Five Signs Your Ex Wants You Back

Aug 17, 2009 4 Comments »

Sometimes a break up isn’t forever. A relationship seems like it isn’t working out, or you’re caught by surprise when your significant other drops the break up bomb, and suddenly you’re left single. Then you start to wonder if maybe they think they made a mistake. Check out these points below. These are some clear signs that your ex is rethinking things and wants to date again.

They stay in touch – A lot of couples who break up remain good friends for a long time. This is normal and natural, especially if it wasn’t a messy break up. Sometimes though, there doesn’t seem to be anything distinguishing the amount you talked before or after. If it wasn’t you who initiated the break up, and all of a sudden you find your ex calling just as much, or hanging out with you just as much, it’s a sign they want to reconcile.

They pry into your love life – So, who’ve you been dating? That question could just be a sign of interest or demonstrating that they aren’t planning on being hung-up on those kinds of things, but if the questions go from inquiry to prying, it’s a sign they want you back. Also, gauge the reaction to answers such as “I’m dating a lot,” or “I haven’t been out with anyone.” Are they happy about it? Upset by it?

They regularly invite you to events – “Some friends and I are heading to Montreal for the weekend.” “We’re going to a party in downtown New York.” Are the invitations coming in at an alarming rate? Maybe they’re doing everything they can to keep you close. Maybe they just need reasons to be in the same place as you. Are they having trouble letting go? It’s likely that they just don’t want to let go.

They stopped doing the thing that drove you nuts – Your ex always knew you hated the way she wore her hair, or the way he never ate healthy foods. They never did anything about it, but now that you’ve broken up it’s changed. This should set off some alarm bells that maybe they’re trying to make a point. The point? They’re ready to try again.

Their friends are feeling you out – This is when you get phone calls at odd hours saying things like “So, are you seeing anyone now that you and broke up?” or even more blunt things like “Do you wish you didn’t break up?” Friends usually know they shouldn’t cross that line unless they’ve been directed to do so. If these questions start coming, they just might be spying!

Have you ever had this experience with an ex? Did you get back together? Maybe you were the one sending out the signals. Tell us about it, or add other comments by clicking the link below.

Reasons to Try a Singles Cruise

Aug 15, 2009 5 Comments »

Cruises in general have been getting more popular every year. A little of that popularity is due to the great number of things cruise ships have to offer, and the rest is due to all the people coming back and telling their friends that they should go.

Singles cruises are becoming just as popular. People are choosing to go on them because they’re fun and they’re easy. If you’re a single man or woman and looking to get out of New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, or wherever it is you’re living your busy single’s life, here are the best reasons to book yourself on a singles cruise.

It’s much more convenient – You have a busy life. You’re a single man or woman working hard to get work done and build a future, let alone dating. Then you want to kick back and relax for a while so you decide to go on a trip. With most trips though, it’s more planning than relaxing. On a cruise, everything is right there and there’s no need to plan much of anything except which cruise to take and how to get there.

Never dine alone – The good thing about traveling without friends or someone you’re in a relationship with is that you don’t have to feel tied down. The bad thing is you do everything alone. That’s not the case on a cruise ship. Everything there is communal. On a singles cruise it’s even more the case, and you’re actually expected to arrive alone and then join the party.

You won’t get lost – Other vacations call for maps, preplanning and emergency numbers and backup plans. Such a lot to think about! Then if something were to go wrong and you’re lost, well, how is that any fun? There’s little opportunity to get lost on a cruise ship, and even if you do you just have to ask the first guy in uniform for directions.

What you want, when you want – This is true for singles travel in general. It’s an opportunity to get away from the stress of day to day life and enjoy yourself, the way you want to. When traveling single, you don’t have to worry if the other person is hungry, just if you are. You don’t have to go do that certain thing because you feel it’s what they want, nor do you have to give anything up for fear they aren’t really into it.

