My Hearts

Today is Valentine's Day. A lot has been written about how it's a corporate construct designed to generate spending. That's all true. But if people didn't buy into that, it wouldn't generate squat.

I'm always appalled at the women who ask (on Facebook and other media), "What do you want your lover/boyfriend/husband/significant other to get you for Valentine's Day?"

Hello! Why would I expect anything? What is this gimme, gimme thing we have going on? Do I need another chocolate bar or bunch of dying flowers or piece of jewelry I won't ever wear?

No.

Why not jointly donate money to your favorite charity? Or send those flowers to a lonely elder to brighten their day? Or bake some heart-shaped cookies for a neighbor?

Take your parents to breakfast or lunch. Mine are too far away so I sent them the money so they could afford to go out. They love to have breakfast before they do their weekly shopping. When I send them money in a card, they feel like they can enjoy their time out free of guilt.

Valentine's Day isn't about coupling. It's about sharing love with others. And it's about giving--not receiving. So, what are you ladies doing for your men? Really.

A card? A card??? Is that it?

What's his favorite pasttime? At the moment, mine enjoys playing computer games. So I got him a selection to entertain himself. No it wasn't expensive. And it was exactly what he wanted.

What did I get? He cooked me breakfast. He cooks breakfast everyday. And lunch. And usually dinner. I have plants throughout the apartment because he remembers to water them. The floors are vacuumed because he does that. And changes the sheets on the bed and the towels in the bathroom. Why does he do all of that?

So I can write...which is really what I want.

That's what I receive every day--not just for Valentine's Day.

anny

Valentine's Day AND Stylish Blog

Happy Valentine's Day! There are a lot of people out there who think Valentine's Day is for lovers. I'm not one of them. I think Valentine's Day is an opportunity to share the love you have for your family, friends and even total strangers. Limiting love to one person isn't in the spirit of Valentine's Day. That's just wrong. In my family, everyone received a special Valentine with candy and a card at the breakfast table. We all knew we were special. How about you?

I won a stylish blog award last week from Berengaria Brown and am supposed to pass it on. I'm supposed to link back to the person who gave it to me, tell 7 secrets and choose some people to pass it on to.

First of all, here's the link to http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/ . Check out her blog! She has all sorts of things on there, including some really hot books.

Second: Seven things about me. Hmmmm.
1) I am not a morning person. I function, but don't talk to me until around noon.

2) I am primarily hermit by choice. I'm one of the rare individuals who could happily live all alone in the woods, seeing another human...oh about every six months.

3) I live very contentedly with the characters in my head. We play dress-up and invent incredible adventures.

4) Writing is the way I choose to share the tamer of my internal adventures. Now...spend some time imagining what the others I don't share must be like.

5) I very rarely watch television or movies (by choice) because I find them boring. There are a few exceptions... Dances with Wolves, The Postman, and Bad Day at Black Rock. The movies I watch have nothing to do with the actors, but rather the stories.

6) I read about fifteen or twenty books a week. Some are new. Most are re-reads that draw me back through the author's use of language or their inventiveness in storytelling.

7) I despise boiled okra.

Now...who shall I choose to give this blog award to?

Barbara Huffert
Amber Skyze
Sandra Cox
Cindy Spencer Pape

Hope y'all have a wonderful day!

anny