Where is Your Happy Place?

My happy place is a dance floor with flashing lights, energizing dance music and a thumping dance beat.  It is on this floor that I can let every single thing in my life slip away and truly feel at one with myself.  Let the feelings go.  Let yourself go.  Don’t think think think about everything you should be doing, just feel your body move to the beat and let go.  Who ever lets themselves feel this emotion?  I rarely do anymore.  What a shame.  Maybe that is where I could come up with my best ideas, or find myself.  You know the rule.  Once you stop thinking the ideas start coming to you?  I would like to build that dance floor in my house with my own DJ to play the best music anytime I want.  It is exercise for the mind and body.  Imagine if you woke up every morning to go to work but first took a spin on the dance floor.  How much more alert, energized, and focused would you be for the day?  Sitting in a board meeting would be a lot easier after burning some calories to beautiful music than it would to awake to the insistent shriek of an alarm clock.  I wish I could transport myself onto dance floors all over the world at the snap of my fingers.  I would be on one in Bangkok right now, dancing to David Aude's remix to Single ladies.  No, put me in New York.  Lost in the music and energy of all the other people there feeling what I am.  Maybe I should just hang a disco ball from my ceiling since I seem to bump my bass pretty loudly right where I am.  Don’t think I haven’t spent a night or two by myself having a dance party.  They are always more fun when others are there but I can’t say I didn’t have a fun time by myself.

Things You Can Do for 30 Minutes...

Without any training:

Watch an episode of How I Met Your Mother while sitting on the couch
Read a chapter or two of a book
Have a long conversation on the phone
Get your friends' updates on Facebook


One Thing You CAN'T do for 30 Minutes Without Any Training:

Run a 5k with seasoned runners, who also complete sprint triathlons, and keep up with their pace.  Especially if you have not run more than one mile within the last year!

Me and the two "pros"

But hey, at least I dressed the part!

More pros I tried to keep up with

I actually did finish in about 36 minutes with walking for three of them.  Not too bad!  Next year I plan to be one of the pros. 

The Roadmap for the Single Girl...

Every lifestyle has its own sets of must haves.  For those with families with small children it is the collection of Dora the Explorer and the numerous "it toys/characters" of the moment.  For the high school graduate it is the new student orientation booklet for their college.  For the Single Girl it is a list of very important components that will help guide her through the life that is her singledom.  This list will vary slightly from SG to SG depending on her situation, personality and needs.  The following is the list that this SG has compiled throughout the months to help me through my dateless Friday and Saturday nights, translate just what it is those guys are thinking, and to get me through the days in between that simply make up my life as a Single Girl:

He's Just Not That Into You - Had I seen this movie at the beginning of summer I could have saved myself months of confusion trying to figure those guys out.  Not to mention a bit of embarrassment.

Trader Joe's Wine Store - We all know that it is not inexpensive going out for happy hour in the hopes that the new crush/your soulmate/next date will be there.  And, contrary to what they show in the movies, it is not something as simple as standing there looking attractive that gets a guy to buy you a drink.  Thank you Trader Joe's for your budget friendly $3.99 bottles of Pinot Grigio.  Now having a good tasting bottle of wine in the fridge at all times will not come at the cost of having to pass up those patent leather Mary Janes I saw on sale at my favorite shoe store.

Hobbies - There is nothing worse than meeting someone and having him ask you what you do in your freetime if your answer goes something like "Well, I, um, like to spend time with friends...hmmm, what do I do outside of work?"  Having a thriving social life is not the answer to all.  You must invest in yourself and your own talent and interests.  Yes, you may look good standing there but if you have nothing beneath the surface you are sure to drive even yourself crazy of boredom.

Girlfriends - Now I consider myself infinitely fortunate for the friendships that I have.  I have my group of girls that is my family, the ones who I can be completely me around and know they have no judgement for the inadvertantly poor decisions I make, who I would never survive this life without.  Then there are the ones who I have known since childhood, the ones with such a long history, who even though we may not have seen or spoken to each other for months or years, will be able to pick up as if not a day has passed.   And no SG is complete without her gay boyfriend.  Mine lives in Chicago but is only ever a phone call away to help guide me through the male mind.

Now, there are many more elements to surviving the life of a SG.  Some I am aware of and utilize, others I am learning about, and many more I have yet to discover.  All I can tell you is that every night I go to sleep I find myself anticipating the morning where the idea of a new discovery awaits.  You truly never know what or when the next big thing is going to be.  For me, I am happy that I still have the belief that there is a great love in my future and I can't wait to discover it.  Until then I am going to enjoy me and the life that is mine so I am ready for it.

Chad and the Single Girl...

This is to all you girls out there, single or not.  You all have had a Chad.  You know that one guy that seems to have it all; the looks, hair, sense of humor, personality, security in themselves.  All the things we SG's seem to look for in our ideal mates.  But let me ask you this.  Are you the Ideal Self for your own ideal mate?  Have you spent enough time alone to truly know your true self?  If you can't say you have or you do then how will you know the one you love loves the real you? 

It is so easy to get caught up in the life of the one you are with and lose part of yourself.  If you are a fellow SG take this time to really learn who you are.  What you enjoy.  If you are part of a couple make sure you make some "me" time.  Relearn who you - as an individual - are.  To quote my favorite SG - The best relationship you can ever have is the one you have with yourself.

Friday Night of the Single Girl

SG's Plans for Friday:

Leave work early to make up for extra hours worked coming in early all week.
Do 45 minutes of CardioX (love, love, love Tony Horton).
Dress warm and go to son's* last football game of the season.
Get back home and have cleaning party (consists of SG, Best Ever iPod Mix and vodka).
Catch up on missed Thursday night shows while enjoying time alone and said vodka.

SG's Actual Friday Night:

Leave work early despite the fact Monday was a short day due to migraine from night before.
Make Trader Joe's dumplings and watch Thursday's episode of Survivor on On Demand.
Watch Giada on Food Network (FN) make Chicken Ravioli while planning out majorly warm football watching outfit.
Freeze arse off while watching Mickey (son) score touchdown!! (In insufficiently warm clothing due to attempting to learn to make homemade pasta and sauce).
Stop by Subway, in lieu of healthy homecooked dinner, and eat while watching Thursday night's episode of Project Runway.
Stare at bathroom counter and weigh the pros and cons of cleaning vs. making a drink and continuing with the painting (by number) which occupied much time since purchasing last Saturday.
Get headache from painting and concentrate remainder of night on creating new blog.

*Due to circumstances SG would like to keep private, son lives with SG's parents in a few towns from her.   The family dynamics, although unconventional, work well within the "Nelsons".  You may hear of SG's sister Stacy and her BF Craig.  Mom Kathy, Dad Don and Son Mickey.  A close family who take the convention out of family; but could be an everlasting example of the "new apple pie".


SG's Cast of Characters:

Kathy and Donald (Mom and Dad)

Mickey (Son)

Stacy (Sister)

Ginny (SG)