This, is the world of singles events. I figured that it was an event where everybody was single. Note that no dating is mentioned - everything is very tactfully implied - you're here to widen your social circle and to network and to learn how to make a pizza - until they bring out the superbly cheesy icebreaker games, complete with the alternate guy-girl standing arrangements. Ah. Puberty revisited. Everyone trying to inconspicuously check everyone out, failing miserably, because the underlying motive of the event lies thickly in the atmosphere. We are here to make friends and eventually make babies. Make no mistake about it.
I was there to make pizzas. Sesat sikit.
After the awkward and rather ineffective ice-breaking session, they divided us into groups of four, forced cute aprons on us and sent us to the pizzeria just downstairs where we would learn how to make pizzas. Ingredients were supplied, all readily measured. We poured the yeast and sugar into the cup of water. Because there was no time we didn't wait for it to germinate (hope that's the right word). Salt, garlic powder and oil were added. Stir stir stir. Then we poured it onto the flour. Knead knead knead. Because there was no time to wait for it to rise, ready pizza bases magically materialized out of nowhere and we were given ingredients to spread onto the base.
With the facade of a healthy group activity out of the way into the oven, the guys and girls were sat down and rotated periodically. Essentially like a speed dating kind of thing. I don't think I like it very much. I don't think it brings out the best in people. I was bored and repeating my pitch (NTU, communications, Internet and trust, travelling) and I was judging and objectifying all the men that I saw. At any other circumstances I might meet any of these people and actually make friends with them. But in this dating framework there's only two categories - the yes-I-might-date-him or hell-no. Being in a state of constant disuse the first category has pretty much shrunk into nothingness. The number of hell-nos is dispiriting, I tell you.
At the end of the event, we were given feedback forms and we were to write down the names of the people that caught our interest, the yes-I-might-date-hims. The organizer would pair the matching ones up.
I drew a smiley on my people of interest list, folded it neatly and slotted it into the feedback box. I don't want to waste anybody's time. I'm happy the way I am now. Unattached, uncommitted, free as a bird =) Funny how a singles event affirmed that.
Random conversation snippet:
You speak really good English, where are you from?
Oh I'm from Malaysia.
You don't have a Malaysian accent! Must be because you've been in Singapore for long.
Oh.
