Home > Blogs > Holiday > Archives > 2009 > February > 13 > Entry
Single Awareness Day again already?
For some, Valentine’s Day is a day to spend extra time with your significant other and express just how much you love one another (either by your activities or the gifts and fancy(er) meals or all of the above). For a few others it’s just another day, and for those who are single and especially those that are unhappily single, it can be a day to realize, “Gee whiz… I’m ALL ALONE!”
In other words, it’s what I’ve heard more than one person this year refer to as “Single Awareness Day”… because when you are single and you would rather not be, very few days of the year make it so painfully obvious to your heart as Valentine’s Day. And if you really want to get down to it, the next logical step is just to simplify the name to SAD. And sometimes that’s just what it is or at least how you feel.
So… for my SAD friends out there, I offer these suggestions for how to spend this Single Awareness Day (feel free to add your ideas below as well!): No guarantees on avoiding the lovey-dovey PDA attacks. More than a few places in the area will be filled to the brim with kissing couples and heart-shaped everything. Sorry, can’t help you there.
See a movie. There’s a perfectly good slasher flick starting this weekend. And what better way to say “Take that LOVE!” than to watch people mercilessly attacked by a masked master of horror? Find showtimes and reviews for ‘Friday the 13th’ and other movies now showing.
Spend the day at a spa — think about it: You didn’t have to burn the big bucks on flowers or a video game for your S.O. so you’ve got it to spend on yourself! And really, you should be pampered. The day is rough enough for you without having to paint your own nails or wash your own face. Find an area spa» For the guys: If the spa isn’t your style, pick a hobby and seek out related entertainment (ie: You like cars? Check out the Packard Museum, Baseball fan? Check out the Reds Hall of Fame Museum — you get the idea)
Clean and redecorate a room or your whole house. No time like the present to get a fresh start and what better way to do that then to be hanging out in a “new” room or home? The change can be as simple as new throw pillows or artwork or can get a little deeper with new fabrics (sheets, comforters, curtains, slipcovers, etc.) or even furniture items. Many stores feature departments designed for home decorating. Hit them up and pick out a few new items. If you’re looking to redecorate on a budget, Christmas Tree Shops near the Dayton Mall had a variety of items in a few spring-like designs for great prices in their most recent ad. I scored a great wall mirror there for only $4.99 the other day. For the guys: Garages or rec rooms can be cleaned and redecorated too!
Boost the economy a little and rent some movies or TV shows on DVD. Either by use of Netflix or your local video store, make a day of watching TV. Are you a sucker for action movies? Chick flicks? Both? Pick out a variety and spend the day with your couch and maybe a blanket. Don’t forget the popcorn!
Head to dinner (or lunch, or both — Why not? You’ve got the whole day!) with a best friend or with a group of friends. Word to the wise: Avoid the restaurants marked as romantic unless you want to be greeted by crowds and tons of couples. On the plus side, many of those restaurants that have tables available for larger groups will have these seats open while the cozy little tables for 2 are all taken up. For the guys: There are bar & grill type establishments calling your name.
Or, if you’d rather avoid the public, head for the grocery store and make it a night to eat in with your friends instead. Great options for group cooking and eating gatherings that are fun include: Tacos (prepare the meat or meats and then provide a variety of fixings and shell options and voila! Dinner is served); Burgers (Who cares if it’s winter? Break out the George Foreman and grill up some burgers [veggie, turkey, beef — whatever your friends desire], set out the condiments and other fixings and dig in! If you want to get fancy, try making up a batch of sliders); Ice Cream Social (pick up a variety of ice creams and all the toppings you can find and see who can make the most outrageous sundaes!); Fondue (Endless options for both dinner and dessert and easy to do with a group); Pizza (buy and bake, have it delivered or get the stuff to make your own - this one’s easy enough for even the most kitchen challenged person). For the guys: Beer, wings, pizza - this isn’t rocket science.
If you’d rather be alone and contemplate your singleness, at least spend the time wandering aimlessly around the Internet. Sites such as CollegeHumor.com, YouTube, Bored.com and others make it easy to kill an hour or 12. If none of that appeals to you, there are countless Facebook and MySpace notes, quizzes, questionnaires, games and more that have been waiting for your time. If you’re looking for some entertaining but free games, check out this game arcade.
If you’re up for it, hit up a dance club. You can have a good time, burn a few calories (or drink a few if that’s your thing) and hey, maybe this time next year you’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day — or better yet the anniversary of the day you met Mr. or Mrs. Right!
*All options can be made more enjoyable by adding other single (or exremely cool coupled up) friends unless otherwise stated.
I know eight is kind of a random number but it’s what I could come up with. I have my own SAD to plan after all.
So if you’re single, don’t let it get you down. There are tons of options that don’t involve hearts, roses or the color pink. Promise!
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Valentine's Day
Comments