By Gina Angostura
Columnist

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Recently, I’ve received several letters in Ginamail from people kindly giving me suggestions about how to meet more people – forming interest groups, joining the Y – all great ideas.

What these people don’t seem to realize is that, by suggesting these things, they’re taking away my reason for whining. My martyrdom on the altar of aloneness is what I’ve been writing about all these months. It’s what I do. But maybe I am becoming a broken record. Or maybe I’m becoming a broken record.

Let’s do a dream sequence to see what might happen if I stop complaining about my state of nonaffairs and take some positive action. Cue the harp music and wavy video …

“Hey, Gina! Nice seeing you here again at the Y! This time, after you get done talking to all the men, could you remember to clean out the sauna and mop the locker room floor before the end of your shift?”

Oops, wrong dream. That’s me imagining working at the Y, not working out.

Let me set my sights a little higher …

“I now call to order this meeting of the Men and Women Who Love Kevin Smith Movies But Think He Blew It With ‘Jersey Girl.’”

Well, that group won’t last long.

How about this one …

“I’m so glad you joined our group, Gina. I don’t know anyone who’s better at complaining about their lives than you are. We just voted you President for Life of the Big, Fat Whiners Club.”

That’s close to reality, sadly.

So wake up, Gina. Let’s take a look at your dreams.

What’s going to happen when, someday, I get what I want? Or what I think I want?

I have so many friends who are married and unhappy. But then I have so many single friends who see getting coupled as the answer. I think reality – and happiness – lies somewhere in between.

We only get so many minutes to spend in this life. When I’m being philosophical, which is not very often – I’m usually trying just to make it through the day – I think about the minutes ticking away, and what I spend them on. We waste time like we waste money. So what’s really important?

Here’s a random list of things we do with our days: Sleep, work, eat, clean, run errands, read, watch TV or talk on the computer, gossip, play, help other people, spend time with people we love.

I’m thinking that if we could just put a few more minutes into the people thing, and a few less into the other stuff, our personal happiness would be much greater.

I should do that. And I will. But first I have some great gossip to tell you about this awful guy I went out with last week. Does my life suck or what?