“It’s Like a Red & Pink Nightmare, Man!”
I was going to discuss politics in late 1800’s US this week, but I kind of forgot about Valentine’s Day. Here we are, and it seems appropriate to post something to go along with that. So, I have a little (true) story for you:
When I was in college, I worked at the YMCA here in town (it was my first job in high school, and I kept it until I graduated college 11 years later). I was a supervisor in the aquatics department and a lifeguard, and I spent time between shifts and things mostly in the weight rooms, gettin’ buff and watching the guys get buff.
Needless to say, I met a *lot* of people working at the Y (and I was sick all the time, working with kids, which comes to mind today as I’m fighting off a light case of influenza A, because apparently hubby is gifting me illnesses for holidays now).
*Anyways*, I knew people. I watched guys. I talked to guys. I talked to my “friends” about guys. And one year on Valentine’s Day, I was given a heart-shaped pepperoni pizza at work with a “From your secret admirer” message.
I was a hopeless romantic back then, so of course I was super-excited, and told my friends all about it, and speculated on who it could possibly be. We all settled on a couple of options from the weight room guys, and I spent way too much time, energy and attention trying to figure out through manipulative conversation who the actual “admirer” was.
Long story short, my “friends” had sent me the pizza, and had a great laugh at my expense as I made an idiot of myself in front of the guys and them. They thought it was great fun, and when I told them it wasn’t fun at all for *me* (I was *mortified*), they said I was taking the whole thing too seriously.
But that’s me. I’m the serious one…I always have been. I can take a joke, sure, but when it involves making someone look bad in front of others or sending them on an emotional roller-coaster “just because”, I want nothing to do with it. I’m not and never want to be cruel or the source of that kind of “amusement”.
In any case, I have been less than enthusiastic about Valentine’s Day ever since, and aside from sharing a nice dinner and occasionally candy hearts with my husband (I’m making brownies tonight, because we’ve both been sick and I wasn’t sure we’d be able to eat or what), I really don’t celebrate.
Odd for someone who writes romance, eh? Fact is, while I form and feel connections with people very deeply, I rarely express it, as it’s almost always a disappointing and “empty” experience. Just my personality, I guess.
Also, I’m not super-fond of the colors red or pink, so there’s that. LOL I do really, really like old Victorian Valentine artwork, which is mauves and pinks and creams and lace and just truly delightful to my eye, so I’ll be starting a Victorian-love themed puzzle today (appropriately titled “Love’s Dream – pictured above).
If you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful, love-filled day. And if you don’t, I hope you still have a fantastic day, and do something nice for yourself.
Until next week,
Jamie
(I don’t love that signature image…need to make a new, transparent, smaller one, methinks)
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I never understood the point of Valentine’s day but then one year a neighbor left my dog Thorski one from her dog. It was such a sweet thing since he was sad when we went to work each day and cried for a bit because he was the new kid in the complex. Penny and Thor became friends. We also had her mom and dad as friends too.
I think love should be celebrated every day but that’s just me. We could use more of it in life than so many of us get especially animals.
I remember in grade school Valentine’s day felt like a click, fit in thing kind of like your story about the pizza. People got their feelings hurt in petty pranks or making fun of someone who didn’t get a card. That isn’t celebrating love or kind. Maybe we did grow up in a harsher time than we think sometimes?
I do love the idea of a surprise for the day to someone special. Today at my work everyone send out Valentine’s wishes in emails or on teams. It felt nice.
I can’t believe you worked at the YMCA. The first place I loved when I lived in Billings.
Happy Valentine’s day Jamie 💌🌺