Love, Standards, and Staying Single

Less than 24 hours to go, and I'll be on my flight home! I can't wait—can tomorrow just hurry up already? Even though it’s just a super short weekend, I’ll get to see my baby dog for two whole days! Fellow dog owners will totally get this—I miss him so much! I even miss his smell, even if some people might call it "smelly." To me, it’s his unique scent, and that’s what makes it so special.

Sometimes, I feel like I share a bit too much with people who barely know me. It’s just this bad habit of oversharing—I can’t seem to stop myself from blurting things out! Maybe that’s why I started a blog, so I can rant about whatever’s on my mind without holding back.

At work, though, I try to keep this mysterious vibe and stay as low-key as possible. But it’s tricky, especially when you’re the new face in the office. Everyone’s curious, and no matter how much you want to blend into the background, it’s hard to avoid being noticed.

Ugh, I totally get how uncomfortable it is when people start prying into your personal life—especially those uncles and aunties who treat gossiping like their favorite pastime. There’s this uncle at work who’s a cleaner, and he loves asking about my relationship status. I’ve tried dropping hints to show I’m not interested in sharing, but nope—he just doesn’t get it.

So, you know what I did? I told him I’m in a relationship. (Spoiler: I’m not!) But hey, new place, new identity, right? I made up this imaginary boyfriend, loosely based on my ex, and this uncle totally bought it! The best part? His personal-life interrogations have toned down. Honestly, it’s been a win-win situation!

Asian moms have this thing about late 20s being the "perfect" time to get married. Like, who decided that? Is there some ancient guidebook we’re all supposed to follow? And what’s this so-called logic based on, anyway?

In China, it’s wild how matchmaking becomes a whole event if you’re still single at "that age." Like, suddenly, parents turn into talent agents trying to pair you up. Since when did “getting married” become some kind of life milestone that defines your success? I mean, sure, marriage is beautiful for some people, but it’s not an achievement—it’s a personal choice! Can we all just chill and stop treating it like a trophy to win?

My mum isn’t forcing me into matchmaking or anything, but she does keep saying I should find someone new—like, ever since my last relationship, which was 5 years ago. She’s convinced I’m still not over my ex. And then she’s like, “You should give other people a chance!” I’m just sitting there thinking—what??? Why should I lower my standards just to give people a shot? Like, c’mon, Mum, I’m not running a charity here!

I can’t deny that my ex does play a part in why I’m not really interested in looking for anyone right now. It’s not like there aren’t people chasing me—they pop up from time to time—but it’s just… the feeling isn’t there. I’m definitely team love at first sight. First impressions mean a lot to me, and if I don’t feel anything when I first meet you, I’m sorry, but you’re out.

My ex was honestly a great person—it’s just that we met at the wrong time, and long-distance didn’t work out for us. Since then, I haven’t met anyone who could match up to him. There was this one good guy I got to know at my last company, but—surprise, surprise—he’s already married. Isn’t it funny how the good ones are always taken first?

So yeah, if there’s no one who clicks, I’m perfectly fine staying single. I’m not about to settle just because I’m at “that age.” Life’s too long to be stuck with someone who doesn’t meet my standards just to tick a societal box!

By the way, Tangled is my favorite Disney movie!