Do soulmates really exist? That one perfect person, somewhere out there, living under the very same sky as you, wishing on the same star as you, just as alone as you and waiting to complete you in a very "Jerry Maguire" sort of way?

The Singles Game is not always a very fun game to play. In fact, I sometimes have to fight the overwhelming desire to withdraw my name and play Solitaire for the rest of my life. I used to really believe in the idea of "soulmates" with all of my heart, but lately, I have to ask...with the rapid rate that people out there are yelling "Checkmate!" and exiting The Game, am I the only player left?

The only way to test this theory is through research. There are currently 110 million single adults in the United States…surely some of those have to be in Nashville, right? But where can you go to find "your people"? You know, those other 20 and 30 somethings that haven't yet found a man, two car seats and a minivan? Whether you're seeking out friendships with other single women also feeling lost in the never-ending cycle of couples pairing off and riding into the sunset, or searching for your true love, single women in Nashville are far from powerless over our destinies. We have options.

1) "It's Just Lunch" - Founded by one of our female counterparts in Chicago whose engagement was broken, the idea behind "It's Just Lunch" (IJL) is to set up two singles lookin' for love in all the wrong places on a laidback, no pressure meeting such as lunch or drinks after work. IJL has arranged over 2 million dates in its 17 years of existence with numerous success stories under their belt. And, hey, after all - it is "just lunch"! Visit their website at www.itsjustlunchnashville.com to learn more.

2) Speed dating - In this day and age, everything happens on the go: eating, working and yes, even dating. Instead of one potentially bad first date, speed dating gives you the chance to find out quickly if there is chemistry between you and another person and then move on. A typical night of speed dating can equal 25 mini-dates in one night! (Just think of the fun you'll have reporting all the details back to your girlfriends the next day.) At the end of each mini-date, you make a note of whether or not you'd like to see the person again and the administrator takes it from there to make sure everyone gets matched up accordingly. No muss, no fuss. For more information on speed dating in Nashville, visit www.metropolitannites.com.

3) Good old fashioned female bonding - Finally, in the absence of a Prince Charming, is it possible we need to rethink our definition of a "soulmate"? As Charlotte says in an unforgettable episode of Sex & the City: "Maybe we could be each other's soulmates. And then we could let men be just these great, nice guys to have fun with." There's a lot to be said about forging strong female friendships, since regardless of what's going on in your dating life, your girls will always be there. As we get older and our friends start to get married and have children, it becomes more and more difficult to find social events that don't involve singing birthday clowns, diaper duty and a cover charge of a gift purchased from a Target gift registry. So where can you go to reconnect with your fellow ladies-in-waiting? I have recently discovered www.meetup.com, a website designed to connect you with people of like minds and interests. In fact, one group in particular, "Nashville Hip Chicks" is a group of about a hundred women who get together two or three times a month, take part in various social events around town and basically celebrate everything that comes with being a "hip chick" in Music City. True love might be the prize for winning the Singles Game, but who ever said you can't bond with your fellow players along the way?

At the end of the day, maybe there's not "one perfect person" out there for everyone. Then again, maybe there is. But you're not going to find out by sitting at home with your US magazine and your pint of Ben & Jerry's. (Believe me - I've spent many a night looking for my soulmate at the bottom of my ice cream bowl. He's not there.) So get out there and LIVE. This is, after all, Music City. What better place to find out if somewhere out there, someone's whistlin' the same tune as you?