It was Senior year of High School, we met on a Filipino Chatroom on AIM. His username was Madsoundz and I was PinayPrincess. We messaged each other a few times before we decided to exchange phone numbers. Our first conversation on the phone, we tied up the phone line for hours and couldn't wait to call again. Our record was 8 straight hours on the phone. Our first date was December 26, Ron and Ate Maine chaperoned. We saw the movie Titanic. From then forward we were hooked. We tried to see each other as much as we could. Neil drove a beat up 1988 Dodge Aries from Staten Island to Long Island when ever he could. When he couldn't, I'd ride the Long Island Rail Road to Penn, transfer on to the subway to the Staten Island Ferry, hop on to a bus to see Neil. Neil escorted me to my Senior Prom. We stayed out all night, got tattooed and I got grounded for life. Neil ended up going to Stony Brook freshman year of college and I attended Suffolk. We both worked at Stern's part time. I worked in the Juniors Department and Neil worked in the Young Men's department right across me. We were inseparable. We eloped on August 11, 1999. Twenty-five years together has brought us 4 children, a home in Selden, many years of laughter, and tears, adventures, trial and error and love. We may not have done things the conventional way, but we wouldn't change a thing.