Is It Too Late to Say I’d Also Like Three More Wishes?

I’m embarrassed to admit that Valentine’s Day got me down. Lesson learned: if you’re in a love funk, do not have a TV marathon featuring only episodes of The Office. It will not help. (For those of you who don’t watch The Office, let me just say three little words: Jim and Pam.)

My V-day was marked by a gorgeous handmade card from my mother, and a voicemail from my high school boyfriend (who lives in New York) joking that he was calling “all the ladies he’d slept with.” Not that both gestures weren’t appreciated, but let’s just say yesterday’s romance quotient was less than swoonable.

Truth is, there seems to be no shortage of sexy, interesting people around. But despite said abundance of sexy, interesting people, I don’t have time to date anyone right now. With three jobs and school, I spend all my extra time writing, studying, or sleeping. Not a lot of space for long walks in the park, candlelit dinners at Chez Kahler, or relaxing weekends away. You know, if I were into those things.

All right, fine. I’m really, really into those things.

Anyway. I’ve got 13 weeks until I graduate. 13! Today, that feels like a lucky number. After that, real life begins, and – cheese alert – I’ll have space in my life for love.

It seems strange to say that, as if I’ll wake up the day after graduation and poof! Love will walk in. New York has been a whirlwind of new people and experiences, and the last two years have not been about meeting someone and getting serious. You don’t go to the all-you-can-eat buffet and just have Salisbury steak. (If you’re smart, you don’t have it at all. Bad example.)

But the whirlwind is winding down, and I’m ready to start thinking about the long term.

I want that combo of chemistry and timing. I want to meet someone who has similar goals, someone I can build something with. I can’t say I believe in forever, but I do believe in riding the highs (easy) and working through the lows, the crazy stay-up-all-night passion that turns into something deeper and richer. (And OK, I still want at least some of that crazy after the deeper and richer kicks in.)

Some say that by stating one’s wish out loud (does it get louder than the Internet?) the wish will come true. I don’t know about that either, but it feels good to say it. It’s slightly embarrassing – is it OK to publicly admit you don’t want to be alone forever? – but good, nonetheless.

So there you go, universe. Run with it.

P.S. My health is holding, and unless something drastic happens, I won’t need surgery. Hurray!