Friend Finder

There's nothing better than a good friend.

Okay, maybe some sort of edible something or other. A cookie cake, perhaps?
But when the cookie cake is gone, and your single girl pants no longer fit, who do you call on to support you (not physically of course) and help you through the tough times?

Please don't tell me your answer was "vanilla ice cream".

Single girl has had her share of finding comfort in cookie cake or a friend in french fries. These days single girl eats food because it's tasty and not because it fills a void.

To be completely honest though, this single girl's friend pool is a little on the dry side. It's slim pickins in the world of BFFs and homegirls. They are few and far between.

How do we find friends that will last a lifetime? The friends I had in grade school are no longer around. The sleepovers and secrets shared between girls during school days have disappeared.

Facebook has reconnected me with a couple of people and we've stayed in touch. For others, I was "friended" and that was about it. Note: Single girl broke-up with Facebook about a year ago and hasn't looked back since.

I'm on a mission for a system that helps me find a best friend for life. A BFF if you will. A person I can call on when things are down, when I feel low, or when I just need a hug.

I want to use the same technology that matches life partners on eHarmony and Match.com to find a friend of my dreams.

WANTED:

Friend who enjoys shopping, days at the beach with a margarita. Long runs on the weekend, short drives to the grocery store for junk food and movies (not romantic comedies though). Someone who follows through and understands that when I fail to, it's not a reflection of my friendship - it's just part of my life. A friend who always calls back. Preferably someone I can put into my Fav 5 (AT&T subscribers need not apply). Last, but certainly not least, she should be a size 10, an 8 during the summer months so we can easily swap wardrobes.  Serious inquiries only. Tools need not apply.

Broccoli Mouth

Nothing gets a reader like a good title.

I had a first date a couple of years ago and met someone for coffee. It was casual, fun, and seemed like things were going really well. After 45 minutes of coffee talk, I made a smooth transition to the ladies room to check my hair, eat a breath mint (coffee breath = bad), and of course... pee.

I strutted my way into the restroom, did all of the above, and turned to the mirror to wash my hands.  I had a huge coffee grain stuck between my two front teeth. It had eyes and it's own set of teeth and it was looking me up and down. Taunting me. "How could you not notice that I was wedged in the front of your mouth?"

Embarrassed and slightly annoyed that my first date hadn't mentioned it (was he going to just let me walk around the city all day with a mammoth coffee bean blinding everyone?), I maneuvered the bean out of my mouth and walked out of the bathroom.

My date seemed relieved. Not only was I sans bean, the pressure on him to tell me was gone.

What's the protocol for this sort of situation? If it's a first date is there an obligation to tell the other person that they have a small farm hanging out of their mouth? Or is it too weird because not only are you just meeting this person, you're probably not in a place where you feel comfortable calling them out on their dental faux pas.

From one friend to another, I am totally telling you what the deal is. In grade school my friend and I used to have a secret code.

Scene: My friend and I eating spinach
Me: Is it going to rain today? (motioning towards my mouth)
Friend: Nope, clear and sunny (read: no, you don't have spinach stuck in your teeth)
Me: Phew!
Friend: Is it going to be windy today?
Me: Girl, there's a storm comin' through.. and it's attacking your mouth
Friend: Be right back (read: going to the bathroom to get it out)

As friends we owe it each other to tell a best bud when they're in a situation that's embarrassing (yuck mouth, bad fashion choice, awkward hair day).

As a first date I think its pretty much up for grabs:

Good guy with lots of potential? Kindly tell him he has something in his teeth, laugh off, repeat if necessary.

Bad guy who won't get a call back? Keep him away from a mirror at all costs for as long as possible. Perhaps take a photo with your camera phone and upload to Twitter.

Just sayin'.

Single Girl Rides

Two weeks ago I bought a new bike. It was basically as much as my mortgage. Ouch. Single girl needs to work on a budget.

I rode my shiny new Giant Defy home on Monday and it was awesome. The wind in my hair, the sounds of the city, and the calories burning with every RPM.

About 20 minutes into my ride I barely dodged a taxi driver swerving to make a left hand turn - from the far right lane.

Then a lovely gentleman spilled his entire cup of coffee out of his window, just as I passed his car. He should've yelled first. There should be some universal sound for "I'm throwing my coffee out of my window so you better watch out 'cuz this stuff is hot!".

Riding along the streets of the windy city gives me such a sense of empowerment, strength... bad ass. I swerve between cabs and buses. I stop in the pedestrian crossing areas, and I get all lance armstrong on the drivers of Chicago.

When single girl ran 6-7 days a week, I also felt the same way. A back injury and three months of physical therapy have forced me to pursue other athletic interests. I've fallen in love with riding and as a result have signed up for a triathlon.

Falling in love with an activity or hobby can be an exciting experience. It can also be expensive. Bikes are not cheap!

But stumbling across something that excites you, something you look forward to, (outside of another person) is freeing. You can go to it whenever you want, spend 7 days a week with it - we won't judge! Part of your new love for [biking, swimming, running, knitting] is that it embraces you, it doesn't reject, and it just makes you feel good.

I'm 1 week into my training (6 days a week no less) and I feel better than ever. Strong, confident, cool like Lance. On a side note, single girl is ridiculously hungry all the time. Woke up at 4 a.m. and could've consumed at least a medium pepperoni pizza.

More training updates? They're comin'!

Play-by-play eating habits? Eh, maybe not.

We've Got Sumthin' in Common

Single girl has been off the running trails the last few months and instead working out some post-marathon issues in physical therapy. Single girl's pants are tight. And when I say tight - I really mean ti-eeeeeeght.

My physical therapist is two years younger than me, super sweet, smart woman who recently ended a long term relationship. The guys she dated cheated on her (sensing a pattern) and she has been trying to get back out there to meet new and interesting people.

As I did my butt strengthening exercises (they're called clamshells in the world of PT) and longed for a run on the cold pavement, I listened to her tell me about her experience, where she is in her life now, and who she hopes to find in the very near future.

I thought of the other (almost identical) conversations I've had with other women that have had some relationship end and find themselves in new territory.

We often times find ourselves listening to a stranger, a best friend, a co-worker and identifying with their story. A broken heart, a wonderful experience, a sad end, a happy beginning. We share our experiences with other women and connect with our experiences. Not judging. Pure understanding.

Single girl has something up her sleeve. Brewing a little something...

How do we take this connection and make it available to the single girls everywhere. Support eachother during our tight pants, our good times, and our bad ones.

Stay tuned....