Periodically we write about the realities, dreams and perils of single parent dating here in the Single Parents blog. I acknowledge that I am not always the most inspirational cheerleader when it comes to the dating department. It might be my personal experience or, more than likely, it is just my personality and my age–there are other things that consume my time now. Still, as I look around my world of colleagues, distant old friends (who have moved far away so we rely on e-mail for connection, occasional dates, and acquaintances–I realize that at this point in my life, some lively, intelligent and stimulating conversation would be just the thing!
No offense to anyone, but I do grow weary of talking of parenting, self-help books, and work. That seems to be the consuming and safe topics in my peer scene. Whether kids are small or grown; whatever the job might be; and whatever the personal belief system–those are the trinity of cocktail and telephone conversation. Hasn’t anyone read a poem lately? Doesn’t anyone have a heated opinion about international relations or geography? While I do NOT want to return to those self-indulgent days of young adulthood when we would sit around coffee shops discussing Ayn Rand books or the brilliance of the latest “alternative” band–this single mom could use a little intellectually-stimulating chat once in a while that isn’t about kids, work, or the self-help-book-of-the-month-club selection!
Does this make me pretentious or an intellectual snob? Maybe. It might also just be a symptom of the reality that I am an ordinary, multi-dimensional person, despite my single mom status. It might not look like it to other people–but I DO think about plenty of other things besides how to juggle work and family; the challenges of parenting teens; and how to keep my life “in balance”–in fact, I DO still read poetry, the commentary section of the newspaper and books that come from shelves other than the self-help section even though I am on the verge of turning forty-one, and the optimistic in me would like to believe there are plenty other folks out there who would like to talk about something bigger than our little domestic scenes…
Also: Please Don’t Tell Single Parents to “Stop Being Picky”
What is Wrong with Not Looking?