There are a few recurrent characters in my bubbles. I have given them all big cat names, but I am really getting tired of them. Plus, they sound like Ubuntu versions names, which is not so flattering. So I am going to rename them using real names (not theirs obviously), and introduce them to you here, so that you can refer to this page if you think you are lost.

So.

Let me introduce you to...

Simon, a.k.a. The Fabulous Feline (and variations thereof) is my boyfriend. He is adorably smart, witty, cute, and tender. The fact that we are very fond of each other, get along pretty well and have a rather balanced relationship (as far as relationships go) but do not envision to stay together forever and have many children for several reasons (but mainly because we work well as dates but not as a family at all) is a recurrent theme of my bubbles.

David (formerly known, rather aptly, as the Lusty Leopard) was my first long-duration boyfriend. I don't think he ever actively meant it, but he did quite a lot of harm to me, as the relationship took a rather abusive turn. I have to admit, though, that he is pretty smart (alas not that much relation-wise at the time), good-looking and funny.

Benjamin (formerly known as the Placid Panther) is a French friend of mine. I am officially his "mentor" in the way that the school we went to pairs, like most engineering schools in France, every first year student with a second year student who will help him navigate through the novelty of all that, prepare for exams and deal with the absurdity of administrative tasks. All in all, it more or less boils down to having someone to buy you drinks. We got paired in a rather unlikely and totally random way and I am still surprised at the fact that Benjamin and I had so much in common (we belonged to the same clubs and he even took up my position in one of them after I left the school). We lost track of each other for a few years, except for a brief exchange of New Year e-mailed wishes, and until I was directed to his blog by another alumni. From then on, we discovered that we had even more in common than we thought (and also, I assume, even if it has never been said, that I was way funnier after I got rid of David), and grew fonder of each other. Which led to some very confused feelings on my part the last time I went to France and we saw each other.

Tom (formerly known as Tender Tiger even though I am not quite sure I ever published any of the things I wrote about him) is a lab mate who started his PhD two years after me and with whom I get along quite well. There is, actually, a sexual attraction of sorts between the both of us which would be way too much trouble to act upon. (I mean, you cannot have sex with every person you're attracted to and reciprocally, right?)

Nance is Tom's girlfriend, and I like her a lot.