Miscelaney

Who doesn’t love the 4th of July? A guaranteed three-day, summer weekend o’ fun (and if luck is on your side, four days) celebrating our nation’s independence. One of those perfect occasions to create family and friend traditions. The kids love the fireworks and fun, the adults love the summer days, bbq’d hot dogs and cold beverages.

Seattle is a tremendous place to celebrate the 4th due to the many firework displays dotted around the area, each anchored in or near a local body of water offering such breathtaking views, it seems almost impossible they are for real. Whether you are lucky enough to be on a boat, have a waterfront row seat, or simply create your own view with family and friends, it’s typically a good time had by all.

I did say typically a good time had by all. Maybe it’s just my constant state of malcontent, but the 4th of July is close to rivaling New Year’s Eve if you are single (at least at my age), in my opinion.  Unless you have a really, REALLY good time (which usually involves meeting an intriguing, and single, member from the opposite sex), you usually are somewhat dissapointed with the whole day. The bottomline is probably because holidays are best celebrated with a partner, any resulting family and good friends. In that order.

So this year, we decided to fight back. Not that I wouldn’t have enjoyed an afternoon boat ride with family and a few beers with friends while watching the smokey sky explode in a colorful 3-D fashion, because this really is as good as it gets.  BUT, it’s the reliable cloak of subtle disappointment which loosely hangs off your shoulders, blanketing your every move all through the day as you watch other people’s relationships unfold in that familiar way all the while providing you with a constant reminder YOU are there alone. This is as good as your day is going to get, sitting on the sidelines of other people’s lives and love.

And every year, all of the family and relationship-oriented holidays (by no fault of their own) are an even worse reminder than the year before that you are not an active participant, and it makes you feel empty (even though ordinarily you are pretty damn happy being single and alone). Who needs it, right? So this year, my BFF and I decided not to put ourselves through it again. Creating our own independance from Independance Day. I just love irony, don’t you?

We blasted down to Portland for a weekend escape. Could have been any other weekend, it just happened to be the 4th of July. The weather was spectacular, we stumbled upon a three-day blues festival which was fabulous, walked miles across the city enjoying its preseverd architecture and healthy state of mind, caught some local live music in a club, ate some phenominal cuisine and enjoyed the benefits of no sales tax. A fabulous and fun weekend by all accounts. No let downs. No false hopes dashed.

I’m not saying being single isn’t utterly awesome, but it’s definitely not utterly awesome all of the time. Holidays are the worst reminder of this, even on a day which offers something as innocuous as fireworks. Single people like to meet and be around other single people. It’s all part of the dance of eventually removing yourself from the single life. Holidays don’t necessarily afford this opportunity, even ones which take place on a boat full of friends. Because let’s face it, at my age most people are in some sort of a relationship.

I absolutley make the most out of my single life and live, as much as I can, without regrets. I don’t settle. I won’t settle. But occasionally, I do need a break.

PS–the author apologizes for the long post, but sometimes, you’s just gots something to say!