Officially 9 months after my 30th birthday, I think I'm safely over the tipping point of this relationship. I haven't heard from Brian for a few days, and I wonder whether he's even interested in getting back together. My sense is an affirmative "No."

But it doesn't really matter too much to me anyway.

I've pretty much decided on my own that this is the end. I drive through Dallas, to Austin, through the streets of 7 years ago, and want to be a tour guide for someone who'll hang on my descriptive history of how I grew up. I saw Julie do that with Rene, and I'm ready to do that with someone of my own.

As Mandy said over the phone, I've come to see what I want in my future. And a boyfriend, some significant longterm relationship, is the centerpiece of all the other sideplots.