society
by rantywoman
Since I continue to be both the man and the woman of the house, I often make treks to Home Depot. It has turned out to be another reliable spot in terms of men flirting with me. Between the swimming holes, the farm, Home Depot, and my weekly tennis games, I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question that I could one day meet a nice man here.
There are other avenues, however, in which my optimism has vanished so completely that they seem to me to be the equivalent of believing in Santa Claus.
Several of my older, single female friends from around the country have recently called with the news that, through job promotions and social networking, they may soon be attending prestigious social functions that could lead to meeting prominent men.
I completely understand their excitement and have been there myself, but my last job placed me in those types of settings, and my feeling was the prominent class has about as much use for an older, non-wealthy, non-famous single woman as they do a dodo bird.
These women are lovely, educated, resourceful, and talented, and perhaps they will succeed where I failed. I’ll eat my words, if so. But I tend to agree with the author of The Woman Alone— going forward will be about me changing my relationship with society as opposed to hoping for its warm embrace.
thebitterbabe 
I attend quite a few of these so-called “prestigious social functions” (not nearly as glamorous as it sounds) in NY, usually out of some professional or charitable obligation, and can attest to the fact that as an “older, non-wealthy, non-famous single woman” I am usually relegated to what I facetiously call “the children’s table,” seated with the event planner, the calligrapher who prepared the placecards, the one other older, non-wealthy, non-famous single woman attending the event, and the college-age son of the event’s chairman, etc. (<<yup, that's an actual example drawn from real life). Any "prominent men" guests at these things are, almost without exception, already "coupled up," whether married or with a date, and seated very very far away from the "children's table." Oh — and then there was the time I was seated between two gay men, one of whom was a NYS Assemblyman, the other a political fundraiser, so they talked across me the entire evening and interrupted me whenever I made any attempt to join in their conversation, to the point that I just put my fork down, got up, and left. I'm sure they barely noticed. Unless one has serious money or clout of some kind, those sorts of events are simply to be endured as one's duty, and not viewed as an opportunity to meet eligible men.
Totally agree.
Thanks for the catch on the other post… I was a little worried about that. At least, you know my secret! Please keep it under your hat.
Not to worry.