It’s hard to figure out how to dine alone without feeling awkward. Everyone else seems to have friends, family and/or significant others with which to share their meals.  Don’t worry, though, you lonely hearts. We’re here to ease the pain with some helpful tips.

1. Eat at home. No one’s going to care that you’re dining alone if no one can see you. What’s more, you will save money by preparing your own meals. If you’re too incompetent or lazy to prepare your own meals, there’s always the take-out option. Either way, the best way to dine alone without feeling awkward is to truly dine alone with no one else around. When you’re done, you can pile the dishes up in your sink and cry yourself to sleep.
2. Find the least conspicuous table in the restaurant. You’re dining alone, but you don’t want to do it at home. Perhaps your place is getting fumigated or you’re just getting a case of cabin fever. All is not lost. Find the darkest, most out-of-the-way table in the restaurant and ask the waiter or waitress to seat you there. If other people can’t see you, they won’t be judging you. You won’t have to hurl your food at them and yell, “Stop looking at me with your accusing eyes!”
3. Wear a disguise. Much of the self-consciousness of dining alone comes from the fear that people you know will see you and realize that you’re a friendless sad sack. If you’re dining incognito, this ceases to be a problem. Just don a fedora, trench coat and fake moustache and no one will know it’s you dining alone.
4. Hire a companion for your meal. There is an entire service industry that exists just for lonely souls like yourself. Just look up “Escorts” in the yellow pages (we recommend against Craigslist due to the high probability of ending up with a transvestite–not that we’ve learned this from repeated experience) and comparison shop for the most reasonably-priced service. Be sure to make it clear that although you may be ordering the Happy Ending Sundae at the end of your meal, you are not expecting the other kind of “happy ending” at the end of the night. That will help ease the tension between you and your paid date.
5. One word: medication. If you’re like us, you can’t cross the street without being overcome by waves of hot panic. They make pills for that and they work like magic. Just visit your physician and ask for the “anxiety special.” He’ll know what you’re talking about. Once you become acquainted with your new pharmaceutical companions, you’ll be dining alone without feeling awkward in the least thanks to the wonders of modern chemistry.

The post How To Dine Alone Without Feeling Awkward appeared first on Made Man.

Whether you're feeling lonesome or you just need a break from happily-ever-after songs, you'll want to check out the 10 best songs about being lonely.  Each one, in its unique way, will speak to your heart.

1. “The Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson.  One of the most recognized songs about being lonely, “The Tracks of My Tears” is a soul classic.  While the lonely, jilted lover might try to use a smile as a masquerade, there's no hiding the tracks of his tears.
2. “Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick.  In “Walk On By,” Dionne Warwick makes no attempt to hide her tears.  In this poignant song about being lonely, she urges her ex-lover to just “walk on by” if she's crying when he sees her on the street.
3. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye.  In this song, Marvin Gaye sings about confusion and hurt upon his discovery that his lover may be leaving him for another man.  He poignantly sings, “A man ain't supposed to cry, but these tears I can't hold inside.”
4. “Smokestack Lightning” by Howlin' Wolf.  In one of the most well-known blues songs about being lonely, Howlin' Wolf asks his lover, in his deep, raspy voice, “Where did you stay last night?” and “Why don't you hear me crying?”
5. “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams.  In this country tune about love gone wrong, Hank Williams compares himself to a lonesome whippoorwill who “sounds too blue to fly.”  His own troubled marriage inspired this song, and it comes straight from his heart.
6. “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles.  The song's theme, “Look at all the lonely people,” is illustrated by character sketches of Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie.  These people move about their lives in isolation, caring about nobody and nobody caring about them.
7. “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger.  “Turn the Page” is a song about being lonely on the road, from a performing musician's point of view.  “Here we go again,” Bob Seger sings, worn out from the gigs.  Even in the spotlight, he feels “a million miles away.”
8. “Rocket Man” by Elton John.  Inspired by the astronauts of the early seventies, Elton John imagines a man on a mission to Mars who misses his wife and family.  In “Rocket Man,” he sings plaintively, “I think it's gonna be a long, long time.”
9. “I Fall to Pieces” by Patsy Cline.  In her lovely voice, Patsy Cline tells her ex-lover that she falls to pieces every time she sees him.  She tries to find someone new, but nobody can replace her ex.  In this classic song about being lonely, “time only adds to the flame.”
10. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” by Willie Nelson.  In this song about being lonely, Willie Nelson sings about the painful side of love: that of parting, whether because of a breakup or a death.  “Love is like a dying ember,” he sings.  “And only memories remain.”

The post 10 Best Songs About Being Lonely appeared first on Made Man.

For those times when you want to embrace your sadness, songs about loneliness can be a great soundtrack. There is nothing happy about the songs below, but they can provide the comfort of familiarity. Country, pop, rock – the language is all the same. 

1. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams. This list has no particular order, but this song still deserves to be number one. It rarely matters who sings it, this song simply hurts. Johnny Cash did a great cover, but Hank Williams poured more pain into the lyrics than any human being should have.
2. "I Miss You" by Incubus. Hard to follow up number one, but Incubus had a minor hit with this song. The lyrics are painfully earnest, and the music lends an air  of credibility. It won't cause everyone to tear up, but it may be the perfect anthem for a long distance relationships.
3. "Space Oddity" by David Bowie. Yes, the song about Major Tom is a song about loneliness and isolation. Perhaps not in the romantic sense, but it is a song about a man disconnected from the world. If you can get past the silly premise, you will find an emotionally taut song underneath.
4. "Wake Me Up When November Ends" by Green Day. There was a time in which the idea of an emotionally earnest Green Day song would be laughable. Today, they have managed to hit a note that any good song about loneliness should hit. Unsurprisingly, it was a bigger hit than "American Idiot."
5. "Turn the Page" by Bob Seger. This is the quintessential song about loneliness on the road. It does not matter if you are a musician or a long haul driver, you will get it. Anyone that has been on the road should understand it.
6. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. Yes, Trent Reznor did it first. But, Cash's version is far superior and carries much more pain. There is nothing more lonely than winding down a life with so many regrets.
7. "Mad World" by Gary Jules. Yet another cover, with more pain inflicted. It is sad enough to work as a "Gears of War" counterpoint without seeming ridiculous.  The song may be the aural equivalent of loneliness.
8. "Here With Me" by Dido. This is a haunting song, as with anything by Dido. Her voice certainly intensifies the feelings, and the lyrics do little to help. This is not recommended for listening alone.
9. "Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Elvis Presley. Elvis is best known for his upbeat songs, but his voice was great for numbers that were a bit more moving. Combining loneliness and longing in one simple package, this song is a great indicator of the King's range. It's a shame gems like this are not better known than some of his more pop-oriented numbers.
10. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. Lady Antebellum seemed to appear out of nowhere with this gem, but it works. A song about loneliness should expose all the dirty little secrets, and this song does so with gusto. If there has ever been a song about making a lonely mistake, this is it. 

The post Songs About Loneliness appeared first on Made Man.