I’ve never really loved Valentine’s Day. There’s always so much pressure to make sure it’s perfect. Too many expectations, if you ask me. I’ll admit, I’m sure I’ve hinted to past and present Valentines that he should try to make an effort but it always ends up creating some sort of tension or awkwardness. It’s not like I’m asking for a million-dollar date night!

This year has certainly proven to become quite the wedding season for me. It’s actually been rather interesting because I’ve been invited to and attended three very different weddings with one more coming up in two weeks.

Yes, this is a question I ponder. Especially since Lehigh Valley Style recently arranged to combine our September Happy Hour with a singles meet-and-greet that Natalie over at Looper’s Grille & Bar in Bethlehem’s South Side has been planning to have.

Now, people in the know around here are aware that Natalie is somewhat the matchmaker. She is a wonderful person who just wants people to be happy and she has a couple of success stories to her credit. Apparently, standing behind a bar as much as she does makes her privy to many patron stories of love gone wrong and of quests to find love.

There’s little doubt that being single in the Lehigh Valley, is in itself, a challenge. It was frustrating in my 20s and now that I am in my 40s it seems nearly impossible. Associates are incredulous, too, because they assume that I meet all kinds of interesting people in my line of work and that it would be easy for me to meet potential love interests. Let me say, it is no easier for me than anyone else. I have the same issues as many single women out there. Although age does complicate the matter, I also have several friends in their 20s and 30s who tell me the same thing: They have no idea where to go to meet single people around here.