#NerdsUnite: Confessions of a serial monogamist
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Jen. She's a graphic designer by day and a serial monogamist by night that lives across the pond in the UK. She's currently in a relationship of 8 years, and her dating record prior had been puddle jumps from 3 months here ... to 3 months there. These are her thoughts on life, love, and some pretty gnarly shit she's gone through. Hit it Jen!! </editorsnote>
So how do you go about telling a potential boyfriend that you once nearly died from cancer...or appendicitis...or peritonitis...or meningitis...or, if you're me, all of the above?
The answer? You don't. Not until you're well into the relationship that is. Like maybe a year or so in!? Yep.
Sounds good to me.
I'm not big on talking about things. I guess I'm kind of introverted...kind of. Well, maybe just about the important things...which I completely agree is a bad way to be. But, whatcha going to do about it!?
**shrugs**
So when I met my most recent (and by "recent" I guess I mean the guy I've been dating for the last 8 years) boyfriend, I didn't even see it as an issue. How do you tell someone that you're kinda...sorta...alive by some sort of miracle!? Well, if you're me, you just leave it out of conversation.
Then the longer you leave it, the more of an issue it becomes (in my mind anyway). So I left it. And left it.
And left it a littler longer. You know, cancer is actually quite a big deal, and I guess maybe it's something you should tell someone you're in a serious relationship with? But when you didn't tell a soul for 7 years (yes, it's true! Not a single one of my friends knew about the "C", though apparently they suspected, and all the teachers at my high school had been sworn to secrecy!) But anyway, I never did tell him.
My mum did.
...
Yeah.
...
Over dinner.
...
Accidentally.
...
After we'd already been in a relationship....for about 2 years.
:::Awkward:::
So she dropped it into conversation when the boy and I were looking to move in together. Some shiz about insurance and would I get cover and blahblahblah.
I've got to hand it to him, the dude has a pretty decent poker face. He acted like he knew until we'd finished our meal. Then afterwards he pulled me aside with the "whatthefuck? Areyoudying? Howlongdoyouhave" face that I'd seen a hundred times before in those few years that I'd started to tell people.
My response was simple and to the point.
"Meh, it's not big deal, you know!?"
And sometimes that's all the explanation you need.
#nerdsunite
Click here to follow Jen on Twitter!
