I met Mike about a week after my first husband had informed me that he was divorcing me.
When Art told me that it was over, I was a little hysterical. I had spent two years in the marriage and I wasn't sure what to do. I was desparetly in love, the way you are at 22. We had more a lifestyle than a marriage. We did have many good times, but in looking back, Art was making the best choice for both of us.
I had gone from St. Louis, where I thought my life was ending, to Omaha, where two of my dearest friends suggested I might find a new life. They were involved in organizing a SF/Fantasy Convention. They got me involved right away, knowing from the SCA that I was the type of person who was good at getting involved.
The Convention was having a smaller one-day gaming event to raise money for the larger three day blowout. While I was there I met Mike. He was at that time involved with one of the girls that Deb and Jerry had hanging out with them all the time.
What struck me about Mike was his resemblence in personality to one of my good pals from youth. (actually my ongoing romantic obsession, but why mince words.) I was a rarity at a convention, I female gamer who looked half-way decent and didn't seem totally insane. So I was also getting a lot of attention from the local single guys. I didn't end up dating Mike right away. In fact, we slowly became friends. I had a couple of boyfriends, he had a couple of girlfriends, we went on with our lives. But the more we got to know one another, the closer we became.
We started spending all of our time together. And then we realized that we were best friends, that if we chose one person to be with, to spend time with, we'd chose each other.
So we got married.
Mike is a very creative person. He understands movies, and what makes movies good. He understands what makes a story good, even though he doesn't read fiction very often. (he does like to read reference materials. I've never known anyone else who prefers a textbook to a novel.)
Mike's the best DM I've ever had the pleasure to game with. A friend made the assertion that I am a gaming junkie and I married my dealer.
Mike is the such a fantastic dad. His son is so like him. Most of Xcylur's good manners and graces are due to his dad's influence and example.
Mike's great with kids, because he realizes that they are people, and deserve respect and kindness, but he doesn't treat them like adults, because he also realizes that they are kids, and need fun and structure and safety. They need the illogic and silliness of childhood.
One of Mike's great skills is listening, and evaluating what people are really saying. He can really assess a person, and their situations quickly and correctly.
Another is his management of that information and ultimately his management of people. He is very good at focusing someone's skills and weaknesses to get them to perform at an optimum level.
But there are times I really hate working for him. He's a fair boss, but he's demanding.