolades seems less significant. At any rate, good on you for both. I’d say that’s a hell of a weekend.
Congrats (again)… I wish you nothing but the best for an exciting future together…
For what its worth, I’ve been sick for almost a week now too - though I don’t think it was from Austin. Something about spending all day at Seaworld in Orlando on Thursday in the rain then no sleep for the next few days as we drove home that did it, I think…
Mazel Tov! Great to know that there will be a Mrs. sIFR to keep you in check! Warmest Wishes to you both! Steve
Congratulations, of course, but I do have one question: did she say yes to Shaun Rockstar Inman or to Shaun Web Dev Inman? ;)
Congratulations Shaun ! well i toke that step 9 years ago, 9 years after here i’ am sitting in my chair writting with my 9 month baby in my arms - i’m a happy person. and i do believe that both of you will be like me. lol
Well I’ll add my congrats to your ever-piling list here, but congrats. My wife & I recently celebrated 7 months of marriage. Totally awesome. Totally exciting. Totally frustrating. All in the same moment. I love it.
Thank you everyone!
Rockstar vs. Web Dev?… Good question… I love the Shaun Creative Inman. As long as he is being creative and doing what he loves, that works for me.
Congratulations Shaun and Leslie! I couldn’t be happier for the two of you. Have fun planning for the next stage of your lifes!
Fantastic news! Congrats to both of you. May the preparations for the celebrations and ceremonies be pleasant and enjoyable for you both.
Congrats!
Huzzah! Nicely done.
Congrats! Enjoy the ride :)
I still had to add my congrats to the list as well. Enjoy your life together!
ps, will there be an SIFR junior soon? :D
congratulations to both of you, the white knight is now the king! ;)
congrats guys, thats awesome, and done in only a way that shaun could pull off. man everyone around me is getting engaged.
That’s awesome, congratulations! Mega-produced proposals are overrated anyway. ;)
Oh how lovely! So happy for you ;)
Amazing blog, website, and design I MUST say.
Goodluck with your soon to be wife!
Congratulations Shaun, that’s amazing! Marriage is such an amazing adventure and such hard work all at the same time. Enjoy it!
Congrats, Shaun. Very cool proposal idea, too. :)
Congratulations! I’m so happy to hear you are so fortunate! Best of luck and love!
How wonderful for you, and for us. We are looking forward so much to having Leslie as part of the family. What an exciting and romantic proposal - I am thrilled. Love….Gram
Shaun, having met the both of you, I can honestly say that I think you’re going to be incredibly happy. You and Leslie are amazing people, and the fact that you both love design so much will make for engaging conversation for years to come.
Congradulations!
Congratulations on your engagement! Here’s to many happy years! =D
Congratulations. Always is nice to hear of good things happening to good people.
Dude, I had no idea. I figured you two had been engaged for years! You are indeed the Wolf. Heartiest congratulations all round, you splendid people (I mean that).
Watch out for the Feather though, he’s a sly one :-)
Congratulations! Let the (wedding) planning begin.
Having tied the knot two years ago, I can definately recommend it. Best of luck to you and The Girl!
Congrats! Married life is great. I recently got married last summer, and I have to say that life is so much more stable now. No more wondering “Is she the one?” or having to say goodbye when you say goodnight.
By the way, congrats on best blog of the year. I didn’t think any of the other finalists even held a candle to your site. Sure, they may have had solid content and witty commentary, but their designs had nothing on your’s. Keep up the great work!