The Dreaded Wedding Invitation

By now you (hopefully) know that I'm single.  I've been single for awhile - and even before I was actually single, I was single (read: very dysfunctional relationship).  Needless to say, I've been able to practice singlehood for quite some time and I believe I've gotten pretty good at it.  I've gone to the theater solo, caught a movie solo, went to dinner solo...I've even gone to the bar solo (I know, I know).  But as comfortable as I am with myself, there is still one thing that evokes sheer terror in this single girl....

The Wedding Invitation.

Inevitably, all wedding invitations come addressed to "Jen and GUEST." There are a few things wrong with this. First, the envelope is mocking me.  Everyone else gets an envelope with two actual names.  But poor single Jen gets the "and GUEST."  Second, I somehow always feel obliged to find myself a "GUEST." The little voice in my head starts screaming frantically about how I absolutely, positively CANNOT show up to a wedding solo.  It's an event meant for couples.  My life is sad! Totally illogical, but still.

So that starts the fun (and in the end, fruitless) search to find a "GUEST."  Here's the issue with that - it's not actually a good idea to pick some random guy up off the street and say "hey wanna go with me to a wedding?"  By the same token, it's probably not smart to take a guy you just met.  There is the possibility of taking a friend, but then you risk the pitying glances, drinking too much to drown those glances and ruining a good friendship (YES, I've seen it happen).  And then there's the "Wedding Date" (you remember the movie) possibility, but being broke seems to eliminate that choice.

End result? Two anxiety-filled weeks later I go solo.  And yes, there were those people staring.  Ah well.  I wonder if men go through this same process when they get invited to something so stereotypically couple-ish?  The wonders of the world......