The couple: Aay Preston-Myint, 32, and Colin Dickson, 28Years together: Nearly two and a half Occupations: Colin’s a metal fabricator and woodworker; Aay’s an artist, SAIC instructor, bartender/server (Analogue and the Charleston), and an organizer of the queer dance party Chances Dances.
Aay: Two and a half years, almost. We technically are not legally entitled to marriage until June, but I wouldn’t consider marriage a demarcation of when our relationship became deeper, more committed, or “official.” That is weird and sort of gross to me, honestly. Don’t get me started on the sociopolitics of marriage as a queer person . . . or as a breathing person, for that matter.
Aay: In terms of my teaching and his metalworking, there’s artistic connections between those two things, but we try not to bring too much of that home aside from the usual checking in. We work on our own projects (whether for art or home improvement) together, so that ends up taking the bulk of our shop talk. Also, Colin likes to visit me when I’m bartending, which I think is cute. He’s my favorite customer.
Kissed On the Dance Floor
In which Colin recalls first meeting Aay (Looking for love at first sight? isawyou.chicagoreader.com)
Kissed On the Dance Floor
When: November 18, 2011Where: Parlour Bar on ClarkI saw a: ManI am a: Man
You were in the far corner by the DJ booth (assuming you knew them by your playfulness). I saw you start dancing and after my drink I made my way out there. You knew what you wanted and knew how to get it! I think you’re a great dancer and an amazing kisser. Sorry I vanished before we could exchange numbers, I’d love to see you again.
Colin: Aay has control of the music, he’s the DJ (Nina Ramone). I’ll put on talk radio and he’ll usually ask me to turn it down.
Aay: If we are totally exhausted, we’ll walk to our nearest beer/burger spot, Small Bar on Wellington. The staff there is awesome and always pick the most interesting beers. When we want to feel maximum cute, we’ll go to Fat Rice. The food is the closest thing to what my mom used to cook growing up, but fancier.
Aay: I am. My brain absorbs trivia like a sponge. This is not necessarily a good thing or an attractive quality, mind you, but it is why I’ll win.
Together for 17 years, Lynn Rondeau and Katy Bird are the type of people who’ll parallel park your car for you.
Eleanor Spiess-Ferris and Umberto Tosi are “male and female versions of the same creative spirit.”
Claire and Rufus Barner intend to leave Chicago a better place than they found it.
