When we talked about getting married earlier in our relationship, we ran into some problems:

1. meester said he couldn't justify getting married until he felt like an adult
2. I said I couldn't justify getting married until we had a reason
3. We both agreed we couldn't get married until we could find a good LastName for us to share
4. I wanted to feel like I had my own body under control (health problems, weight, etc.)
5. meester wanted to feel like we had our lives in order (home ownership, city of residence, established friends, etc.)

Regardless of whether or not those qualifications have been met (I think they mostly have), we've got a new deadline: fieldwork. Given that I'm an anthropologist, and the running theme for anthropologists is to go out into the world and do research (preferably while contracting cerebral malaria or other such atrocities in a small, remote village -- ha!), if I want to see meester during that time, he'll have to come with me, and to do that, we'll have to be married.

Before I make that sound too unromantic, allow me to point out that, at least partially, romance is why I want to propose. We've already talked about getting married, and made a deal that it will happen in the next year or two, but how can I pass up the chance to stage something absurd and cute in the meantime? How can I pass up finding perfection in TheRing?