no sex and the city

"I am going away for a week. I have not packed yet. My boyfriend doesn't know yet. Yes, I live with him. But I am so pissed at him right now. He keeps lying to me there is nothing more than friendship between him and that stupid co-worker who is going through her divorce which has failed ten years ago. Right, he sent her flowers. He stormed out of bed at three in the morning when he got her call. He spends more time with her than with me. I want to go away and see if he really cares about me at all." Veronica still looked very pretty and cool when finishing the speech.

I was so not used to people who are not happy in their relationships.
I am surrounded by people who are soooo happy in their relationships. Kim and Chris are happily married. Toby and Cathleen are a great happy couple. Zabeth and Stefan are as happy as any couple who sleeps with each other every night. Rose and Zach are getting married. Neffy, one of my best friends in Taiwan, is getting married in October. She told me on the same day there are two more couples I know are getting married too. Obviously it is a good day of getting married according to the lunar calendar because ChiaChen said he has to manage a way to go to three weddings on the same day.

So I was not prepared at all when listening to Veronica's story. She was upset at my first meeting with her. She reminded me of old days when friends shared their troubled relationship stories with me, and of old days when I myself was not happy.
Being reminded is not equal to being missing. My heart is so calm. I know I am getting old but I am not in a rush to find a life partner.

And I met Kat whose full name will not be revealed.
She was my two-night roommate in Chicago. She just finally found a job. Academia is a pretty hell for career development. She is at least 15 years older than me. She just found a real job.
More happily, she is getting married!
She doesn't look 10 years older than me. It is good to stay in shape and to be tiny. She looked wonderful.
Talkative, out-going, charming, beautiful social skills, nice smiles, and men liked her. I am not sure whether she did it consciously or not, but she definitely was flirting with every man. She asked me if I ever had a conference romance.

Jeff, the guy who had a huge crush on Kat, could not keep his eyes away from her. I thought they had met each other or work with each other some time ago. But no, Jeff just saw her in a poster session, and wanted to buy her dinner. I was there in a clueless position, asking about Kat's boyfriend. Jeff obviously did not care even if Kat was married. He asked weird personal questions that made me believe they had known each other since high school.
"How did your parents meet?" Jeff asked suddenly out of no where.
I frowned, but Kat answered anyway. Jeff was not looking at me at all so he would not see my facial expression.
"We were high school sweet hearts." Jeff said to me. Kat didn't defend herself but later said to me "of course we met when we were four. Oh, no, he is at least 7 or 10 years older than me."
I found that night totally bizarre and annoying even though the food was fantastic and Jeff paid for it.
Am I going to become Kat?
Well, I wish my body will be as attractive as she is when I am in my 40s.
She has tried many many years to meet people and to find a guy to have a relationship. She must be very experienced and practiced her flirtation very well.

On the second day, I met her in the reception where chocolate sticks were my favorite. She asked me if I met any cute guys.
How unconventional. Zabeth would ask me if I went to any interesting talks.
My answer was shaking my head with a smile to Kat's question. As to the talks, this conference was unexpectedly good, probably because it happened to be its 20th and special people were invited to talk.
The real answer unspoken (because my mouth was occupied by chocolate) was yes. It was a cute guy who took the picture of me withe tulips and chocolate sticks. But I didn't feel like filling Kat's curiosity or maybe her usual greeting line.
I am a big Sex and the City fan. But talking like a SATC girl with a temporary roommate?
No, thank you. You can go to the counter and get a free wine for me.
The city of the Sex and the City is not Chicago although I fell in love with Chicago. Conference romance? If it ever happens, so? Long distance? Not interested. Move on. Let's just enjoy the city and call it a great trip.

Click the picture below and see how much I heart Chicago.

I heart Chicago