The price is right – Most cruises are quite economical and singles cruises are usually able to do one better. There are a lot of reasons for that, but mostly it’s just the self contained nature of the ship. You have entertainment, activities and food all there for one price. When choosing between vacation options, the singles cruise can turn out to be as much as half the price as your alternatives.

If you have a vacation coming up, try to plan it around a singles cruise. The planning will just take a few minutes and the memories will last forever. Hey, you might even meet someone! If you have any thoughts or experiences to share about this, let us know through the comments section. Just click the link below.

How to Make Dining Alone a Lot of Fun

Aug 14, 2009 No Comments »

There’s been a bit written in this blog lately about being alone, doing things alone and especially about dining alone. We’ve decided to go a bit farther and look at the dining one more time. With this though, the question is how to make dining alone fun.

A lot of singles don’t go to restaurants alone because they think it makes them look bad. Forget it. Go. Does this make you feel conspicuous? Does that make you enjoy the evening less? Well, that’s why these five suggestions below exist. They are all about making the experience great!

Bring a book – People usually feel awkward about dining alone because it’s just them and the food. When the meal is being made, it’s just them. Waiting. Alone. This is what makes the other patrons feel a bit sad. They assume the lone diner is bored or lonely. A book says a couple things. One, it says you’re entertained. Two, it says you went to the restaurant alone on purpose; you were prepared, and thus not stood up. Above all though, the book gives you something to do.

Pretend you’re a tourist – Have fun with it. If you feel like you’re going to look conspicuous, then play the part well. Ask about sites, ask about local tipping practices, ask about anything. This will not only excuse you for being alone in everyone else’s eyes, but it will win you a special kind of treatment. We all love tourists, right?

Dine in the off hours – Some people figure this is best because there are less people to stare at them. The staring, though, is all in the diner’s head. What makes going in the off hours good though, is that you are able to enjoy the meal more freely. The thing is, during a busy time, a waiter–let alone the owner–isn’t going to want a whole table being taken up by one lone diner and will in turn rush you, whether they mean to or not.

“Are there any phone calls for me?” – This is another fun way to play things up. A big reason why people hate going to restaurants alone is because they fear people will assume they’re not alone by choice. You can either give into this and feel sad for yourself, ignore it and get on with your night or have fun with it. To have fun with it, pretend you really were stood up. Ham it up a little. Ask if anyone had phoned. Have them call your cell to see if it’s still working. Ask if there’s been busy traffic outside, or if you’re even in the right place. They’ll feel bad and awkward, and you’ll be thinking “Dance puppets, dance!”

Take notes – Why is this fun? Well, it means people will think you’re a critic. To make this work, you’ll have to go to the type of restaurant that would attract critics. Then take out the notepad and make notes of things as you look out the room. Don’t be shy, let the waiter catch a glimpse over your shoulder as you write about the décor and the service. Then, even ask questions about how long the restaurant had been there, what the chef’s name is, etc. Even the other diners will look at you with a certain respect.

Did this go a little far? Of course not! Fun is fun. If you have any other suggestions on how to make a lone dining experience better, let us know. Feel free to share any other thoughts on the matter as well. Just click on the link to our comments section below.

Five Worst Things to Do Alone

Aug 13, 2009 5 Comments »

This isn’t even about singles all the time. People can be in a happy relationship and still end up doing these things by themselves. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it either. If you want to do something alone, then go nuts. Still, we’ve all grown to assume certain things are done with others. So, when we see someone doing one of these things alone it stands out as being rather upsetting. Take a look at the list and see if you agree. These are the top five worst things for singles to do alone.

Dining out – There’s a difference between going to a restaurant alone and dining alone. Going to a restaurant alone happens at lunch hour when you step out of the office for a salad and a bowl of soup. It’s when you don’t feel like cooking and so you go to some place on the next block and order a burger and fries. Dining alone is when you’re given the wine list, have a violinist circling the parameter, and have a candle crying wax in front of you.

