I wish there were a battery-operated aura I could wear whenever I go out in public. I could change the color of the electric glow to communicate to other people if it is okay to approach me.
Green light: Hi! You seem cool. Let’s chat for a while.
Yellow light: Hmm…proceed with caution, but be ready to walk away on my signal.
Red light: STOP! Stay back! Do not approach. I repeat, DO NOT APPROACH!
I’m pretty sure that, when it comes to strange men, my red light would be on like, all the time. Nothing sets off my panic alarm like some man I don’t know approaching me for any reason whatsoever. So whenever I go out and about, I try to make sure that I have two handy weapons – a book in which I can bury my nose and a pair of earbuds so that I can pretend not to hear. This does not always work, however. Maybe I need to hire a fake boyfriend to accompany me whenever I need to leave the house. Or maybe just buy one of those electric NO buttons to add to my weapons cache. Then, whenever some guy tries to talk to me, all I have to do is click the button and let it speak for me.
Dude: Hey, what’s your name?
Button: NO!!
Dude: Where are you headed?
Button: NO!!
Dude: Can I get your phone number?
Button: NO!! NO!! NO!!
Tonight, I am going out dancing at a club with a bunch of other single people – something that I have not done since I was eighteen years old. (Yes, seriously). I adore dancing, but my anxiety level is very high, because:
- I don’t know this group of people I’m going dancing with. They are just a group of mostly strangers from a Meetup group. I am worried that I won’t be able to relax and be myself and really get into dancing with a bunch of strangers. Especially if they are going to be drinking, because I am not a social drinker – especially if I have to drive myself home. Which I do.
- Because I have no clue what women my age wear out to dance at a nightclub, and it’s not like I have a friend to call and ask for tips. Am I supposed to buy a special kind of purse I can dance with? Shoes? Help!
That whole problem with men. Because I have no idea if that whole thing where strange men hit on single women in night clubs is just overblown in my imagination thanks to TV shows, or if that is actually how the single adult world works. The very idea makes me feel sick with fear. I don’t want to be flirted with. I just want to dance.
I know — maybe I should bring along my book and ear buds. Just in case. Better yet, maybe I should just stay home, where I can relax, and be myself, and there is no need for NO buttons or red lights. 
The Girl From Jupiter 
Life is about adventures, ESPECIALLY the ones we can’t really foresee what will happen. Go! Have fun! Dance your bum off! Do not take a purse…it’s easier to dance when you don’t have something you need to keep track of. Put your debit card and ID inside the cover for your cellphone so your hands can be freed up. And just enjoy yourself.
Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂 However, I’ve already decided to stay home and read / Netflix binge. The dancing sounded fun, but the rest of it was making me feel really stressed-out. So not worth the anxiety for a night out with a group of strangers.
Well, I suggest that you go out with a group of your friends and dance the night away sometime soon. You deserve to dance as often as you can. Just tell any men flirting with you that you’re in a relationship with Bigfoot. They’ll think you’re crazy and spread the word.
Great advice! I would totally do that if I had friends.
I see I need to read further back. Which I just did a little. I really should do that more often before responding. I’m not always an insensitive ass, scout’s honor.
Lol…no worries. 🙂 I’m always happy to get a comment, even if you don’t backread.