Ever been to a singles event? Speaking from all the ones I attended (and I won’t go into how depressingly many that was), some were better than others. That is, sometimes I met someone who interested me and sometimes I didn’t. But usually my impression was completely based on who showed up—was it mostly women? Were the guys looking like they needed a few lessons in the grooming department? Did anyone have a good opening line besides, “hey, I’ve never been to one of these before…”?
The singles events I attended were usually at bars with others like me wandering around with a drink in hand, not really knowing what to do. And by the time I got up the courage to talk to that hot guy, he’d already bailed.
Since Match.com created The Stir a year ago, I wished it had been around when I was dating. Singles events don’t have to be these stilted “hey nice to meet you” kind of things, where it takes a couple of drinks to have some interesting interactions. They can be based on doing things you actually want to do – like hiking, or mountain biking, or taking cooking lessons, or salsa dancing, or learning how to DJ. (Or if you like the old-school happy hours, they have those, too.) They can be about meeting people more organically–because you’re paired up to chop vegetables or taste tequilas together. You have the space to converse and get to know people, doing something that’s fun and takes the edge off the whole “I’m-single-You’re-Single” focus. You can start a conversation about what you’re cooking or your last good tequila buzz, instead of where you’re from and what you do for a living (snore).
The great thing about Stir events is that they are all so different, and particular to each city. What are the great spots for singles where you live, and what are the things about your area of the country that make it so appealing? Match.com brings all of these things together. In the last year, they’ve hosted 2,850 events – broken down, that’s 14 events each day, 75 events a week, 320 events per month. That’s a lot of singles in many places. Also, they look for great partners – Match has collaborated with over 1,200 venues and businesses, including House of Blues, Banana Republic, Sur la Table and Warrior Dash, along with local hotspots in each city. Over 225,000 singles have attended a Stir event to date.
And here’s the really good part. Do you have a great idea for a singles event? Do you wish somebody would think of it, because you know it would attract a ton of people? Wouldn’t it be great if you had the time and money to do it—or better yet, if someone else helped to plan it and pay for it? Well, now is your chance.
In celebration of the Stir anniversary, Match.com is offering the opportunity for singles to create their own Stir event, and if their event is chosen, to work with Match Stir event planners to bring it to life! Visit Match.com’s “What Stirs You?” Contest Page, now through Tuesday May 28th, 2013 and tell Match.com what you think would make for the perfect singles event to be entered to win. Entries will be judged based on quality, creativity, uniqueness and geographical relevance.
The selected winner will have their idea re-created by the Match.com Stir Events team in their city, and will receive an invitation to attend the event along with ten of their singles friends – (at no charge). In addition, the winner will also receive a free six-month Match.com subscription.
So, if you have an idea, what have you got to lose? Check it out.
This is a sponsored post.
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Friendship
by Kelly on May 20, 2013
reallylong time. I did many things wrong. I did other things right, and it didn’t work out. In short, I learned a few things.I started this blog as a way to connect with people who were struggling like I was, to share stories about what happened to me as well as what worked and what didn’t, and why. I never intended for this to be a place for snark, although I love reading it (thanks Jezebel)! I’ve wanted this blog to be a place for reflection, for understanding, for making changes. Because I know how frustrating it can be to have relationships fail, over and over. To try something different, only for things to remain the same. To fall for someone totally wrong again, and beat yourself up again for having done it. At some point, we all get sick of our own shit.
This is where friends come in.
In writing about dating, I haven’t spent a lot of time on one of the most important relationships we’ll ever have in our lives. Friendship. It is the force that gives our lives continuity, stability, a sense of security. Friends are the people we turn to in crises. Yes, friends can do shitty things from time to time, but your closest friends – those who you know have your back, who are there when you go through a break-up and listen to you bag on all those bad dates – they are always there, waiting to embrace you, to take you in.
Friends help us take our minds off ourselves. They help us get through.
So I wanted to give a shout-out to all my friends, who have been there for me even when I’ve been a shitty friend (not calling, hiding out in times of depression, etc.). They are my rocks. They are also wicked cool—(thanks EB for flying off the side of a cliff with me), funny (thanks C for always providing entertainment), and grounded (you know who you are, my hiking bud).
Anyway, for those of you reading this post, don’t forget to let your friends know how important they are. Because even when you don’t return those phone calls, they would still hold your hair back as you puked your drunk guts up in the toilet at 3am.
Love you guys.
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