We met via a couple online cyber personals, Yahoo Personals was one and some other one like HIVDate.com or PozPersonals.com... something like that, I can't remember exactly. Geppetto and I are both HIV positive, and we both were interested in finding other HIV+ guys to date to avoid the whole awkwardness of dating HIV- guys.

Geppetto was looking for a smoker (He's a smoker and I'm a non-smoker and I don't like smokers... well, I didn't think I'd deal with one). I was looking for someone more my own age around 45 to 50 (I was 46 then, and Geppetto was younger than 30)... so anyway, he "flirted" with me when he saw my add. I hadn't expected a nice young lad like him to flirt with me, so I was curious and flirted back. I really didn't want to court a man younger than 44, I had so many assumptions that it would be too hard to date a young person and that someone closer to me in age would be more into me, easier to date, and easier to get along with. Well two weeks after the initial flirt, we eventually agreed to meet one Sunday afternoon around 1 PM at a Denny's restaurant near his apartment in North Hollywood. I pulled up to the parking lot of Denny's in my big truck, hoping that it might impressed him, I think it did. There he was in the waiting area of the restaurant, I was a little late. We were seated immediately and then ordered a meal. He was already poking fun of me, telling me I was shy for a "Leo"... I'm a Scorpio, but I didn't say anything and tried not to blush. We continued with small talk for about an hour while we ate, and he seemed amiable towards me so I asked him if he'd like to join me and my friends for a "Faerie Ornament Making" arts and crafts Moon Circle event at my house that evening. He accepted.

The rest is history. He's been good company ever since. That very same day, after the Faerie Ornament Making, he spent the first night with me and we've been practically inseparable ever since. We've been living together just over two years as of December 7th. I never knew a romantic relationship could be so easy after all the troubling dates I've been through. I'm still scratching my head over why I had so much trouble with other guys, trying to date them and feel comfortable with them. Geppetto has been to me like a hand in glove, a perfect fit.

We fight, we argue, we get pissed, we love, we cuddle.... end of story.
We both know relationships are about facing incongruities from time to time between times of serenity, and so we accept the challenge with grace, agreeing to work to find equilibrium between us once again. We "leave each other alone" and don't put unrealistic expectations on each other, that really works! I just love the character that he is. He comes to me when he wants to, there is no better way.

So "how" we met, I think, is a combination of a couple things, we both don't put high expectations on each other, and let each be who we are.
Yes, living together is a challenge, but when you want to control the other person, you will always face trouble. You cannot impose wishes on people without facing the consequences. Yes, you can put expectations on people, but that is setting yourself up, for your own expectations to be broken. -Do that, and its a good lesson to learn.

So, "how" again, is no expectations -now don't go literal on me Tighty-Whities... use your superior brains and see the metaphore.