Like Denise, I am a single lady. I’ve spent some memorable Valentine’s Days with boyfriends, most notably when I went to see Edward Albee’s play The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? with my last serious boyfriend. Obviously, the relationship didn’t work out, and I wonder if it’s because we spent a Valentine’s Day watching a play about a man having sex with a goat. No, seriously, look it up. I loved it because I love “theatre the absurd,” but my boyfriend at the time? Not so much.
The following year we spent Valentine’s Day apart, me crying about it, him wondering why I thought it was a big deal that we weren’t officially “dating.” This brings up another interesting point…the different stages of dating in college. I’m sure Lauren might have had another type of experience in college, but in Charlottesville, things get weird when doing the whole “DTR” (or define the relationship) talk. I guess the fact that we broke up so many times over the years should have tipped it off to me that mayhaps we weren’t made for one another.
But, this isn’t about ex-boyfriends. This post is about me. Single. Nowadays, I love Valentine’s Day. In our last Friday Favorites post, I linked to a Ban.Do sparkly heart corsage, which I bought for myself to wear with pride this Monday. I always buy myself little gifts in February. Why should Valentine’s Day be about love for another? It’s about love for myself.
Denise wrote about how she’s not so concerned about her single status. I feel the same way. I am also 22. Although my parents were engaged at 19 (yikes!), I don’t feel a need to be married as young. I’m all for it if you find love, but I haven’t found it yet. I can be a bossy lady, and so until I find someone that’s in to being bossed on the regular, I’m happy to just boss around my real Valentine: my roommate/bestie.
In my second sorority girl post, I shared a letter that I wrote about my time in my sorority. The last paragraph is entirely about my bestie. Don’t tell her, but she’s about to get the best Valentine’s gift from me.
A different friend just broke up with her serious boyfriend last week. Obviously, this is sort of horrible timing, but on Monday, I’m taking her to get her nails done with me. I’m passing on my philosophy of loving yourself on Valentine’s Day. I truly believe the way to not be the bitter girl clutching bags of chocolate and screaming “I hate men,” is to just give in to the idea of the day, and flip it to be about ourselves.
One of these days, I’m going to need to post about my love for music. But, for now, I’ll leave you with my Valentine’s Day playlist, which I make every year for myself.
1. Boy With A Coin by Iron & Wine
2. You Always Hurt the Ones You Love by Ryan Gosling
3. Marry You by Glee Cast
4. Skinny Love by Bon Iver
5. Colorblind by Counting Crows
6. Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars
7. Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine
8. All I Believe In by The Magic Numbers
9. Never Think by Rob Pattinson
10. When I Get You Alone by Glee Cast
11. Love Vigilantes by Iron & Wine
12. Such Great Heights A capella by
13. Breathe Me by Sia
13. Samson by Regina Spektor
15. Silly Love Songs by Glee Cast
16. You and Me by Penny & The Quarters
17. Delicate by Damien Rice
Tell me, single ladies, how will you be spending Monday?
Yay yay yay! I love me a holiday playlist from Lori!
AND, obvi I am not single, but I would still like to say that for some of us non-single ladies, Valentine’s Day just isn’t that big of a deal. Husband’s life has been crazy swamped lately, so I think Monday will probably consist of me cleaning the house and grabbing some takeout for him to come home to.
I LOVE that you spoil yourself on Valentines Day, that’s an awesome idea! I agree with Lauren- your Valentines Day may end up being better than us old married farts! Because, when your married and poor it leads to a lame Vday! So enjoy your “you” day! (I am a bit jealous!)