of some attempts to move forward
Seven days into 2012, and what do I have for you?
A tale of my visit to a dating agency, courtesy of a friendly spur-kick by my buddy, as well as an enjoyable conversation with a stranger in another stranger's house.
So we bemoan, or rather, I bemoan my luck with meeting guys. A common rant that I woefully think about time and time again. And perhaps my friend was trying to figure out how I could move out of this rut, and viola - you should try a dating agency. What? Is that not something out of the 70s, you say? But then everyone gave the "if you don't try, you won't know!" wiggle of their brows and so I took up the challenge.
It was a rather well-known agency, and from the exterior of the office I thought it was professional enough. I was ushered into a room to await a consultant, and soon, 15 minutes of their sales pitch spun me a tale of possibilities. Except that hazy imagery of positive possibilities was slightly marred with a very steep price tag. The claim of "85 per cent of our clients gave a 'satisfactory' to 'excellent' rating for our matches!" could have been a result of "80 per cent of our clients were satisfied, 5 per cent of our clients were more than satisfied" - but this is just a guess. In the end, I said I'd consider, and stepped out of the office.
I suppose at this point, I should really just say that I moped about a bit. I wasn't - and still am not - ready to admit that I needed to make an investment of $1180 (a non-refundable fee of $400 for registration and processing) so that I could make three new male friends who would have been screened by "the system" and would be suitable for me. Am I not sociable enough, would it be truly $1180-worth-difficult to make three completely new male friends?
The good thing about the "free consultation" is that I am now inspired to make sure I do new activities and actively make new friends. I'll make sure it will cost me a third, if not less, of that crazy price tag.
Two days later, I went for a friend's 'surprise' birthday party, and I had fun making conversation with a stranger. It helped that he was receptive and willing to engage me in my random questions as well. When it was time to head home, it hit me that I did not have to feel miserable or bad about myself if my conversation partner was not interested in talking. It just meant that s/he is not what I really needed for company, and I should cut my losses and talk to someone else more worthwhile. I'm going to try real hard to step out of being painfully self-conscious and embarrassingly shy.
Maybe 2012 can be the year where I understand and treasure myself more.
A tale of my visit to a dating agency, courtesy of a friendly spur-kick by my buddy, as well as an enjoyable conversation with a stranger in another stranger's house.
So we bemoan, or rather, I bemoan my luck with meeting guys. A common rant that I woefully think about time and time again. And perhaps my friend was trying to figure out how I could move out of this rut, and viola - you should try a dating agency. What? Is that not something out of the 70s, you say? But then everyone gave the "if you don't try, you won't know!" wiggle of their brows and so I took up the challenge.
It was a rather well-known agency, and from the exterior of the office I thought it was professional enough. I was ushered into a room to await a consultant, and soon, 15 minutes of their sales pitch spun me a tale of possibilities. Except that hazy imagery of positive possibilities was slightly marred with a very steep price tag. The claim of "85 per cent of our clients gave a 'satisfactory' to 'excellent' rating for our matches!" could have been a result of "80 per cent of our clients were satisfied, 5 per cent of our clients were more than satisfied" - but this is just a guess. In the end, I said I'd consider, and stepped out of the office.
I suppose at this point, I should really just say that I moped about a bit. I wasn't - and still am not - ready to admit that I needed to make an investment of $1180 (a non-refundable fee of $400 for registration and processing) so that I could make three new male friends who would have been screened by "the system" and would be suitable for me. Am I not sociable enough, would it be truly $1180-worth-difficult to make three completely new male friends?
The good thing about the "free consultation" is that I am now inspired to make sure I do new activities and actively make new friends. I'll make sure it will cost me a third, if not less, of that crazy price tag.
Two days later, I went for a friend's 'surprise' birthday party, and I had fun making conversation with a stranger. It helped that he was receptive and willing to engage me in my random questions as well. When it was time to head home, it hit me that I did not have to feel miserable or bad about myself if my conversation partner was not interested in talking. It just meant that s/he is not what I really needed for company, and I should cut my losses and talk to someone else more worthwhile. I'm going to try real hard to step out of being painfully self-conscious and embarrassingly shy.
Maybe 2012 can be the year where I understand and treasure myself more.