By Andrea Blum
Amy Condon never expected her love of art to lead her to true love, but it did.
The 35-year-old Dearborn Heights woman had been on 23 first dates through an online matchmaking site before meeting her love match in Geoffrey Clarke, 35, of Madison Heights.
The two talked on the phone before arranging their first date for Sept. 19 of last year.
“Our first phone call was truly great and lasted two hours,” Condon said.
They agreed to meet at an art opening at Biddle Gallery in Wyandotte to start off their first date.
“That’s one of my favorite places, and I thought, at least if the company sucks, there’s something else to do,” Condon said with a laugh.
“But we started looking at art and joking with each other right away. From there, the conversation just sparked.”
After some time browsing and socializing at the gallery, the two wandered around downtown Wyandotte.
“We walked over to the water and took in the view,” she said. “Then we decided to stop and sit on a bench to talk more and just get to know each other better. On the bench next to us, there was a man playing love songs on his guitar to his wife.”
After leaving the waterfront, they spent time at a local bar before ending the date with a goodnight kiss.
“It was a great night and I really hoped he would call,” she said. “He sent an e-mail that night saying he had a nice time and we set up another date that Sunday.”
Clarke added: “Right off the bat she seemed like someone I could be comfortable with. She was happy, optimistic and easy to talk to.”
The two learned they had much in common and shared the same career goals, family values and the same faith.
When Amy walked in the 3-Day Breast Cancer event later that week, Geoff came to cheer her on and met some of her family.
“We knew right away that this was something special,” she said.
The relationship blossomed from there, and the couple got engaged in December. They plan to marry in the fall.
They recently returned to Biddle Gallery to re-create their first meeting and to have their engagement photos taken in spots around the city.
Condon, who has a nursing degree from Wayne State University and a master’s degree in nurse anesthesia from Oakland University, works as a nurse anesthetist at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn.
Clarke studied nuclear engineering at the University of Michigan and works as a program manager for industrial supplies distributor Mesco.
“This is a case of two like souls who found each other at the right time, and it was a complete surprise,” he said. “I can hardly believe it happened.”
As for single people who might be hesitant to try the online dating world, Clarke encourages them to explore it.
“A lot of people are embarrassed to try new things, but they should get over any hang-ups they might have about it,” he said.
Having gotten a broad sample of people taking part in online dating, Condon recently began writing a book about her experiences titled, “24 First Dates or How I Met the Love of My Life.”
“People at work would ask me about this guy or that guy, and that’s how the idea of the book all started,” she said.
“We wouldn’t talk about the guys by name. They would joke with me and ask how things went with No. 8 and I’d say, ‘No, that was a long time ago. I’m on No. 12 now.’”
More than just a dating guide, Condon said the book serves as a memoir of what she learned on her journey.
“It wasn’t just about meeting each person,” she said. “Part of it was learning more about myself.
“I would get discouraged at the beginning when I was finding guys that were not my type or just losers, but toward the end, I was sort of rolling with it and it became a fun experience.”
She also encourages people still looking for their significant other to give the online world a chance.
“Sometimes you have to spice it up a little and take a chance,” she said. “If you keep doing the same thing, you’re going to get the same result.
“The person you’re looking for is out there.”
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