2001-02-14 | 05:17:37

some curse the name of valentine's day. and not just made men with long memories.

some see it as a sugar-coated, lace-trimmed, pepto pink reminder that they are single. i had one friend who took it upon herself to create a one-run newsletter which she handed out around our office, so that people could read a detailed report of the self-proclaimed "lame" way she spent her valentine's day night. she entitled it something like, "social lepers anonymous newsletter." i think it was a thinly veiled attempt to let guys at the company know she was single...and funny.

there is a lot of ridiculous pressure surrounding the holiday. restaurants packed to the gills with hour-long waits. over-priced, long-stemmed roses being shuttled all over town with the main purpose of "making girls' female co-workers jealous" according to one jaded fellow i know. ok, ok, ok.

nothing hurts like love, or the absence of it...you're right.

but nothing heals like love.

and nothing gives hope like love.

and, let's get literal here, there is some really nice stuff about the holiday, too. like heart-shaped sugar cookies with red sprinkles. conversation heart candies (ok, i'm addicted. i can admit that.) and those handmade desk mailboxes kids make in school to collect their classmates' little notes. and paste and red glitter and sloppy sentiments.

and the idea that love and romance is being celebrated worldwide. sure, couple-love gets the most stage time, but i like to think of valentine's day as a celebration of love in all forms. love for friends. love for family members. love for people who inspire you and make the world a brighter place.

ok, i'll say it...i heart valentine's day.

***

in honor of the holiday, i wanted to share two looks at love that i enjoy:

one is alain de boton's novel on love. i read it by chance (actually because a review on the cover called him a british woody allen) and it knocked me out. everyone i've recommended it to has enjoyed it, too! it traces one couple's love story in a very sensitive, yet charmingly analytical, way.

the second is a movie called mr. jealousy by writer/director noah baumbach. it is another funny, charmingly analytical look at love. hmmm...i sense a pattern here. i guess since i've struggled with jealousy in the past, i related to eric stolz's insecurities. i can be a tad analytical about the tender trap, as well. heh.

i hope you enjoy the holiday on some level, whether it involves sweaty hands and a whitman's sampler or not.

here's sending love to my pulchritudinous posse and you.

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