I've spent much of this week trying to think of good songs about being single. There are surprisingly few - most songs are about being single and hating it and desperately wanting to meet the perfect person to make your life better. That doesn't really reflect my experience of being single and I was hoping that there were songs out there that agreed with me.

I had some help from people on Twitter, particularly Gretchen who roped in friends for ideas too. But in the end they had to be songs I actually owned so I could upload them. I managed the eight I needed but they're not really anthems for the fabulousness of being single. Enjoy, if you can!



Here's explanation of why I picked what I did:

Everything but the Girl Single: this is what started it off really, after I found myself listening to it obsessively last weekend. I love her voice and the beautiful electronic music. Of course it's more about a break-up than being single.

Rufus Wainwright One Man Guy: this one is clever - because Rufus is gay you think it's a song of devotion to a boyfriend, but actually it was written by his father. It's more about being self-sufficient, although in his case to the point of selfishness. He uses the words 'sad', 'lonely' and 'sick', so it's no surprise that his Dad is currently coupled.

The Human League Life on your own: with that title it had to be included! Although actually it's more about a man who can't commit than one who likes to be on his own: "I always have to move on/just have to go".

Death Cab for Cutie Your new Twinsize bed: about someone who has sold their big bed because they don't need the extra space in it, so a sad song about being single. But I love this band and it's a sweet song. Never give up your big bed!

Morrissey I'm OK by myself: inevitably the world's most famous celibate has a few songs about being single, although you'd be hard pushed to describe any of them as positive! This one seems a bit paranoid - a welcome hand must contain a knife or a revolver - but it rocks!

Marc Almond Mother Fist: "Now I've been on my own for many a year..." Marc Almond is a God in this house. This made me grin.

Pet Shop Boys I want a Dog: more about living alone than being single, "When I get back to my small flat/I want to hear somebody bark". Suitably anti-cat. I really do want a dog.

Morrissey Will never marry: I told you had lots of songs about being single. "I will live my life as I will undoubtedly die - alone" - cheery bugger, and yet completely true!

I enjoyed that! I had a good rummage through all the CDs in my cupboard and it made me realise that I must find time to play some of the old stuff more often. And I really do like being single!

My apathy blew away last night so I was determined to make the most of today and get some stuff done. Before I'd even got out of bed I'd ordered the final kids birthday present that I need for this month. Then when I finished work I booked the car in for a service, and rather excitingly a new roof! It's all happening in Brighton so I've booked a hotel too and a whole week off work. Then I bought a new Hoover. So that was it, all the things that I've been putting off and f*cking about with sorted in one day. Honestly, life would be so much easier if I stopped being a twat!

This evening I over-ate potato products, despite deciding today was going to be a thin day. I'd already had three helpings of cake so the day had pretty much gone to hell anyway. And then I watched four more episodes of Queer as Folk. Ten years on it's still as extraordinary as it ever was, but watching it in one go there seems like there's so little of it - the whole first series only lasts a little over four hours. Four hours that changed gay TV forever. Or ruined it, because it was so good nothing has matched up to it since, because people basically stopped trying - it was the last word in gay TV.

I started the wine a bit early tonight, celebrating my own fabulousness, but it's caught up with me so time for bed. Night night lovelies! xxx

It's been a funny old day and I've been all over the place! Not physically but mentally. It started out okay, then during a slow moment at work I realised I'd only used about half my holiday and was running out of time to get through it. So I started thinking about what I could do with it, but as always I get carried away with myself: a few days off turn into a mad chase round the country, until I realise how stupid it is and give up. I've had a second go this evening and may have a week off in October, but don't be surprised if I don't!

This evening I could have gone to see the Eric Cantona/Ken Loach film but yet again I wasn't in the mood, so instead I stayed home and watched four episodes of Queer as Folk. It's been a few years since I last watched it so it was a bit overdue. It was just as fab as I remember! Funny, sad, sexy, glamorous - God bless the gays!

Last night I went to Hunstanton with the 24 year old. We sat on the seafront eating chips and watching the sun go down:



We played the penny-pusher games in an arcade, and two pounds later I'd won this:



Then we went on some rides in the fairground - firstly the Grasshopper, where you sit in a seat on the end of a long arm, the whole thing goes round and occasionally you get shot up into the air. I was surprisingly scared, with the added fear that my Birkenstocks may just fly off and I'd have to walk home barefoot!

Then the Twister - you know the kind of thing, four arms, each with four cars on, all spinning madly in and out so you bump into the person beside you. Here we are waiting for it to start, before we started squealing like girls:



And finally a giant roulette wheel thing which tilts sideways, spins round, goes up and down, all in a rather alarming way. I think I proved to be a bit of a baby by squealing loudly out of real fear. I'd forgotten how fun it is to be scared! And how pretty coloured lights in the dark are:





Then we got an ice cream and wandered along the prom in the dark, heading to one final arcade where I spent a pound trying to win and awful teddy bear on the penny-pushers but completely failed, which was probably for the best!

So it turned out to be a really fun evening, just what I needed! I'd forgotten just how great the seaside can be, and just how much fun doing silly stuff is. I also need to stop thinking less about the 24 year old - I don't mean obsessively thinking about him, because I don't do that, I mean "what on earth am I doing" type thinking. I'd been reluctant to go out, but had a great time - he's great to do this kind of silly fun stuff with, and as we've got passed the stage where he wants us to be any more than friends, it's stupid not to. Loosen up Garry!

Inevitably this morning the rain is back, so I'm glad I made the most of a sunny evening whilst I had the chance!

It's been another quiet day. Oh good! Work always tails off a bit in the summer when people go on holiday and projects grind to a halt, which wouldn't be the end of the world except this month is pay rise/bonus time and it will be just the excuse the management need to be stingy with either. I can already hear the, "you're lucky to have jobs in this economic climate" speech. Kill me now!

This evening I went in search of a new vacuum cleaner. But instead of going to Argos I went to Tesco, who either had a very cheap hoover that would last five minutes, or a really expensive one that I just wouldn't buy. So I bought a cheap book about Madonna. And the first series of Gavin & Stacey on DVD. And a shredder. I really shouldn't be allowed near shops!

I'm trying to put together a playlist of good songs about being single. Not tragic songs about hating being single, but positive ones. I have 3 or 4 but am drawing a blank - any thoughts?

Sunday is an altogether easier day. Nobody in their right mind would expect it to be exciting, so I surrendered to the dullness and actually had a really nice day.

I went to a garden centre and got a couple of extra plants for the garden: a rhododendron and something with bluey-green leaves that I can't remember the name of. I still need more plants but I'm taking it slowly.

Then I ended up having a bit of a tidy up at home: in the back of the kitchen cupboard I found ten ramekin dishes. I wonder why I had those?! Things look tidier and I feel more organised.

And now I'm winding down with cider. I'm unexpectedly relaxed.