Dining Alone: It's Really Not So Scary

The question was raised this week whether I'd ever eaten anywhere alone (not at home). And the answer is "yes". I have eaten alone and not just as a single girl.

To be honest, I think I've eaten alone more times while in my last relationship than I do now. Now I have my family and girlfriends to dine out with, and I don't have plans, I eat at home. Occasionally for lunch do I eat alone. But then, I do out of necessity. Sometimes you just need alone time, especially when you work in a five person office the size of your bedroom. That's just what happens when your staff grows faster than the physical office. It's not a bad thing; we are busy. Good thing we all get along so well.

But as I get older, I think I value my "me time" more and more. I don't feel like my world stops when I'm by myself. And I certainly don't feel awkward about eating alone in public.

I do sort of have one guideline, which is if I am at a restaurant with a bar, I always opt to sit there over taking up a table. I patronize the bartender; I don't waste the servers' time with my party of one. These people rely on tips to live.

I sit here at Central Market thinking about the different occasions I've dined alone and how it really isn't embarrassing like I once thought. When I was much younger, I thought being alone meant that people would think I didn't have any friends or that something was wrong with me, even  if I did and even if there wasn't. But today I'm sitting alone as I write this. I am sitting at a table by the Roburrito's truck because I just ate a Burritodilla. Yum. Before that, I was sitting alone at the Jr.'s Fries counter eating fried pickles (which I recommend). But I don't feel like people are staring or judging. And I suppose if they are, then screw them. I don't have time to worry about that.  Everyone needs their alone time and I guess I'm just happy to have mine with some good food.