Being-single gripe

There are a lot of things I could gripe about that are the direct result of my largely involuntary singledom (I say "largely involuntary" because, while I am picky and have every right to be, the fact is, most men don't like smart, independent girls, no matter how hot we are. I'm not going to argue about this right now because it's not the point of my post, but I'm right about this). But today, I'm going to make a monetary gripe.

I want to go on a cruise. I REEEEEALLY want to go on a cruise. So much so that I have spent hours researching and reading about cruises, and when I decided on a cruise that had good rates, good onboard entertainment, and according to the singles sites I looked at, was single-friendly with its onboard events and activities. It stopped in all kinds of cool places and left from NEW ORLEANS. I was completely psyched. So I went to book my reservation online...

And the strangest thing happened...

The price went up. Like, it was twice as high as it was supposed to be. This confused me, so I called the cruise line (Carnival, in case you're wondering). The utterly helpful woman (that's sarcasm, in case it's not coming through) told me, after my interminable wait on hold, that it's because I'm trying to book for one person. Apparently if you don't have a significant other or a friend who happens to have the time and money to go on a cruise with you (because, you know, my friends aren't all making their own bar trip plans), you have to pay for two people, even though you're only one person. As a random politically incorrect aside, I DO NOT GET how it is that airlines will charge a fat person for just one seat when they take up two, and yet cruise lines will charge me -- a smallish person -- the price for TWO people's meals, seats at events, etc. when I'm unlikely to eat even as much as one average person on a cruise (I just don't eat a lot. That's just me). So my cruise plans are teetering on the windowsill, about to fall out. Which REALLY pisses me off, becuase I REALLY had my heart set on a cruise. I may try calling a travel agent. OR -- if anyone reading this is looking for something fun to do the week of August 21-28... I'm a fun person and even relatively neat! Keep it in mind! I'm serious! I really want to go on this cruise! It's a great deal -- less than $900 for a balcony stateroom (I won't settle for less than balcony. That's just me) AND my fantabulous company. So, anyone wanting to visit Jamaica, the Caymans, Mexico and/or New Orleans... let me know if you're interested... :)

I tried to send them a complaint from their website but they have one of those annoying things that only lets you send 1000 characters, which didn't adequately capture my righteous indignation, much less my meandering but tantalizing soliloquy prose style. Even when I got it down to under 1000 it still wouldn't send, so I am trying to find their real email address and just email them directly to express my dissatisfaction and disappointment in them. I cannot describe how much I am bothered by this idea that alone equals bad, together equals good. The essence of adulthood is being happy with yourself, which includes being happy doing things by yourself. And yet society insists on making us feel inadequate, at every turn, if we're not paired up. Maybe we don't want to be paired up! Or maybe we haven't found someone who's good enough! Or maybe we're tired of having our hearts broken by people who aren't who they seem! How dare society take its notion of the ideal existence and not only stigmatize me, but penalize my pocketbook for my nonconformance, no matter how much I can do about it.

See, I can make anything a cause :)

And, no, I haven't done any Bar/Bri work yet this week.