Being single in a large city has its ups and downs. Meet nine of Tulsa’s most eligible singles, and get a glimpse of the state of the date.
John Bivens
Pisces, 27
Photographer & Model
Run into me at: The grocery store, I love to cook.
Interests: Photography, hunting, running, art, cooking, fashion, nature
Best thing about being single: Limited accountability
Favorite Food: New York style pizza with lots of sauce and cheese
Favorite social media platform: I admit, I am a Facebooker.
Favorite first date idea: A patio brunch
Favorite musician/band: Right now it’s a lot of Sam Smith. He’s great for cold weather!
Favorite thing about Tulsa: It offers the Christian life I need for spirit, the city life I need for opportunity, the active life I need for body and the nature life I need for mind.
Does your career pose a challenge in your dating life? There are challenges in every part of life. If it’s worth fighting for, fight for it.
What would you say to the person who nominated you to be part of Single in the City? I nominated myself. I love the idea of raising money for charity and having a good time.
Laura Banks
Scorpio, 29
Social worker with LGBTQ youth
Run into me at: The Yoga Room, The Phoenix and Andolini’s
Interests: Yoga, travel, psychology, social justice, food, adrenaline rushes, culture, meeting new people and trying anything new
Claim to fame: I can almost always remember the name of that actress you can’t remember.
Best thing about being single: Getting to meet new people, having my options open, always wearing comfortable underwear and Gilmore Girls marathons
Relationship deal-breaker: Lack of ambition
Favorite food: Sushi or Vietnamese
Favorite first date idea: Coffee and board games
Favorite musician/band: The XX
Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere with a beach
Favorite thing about Tulsa: It is easy to be edgy and ground-breaking in Tulsa.
Does your career pose a challenge in your dating life? I work a lot and am extremely passionate about my job, so the person I am with has to be very understanding.
What would you say to the person who nominated you to be part of Single in the City? It’s a good thing we’re related.
Five words that sum up your dating life: How many dates do I wait to tell someone…That I drive a Prius?
Michael Grim
Cancer, 40
Casino Marketing/Advertising
Run into me at: A gig: As a hobby I play in a band called Uninvited Guest. I’ve been playing on stage since my early 20s and it’s become a small part of who I am.
Interests: I try and live by two rules: Serve others and make memories. I’m always interested in the experiences both rules bring.
Claim to fame: My biggest claim to fame is my 11-year-old son. He’s mine, I’m happy to claim him and he’s incredibly famous to me.
Best thing about being single: It’s allowed me to figure out exactly who I am and exactly what I stand for.
Relationship deal-breaker: Selfishness
Favorite food: The Sea Bass at Joe’s Seafood in Vegas
Favorite social media platform: I’m kinda old school and don’t really play with social media for personal uses. My son got a “selfie stick” for Christmas so he could take selfies from six feet away, and I was like, “That’s it, I’m out.”
Favorite first date idea: We each have $20 to spend at Walmart and we both have to buy an entire outfit, including shoes, then we go to the nicest restaurant in town. I have no idea why that’s always sounded like fun to me.
Favorite musician/band: Jason Ross
Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere in the Caribbean
Favorite thing about Tulsa: Really, really nice and authentic people
What would you say to the person who nominated you to be part of Single in the City? I would say I have a very cool ex-wife, because she is the one that nominated me.
Five words that sum up your dating life: I’m a work in progress.
