The look....

or

...You know, that look I get almost immediately after someone finds out that I'm not married. It usually means one of two things; 1) You're single??!! I know a guy who's single and you should meet because you'd obviously be perfect for each other or 2) the advice of how to meet someone is soon to follow. Everyone seems to have advice or have blind date ideas. Those doing either come from such places as being stopped in the mall, my hairdresser's client prior to me, vendors for companies I temped at...there was even a friend's hairdresser (whom I've never met) who set me up with a guy she knew. Pretty much anyone who meets me, directly or not, feels it's their personal responsibility and duty to find me someone grand aka perfect. (Don't get me started with the look of complete shock that generally follows when someone learns I've never been married...another posting for another day...)

The advice will range from go to a singles ward...stop looking then you'll find someone...internet websites for LDS singles...to the famous SLC singles institution - the Dee's Dances. Now I realize that I look quite a bit younger than I really am, but age doesn't mean that I've lived under a rock and don't know the resources available to singles in the 21st Century. Sometimes I just want to say, "Been there...tried that...doesn't work..." or "Can't you come up with some more unique advice of how to meet someone?"

I know that meeting someone is much like getting a job-it's all who you know...that each person has a different connection of people who are new to me...hence, networking applies with this too....however, sometimes this is just insane. Many of the individuals attempting to line me up, or are offering me advice, are total and complete strangers to me (as my list above implies, and yes, it's accurate). What makes them think that they will have any more luck finding someone for me than my closest friends and family, who know me well and who's judgement and taste I trust mind you, haven't been successful either?

Don't tell anyone, but I've learned that the easiest way to get someone to NOT set me up on a date is to accept their offer to find someone for me, especially if it's an individual I don't know well. I'd venture to guess that 99.9999...% of the people who have offered either try and the guy chickens out and never calls or the person offering never follows through. (Let's call it chickening out rather than rejecting me, though it feels like rejection sometimes even if we've never met.)

After all is said and done, I do appreciate the help...someday the networking will pay off with big dividends. Besides each "encounter" brings me one frog closer to MY prince, right? I have even met a few great guys through these crazy means who I would never have met otherwise and some of whom I've even gone out with more than once or twice. Sometimes it would be nice for someone to meet me, find out I'm single and just let it go at that. (Much thanks to those of you who've done exactly that.) Oh well, guess that's one more advantage marrieds have over singles....Until that time comes for me, I'll just keep meeting more strangers who think they have the perfect guy for me or the "key" to me to finding someone which no one's ever used before...maybe I'll try that new fangled invention the internet...

(Ok, I'll step down off my soap box now. Thanks for your patience and understanding.)