Dating

No, not dating anyone...surprise surprise. But I was talking to a friend recently who is dating someone pretty seriously. He was talking about the usual trials and tribulations of dating; who stays over who's house, how many nights a week is too many nights a week, who's got clothes over who's house, toothbrushes, dinners etc. And it came down to the girl he's dating being cranky that she can't sleep at his house. It's the bed, or the pillow, or that it's too hot, or they aren't used to sleeping on the left side, or they just can't get comfortable, whatever it is. It's funny because I think this happens both ways in every relationship. But it sucks because you just feel responsible for their misery all day. You think, my house sucks, my bed is no good, the pillow is too soft, I shouldn't have put my arm around her at 3am. It'll be four in the afternoon and you will still feel responsible about the bad sleep she got that night. It hangs over you and makes you miserable. Not to mention your own shoulder is still killing you from sleeping on it weird.

The Holidays

I was reading an article a few weeks ago in the paper about single people and holidays. The writer was a thirty-something woman who was lamenting about how hard it was to be single during the holidays and how relatives and family would inevitably question why she was single, or when she was going to bring someone home for the holidays and so on. I mean, I can see how that could be annoying. I've been in that same situation many times myself. Almost every Christmas of my life now that I think of it. But, I was never embarrassed or ashamed of myself. I'd just tell them I was looking.

To me, the far more awkward and uncomfortable thing is actually having a "sorta" girlfriend during the holidays. Like you've dated a couple months, but the verdict is still out on her. You kinda like her but not enough to get a million questions asked about your relationship during Christmas from the aunt and uncle you only see a few times a year. And you aren't sure if you want to subject her to your family's interrogation tactics, temper tantrums and holiday blow ups...or if you are like me, after a holiday dinner, you kinda just want to fall asleep somewhere and not socialize with the random family friends that someone invited in the final hour unbeknownst to you.

And that's just the half of it. It's all awkward between you and the girl. Do I go to her house? Do I ask her to come to my house? Do I have to tell my mom I am not going to be with our family this year because I am going to go to this girls house that she doesn't even know about that I only really started hanging out with two months ago? Do I really want to meet this girls family yet? Does she even want to meet my family? If we don't go to each others family's house and do our own thing, does she think that I don't like her?

I'd much rather deflect the "me being single" conversation, than have to deal with the "so this is your giiiiirrrllfrrrieeeenddd?"(cue the sarcastic voice) conversation all night long... and maybe even into the next holiday. "What happened to that girl you were dating last Christmas?...she was so cute?" "oh her, I don't know. She dumped me. And that was two years ago by the way."

get this kid a girlfriend

This poor kid hasn't been on a date in months. Talk him up. Forward this to your good-looking, fun, smart, funny, nice, and single, girl friends and get a reward. He's smart, funny, nice, fun, and good looking! He has a house, a job, a car, a masters degree, and a soft spot for brunettes. He can build things with his hands or with machines. He's an award winning architect. He's also very good at eating, and drinking and can probably bench press pretty close to his weight. Any takers out there? Apply within. I will take out all serious recommendations given by friends.