Shawn Reming Jr's Page

I am a 26 year old PhD student living abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Originally from south eastern Virginia, technically near Williamsburg/Yorktown, etc but out on the Chesapeake Bay in the middle...no...at the END of nowhere. Haha. My family is originally from New England (Andover, Mass.), but my father was in the US Navy and we ended up living most of my young life in Virginia (where I was born actually) due to his very long time at Naval Air Station Norfolk. His navy life style and his personal ability to deal with the stress of it all has not only made my time abroad easier, but has inspired me. My mother is an elementary school art teacher, independent artist, and over all super hero. I have a younger sister (24) who is a Social Worker and Case Manager at a Childrens Hospital. She is paid to get beat up by and care for/protect the interests of children in real need. She amazes me. After life in VA I moved to Pennsylvania, did my BA in History at Saint Vincent College, and my Masters in History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where in my final year I met HER.. my love. Her blue/green/gray eyes pulled me across the room at a Halloween Party I was hosting, and I never looked back. (Except to get her a drink, haha)

She is 21, an Early Childhood Education major who graduates in May 2010. She is from Pittsburgh, PA. Everything about her, s everything I want. After several disatrous and stressful relationships, I had a good feeling what I did and did not want... but I also thought I would have no one until after I made this move overseas. Then I met her. Cute, smart, gorgeous, sexy, a little punk, a little rock, very classy, always on the go and keeping me strong. Her dedication to children, to life and continuing on, amazing. She has exposed me to music, movies, and so much of the best things in life... I would not have seen what I have seen in this past year without her. She challenges me to be the best man I can be, and shows me that I am capable of so much. Her life, her struggles and where she is are some of my greatest inspiration to date. She will be joining me here in the UK next year, hopefully here in Belfast at the same University! Being apart is hard, it is a challenge, and parts of it really get to me. Not being able to just look at her, see her smile, to touch her randomly and know she is real... that is the hardest. But we do our best, and soon the waiting will be over. She is worth this, and so much more.

I plan to propose (not there yet, but we are both certain and talk a LOT about it) sometime near the end of 2011. Not saying when of course, I have some great thoughts ;) But she reads here as well.

US: We are an offbeat, indie rock, and punk couple. Though, musically and fashion wise sometimes we are just all over the place, and love it. We are both politically liberal, with a bit of anarchist streak. We are not fans of tradition for tradition sake. If there elements of "tradition" we like, we keep them, but only if it suits us. We love good food, dressing up from time to time, and experiencing the "finer things" in life.. even if we can't always afford it.

We are poly-amorous..meaning, we, us, the two of us as one, is our primary relationship, and we are deeply in love. Along side this however is the capacity for love we both have being deep and endless, loving others, including them in our love life and exploring fun and love with new friends does not diminish the strength and power of our romance. It isn't that we will have other "husbands" or "wives", not something tat deep with anyone else, but love comes in so many variations and shades. We will always be our main focus, but there is enough love to go around. Not everyone gets this, and if they don't then that is fine (those who don't aren't included in the fun, haha) but the key to it for us and what we ask of everyone is respect and love. Nothing will ever get between us, our experiences will only strengthen our primary relationship with each other.

All of this together, our love for quirky music, fine food, sometimes not so fine food (take out is often the best date, if the mood is right) nature, love, life, art, children, friends and family, make us who we are.