Louisa Pateman > Quotes

“My”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“manage”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“It was a jungle out there, and it was brutal. On the rare occasion when I started a conversation with a possible suitor, I found myself having to roll off a ten-minute questionnaire just to figure out if said man was actually available. I couldn’t just ask if he was single; as history had taught me, each man has his own unique definition of that status. I had to ask a range of questions: “Are you married?” “Are you engaged?” “Are you living with a woman?” “Do you have a girlfriend?” “Are you seeing anyone?” “Are you emotionally available?” A missed question could result in a strategic omission of fact and a subsequent waste of my time. Many men were hedging their bets or playing the market. I needed to be savvy. And wedding rings: what is it with married men not wearing wedding rings? As a single woman, my first glance is always at a man’s ring finger. No ring means fair game. It is hard enough finding a decent man without wasting an hour chatting with a potential only to find he neglected to wear the one thing that declared his commitment. Not a level playing field!”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“Imagine how liberated young women would be if society bestowed upon them a belief that you don't need to wait for your Prince Charming, that you can create an extraordinary life just on your own...”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“lived”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“Welcome Relief Thirty-two, single, and childless, I welcomed the opportunity to move to Melbourne on a new work contract. It was a chance to break the dating drought and something to look forward to—a new chapter.”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?

“While I was away, I’d encountered something new almost every minute of every day. I had grown, and I felt different. Upon my return, I expected my family and friends to be changed too. But that wasn’t the case; they had been living the same existence for the past seven months. Nothing had changed for them. It was only me that was different. I had evolved. My world had expanded.”
― Louisa Pateman, Single, Again, and Again, and Again …: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan?