Quirkyalone am I

One thing I learned: Anuptaphobia is the fear of being single.

One thing I'm grateful for: My friend at work who gave me a pep talk via email after I found out I didn't get the job I interviewed for.

One thing that made me laugh: My mother and brother - first because she took what I thought was a sure bet that my brother wouldn't drink the soup, my brother because he proved me wrong, and my mother again because she wouldn't take my money when I tried to pay up.

I've been invited to the 3rd annual Valentine's Party hosted by my friend's girlfriend. I didn't go last year and I don't plan on going this year either. I realize that I'm probably being a snob and that I should probably give her a chance because she's at least making an effort to keep in touch and get to know us, where my friend has not.

However. I have still not forgiven her for adding my email - without my permission, I might add - to a mailing list for some pseudo-lonely hearts meet-up group soon after my ex and I broke up. Perhaps she meant well, maybe that's how she got over her break-ups, by going out and meeting new people right away. But really, who does that to someone who's pretty much a stranger to them? And without consulting her boyfriend. I talked to him about it afterwards and he told me he found out after the fact and told her that she shouldn't have done that. I got periodic emails from the group for a few months after that and finally put a stop to them by marking them as spam. I didn't think I held grudges, but I do now.

Last year, the party was for singles only and my friend who had gone, said there were games. I have nothing against games...if they're board games, that's cool. But made up games that reek of cheesy get-to-know-you "say something nice about the (strange) person sitting next to you" type of games I'm not down with.

And this 'do is called Anuptaphobia Arrest. I was online with my other friend earlier, who asked if I was going. I said no...and we got onto what anuptaphobia means...I really didn't care, but he googled it, and it apparently means the fear of being single(!) Heh. I wonder if she's projecting?

Funny thing too, is that I got a message today from the Edmontonian I went out on a date with earlier this month asking me for my number again because he'd neglected to save it to his cellphone. My first thought was why? I think it's pretty clear from our interaction (or lack thereof) since then that neither of us is interested in the other, so what's the point of me giving him my number? I chose to ignore his message as I was at work.

I have no fear of being single. In fact, I've never been one of those people who has to be in a relationship - I completely identified with the term quirkyalone when I first heard of it. Anyway, given all the demands on my personal time lately with my business, classes and the on-going job hunt, my time is very valuable and I don't want to waste it by spending it with someone I'm not particularly interested in - life's too short.

I believe love happens when you least expect it so I'm going to carry on doing things that I feel enrich my life and experience. I will not be one of those sad, desperate souls who puts everything on hold. I think in this case, the harder one tries, the more likely it is that one's quest will end in failure.