Getting Out Of A Comfortable, Single-Life Rut

(From The Orlando Sentinel -- By Marisol Novak)

OK, I'm not going to lie -- I'm a little past deadline.

It's been one of those weeks, you know. Spent some time with the family, and that's always time-consuming. Did some extra reviews for a little extra spending money (well, let's be honest, a little extra drinking money). Did a hair show so I could get my hair done for free. Plus all of my other various and a sundry weekend activities.

Notice anything missing? Or actually three things missing?

A boy? A date? Oh, and incidentally, the usual drama?

See, since I've been SINGLE, my life hasn't gotten any less busy. Any less fulfilling. It's just gotten a whole lot less nerve-wracking.

Actually, I'm starting to worry just a tad -- I'm starting to worry that maybe I'm just meant to be single. Maybe I'm not meant to date. And that would be kind of a problem because it would put me right into the category of unemployed.

I'm afraid I'm stuck between a rock and well, I'd say a hard place -- but obviously that's not quite so important to me if I can swear off dating, huh?

But, I am a little worried I may have caught myself in a rut. And I guess we all find ourselves there -- single or in a relationship. We get too comfortable.

We get settled into what we're used to. Right now, I'm used to being single. It's a safe place. I've got a routine that seems affable -- granted I've got a SEX LIFE that's laughable. But there are always compromises.

Just like when you're in a relationship. You hate the way your boyfriend always wears the collar of his IZOD pink polo shirt straight up in the air. You have secret fantasies about stitching it down and bleaching it white so it can never be worn by him again.

But you're used to him in that shirt. You're used to the way he wears the collar up like an idiot. And you don't ever really even fathom destroying the shirt. Although you draw the line at laundering the damn thing.

And none of this really seems like that big a problem, right?

Except, that would make for awfully boring lives. An entire world, stuck in a dating or non-dating rut. And don't forget -- I may not be cut out for SINGLEDOM. And really, honestly, no one should date a boy in a pink polo shirt -- well, except another boy in a pink polo shirt

A little daring, a little danger, a little lack of discipline -- goes a long way. It'll get a boy's attention. It'll shake you out of that rut. Or it may just give you a MIA FARROW pixie cut you just didn't expect -- like the one I got at that hair show.

So I guess with a new hairdo, a new attitude, and well, unfortunately for my editor a newfound lack of discipline in the deadline department -- I'm finally ready to ditch the safety net of singledom.

Wish me luck -- and maybe my editors will allow me to write up my dating adventures on the avenue.