The Joys Of Being Single

I haven't been entirely single in over 12 years.

This is the first time that a relationship has ended for me without another one looming in the distance. When the full impact of my newfound singlehood finally hit me 6 weeks after our breakup, I was devastated and lost. However, now that I have finally accepted the fact that we are not going to be getting back together, a whole new world of possibilities has opened up.

So what is so great about being single?

From www.dictionary.com

sin·gl  /ˈsɪŋgəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[sing-guhl]

4.	unmarried: a single man.

5.	pertaining to the unmarried state: the single life.

It's not such a bad thing being single, because it simply means I'm not married. I'm not alone, because there are so many other single people out there. Or are there?

With the vast amounts of dating websites available on the market, I found myself venturing onto websites such as Fridae and Sayoni Forums to make more friends. The objective was to keep myself occupied after the failure of my relationship and at the same time find out more about the local lesbian dating scene.

In my quest to discover what all the fabulously single lesbian women do with their time, I ventured into gatherings and social settings where I could make connections with people. Being entirely new to the scene, I was initially fairly afraid and intimidated by the idea of plunging myself head first into this new world. Watching too much L Word has made me a bit weary of the "Classic Lesbian Syndrome" and I was determined not to fall prey to that. I've since discovered that CLS is very much apparant in the local scene and the horror stories I have heard from some of my new friends, plus my own recent experience, has made me very careful on who I go out with and what kind of expectations they may have.

For those who have no idea what I mean, I will just list some of the CLS symptoms.

1. Having sex on the first date (Some people call it test-driving)
   
2. After said sexual activity, immediately plunging into a relationship. (Apparantly, its because one or both parties feel that once you have sex, you need to have a relationship.)
3. Moving in together within a week or two. (Sometimes its within 24 hours and you realise that its easy to move in, but incredibly hard to move out.)
4. Multiple breakups or various other dramas that involve alot of tears, vows of un-dying love and sometimes even a threat or two. (This is just so lesbians can prove to the world that they are very much in love or being loved.)
5. Clinging onto a relationship, even after it has clearly failed, until someone better comes along. (The fear of being alone is far greater than the fear of any abuse current partner will inflict.)
   

With a clear idea of what to avoid, I slowly let myself into the circle and allowed myself to soak in this new community. Somehow it worked and I found myself going out on pseudo-dates with my new friends. The experience has been liberating! Movies, waffles, partying and dancing! All the things I used to do but never seemed to have time for until recently.

Given the amount of fun I've had over the past 2 weeks, I've finally realised that I do not have to be one half of a couple to enjoy life. Life can be appreciated with a group of friends, or even with individuals whom you have only just met. The exciting part about it is you don't know what you are in for. It is extremely fulfilling because I find myself being exposed to different people and different mindsets.

I suppose that most people go on dates in their quest to find the perfect mate, partner, girlfriend, wife etc. For me, it has been more of getting to know more people and in the process, discovering further details about myself as well. I don't know what I am looking for, but I do know I want to enjoy myself and have fun in the process. At this point, I don't have a "type" and I've been attracted to a variety of women. Some because of how smart they are, others because of how humourous they are. There are so many feel-good factors for me, including how caring, how interesting, how entertaining each person can be.

It's almost like I am shopping for a new bag. I go around looking at different bags at different price range. Most of the time I generally have what I want in mind, but its not always that simple to make a choice. And I refuse to settle for second best. I must have a bag which is perfect. If not, I would rather not buy the bag. It doesn't matter how much the bag costs, as long as it suits me, I will work hard to get it.

So I guess right now I am shopping. Anyone else wants to go shopping with me?