The Chase - Love and Loathing.

When a single girl starts the long and hard search for another potentially decent boyfriend, it is not a quest taken light-heartedly. It seems that plenty of decent people come up to you when you’re taken, but as soon as you stick your single hands up to Beyonce at a club, the idiots run your way. You end up with a sudden need for a loo break, and the next 20 minutes are consumed with asking every girl that enters the rest room if there’s still a short, snively guy waiting outside.

I much prefer the chase.

The chase means that neither of you are looking for a one-night-stand. If you were then you’d just get it over and done with. It means that there’s some wit about the person; a somewhat protective side to not give in to easily to temptation, without making sure the opposition is mentally stable. The chase has certainly got to be one of my new favourites.

On the other hand, some people like to be chased, but when it comes to returning the favour they get bored and opt out. What let down’s these people are! But they’re the ones missing out. Unfortunately for these individuals, they have not obtained the skill to work tactfully, which brings me to my next point – a chase shows a man has brains to think carefully with their head, not just in the nether region.

This wonderful tool eases your way back into the world of dating, because it gives you the rush of having someone, without the commitment for a while. You can test the waters and if you don’t like them then you have no obligation to an oncoming date.

Regrettably though, it doesn’t always work in your favour. Sometimes it goes on for too long, or you can get confused about where the game is going. A Kate Winslet look-alike you become, pacing after Jasper in ‘The Holiday’. Sometimes its just time to realise it’s not working out. But it’s still my favourite thing to do in dating at the moment. So bring on the next contestant.

The 21st Century Fairytale.

I hate typical sayings such as ‘there's more fish in the sea’ and ‘Mr Right will come along when you least expect it’ because I’m really not expecting him to arrive any time soon – therefore where is he?

I know that it’s unrealistic to expect Jude Law to knock on my door at three in the morning, drunk beyond belief and asking for a place to stay - one, because I’m not Cameron Diaz, and two, because I don’t live in Surrey.  But it has got to be said that films do give me false hope that my love life will be a fairytale, and I now refuse to give in to anything less  - as unrealistic as this may sound.

From a young age I have had an understanding that a prince was going to canter into my life on a white horse, and kiss me whilst I’m sleeping - this much I know is definitely fairytale. However, I would now quite happily settle for a man to walk (as I have a phobia of animals anyways) into my life, and take me out on a date. This 21^st Century fairytale is much more feasible – though unfortunately this also remains only a fairytale in my mind.

Through the relationships I have been in, I’ve not once been taken out on a true ‘first date’ – where both parties get to know each other on a relaxed common ground. The closest I’ve had to this was a meal with my ex to try and salvage our relationship. Not exactly the situation I was looking for.

So until this first date appears, I will take Miss Diaz’s advice and drink my amaretto and coke, (because I don’t like wine) and sing ‘Mr Brightside’ as loud as I can - enjoying myself whilst waiting for the doorbell to ring. After all, the Pizza Delivery man is on his way, and if he looks anything like Jude Law, he’s not going to know what’s hit him tonight.