# "How is it that you're single?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712 "2012-05-03T02:29:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hogfather65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hogfather65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hogfather65)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/22 "2012-05-03T09:58:48Z")
As a guy who gets asked it - 2 responses 1. I prefer being happy… or 1. Marriage is an institution and who wants to be institutionalised ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/23 "2012-05-03T10:39:28Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > “I kno, rite?!” I’d use this if the question was being asked jokingly or sarcastically. If it was an honest question from a well-meaning nosy aunt, I’d say something like “I’ve still got a little of the last one in the freezer, but I’ll be looking for a fresh one soon. Keep your eye out for me.” ---
**Author:** ![toodlepip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@toodlepip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toodlepip)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/24 "2012-05-03T11:01:15Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > If it was an honest question from a well-meaning nosy aunt, I’d say something like “I’ve still got a little of the last one in the freezer, but I’ll be looking for a fresh one soon. Keep your eye out for me.” I’ll be using this one from now on, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/25 "2012-05-03T11:30:46Z")
This > [@DianaG](#): > > “Because David Foster Wallace is dead, David Sedaris is gay, and everyone else is boring.” is awesome. I’d consider dating you for that answer alone. Except that I’m not single. Dunno how that happened. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/26 "2012-05-03T11:35:25Z")
“Bigamy is defined as having one spouse too many. Actually, that’s my definition of monogamy.” ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/27 "2012-05-03T11:59:09Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I never get asked this question. I guess in my case, it’s just obvious. I, too, never get asked this question, my friends never try to fix me up with anyone, never introduce me to anyone…sigh. I guess it must be incredibly obvious “why” to everyone around me, but I ask myself the question all the time. Now for the record, I am in a relationship, but it is long distance and is NOT leading to the ending of my singleness…and there was 12 years before he came along when someone could have asked. And now that I’ve been divorced longer than I was married, I fear it’ll never end. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/28 "2012-05-03T12:02:42Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > David Sedaris is gay? He just hasn’t met the right lady yet. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/29 "2012-05-03T12:06:33Z")
I explain how, by not having children, I am doing more to preserve the Earth’s environment and resources than anyone who has kids – so I can enjoy my gasoline-powered small appliances without any guilt. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/30 "2012-05-03T12:16:41Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > “Just lucky, I guess.” When I was single, this was my polite answer. I didn’t settle down until I was 36 and was almost resolved to the fact that I might not. It’s a terribly upsetting question, what are they expecting you to say anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/31 "2012-05-03T12:36:36Z")
Some past answers: “It’s hard to date while maintaining the required 500 yard minimum distance.” “Because of a judges order.” “Because no one can make me come better than I do.” “Just because there’s never been any survivors doesn’t mean there haven’t been any dates.” “Because it requires me to give a rat’s ass about other people.” (The real reason) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/32 "2012-05-03T13:27:10Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I explain how, by not having children, I am doing more to preserve the Earth’s environment and resources than anyone who has kids – so I can enjoy my gasoline-powered small appliances without any guilt. Heck, you can upgrade those to diesel, then.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/33 "2012-05-03T13:50:48Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > I, too, never get asked this question, my friends never try to fix me up with anyone, never introduce me to anyone…sigh. I guess it must be incredibly obvious “why” to everyone around me, but I ask myself the question all the time. Now for the record, I am in a relationship, but it is long distance and is NOT leading to the ending of my singleness…and there was 12 years before he came along when someone could have asked. And now that I’ve been divorced longer than I was married, I fear it’ll never end. I never get asked this, either. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/34 "2012-05-03T14:33:03Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > David Sedaris is gay? Over David Foster Wallace’s dead body! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/35 "2012-05-03T15:02:09Z")
David Sedaris is a necrophiliac? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/36 "2012-05-03T15:06:13Z")
I am too stubborn and independent to ever be married. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/37 "2012-05-03T15:06:58Z")
“Apparently I’m smarter than the general populace.” I have an aunt that asks me everytime I see her and she doesn’t buy the smarter line. I’m going to use some of these from this thread next time. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/38 "2012-05-03T15:54:12Z")
> [@Hogfather65](#): > > As a guy who gets asked it - 2 responses > > 1. I prefer being happy… > > or > > 1. Marriage is an institution and who wants to be institutionalised How about: [JohnBickerson]Marriage isn’t a word, it’s a sentence![/JB] Roddy ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/39 "2012-05-03T15:57:18Z")
No longer single, but when I was it was usually meant as a compliment so I’d try to make light of it, something like: “Tragic, ain’t it?” or “I’m really, _really_ hard to live with.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/40 "2012-05-03T16:01:57Z")
I’ve only been asked that by some old ladies who were trying to set me up with their daughters. The daughters, on the other hand, seemed to think they had a good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712/41 "2012-05-03T16:27:20Z")
No one ever liked me that much. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-that-youre-single/620712.md?page=3)