There’s a Cold War going on between 90 Day Fiancé alum Mike Youngquist and his ex Natalie Mordovtseva, and Mike gushing over his girlfriend Sara Rose’s fur baby may be yet another way to try and get a rise out of his former partner. For years, Mike’s been making sly digs, perhaps still too attached to the woman he used to live with.

Mike and Natalie were a terrible match from the get-go, and their breakup was all too predictable. Mike, with his love of UFOs and red meat, just irritated the high-strung Natalie, who wasn’t open-minded and had a lot of tiresome food rules. She never stopped trying to change the man she was with. Meanwhile, he appreciated her beauty but didn’t seem enamored by much else. Natalie is a very “actress-y” person. All the world’s a stage for the theatrical blonde, who seems to be living in a fantasy world sometimes.

Mike Was Not Happy With Natalie

Why Is He The Great Romantic Now?

Usually, Mike’s romances don’t last, and when he was with Natalie, he complained constantly, or just suffered in miserable silence. Then, when he branched out into other relationships, he was suddenly the ecstatic romantic. Instead of being playful and passionate with Natalie, which might have entertained her, he was stoic.

With Natalie, Mike was irritated, grumpy and boring.

Mike worked too much and was initially unwilling to move out of his rural enclave, making her freeze in his farmhouse. He was not an amusing person. Then again, she was truly insufferable – a childish shrew who expected babies and glamour galore from a debt-ridden man who lived in a bare-bones residence in rural Sequim, Washington.

Yes, Mike was tough to live with, but really, his sins did not compete with Natalie’s . She doesn’t get real too often and that’s why she’s so exhausting as a human being.

Now, Mike’s so different. With every post-Natalie woman, he is Romeo. This is kind of a red flag. It seems like he’s hamming it up to try and make it seem like he’s “happier than ever.” It feels like he’s doing it to make Natalie react. Why would he care what she thought? That’s a troubling question. For whatever reason, he appears to be trying way too hard to push a narrative on the public, and maybe on Natalie too.

His new romance with Sara is an example. In the past, he gushed about Marcia Alves, but she eventually bailed out of the relationship. He made it sound like Marcia was the love of his life. Now, with Sara, it’s the same thing. He’s cuddling her dog, which is now, apparently, their “baby.” and generally playing the elated family man.

Mike Is Complicated

He’s So Hard To Understand

Is Mike, who calls his new lady a “sugar queen” in the post above, really such a simple soul? Can he be happy with ANY woman who isn’t Natalie? Or is this an act he’s putting on to make Natalie jealous? While the two were troubled to a startling degree, it’s possible that he still thinks about her, but why? Instead of moving on, he seems to be playacting to Natalie, who’s in the Instagram peanut gallery, and undoubtedly aware of his performances, even though she may try to tune him out.

Mike could make things work with Sara, but if his past is an indicator of his future, this relationship will eventually crash and burn just like all the others. Then, what? Yes, he could have found true love, but really, although Mike can be funny and interesting, his lifestyle may be too quirky to please a woman long-term. He seems like a workaholic who falls for women and then begins toxic cycles that lead to dismal breakups. Natalie’s no different. In fact, in this sense, the two are so alike.

Does Mike want Natalie back? Are his, “I’m so happy” posts really desperate cries for help? It’s not impossible. While troubled relationships are usually doomed, they can have a sort of high-octane appeal. They provide some thrills and chills, spicing up life. Yes, they typically end in tears, but it’s pretty safe to say that some people get addicted to the highs and lows. “Normal” relationships may actually seem boring by comparison.

People often want what isn’t good for them! Whether it’s booze, junk food or whatever, the world offers all manner of unhealthy delights. Some people just don’t have the self-control to say no. That’s why there’s always the chance that Mike misses the bizarre and confounding dynamic that he and Natalie shared.

What’s going on? All of Mike’s “try hard” Instagram posts (a barrage that always has strong “revenge romance” vibes) don’t necessarily convince the world that he’s found true love. They actually raise questions about the negative patterns he’s locked into. Would a happy person need to put it all out there like this? Wouldn’t they just enjoy their private life to the max? What people put online is curated for audiences – most people carefully consider how they appear online – they want to present themselves as perfect beings.

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Even vulnerable posts can have a humblebragging quality. There’s an inherent narcissism to posting online – it’s ultimately self-promotion most of the time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s fun and can be harmless. The issue is that Mike seems to aim his happiness at his ex. It seems like so much of what he does online is for her benefit. He wants to upset her, or make her think, or maybe make her miss him. What he doesn’t want is to be ignored by Natalie, but these two ignoring each other is definitely the smartest strategy.