Entry for Sexless in the City

I saw this referenced over on Reading is My Superpower. I figured I like books, I like free stuff, so a free book would be even better. In a few days, the book Sexless in the City is being released, and the author, Anna Broadway, is offering one of five free copies to anyone that mentions it on their blog and links to it. Sounds easy enough even for me - I never win things, but I'm also usually too lazy to actually participate. I am after all the person that decided it would be easier to join ROTC than apply for a bunch of scholarships. Yeah, that one's still biting me in the ass.

As far as the book is concerned, the full title is Sexless in the City: A Memoir of Reluctant Chastity. Judging simply on the title, I felt like I could completely relate to that. I spent much of high school and college dateless, and "reluctantly chaste" not because I didn't want to go on dates and such, but because no one really seemed all too interested. And I have the feeling the future is going to be a lot like that as well - I'm going to end up like 30 Rock's Liz Lemon. When Liz Lemon goes to the doctor's office during the first season (I think for a Pap Smear, but I can't quite remember), a nurse or doctor looks at her chart and comments on the fact that she's had three sexual partners in the past ten years. Liz looks squirmish and then makes an excuse about being busy with work, or something. Hopefully, at least I'll have the successful and fulfilling career by then as well as a nice wardrobe.

It's especially hard out here. Not dating - like I'd want to do that down here - just meeting people in general (especially as an officer because there is a much more limited number of those). I tend to prefer one-on-one friendships, and everything in the Army seems to be more based on the group mentality. My interests (movies, books etc.) aren't exactly group activities. It doesn't help that socially the Army is very much like high school or kindergarten - if two people of the opposite gender start hanging out, some people like to assume they are interested in each other or start making comments. The comparison makes sense, though - like a small high school, a company has a hundred some people in it, and those are the people you're around the most. As a result, of course, people are going to notice what everyone else is doing, and eventually get bored enough to talk about it. Meeting people and making friends in other companies can involve a little more work and effort as well as more planning since schedules aren't always going to mesh as well as with other people in your platoon/ company (I guess it's like a rival high school if we're going to keep going with the analogy).

As far as the book is concerned, I misinterpreted the title - upon reading the blurb, it turned out that the author is Christian and the reluctant chastity appears to have more to do with balancing her religious values and her romantic life. Oh well. That makes it a little less relatable for me but I'd still like to win.