Cooking For Singles

In an effort to meet the man of her dreams, our dating blogger ends up feeling more alone then ever.

By Liza Persky

In my never-ending pursuit of meeting a mate, I did something I hadn't done in forever. I took a class. I didn't want to take anything I've taken before to meet guys, so that eliminated a lot from the list. You haven't lived till you've been so low you actually thought you'd meet a guy at "Knitting Your Future." So, I signed up for a class at the New School called "Cooking for Singles." 


The class was held in the kitchen of the Inn on 23rd.  I walked in there were different about ten stations set up and each one had a raw chicken breast, a red pepper and some potatoes. The teacher comes out and tells us to take each thing on our cutting board: The chicken, the pepper, the potatoes, and cut them in half.  Then, take the half you're not using, put it away for another time, because there's no need to make all of it now.  Why? Because Cooking for Singles means cooking single portions.  Because...YOU'RE SINGLE!!!!  Why waste food?  After all, these are troubled times. Single people are actually really lucky. They get to save money not eating meals for TWO.

I honestly can't even count how many singles events I have been to.  Last year on Valentines Day, I went to something called, "A Singles Night of Wine Tasting."  I think the idea was that if you're single on Valentines Day, you shouldn't feel like a loser. But you know who goes to singles events on Valentines Day?  Losers.  I put myself at the top of the list.

Then there was an event I was dragged to by a friend called, "The Lock and Key Party."
Here, they bring together around 200 singles, give men a big key and women get a big shiny lock.  The idea is you go around seeing which guys lock fits into your key. Are you freaking out of your mind?? The website says, "See if your hardware is a match.  It's THAT easy?"  Easy?  Who is this easy for?  Pamela Anderson, maybe.

There is an inherent problem with singles events.  When you go to a bar, and a guy starts talking to you, the subtext is, "Hmmm. Does he like me?" When you're at a singles event, and you're there specifically to meet singles, it's almost impossible to actually talk to anyone, because the subtext behind the simplest "hi," is "Are we going to get married?"  You're shaking someone's hand to introduce yourself and go from "what's your name?" to thinking, "How are his clothes going to fit in my closet?"  It doesn't work. I know there are people whose job it is to come up with these new and interesting ways to meet your match, but I just don't think my soul mate is waiting for me at, "Bull Riding and Beers for Singles."

Which brings me back to "Cooking for Singles."  At the end of the class the teacher asked us what we wanted to learn to make next week. I said, "A roast chicken." The teacher thought about it and said, "Hmmmm.  How many people here think a whole roast chicken is too much to eat for one person?"  Everyone raised their hands.  I looked around and said, "Does anyone wonder WHY we're single?"  I decided to boycott the following classes. I felt good about my decision. It was like a feather in my cap. Half a feather, but a feather.

I really wonder if anyone meets the love of their lives at these kinds of events?   Please write and tell me if you did?  And if you did, where was it and what's the website? Do as I say, not as I do.