This is the first time in my life I have ever lived alone, and these are some of my realizations (both negative and positive):
1) Cooking for one sucks
It is no fun to make a new recipe or really nice meal if there is no one else to enjoy it with or to give you feedback on the recipe. I much prefer to have someone to eat with, and am glad that I do have someone to enjoy at least some meals with each week.
My meals for one include a lot more sandwiches that I used to eat, individual chicken breasts (which I buy in a large bag from Costco) with rice or potatoes, eggs and toast, etc..
On a related note (and for similar reasons) watching TV alone is not as good.
2) Grocery shopping has changed
Buying lettuce or spinach in bulk is a waste, because I can't finish it all on my own. Most bags or packages of fruit are too big for me to eat up before they go bad. I have to buy smaller packages of things, which tends to be more expensive.
3) The house/yard work never ends
I never realized how much work having a house was when I was only doing half of the work. I used to do most of the cleaning and cooking, but never did the laundry or yard work. It keeps me quite busy, and I am dreading winter shoveling.
4) It's not as scary as I expected it to be
I don't freak out at every sound, and have been able to sleep quite well most nights. I have become a lot more brave, and have even become a bit of a spider killer. Eeep, I still hate spiders though. I haven't missed a garbage day either ... I have always been very independent, but I am becoming more so as times goes on.
5) Besides a bit of boredom and the above, it's not much different from living with someone
I had never lived alone and always wondered what it was like. I had these day dreams and fantasies that it would be "so cool" to live alone and that I'd order pizza at 3:00 a.m. and do all sorts of things I didn't do often while living with someone. Well, honestly, my routines haven't really changed at all. Living alone is pretty much the same as living with someone, except without the company.
I traveled alone for the first time a couple of years ago, and really enjoyed it. This is kind of like an extended version of that. I have found out that I can live alone, that it is not as luxurious as I expected it to be, but I don't mind it. I definitely don't want to live alone forever though - company is always better!
Have you ever lived alone? With someone?
How do they compare for you?
I'm tossing around the idea of a solo trip to NY at the beginning of January ... unless one of my favourite ladies (bloggy friends included) want to join me! I like to be alone, but don't want to dine alone! Anyone interested?
