I couldn't decide what to write about this week, but one of my friends suggested writing about "love." All right, I'll give it a whirl. A lot of my friends are married or are in serious relationships. I'm single. That's okay with me, for now. I don't really have time for a boyfriend. There also don't seem to be a ton of guys around that are even worth the effort. So while I'm content in my single status, there seem to be other people who are a little worried about me.

Last week, my dad pulled me aside. He sounded concerned, and told me that he knew that I was okay on my own. He also said, though, that if I got lonely or felt like I wasn't meeting any single guys, I should maybe check out those websites. You know, the ones where you put up a profile and meet other single people. Thanks, dad. (At least it's not as bad as my roommate's dad. He seems to worry that since we're both young women living together, without boyfriends, we must be lesbians.)

Unfortunately, my father isn't the only one worried about me. A few months ago, I was looking for a new job. My brother began suggesting, every time he saw me, that I move to Boulder. He and his wife live there. He said it would be great if we could spend more time together, or see each other more often on weekends. I could get to know all of their awesome friends. The real motive came out some time later: most of my friends are in relationships, but he still knows a lot of guys who are single. If I finally met someone, my brother and I could both be married!

Even with all of my family's help, I'm just as happy to stay single right now. I've got a lot of things I want to do. Yes, I'd like to get married and have children some day. However, life goals tend to take a back burner someone else's (or lots of other people's) interests before your own with every single choice you make. That, and an old quote attributed to Mae West keeps running through my mind: "Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet."