Right, I've got a about a week to find myself a Valentine. I don't know why, most years, that it falls to me, the sad old single lady in the office, to write about all the fun things you can do in Canberra on February 14. I scour the internet for fun things to do with your lover, dinner at Pialligo, a cocktail class for couples at Highball Express, knowing full well that I will be sitting at home watching reruns of Great British Bake Off. I hope you all have a lovely time, and, that in some way I am there with you, like an awkward third wheel. Thank you, Karen, for recommending this fabulous night out.
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Speaking of third wheels, who remembers when I tried that experiment a few years ago? A Canberra woman who watched her parents' marriage dissolve set up a matchmaking service, The Third Wheel, aimed at people over 35. The wheels certainly fell off that one. (The best part was meeting the fantastic woman who set it up. We're still friends even though she's shelved the company for a while.) Yes, I've tried, I've done the online thing, asked friends to recommend eligible single men, attended too many rugby games in the cold hoping that my stoic nature and love of a good ruck might attract someone.
But no. Once again I am facing a Valentine's Day on my own.
But, as fate might have it, I was foraging on the book throwout table here at work the other day. It's a table where all the books we're unable to send out for review get put out to pasture. There are always treasures amongst them. You can't judge a book by its cover and all that. And there, underneath some historical fiction and fantasy trilogies sat Higher Love: Everything you need to manifest more love in your life.
It was endorsed by no other than Georgia Love. Remember her, former regional journalist turned Bachelorette contestant? "Sex and the City in the age of The Secret," she noted on the cover. "The go-to dating guide for anyone who prefers to man-ifest rather than man-obsess."
It had a pretty pink cover full of love hearts and shining gold stars - "Attract the love you are oh-so-worthy of."
So I did what any self-respecting single woman did, I nabbed it and headed off to the ladies restroom for a few minutes of personal time. Faced with chapters entitled "Your personal vibration and why it's so important", "Turning on your love GPS", "How to land a hot date", "The energetics of dating" I knew this book needed a longer perusal. Can't hide away in the loos all day. (Actually I should take that mantra with me when I do venture out into social situations. That one's all mine, it wasn't in the book.) So I took it home so I could devote some time to it.
I should be honest here and say one of the reasons I took it home because I was faced with nothing to do that night. I had binged all eight episodes of Bridgerton the night before. And, yes, that saucy little minx of a show may have made me a little frisky. Perhaps someone to get a little frisky with might be a good idea.
And perhaps, until there is a ball where single old women get presented to the Queen. Or here in Canberra perhaps we would get presented to who, chief minister Andrew Bar, society matron Sotiria Liangis, senator Katie Gallagher, radio announcer Kristen Davidson, perhaps The Canberra Times' very own woman about town, Megan Doherty. At least Megan knows how flawless I am.
Sorry, where was I.
Yes, trying to discover my personal vibration. Because, apparently, that "before you even contemplate dipping your toe in the dating pool, it's imperative that you are vibrating at your strongest, most authentic frequency".
But what is this vibration Jordanna Levin - the author of this book, best selling author and successful podcaster who has "built a reputation for taking the big topics ... and making them relatable", Byron Bay resident who "believes aha moments are contagious" - speaks of?
It's my energetic make-up, it's what creates my personal energy and what attracts things to my personal magnetic field. It seems it's important to fine tune my own vibrations before I start focussing on the vibrations of others. I have to know myself before I can know others. Or as my nan put it 50 years ago if you don't love yourself no one else will love you.
Can I turn that around in a week? Mind you, there are some days I think I'm pretty fabulous. I would date me. And there are other days where the vibrations need the batteries changed.
Here's to love.
- Higher Love: Everything you need to manifest more love in your life, by Jordanna Levin. Murdoch Books, $32.99.