hello my name is chosha and I'm a single adult

Tonight I went to my first ever Single Adult activity. Now I realise there are a whole bunch of non-LDS people out there who have no idea just how much horror that statement should inspire, so let me explain...

At church social life when you're single tends to match up with your age group. Once you turn 18, you become a Young Single Adult (not a particularly imaginative name, but accurate). This group is made up of 18-30 year olds: activities are held, it's mostly fun and games, and generally no-one loses an eye. (If you want to understand this phenomenon, watch a movie called The Singles Ward. It's really funny, but I warn you now that if you aren't LDS, a few of the in-jokes may be a little over your head. Still, it really nails the whole church singles scene; I loved it.)

The thing is, this is the age range where most people get married. So as you get older, and don't, the number of YSAs around your age decreases. Eventually you start to feel a bit weird hanging with the kids (under-20s: so cute you want to pinch their cheeks...and then kill them) and tend to socialise with groups of friends more than at all the organised activities.

And then you turn 30.

The next age range is over 30s: Single Adults. Here we have not only singles who've never married, but also some divorced people (some with kids, some without) and widows/widowers, (some of whom are getting on in years). That's the fun part about SAs: there is no upper age limit. Now, I have friends of all ages; that's not the issue. But your social crowd is also where you look for romance, and I have to say that hooking up with six women (two elderly), and one (often but not always weird) guy, does not necessarily add up to a rocking night out. Which is why I've pretty much avoided SAs like the plague since the day I turned 30.

Until now.

So why did I go to my first SA activity tonight? Because I finally reached a point where I'm mad at myself for not just getting out and meeting some people. Given how mixed a group my friends already are, why should I give a rat's a$$ if the SAs are a mixed bag too? Do I really need to act just like every other stupid person on Earth who thinks that people who are older and single must be weird in some way? As if there's something wrong with you if you aren't hooked up? Well stuff that for a joke! I've never believed that, and I shouldn't act like I do.

So off I went to discover Singles. Tonight was low-key ~ pot luck dinner, planning some outings for the coming months. I was surprised to find that I already knew 3 out of the 9 people there. And they were nice, welcoming, funny. It was a good night. Two weeks from now they're meeting on Saturday morning at the park next to some dam for breakfast.

And I'll be there. :)