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Fools Rush in to Offer Advice to Supposedly Hapless Single People
Um, I don’t need a survival guide for Valentine’s Day
In my first book about single people, Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After, I included a section about Valentine’s Day:
If you want to see fools rush in to provide well-meaning advice to hapless single people, buy a ticket for Valentine’s Day. One of my favorite examples appeared in USA Weekend in 2003, under the title “How to survive Valentine’s Day without a sweetie.” Here’s what it said.
“Valentine’s Day alone need not be depressing or embarrassing; you can survive and even thrive without a lover if you plan accordingly. These tips come from dating guru Jennifer Frye:
1. Don’t just sit at home and mope. Keep your spirits high by getting together with other single friends. Make dinner, watch empowering movies (The War of the Roses is a good one) and talk trash about love.
2. If you have no single friends, take the day for yourself. Do something fun: Take yourself shopping, go for a nice lunch, go to a museum. No errands today!
3. Avoid romantic restaurants and bars. The scene will just remind you of your loneliness.