Going to a movie – Why is this strange? Why is this weird? You have a couple hours to kill and so you go to a film. It’s not like it’s a group activity in the least, anyway. The lights go out and the movie does all the talking. Still, this is one of those things that just looks and feels strange much of the time, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. In the mood for a solo film? Do it. Many do. Just let’s not pretend it isn’t odd.

Going to a theme park – This is just awful. Much like the movies, a theme park is all about sharing the experience. During and after, you’ll want someone to talk about it with. Worst of all though, lining up for a rollercoaster with a family behind you and a smooching couple in front of you? That’s just not good. Then when every rollercoaster operator has to point out that you’re alone and then see if he can find someone else to fill the void in the car…

Playing chess – People actually do this. A lot. It’s usually the more fanatical chess players, and they play the game over the course of a long time in most cases. Actually, it’s a great exercise to be able to focus on each side independently of the other, and in the end this is probably a good thing. The image though? Sad. It’s an image not too unlike sitting on a seesaw by oneself.

Going to a concert – All that music. All that cheering. All that energy. It’s another one of those things that has to be shared with others to be completely enjoyed. It seems like you’d have to be a pretty diehard fan of a performer to buy a single ticket with no intention of meeting up with anyone else. If you do it though, be sure to pick on in the middle of a row, not on the end. At least that way you can feel like you might mess up a group’s hopes to find five seats in a row. Evil laugh.

Drinking alone didn’t make this list? Strange, because it’s a big societal no-no? Well, in the interest of being fair, if doing the above things alone really does upset you, then getting home to a nice bottle of whiskey might not be such a bad thing. Thoughts? Questions? Interesting anecdotes about your single experiences while being single? Let us know by clicking the link to comments, below.

Single Dining

Aug 12, 2009 1 Comment »

Being single doesn’t mean being alone, but sometimes it does. Sometimes it’s good to get out and do things by yourself. One of those things single men and women like to do alone, though rarely do, is eating out. Why do they like it? Why don’t they do it? Strange really.

Think about it a moment. Singles so often don’t like to cook. With no one to cook for but themselves, there’s little motivation to go through all the trouble. That makes them ideally suited for an evening at a restaurant, but it’s practically a sin in our society to go to a restaurant alone. What a shame. Where else can you go and have someone cook for you, serve you and wait on your needs?

It would be great to change that mentality. It would be great if singles could go out to their favourite restaurant and eat comfortably without feeling conspicuous. It would be great if people wouldn’t look upon them with a strange pitying expression.

Does that expression really exist though, or is it all in the mind? Some would say it’s just the result of projecting your self consciousness upon all those around you, but others think it’s real. It probably is real, too. Real, but not often truly judgmental. Everyone knows it’s odd to dine alone, and therefore they can’t help but wonder what circumstances put you there alone. Maybe you got stood up. Perhaps you just don’t have anyone to go out with. No one seems to assume you were just hungry.

Why is it so strange to dine alone? Probably because eating out at a restaurant has never really been about eating. It’s about hosting a conversation and social experience in a suitable environment. Restaurants are probably happy to keep things that way, too. They wouldn’t want society to get into the habit of going out alone, otherwise they’ll lose money. Their tables aren’t designed for one because they want to get the most meals ordered as possible for every table they have.

Perhaps that’s why it feels so odd to go dining alone. Maybe that’s what’s kept the stigma of dining in solitude alive for so long. Restaurateurs have conspired against it. They’ve instructed their weight staff to turn up their noses at the single tables, and they’ve spread malicious rumours about how freakish it is to request a table for one.

Well, let us singles take back the restaurants. Let’s remember that restaurants are there to feed us, and not always simply provide a backdrop to our conversations. If only a few single people decide to get into the habit of proudly walking into a restaurant and requesting a table for one, not much will change. If we all start doing it though it will become a normal thing again, and that’s how it should be.