I'm 37 and single, so I persuaded USA TODAY to find me a date for Valentine's Day

Hello! I'm Erin Jensen, and I have convinced my employer, USA TODAY, to help me conduct a search across the country for one extraordinary Valentine.

As a single, 37-year-old woman who finds fewer and fewer men she’s interested in on the apps, with friends who can’t think of anyone to set her up with, I wonder if putting what I want out there in an honest and vulnerable way will bring me that lasting love.

If you’ve seen the movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” this idea may feel familiar. In the 1993 flick co-written and directed by Nora Ephron (holds moment of silence in the rom-icon’s honor), young Jonah (Ross Malinger) phones a radio host on Christmas Eve, explaining that his widowed dad Sam (Tom Hanks) needs a new wife. Women write in, including Annie (Meg Ryan), who proposes she and Sam meet atop the Empire State Building on Feb. 14.

I am not a widow. I’ve never been married and have no kids. But I’m acting as my own Jonah here because I love love and have probably allowed rom-coms to have more of an influence on my life than is healthy.

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Now I’d like to get one thing out of the way quickly: This is not an act of desperation. Over the last few years, I’ve fallen so in love with my life. I absolutely love my job. I’ve covered the Grammys, Golden Globes and Oscars (the latter in heels so high and painful I thought about setting up shop at the In-N-Out Burger down the street from the Dolby Theatre and living there forever). I’ve even chatted with Oprah Winfrey about what actually matters in life, “loving more deeply, more profoundly the people who are close to you while you can,” she told me. I’m blessed and obsessed with my family, which includes two young nieces that absolutely melt my heart anytime they call me “Aunt Boo Boo.” I’m passionate about self-improvement and have two personal growth podcasts. In October, I was fortunate enough to hike an Icelandic glacier and see the Northern Lights. So this search isn’t about feeling incomplete or insignificant without a significant other. I can be my best without being someone’s better half.

But...

There’s just a curiosity that arises when I see happy couples: Do I have a match out there? Is there someone who will want to feel small next to a giant redwood with me; savor sunsets; stay up late and drive out of the city to watch meteor showers; let my icy hands find warmth on their back; duet with me in the car; be with me on the journey of becoming our best selves?

When I’m single for a long time (and I haven’t dated anyone for more than a year), something happens where I completely forget what it’s like to be in love, to have someone who wants to hold your hand or spend time with you, who you can just laugh with, someone to share the best bits of your day with or your insecurities. Even typing it now, holding someone’s interest in such a way feels like a fantasy.

How to apply to win a dream date with me

It is my hope with this opportunity to meet a fantastic man who will be my Valentine this year. USA TODAY will cover expenses for our Valentine's date in New York City (like "Sleepless in Seattle"). And if we have a great date, to see where things go from there. So if you are an upstanding gentleman who opens doors for others; has a sense of adventure; is empathetic and kind; family-oriented; interested in going to church; active; goal-oriented; passionate, honest and wants children, or you know someone who is, please apply. I'm open to finding love across the United States.

Nominate yourself or someone else at this link or using the form below. In addition to answering a few, short questions, you’ll also need to upload a photo (I bet you’re so photogenic!) and a short video. And here's a link to the full contest rules for our wonderful dream date.

Apply now through Jan. 27.

Learn more about me on Instagram or TikTok.

Here's to being bold and taking a chance at the possibility of something wonderful!

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY search for Valentine’s date for reporter Erin Jensen