2011: The year that wasn't quite, but nearly.

Ah, the customary yearly round-up post, where we all talk about what we've achieved, or haven't, and then make wild statements about what we are definitely, absolutely, 100% going to achieve next year. And then don't. I was meant to post this on New Year's Day, except I was busy dying, so here we are. Needless to say, my first resolution is no drinking in January. My poor liver. And poor face! I look like a teenager again. Clearasil to the rescue. Le sigh.

I always do a New Year’s resolution of some sort, even though I know they are slightly pointless. They’re not often that successful; ranging from the not-even-close (I vowed to learn to snowboard, last year and the year before that, and guess what I’ve got as a resolution again), to the did-it-for-a-while (dieting, reading more design publications) to the quite successful (career related stuff, get more freelance work, get a new job, tick tick.) It's almost like, because it's a new year, you feel you have to mark it in some way, to improve yourself going forward. That's what life is all about right? Constantly making everything just a little bit better?

This time last year, I made a terribly melodramatic statement (presumably whilst drunk) that if I was still single this time next year, i.e now, then I would die. I would literally stop living. I probably mentioned some sort of noose contraption. Tasteless jokes aside, it was a statement made in jest because I couldn't possibly believe I'd still be single by the end of 2011.

Well, hello. Here I am. Single and still alive.

However, I have been trying. In fact, this is the first year that I can honestly say I have. This time last year I was all despair and no effort to rectify it. This year I'm all despair and many dates behind me, so it's definitely an improvement. At the beginning of 2011, I was probably complaining about how I never seem to meet any guys, ever, as my friend suggested I start online dating.

The horror in my face was palpable.

I think I probably said something about how only lonely, ugly divorced people do that, and I can't believe how you think I'd stoop that low. She told me to trust her. Reluctantly, I did.

She helped me joined Mysinglefriend, I was proved completely and utterly wrong (so many fitties are online! I proclaimed) and the rest, as they say, is history. Sort of.

I had an eventful year. There was:

- Cameron, the crazy, wig-wearing, strange American, which will possibly go down in Dating Lore as the worst date of all time.
-Phillip, lovely guy, no connection or attraction however, unfortunately I backed away from second(!) kiss, we never spoke again...
-My Life Your Hands, the Guardian Dating columnist who wrote about our date in the paper (totally fine) but live-tweeted our second date to his followers, unbeknownst to me (not fine)
- Spencer, who I met offline, had 5 wondrous dates, really thought it was going somewhere until I went on holiday and he stopped talking to me. Eventually talking resumed and he admitted he had got back with his ex. Upset.
- Rating the Dating, who I met through this blog, again, lovely guy, but I found the whole thing a bit weird and too much paranoia for my liking.
- Ben, my most recent lost love, who after 2 blindingly amazing dates, he dropped off the face of the planet, never to be seen or reply to my texts again. Muchos upset.
- a plethora of drunken kisses and boys liking me but me not liking them. Makes a change.

After Spencer was where I started this blog. I started it more as a cathartic thing, not really knowing where it would go and if anyone would read it, but to my surprise, a few people actually are. Which is nice. It's still in it's infancy, I'm still deciding on directions to go (do I want to keep reporting in detail on my dates; is that ethical, moral etc, or do I want to discuss the wider world of dating and it's many issues in a wider context?) and such, but so far it's going Ok I think. Hopefully not damaging to anyone, I think the anonymous thing was the way to go really. We shall see. The last thing I want to happen is hurt anyone, including myself - I'm a Single Girl Trying Not to be, remember.

Ultimately though, the whole point of all this is to document my efforts to FIND ME A MAN gosh darn it. I'd quite like a boyfriend. Yes, yes I would. Or at least, somebody who likes me who wants to hang out and have sex every so often. That's all. That is more important than the blog, of course. So 2012 will be spent on working on me, being nicer to other people, to get me better as a person, less clingy, more awesome, less self-centered, more girlfriend-y, and essentially more myself, thus a man-type should hopefully follow. I am not perfect. I do not want a perfect man. Just someone I can do stuff with. Isn't that why we're all here?

2012, you'll be happy to hear, has got off to an OK start. That is, I kissed someone at midnight, so that's always a good sign. The downside is I didn't know his name, was far too drunk to remember, and he has since somehow acquired my number and keeps texting me. Ugh.

Sober January here we come! What are your dating resolutions? x