Proposal (Jen's Version)

(Adding the occasional parenthetical wasn't going to be adequate. But I will still use them for the purposes of asides and inner monologues.)

So, we were supposed to go to Japan in May for vacation and to visit Dan's mom. We were looking forward to the trip and had agonized over the scheduling of it. As Dan has already told, we ultimately decided not to go. But he had requested the time off and I had committed to being unavailable from the entertainment business for that time period; so Dan suggested we should explore other options: Italy? Australia? Alaskan cruise? We eventually settled on the idea of staying closer to home. Dan had NEVER been on a road trip!!!

We started planning our trip, or rather, I started planning our trip. I was getting this funny feeling that Daniel wasn't interested in our vacation or going on vacation even tho HE had suggested it. He wasn't looking at the guidebooks or asking questions or making any additional suggestions or anything. I didn't know what was going on with him. But we eventually got everything set and set sail (or set rental car, rather) for Joshua Tree.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover Daniel's eager willingness to stop and shop at the Puma and Nike store at the Cabazon Outlets (which I agree are da bomb). Dan had previously revealed a love of shoes AND a shoe collection; but enjoying shoe shopping was a whole new level of togetherness.
We did eventually leave the outlets, made it to J-Tree and started a short hike.

When we reached the hike's destination, my phone started dinging like crazy as it made brief contact with some sort of service. (There is generally NO service in J-Tree). A student's mom had been leaving messages and texting, wondering where I was. I started marching around, waving my I-phone high and low looking for the service point... FINALLY! I started texting rapid fire to fix the situation and remind her of my absence, when I heard from behind me, "Jen Chang will you marry me?" I replied, "Of course" and kept texting with purpose - service wasn't going to last very long.
And then he said something else that I couldn't understand (I think sound was being muffled by my sunhat, and Dan was attempting to be discreet).

"What?" I say. (Maybe I should turn around so I can hear him.)

"Will you marry me even tho I don't have a speech prepared... but I have two rings?"

(Oh. He's being serious.)

"Yes."

He opened one box (cushion cut -- wow!) and then the other (it's a gold band in the shape of a film strip -- cool!).

And then he launched into the details of the rings and the inner workings of the diamond trade.
He revealed he had put off his knee surgery in case he had to get down on one knee. (I guess it never reached that level of desperation.)

As we hiked back, hand-in-hand, Dan exhaled: "Hm... I don't feel sick..."

And we continued our superfun trip to Vegas, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Boulder, Arches, Moab and back.

The moral of the story: Dan Yin makes me laugh.