The Not-So-Single Dating Blogger

I’m not gonna lie, my first week being properly non-single has been rather amusing. Maybe, because of what I do, I notice it more. Or maybe it’s just more random because I spend my life thinking and writing about dating … but there have definitely been a couple of things this week which have made me giggle!

The Facebook Status

So last week I took the step and officially changed my ‘status’.

The comedy part was the response among my friends, to me being ‘in a relationship’.  Despite removing the update from my wall immediately, it was liked over 200 times.  And (bless them), several of my friends, who don’t watch Made in Chelsea, mistook the guy in my profile photo for the Rugby Boy.  It was Rick Edwards (who presented the UK Dating Awards).

Stand Up If You’re Single

This time last week I was at the O2 reviewing Matthew Hussey’s live tour. When the show began, we wee asked a simple question. “Are you single?” “Stand up if you’re single!” 1500 women stood up. Single London at its proudest. Within a few hours those women were dancing and shouting. “Stand up if you’re not single!” was the next instruction. I exchanged awkward looks with Matchmaker Caroline Brealey, who was sitting beside me. It was the ultimate role reversal.

In society, when you’re single, often you feel ashamed. As if you’ve done something wrong, and all the non-singles are smug about their status. The good old ‘smug married’ classification from Bridget Jones. Well … not last week! I have never felt so ashamed to not be single! I felt like a deserter. There were probably about 50 women in the crowd who weren’t single, but I literally crept to my feet, shoulders hunched protectively around my neck, as if I were worried someone might throw something at me!

The Dating Survey

This month I began a really exciting full-time job.   I’ll be heading up Dating for the international magazine Time Out. One of my first tasks has bee the creation of the Time Out global dating survey, which you can fill in until January 25^th. Tasked with encouraging as many people to complete the survey as possible, I thought it was a no-brainer to suggest it to the Rugby Boy. I know he actively used Match.com before we met, and so I figured his experiences of London dating would be valuable ones.

Last Sunday afternoon, as we snuggled up on my sofa, catching up with the Hollyoaks omnibus, I handed him my laptop. “Can you just fill this out?”

Massive error! The survey covers everything from when you think it’s acceptable to sleep with someone for the first time to what you find unattractive in the opposite sex. Whilst I wasn’t actively watching what he was filling in, it was impossible not to notice him filling in certain answers. One in particular caught my eye. “What percentage of your first dates end with a kiss?” 80% was the Rugby Boy’s response.

Our first date didn’t end with a kiss ….

Erm … #awkward!!

The Radio Interview

Ok, so maybe the awkward moments are due to my choice of career! This Thursday I appeared on Woman’s Hour again. I love the show, and really enjoy having to actually think about my answers. This week I was on the show with Robyn Exton, the creator of lesbian dating app Dattch. You can listen to the podcast here.

At the end of the show, Dame Jenni Murray asked me about my new boyfriend (yes genuinely!). I giggled a bit awkwardly, and explained that we didn’t meet online (we were talking about online dating in 2015). I went on to explain that before he removed himself from Match, the Rugby Boy showed me his dating profile. And I admitted that I wouldn’t have fancied him online.

That evening I met up with the Rugby Boy for our date night. “I had a phone call from my Mum this morning …” he began. (I haven’t met any of his family yet). “She heard you on the Radio this morning, and only realized it was you at the very end!”

Well that’s one way to meet the family! 😉

Miss Twenty-Nine xxx