okay - let me clarify all this a bit. STBXW told me she was returning early before I invited her. Friend is actually W's thesis advisor, who is getting ready to be gone a month. W first accepted invitation, then declined, then said she didn't feel like cooking that evening and besides if she came she could talk work with advisor. Advisor, of course, wanted to drink beer and bullsh*t - which is what happened.
And advisor is pretty direct and no-nonsense. And we'd been drinking beer. So after STBXW left, the advisor asked who the OM was and then the conversation kind of devolved into talking trash about STBXW - but hey, the advisor started it! She has worked with OM and went off on what a slime he was. And she also feels like STBXW doesn't talk to her anymore. And she's annoyed about a paper that STBXW co-authored with OM.
I flubbed the food because I couldn't get the little neckties on the pheasant - okay, kidding! I roasted halibut and let it sit in the marinade too long, so it was kind of falling apart. And I used too much salt. And I overcooked the asparagus (cause I really wasn't paying attention) so it was soggy & limp. But the salad was good - topped it with roasted walnuts, aged blue cheese, and pear.
So yesterday I ran into STBXW. She was pleasant, then said, "You and advisor seem to suddenly be good friends." I told her that advisor had started asking me to do things for the last 6 months and I'd been telling STBXW that. Then she said, "what did you two talk about when you went outside together?" Advisor had been ranting about work stuff and I'd felt like getting some fresh air, but STBXW clearly thought we were talking about her. Of course we were more polite - we waited until she left!
Anyway, the rest of the exchange was pleasant and there was an air of regret in STBXW's conversation. Too bad. I've realized that I'm now at the point where I'd say "No" if she said she wanted to try again. She's too selfish.
A friend who was at the party also mentioned how telling the dynamic was between STBXW and I at the party. She was sort of nit-picky about little things and I was letting everything go. For instance, she'd biked over and complained that she didn't have a good light to ride home with. So I said she could borrow my bike light. She said no thanks. I said, just use it and put it in my mailbox at work tomorrow. She got offended. WTF? If you don't want to borrow it, don't complain about not having a light.
Anyway, this post is WAY too long for what actually happened - just a further installment in the online journal of the minutiae that makes up my life ...
Going hiking today over in the redwoods. Unfortunately I have to work on writing these papers this weekend, but I'm going to temper that with lots of hikes. What are you doing WCW, riding?
