Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Okay. So, Valentine's Day (dundundun) is just three days away. So as not to ruin anyone's special day (although, if you're reading my blog on Feb. 14th, then your day is probably as exciting as mine), I'm going to do my Valentine's "edition" today.

This year, I plan to eat heart shaped food and some chocolate products (not candy, but like an entree with a chocolate sauce...I have recipes). I'll watch Down With Love. I'll go out in public in my cute-Valentine's-Day-outfit-on-a-tight-budget. And I'll enjoy myself. I'll enjoy the true meaning of the holiday of love...LOVE. Not romantic love with cupids, but love that knows no bounds. My family and I will cook dinner together, because WE LOVE EACH OTHER. We will sit in the living room and watch DVD's, because WE LOVE EACH OTHER. I will go to church, and we will all sing His praises and receive His body (no blood, 'cause of the flu scare...who knew?), because GOD LOVES US. And, guess what, there is a SAINT in VALENTINE'S DAY! That's what matters to me (always has, always will).

I don't have a Valentine. Never have. Probably never will. I'm sure that I'll have a boyfriend/husband/lovaaahhh someday, but I'm not sure if I'll ever entirely buy into the Valentine thing. Oh, who am I kidding? The first Valentine I have, I want the works. Flowers. Fancy-schmancy jewelery. Or, you know, whatever expression of undying love he's able to bring to the table. (and then we'll got to church...or something)

Now on to the rest of the blahblahblah.

When did Valentine's Day become an entire day affair? It used to be a dinner...a card...something simple like that. This year, though, I made the mistake of saying to my best friend, "You want to do something on Saturday?"

She shrieked, "This Saturday???!!"

"Oh," I said quietly. "that's Valentine's Day. How about Sunday?"

Yikes! It's not it's her wedding day! or even the freakin' prom! I had no idea that having a boyfriend meant a girl couldn't go have lunch with her best friend on Valentine's Day. Although, this couple made the SUPER BOWL a "couple thing." The S-U-P-E-R - B-O-W-L. Never in my life have I heard of the biggest day in professional football and for corporate advertising being a "couple thing." What's next, March Madness for Marrieds? I don't know when every event became a couples holiday. Does anybody?

Valentine's Day...I can understand a dinner, maybe a movie, or even a weekend away, but if you're in town, why can't you go out? I know not everyone is going to be sequestered inside all day doing the nasty, so why the embargo on friendly communication? Sheesh.

In other news, I'm not sending out my traditional paper Valentine's cards this year. I just don't want to. I have neither the time nor the money, although I enjoy the task. Y'all can still expect a perky little greeting in your e-mail inboxes, but I'm not in the mood to send out holiday greetings - Christmas is barely over, and I can't be expected to lick and seal thirty MORE envelopes, can I?

One more thing...here's a little info if you think you have a Valentine somewhere:

Have you heard of the "missed connections" thing on Craigslist? It's a portion of the website devoted to people trying to track down anyone from their high school crush to the guy they thought was cute on BART one morning. It was mentioned in the newspaper (Oakland Trib), and I took a look at it. I think that in order for that long shot to work, both parties have to a) regularly check out Craigslist b) even know what Craigslist is, and c) actually respond to a desparate pleading for the "guy in the Red Sox cap on the Millbrae train" (I made that description up completely, but that's what the listings generally sound like).

So, good luck. Go to Church. Eat candy. Love somebody, but please, can we take back the rest of our lives...the holidays seem to be in control!

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