It is great when you see a community that has become much more than just a practitioners and enthusiasts group. I guess it is inevitable that you may find someone whom you may just "clicked" with when you least expect it. Like the famous song line, "I didn't know I was looking for love till I found you", truly rings a bell for Jay & Aileen especially when you get to read their love story.
Here's a time line of DigitalFilipino Club activities to support that love story as well:
Club Eyeball - Selling Products & Services Online (October 20, 2006) - where Jay and Aileen first met.
Club Christmas Party & Web Marketing Forum (December 8, 2006) - where Jay and Aileen sat together. For the exchange gift, Aileen picked Jay's name.
Club Eyeball, Blogging & Social Computing Forum (January 5, 2007) - where we are supposed to have dinner together after the event but had to back-out then leaving the two of them together. (My instinct just told me to back out for some weird reason then. Very glad I listened. LOL!)Then there was this Finding a Valentine Date Challenge in 2007 also where I end up having to blatantly promote my girlfriends, Aileen included, and where Jay was even part of Aileen's screening committee. But based on their love story, they end up spending the day together.
As time goes by, I always see the two of them together and the blossoming relationship, I sensed, was inevitable. Last October 12, 2007, the three of us had a live Yahoo Messenger conference and was need to be told of something important. I was already asking when is the wedding and the baby due. Of course I was teasing. Then the two announced their love relationship. I was so elated and immediately sound off via Twitter sharing the news to common friends.
And of course, many things happened since. =)
So to Jay Frank De Jesus and Aileen Apolo, I am so happy for the two of you. As promised, I will be organizing a club members eyeball this May so that we could celebrate this further (in addition to other club announcements by then). Best wishes and all the love! (hugs!)