I've been married for exactly 5 months.

I met my husband in the winter of 2009. I had decided to attend New York Comic Con for a few reasons.

The first was curiosity. I had never been to any kind of nerdy convention before and felt that hole in my life. The line between nerd culture and pop culture has long been blurred; the overwhelming love that surrounds the "Star Trek" 50th anniversary demonstrates how popular the esoteric can be. "Star Wars," too, speaks the meta-language of geekery while enjoying mass appeal. Comic Book Guy (the only name I will ever acknowledge that "Simpsons" character as having) is funny, but also a relic of a cliche that no longer rings true. His exaggerated lack of tact and social graces does not reflect the average comic book fan. We walk among you, as charming as anyone. And only slightly more awkward!

I would have been just as happy at a strictly Buffyverse (or "Firefly!") convention. I adore "Futurama" and "Red Dwarf"; I know how to play Magic and can fake my way through Dungeons & Dragons. Of course, I'm a whardcore Whovian. But Comic Con includes all these things and more. It's not just about comic books/graphic novels: It's the melting pot of fandom.

Another reason I wanted to attend Comic Con was more... how should I put this? Not cynical. There's nothing cynical about being single and happy about the freedom that allows you, the potential to look forward to new liaisons. The precise word I'm looking for is "calculated." Yes, it was a calculated move.

It's not that I was looking for a husband. I was definitely aware that there would be smart and geeky men, many of whom were single and my age. I planned to enjoy their company. Had I gotten nothing but flirted with -- with maybe an intense, erotic hug thrown in -- I would have considered it a successful event. Again, my agenda was not to "land a husband." Rather, I was there to meet interesting people. The fact that those interesting people included potential suitors was not lost on me.

My husband's agenda was even less romantic/sexual than mine. He was there for work, having edited a film about original comic book writers and illustrators. What a weirdo.

I met him while he was standing at his college roommate's booth (his college roommate is a successful superhero graphic novelist, because NYU attracts artsy geniuses. Hi, Adam Lance Garcia!).

For the sake of his privacy, I won't share any more details. Yeah, my husband is into privacy; what a perverted weirdo!

But I've been associated with him for going on eight years. Legally co-dependent for five months today.

I love you, David. You're the best.

I love you, NYCC. Among other things, you gave me David. And Joss Whedon was there at the same time I was. I know this because he took a picture with David's college roommate, Adam Lance Garcia, both of whom are impressive artists -- one of whom is Joss Whedon. The point: Joss Whedon and I were in the same gigantic (as in, Javits Convention Center gigantic) room at the same time.

So, you know... make of that what you will.