I’ve seen other Brian Jaegers for years. One’s now a doctor in Hawaii. One was a racecar driver. One has a track and field meet named after him. One is some kind of designer. One died in a motorcycle crash. One has an acting credit on IMDB. So on and so forth. They all have the same name, and one of them once created a Facebook page for all of us, but I think it’s gone now. Probably because all we really shared was a name. And a flower by any other name...no, that’s not the point. The point is that we’re not the same person, even if you are searching for one of them and end up finding this article. However, I’m the Brian Jaeger who writes. A lot. So I figured I’d compare me to one who was written about on his wedding page (by his fiancee).

What I’ll do is take some quotes from Maddy’s analysis of her relationship with Brian Jaeger in order to compare that to my own relationships. Maybe there’s something in a name, and maybe not. Let’s see. (After you read this, please see Brian Jaeger's response to my analysis.)

So Brian and I are a classic example of 'opposites attract' - to say the least!

This part matches with Lisa and myself. She is organized and a rule-follower. So Brian Jaegers appreciate women who are different from themselves.

We both love skiing, hiking, craft beer, animals...

So they are the same in certain ways. Lisa and I both like hiking and the idea of owning animals. I like craft beer, and neither of us are into skiing. But we have other stuff we both enjoy, like me ridiculing couples who are wearing matching outfits. She pretends like that annoys her, but she laughs on the inside.

We met online

Not us. We met because of the ride board at UW-Eau Claire and my need to go home most weekends because Eau Claire kind of sucks, especially for a grad student living off campus. Unless he hooks up with a hot little undergrad.

I ALMOST cancelled our first date

Our “first date” was Lisa pretending to be interested in grad school and me pretending to not be interested in her for purposes other than telling her about grad school.

Brian offered to meet me a little bit closer to my place and he even offered to bring over cleaning supplies if I needed help cleaning my apartment! I was charmed and cheered up by this unexpected offer.

I probably picked Lisa up from her dorm because she didn’t have a car on campus. Or she rode her bike over, but probably not. I did cook for her on one of our first dates, but I don’t remember offering to help her clean her dorm, though I am more about doing things for people rather than saying all the right things.

We agreed to meet for a date at a dive bar

Lisa was not quite 21 when we met, so that would have been illegal.

We ended up talking for nearly 4 hours that first time we met!

This is exactly like our experience, since we were stuck in a Chevy Cavalier for about 3.5 hours.

I was so impressed by how attentive he was (Brian didn't check his phone once the entire time time!).

I also did not check my phone, since I was driving, and I probably had a flip phone somewhere in a backpack.

He was just so kind and easy to talk to.

Yep, that’s me, once I start talking. With Lisa, that was probably a good hour into the drive. I was easy to talk AT, if nothing else.

I knew early on that I was dealing with a gentleman who acts with true integrity; the type of person whose words support his actions.

Probably still vague enough for me to be similar to the other Brian Jaeger here. On our first date, my words were probably something like, “You look good,” and my actions were probably something like my hand on her knee. That works, right?

The PROPOSAL

Brian HATES buying flowers (thinks they're a waste, doesn't understand why people buy 'dead plants', etc.)

All great Brian Jaeger minds think alike!

(After he proposed he revealed to me that the flowers / chocolates / valentine card were all a 'fake-out' gift!)

I also did a fake-out, pretending to maybe have a ring inside one of those Russian dolls, but it wasn't there. I had it in my hand. Lisa was all anticipating a ring, and it was just another doll. Of course, if there had been no ring at all, that would have been a funny story to tell, but it would not have gotten me a wife. That's for sure.

We had a late (9:15pm) reservation at the Severn Inn; a lovely restaurant that overlooks the Annapolis Harbor.

OK, our proposal happened in the basement of my parents’ house, so you have won this round, Brian Jaeger.

Brian (who prides himself on not wearing a jacket except when he absolutely needs it) wore a suit coat AND a carried winter coat. Hmmmmmm....

I was supposed to dress up for the occasion? I also never wear a jacket unless it drops below 50.

[The] only parking spot we could manage was across from a dumpster behind some trees (Brian was hoping for a clear view of the Annapolis Harbor...for a waterfront proposal spot!). I got out of the car and Brian handed me another valentine card . As I opened the card (which asked the question 'Will you be my forever valentine?') he got down on one knee and proposed.

You know, my proposal WAS in a basement (finished, with a couch) and not near the harbor, but really, Brian Jaeger, next to a dumpster? I win the exact location battle.

Like James Bond, he opened the trunk and pulled out a huge bunch of balloons.

Maddy might have to watch a few more James Bond movies, as I have never seen him do anything remotely like this. That’s something a clown does when he shows up at your kid’s birthday party. Still, a nice touch. Better than my dad, THE Chet Jaeger, who, according to legend, (at a bar) said to my mom, “Enough of this shit; let’s get married.” Balloons or no balloons, both Brian Jaegers have that one beat.

Like classy people, we sat on the tailgate drinking champagne looking up at the stars (since we were otherwise looking at the dumpster LOL). It was truly perfect.

You know what would be cool would be to get some spray paint and tag the dumpster with “Brian and Maddy 4-ever.” I actually tagged the room where my wife and I were engaged. I put a ziplock bag with some photos of us and a note in it behind the wall (easy to do in a semi-finished basement). Someday, when someone re-finishes the basement, there will be some random message from the past. The dumpster is a great symbol for a similar sentiment.

Good luck in your marriage, other Brian Jaeger. Mine is still alive after more than a decade, so I am living proof that Brian Jaegers can stay married and happy with girls who are opposites.