Vday. Hey hey.

I really don't understand why so many people hate on Valentine's Day. I suppose I see where they are coming from, but the way I see it, my best and my worst Valentine's Days occurred at times when I wasn't single.. so I figure it's a risk either way.

As a kid I LOVED Valentine's Day. After Christmas it was my favorite holiday. It was near my birthday, there was lots of candy involved, and we always had awesome parties at school. Shoe Box Valentine holders? Anyone? Good times. These days I still like Valentine's Day, but now I tend to think of it more as a built in stimulus for the economy. =)

Still, I try to think about"love" on this day...and not just the "ooey-gooey Russell Stover chocolate love" but the real stuff. The hard kind. The friendships that endure through all kinds of crap. The marriages that survive betrayal. The oppressed that can embrace the oppressor. I look through what I know of love in my life, and granted it is small, but I think what I know is true. Love is an action and a choice, not just happiness. Love is the final scene of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (best love story ever). Love is Corrie ten Boom forgiving the nazi who killed her sister. Love is ubuntu. Love is I Corinthians 13. Love is putting others' needs before your own. Love is having to say you're sorry a lot, but with deeds and not just words. Love is something I'm not as good at as I thought I was.

So I'll think on these things.

And today I'll settle for doing things that I love: sleeping in, writing with ballpoint pens, making two different types of pancakes (in valentine's day shapes) while listening to Joshua Tree on vinyl, playing guitar, taking a trip to Target and then on to Guitar Center. Maybe I'll get some chick-fil-a somewhere in there.. and perhaps a trip to the Container Store before trying to finish setting up my room. Tonight I'm going to a show. It's a good day.

I'll come back later to post about the awesomeness that was Andrew Bird on Thursday night, as well as giving you the lowdown on last nights Falling Whistles event (it went well, I went to bed at 5am if that's any indication).

For now, love to you!