A Holiday in Asia
One month away. One month away from cold, drizzly, cloudy London.
I got the full force of ancient Chinese matchmaking action in Malaysia. Being single and in my mid 30s seems to put a "I'm Desperate" sign on your forehead. Or at least it seemed that way to me.
Aunts and uncles swarmed like locusts who hadn't seen a prairie in ten years. Friends of the family asked the same "When's it your turn?" question over and over again (at my brother's wedding). Didn't help that my brother advertised for me when giving his wedding speech at the reception. Like I was the latest brand of laundry detergent (gets whites whiter!). My parents, who have been patient all this time, are slowly starting to lose it. They won't come right out and say it, but I can read between their lines.... "our youngest needs a mate".
Independence, it seems, is a bitch. 13 years of self-sufficiency after college teaches you a lot of things. Among them is how to selfishly hoard your time. To withhold one's time from women who would talk one's ear off, or who want to sit and cuddle for hours on end.
I got the e-mail address of a girl "with a lovely personality" from an aunt of mine. She came by with Uncle at 11 PM the day of my brother's wedding when we were all preparing to retire for the night. She then asked me to go with her and uncle to the girl's house to get introduced and acquainted. At 11 PM. On a Saturday night. I appreciate her good intentions and all, but seriously. 11 PM? On a Saturday night? While I was in my PJs? This was going to be the blindest of blind dates in the history of mankind.
And while I'm on the subject, what's up with the vague descriptions of the other side that always accompanies matchmaking activities? It's always "a lovely personality" or "has inner beauty". Never what we want to typically hear, like "a knockout supermodel who has two degrees, is financially and emotionally independent, and will love you unconditionally". Not like that's my checklist or anything (FYI, for those super eager matchmakers among you readers). It's just an example of the type of things I would like to hear sometimes when getting matched up.
Everyone says that when you meet the right girl, all sorts of bells and whistles go off and you know right away that she's the one. It's all about having the faith that this actually happens (my brother confirms this). And it's all about accepting, nay, embracing the concept of the big 'C' (commitment, in case you were wondering). And perhaps, just perhaps, that wall of independence will come down. Brick by selfish brick.
Come on bells and whistles. Get working.
I got the full force of ancient Chinese matchmaking action in Malaysia. Being single and in my mid 30s seems to put a "I'm Desperate" sign on your forehead. Or at least it seemed that way to me.
Aunts and uncles swarmed like locusts who hadn't seen a prairie in ten years. Friends of the family asked the same "When's it your turn?" question over and over again (at my brother's wedding). Didn't help that my brother advertised for me when giving his wedding speech at the reception. Like I was the latest brand of laundry detergent (gets whites whiter!). My parents, who have been patient all this time, are slowly starting to lose it. They won't come right out and say it, but I can read between their lines.... "our youngest needs a mate".
Independence, it seems, is a bitch. 13 years of self-sufficiency after college teaches you a lot of things. Among them is how to selfishly hoard your time. To withhold one's time from women who would talk one's ear off, or who want to sit and cuddle for hours on end.
I got the e-mail address of a girl "with a lovely personality" from an aunt of mine. She came by with Uncle at 11 PM the day of my brother's wedding when we were all preparing to retire for the night. She then asked me to go with her and uncle to the girl's house to get introduced and acquainted. At 11 PM. On a Saturday night. I appreciate her good intentions and all, but seriously. 11 PM? On a Saturday night? While I was in my PJs? This was going to be the blindest of blind dates in the history of mankind.
And while I'm on the subject, what's up with the vague descriptions of the other side that always accompanies matchmaking activities? It's always "a lovely personality" or "has inner beauty". Never what we want to typically hear, like "a knockout supermodel who has two degrees, is financially and emotionally independent, and will love you unconditionally". Not like that's my checklist or anything (FYI, for those super eager matchmakers among you readers). It's just an example of the type of things I would like to hear sometimes when getting matched up.
Everyone says that when you meet the right girl, all sorts of bells and whistles go off and you know right away that she's the one. It's all about having the faith that this actually happens (my brother confirms this). And it's all about accepting, nay, embracing the concept of the big 'C' (commitment, in case you were wondering). And perhaps, just perhaps, that wall of independence will come down. Brick by selfish brick.
Come on bells and whistles. Get working.
posted by Phlings! | 11:22 AM
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