Oh Brother...

Lisa Simpson: "You mean Clara is your sister, not your girlfriend?"
Young Cowboy: "Heck no! They made that illegal in this state two years ago."
- Simpsons "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" (2003)

So I think it's time to let the cat out of the bag. I have been holding back from you, my loyal readers. Despite the hints, rumors, allegations and things left unsaid, I do have a girlfriend...sort of.

For some time now, I have been spending much time with Anna. In public she is mostly quiet and does not seem to like being too close to me. For the longest time, she wouldn't even touch me in public. More and more we have been holding hands walking around campus and she won't always stop me from having my arm around her when her friends are around.

The only reason why I have not been posting anything going on with her this last month is that she likes to keep the private life private. Therefore, she won't let me talk much about her here. Today I throw caution to the wind.

Not everyone knows that we are dating still. In a way, I help keep it a mystery, partly because she likes it that way, but also because it can be kinda fun keeping it a secret. I love to live life publicly. I seem to wear my emotions and thought on my sleeve. This worries Anna, as she does not.

One device she came up with is using me as a sergeant "Brother". A few weeks before we were officially unofficial she decided I would fit better as her brother than anything else. We let it go that way for a while, but I was not totally satisfied with just that. Once in a while I would flirt a bit much or get just a bit fresh. She would look at me indignantly and say, "What kind of brother is that, huh?"

I always have something to say. "Well, you know, some brothers and sisters are kind of wierd like that..."

She doesn't like that answer.

Now we are doing more "couply" things but she still will tell others that I am only her brother. I decided that I can live with that. So, yes, I am her brother only. I've got a new outlook on it that makes both her and I happy:

"Brother with Benefits".