So why the sudden interest in how I�m doing, what I�ve been up to, and if I�ve seen any good movies lately? I took the mystery to the local girlfriends and learned of a Chicago phenomenon: The Winter Relationship.

Apparently since there�s not so much to do in the winter, you find someone to do. Okay, so that may not be the primary goal for all in getting a cold weather snuggle bug, but it�s the right idea: people pair up during the cold months to ensure there�s someone to hang out with, and then they break up once the mercury rises and meeting new people is once again easy.

Apparently fielding phone calls before any actual leaves fall is a sign that I�m hot commodity.

Um, yeah. Thanks, I think...

It�s really amazing who all has come out of the woodworks lately though.

I got one call saying that he�d been thinking of me but I don�t necessarily want to know exactly what he was thinking about. (This coming from a man who did nothing more than kiss me after we read books on his couch...)

I got another call saying that he was at the aquarium and remembered that I had fish and wanted to know if I would meet him up there.

Another had just read a book about infectious disease and wanted to know what I knew about Dengue Fever.

Etc., etc., etc.

I have to admire their proactive behavior in acting early at attempting to acquire me as their Winter Girlfriend, them finding personalized reasons to ring my number once again, and them being persistent.

It�s also kinda cute to see them squirm when I say that I�m rather busy painting my bedroom and will have to get back with them.

Shit, I shoulda played my cards right and had the Winter Boyfriend Applicants paint the room for me! As one friend said to me when I first moved here: It�s too cold to do anything else in the winter, so we paint!

He�s a true Chicago bachelor -- He's already secured his winter girlfriend and there are seven coats of paint in his livingroom. �