Let me preface this entry with a disclaimer. I do miss the life that I had...and I miss my soulmate every second. However...

For the last ten months I have lived alone. This is a new experience for me. For the first sixteen years of my life I lived in a three bedroom house with five other people and shared a bedroom with my two older sisters. When I was sixteen my family moved to a new home, thereby securing myself a room of my own. When I was 22 I was evicted by my parents and moved in with my boyfriend and his two children, joined shortly thereafter by two adorable beagles. Three years later, only the beagles and I remain, and I'm beginning to realize that the longer I live on my own the more unfit I will become for future cohabitation of any sort...

I am now quite the confirmed bachelorette. Those horrible little bad habits that annoyed the hell out of people in the past are now given free reign. I can listen to whatever music I want to listen to whenever I want to listen to it and blast it if I please (which I do). I can sing and dance and not worry about anyone watching. I can watch Sex and the City and reality tv (though it pains me to know that I actually enjoy it). I can leave my good shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom without worrying about anyone else using it all when they're supposed to use that crappy VO5. I can fill the refrigerator with girlie alcohol, skim milk, and Diet Coke without worrying about buying whole milk, beer, and regular Coke to make everyone else happy. If I don't want to cook anything for three months, I don't have to. If I want applesauce for dinner, nobody cares. If I chose not to answer the phone, nobody will know that I was home. If I leave my dishes in the sink for a week it doesn't really matter. If I accidentally put an empty milk carton back into the refrigerator, no one will know. I can smoke in the house. I can go shopping at 2am for things that I don't need, and I don't have to sneak the things I buy into the house so that nobody notices. I can stay up until 4am and sleep until noon. I can sleep with wet hair without anyone getting annoyed that the pillow is damp. I can leave my wet towels on the floor. I can sleep with the lights on. Nobody else will eat my Oreos. I can set the thermostat as warm as I'd like. I can take long showers without having to save hot water for anyone else.

I've come to appreciate the benefits of living alone. In short, I'm becoming a selfish, spoiled little brat. I've started to resent the fact that I even have to clean up after myself, which can't be a good sign.

Of course, there a lot of negatives as well. I can't blame anyone else for knocking my drinks, using the last of the toothpaste, or not refilling the ice trays. I can't call anyone from work and tell them to mow the lawn or vacuum the living room. There's nobody to cuddle with when I get home, no one to ask how my day was or kiss me good night. The list goes on and on...

How does the saying go?...If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with? Well, I'm not exactly into loving myself, but I like myself alright, so I guess it'll work out eventually. Geez...I can have keg parties during on Tuesdays and bring strange people home with me if I so desired...I can drive eight hours to the beach to watch the sunrise and come home before anyone's noticed that I'm gone. I can spend my money on concert tickets instead of food or utility bills. I can walk around the house naked. I can rent chick flicks and eat chocolate without anyone complaining.

I guess it's not so bad.