Excuses, Excuses Part 2

When it comes to explaining why I'm single, why I don't have a boyfriend, why I've never been married and why I've never had serious relationship, everyone's got an opinion.

I usually say, "I don't know," or, "You'll have to ask him," chalking my conundrum up to the whims of the guy (whichever guy) rather than to something I'm actively doing or not doing, or some signal I'm putting out there.

I think I've already come to terms with the fact that it's not because I'm not hot enough.

But other people, other people love to find ways to blame me.

It starts out supportive enough...

"They're intimidated by you."
"You're too smart."
"You're too pretty." 

But eventually, the criticisms become more pointed.

"You're too picky."
"You're too busy."
"You don't actually want a serious relationship."
"Have you ever thought that you might be too available?"

Sure, I can imagine a scenario in which I'm too sexually  available - free milk, cow, etc. - but is there any such thing as being too single? I'm not scrambling to get married and have kids. My biological clock is not ticking. I simply just don't want to be alone anymore. And for years I was afraid to show how I felt to guys I liked, guys I dated, for fear of scaring them off. And then they criticized me for not knowing what I wanted. So now I want to be able to say "I really like you" if I really like them, even though people tell me that's something I should never say.

And then those people, in some feeble attempt to try to help me, become downright hurtful.

"Maybe you're a bad kisser."
"Maybe you're a bad lay."

Really? I spent all this time in my 20s spreading my cookies around New York City, trying to make up for lost time, trying to learn how to do the things I was expected to do, trying to become good at them regardless of who I was with, and I still might be a sexual failure? And that might be the reason that no one has ever wanted to make a life with me?

But what about all the bad kissers I've kissed, who've found love elsewhere, gotten married, had babies...? To what can we credit their romance success - simply good fortune?

I've spent too much time trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I thought I had come to terms with the fact that it just never happened.

Why are others so relentless in their investigation into the cause? Why can't they just let it go?

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Excuses, Excuses

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