Happy Valentine's Day....

It's been another long week. Yet, being Friday, it's almost over and the weekend, once more, lays before us, untouched in its promise of two days of freedom.

It's also Valentine's Day tomorrow. This means that day will be filled with men scurrying to buy flowers, cards, chocolates and jewelry and the evening will be filled with dates, romantic evenings in which couples celebrate their relationship.

I'd like to say I'm one of those people who sneers at the day and wonders what the point of having one day to declare your love when, technically, you should be doing it year round. And, in a way, I am one of those people. Yet, as always seems to be the case, I don't see it in black and white and so I do understand why February the 14th is special for people.

I have to confess, I think I've had maybe two Valentine's Day's in my life where I've been in a relationship. They were during college and both years, it was the same relationship. Those were good days, days in which I felt spoiled and lucky and appreciated having a boyfriend. Since then, my timing has sucked. I've never actually been in a relationship on Valentine's Day. Seriously. I've either just stopped seeing someone or...there never was a someone.

You'd think this would make me angry and bitter. It used to. In high school, where Valentine's Day seems a much bigger event than in reality, there were always the girls with bouquets. Our school used to sell carnations for a dollar, red for love, pink for 'like' and white for friendship. I think I got a pink one once which was nice. Otherwise, I got white ones from friends. There were always the girls who had an actual bunch of red carnations at the end of the day. I was never one of them. Truth be told, it was never about the flowers. I always wanted the more...Victorian...valentine. I wanted that unsigned card in my locker that gave my life an air of mystery. I wanted to find out I had a secret admirer.

I never did get my card. The pink flower was the closest I came. That was exciting at the time because it was almost the same thing. I had a suspicion I knew who sent it and it turned out to be right. It was someone I'd been in drama with and I ended up dating him for a while. As awful as it sounds, I never really liked him. I did like the fact that he had his own car and he introduced me to such glamourous places as The Olive Garden and Chi Chi's Mexican restaurant. Hey, in high school, those places are glamourous.

Yet to this day, I've never had my mysterious unsigned Valentine's card from an admirer. I've had cards from my dog and my parents yet never from an admirer.

However, these days, I don't look on Valentine's day as a disappointment, a constant reminder that, yet again, I'm single on this day. Instead, I look at the other 'loves' I have in my life. I have great friends and a good family. Normally, I try to be on the ball and send friendship Valentine's cards. If I'd have thought about it, I would have sent some to my nephew's and nieces. Yet, this year, the day slipped up on me and I haven't had a chance to send them. That makes me feel bad but it doesn't mean that tomorrow, I won't be thinking of them all and appreciating them.

I also intend to make the day special for me, to remind myself of all the reasons that I do enjoy being single. I love to go to the movies alone because it's relaxing. I will make something nice for dinner and I will take a nice bath, probably with candles. Just because I don't have anyone to send me flowers, it doesn't mean I should look on a day that is all about love with disdain. I had intended to drive to my parent's this weekend and spend the day with my family but due to, um, a slight problem with expired license plates, I'm a bit afraid of being pulled over. So I'll stay local and try to dodge the police. I've already had one incident with them since I've moved, I don't need another. Next week, I should be able to get new plates because FINALLY the lienholder on my car sent the title to the state of Ohio. I've only been trying to get it for over a month.

But, I digress. Again. Thus, I shall be spending my Valentine's Day alone. I'm actually ok with that. If I can't be with someone I love, being alone is good because Valentine's Day is a good reminder to try to love oneself too even if that self is feeling a little fragile due to potentially losing her job, constantly being rejected by men, agents and publishers and feeling like she's a bit crap at the job she DOES have. Yes, I'm a pathetic creature but for once, I'm not going to mope about it. I'm going to revel in the flowers and the hearts and all of the other Hallmark symbols of Valentines' Day. And to all the other singletons reading this blog, I salute you and remind you that love doesn't have to be romantic, it can just be....love.

Happy Valentine's Day.