February 14: Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day
So, there are a lot of things I don't like about Valentine's Day. For example, where our roses and diamonds come from. But less urgent, and closer to home, here's something else I don't like about Valentine's Day: it tries to divide people up into two neat categories. (1) People who are madly in love and happy. (2) People who are single, sad, and pathetic.
C'mon! That's so reductive! There are a bajillion kinds of people; there are a bajillion ways to live; there isn't one good, happy way to be and one bad, sad way to be -- COME ON!
This is why I'm renaming February 14th Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day. Here are some identities in which there is NO SHAME on that day (or on any other day!):
- A person who is thinking about getting a divorce but isn't sure.
- A person who has decided to have a cat and begonias instead of a husband and kids even though it will disappoint her mother.
- A person who has decided to move to Massachusetts and marry his boyfriend even though it will anger his father.
- A person who is holding the hand of her lover who is about to have sex reassignment surgery.
- A person who is in the 53rd year of a relationship that has been totally worth the commitment.
- A person who is in the 53rd year of a relationship that has NOT been worth the commitment. (This may be the same person as person #1, I'm not sure.)
A person who is in love with the art of canned food sculpture.- A person with a broken heart who is sobbing.
- A person who feels that just because a relationship ended, that doesn't mean it failed.
- A person who is simply too tired to care about Valentine's Day because her twin toddlers are sticking macaroni up their noses AGAIN.
- A person who loves Valentine's Day, wears pink, has heart socks, loves being in love, and sends everyone valentines. (Ahem. Cordelia.)
- A person who doesn't know what she wants or how she feels, and possibly never will.
- A person who's in love with more than one person.
- A person who thinks he'll never find anyone who understands him.
- A single parent who is contentedly spending Valentine's Day with his children.
- A person who's stunned to realize she's fallen back in love with that bozo. Maybe he isn't a bozo after all. The jury's still out.
- A person who is both naughty and nice.
- A person who lives on the International Space Station, where the very idea of romance pales in comparison to being able to look out the window at the entire earth.
- An alien crossing the galaxy in her spaceship in pursuit of her one true love who has been kidnapped by her archenemy, Kryzxsdf9i5555++++++ (loose transliteration).
- Me.
- You.
Who did I miss?
Here's a short video, all about love. Watch with tissues on hand. (Props to my friend and fellow writer, Tui Sutherland, who blogged it first! Thanks, Tui!)
Here's where you can sign a letter to the state Supreme Court of California, asking them to invalidate Proposition 8, reject Ken Starr's case, and allow loving, committed couples to marry. Please note that you must do so by February 14 for your signature to count! [EDIT 2/13/09: The deadline has now been extended to March 2!]
Here's a link to Fairly Traded flowers.
Here's one with tips for how to avoid conflict diamonds.
(Here's me hoping I'm not being too preachy today.)
Happy Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day, everyone! :o)
Comments
@E. M. Reads: it will work out, eventually. It might not work out in this particular round of litigation, but the trends are clear. All you have to look at the demographics of which age groups support which stances to see that. yAt!
And thank you so, so, so much for posting that video and the link to sign the letter. It is a heartbreaking video to watch -- and so very, very important.
Happy Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day!
Valentines day was originally concieved by the catholics. The Pagans had a holiday on Feb. 14 for fertility for couples. Now the catholics had told the pagans that they could celebrate whatever holiday they wanted, unless is coincided with a catholic holiday. Thus Valentines day was crapped out their powdered butts and the pagans were foreced to stop their fertility celebration. (note I myself am a christian and don't hate or love either of those religions)
BTW I am the madly in love person, but I'm also the person who has to work on Valentines day and will be celebrating a week later when everything Valentines day is clearanced!
Ah well, Happy Be Who You Are day
I wish I'd gotten the tissues before playing that. It brings to mind Gov. Deval Patrick's words after his daughter publicly revealed she was a lesbian. He said, "I can still -- because we live in Massachusetts -- I can still imagine what Katherine's wedding is going to be like."
I love my home state beyond all its flaws for making moments such as that possible.
~Jen
btw - back somewhere in your blog - the post about 'To Find my Wooden Leg' - Dropkick Murphys!!!!!!
You make me smile :)
I think I kinda love you a little.
I am the person in the happily committed relationship who hates roses for Valentines Day (be original, people!), who would rather have tulips, but who never gets them, so gave up a long time ago about caring about Valentine's Day at all! Ok, does that sound bitter? It wasnt meant to be because I am totally OK w/not liking V Day. I am VERY fine w/getting nothing. You know when V day was fun? When I was in Elementary school making valentines for my class mates. That was fun. Now that I am 29...not so much. It is just another holiday for business' to make bank on all us poor consumers who feel OBLIGATED to buy someone something for this dumb holiday. I should probably save this, but I feel the same way about V day cards, gifts, matching pink outfits and socks that I do about getting pinched on St Patty's day for not wearing green. Annoyed. But, no matter how annoyed it makes me, I can always log on here and read something you wrote and smile all over again!!
Happy IBWYAD!
Btw, you never commented on your thoughts on Hunger Games...I loved it.
I can't thank you enough for the video. I watched it at work - shhh! - and it was a ray of sunshine in my otherwise dull cubicle. Thank you infinite amounts, Kristin!
Happy whatever. :)
I haven't watched the video, but I'm sure I'll love it. I know that "official" marriage is very important to many, many people, but if it's any consolation, I have always felt that if I *choose* to be married to someone, no one else can do anything to fault that.
Also, my mom gives each of my siblings and me a small gift on Valentine's day. She started doing this when my Grandmother's (her mother) funeral was on Valentine's day. It is always something meaningful that says 'I love you for who you are.' That sentiment most definitely coincides with my Kristin's new title ;) Happy IBWYA Day!
"With wonder, she smiled" (Cuzak).
--Candelion
i am trapped in a lovey-dovey world.
please send a life raft.
found this in a bottle of my own making.
You get my Seal of Approval.
(bet you already knew that)
If you figure out how to be both the person not wanting to be tied to/belong to anyone but at the same time kinda does, please let me know!! I totally struggle with that (and I'm married!). I am such an independent person. I love it. I love everything about it. Alone. Aw, that's such a nice word! But at the same time, there are those days when it's good to have someone to come home to. But that doesnt mean we have to like hearts and pink and all that Vday crapola! Haha!
Amanda - I think it's so CUTE that your son made you a black valentine heart! That is awesome! I am wearing black tomorrow just because! :)
Sarah P, steal away :o)
EM -- YES, like gnomicutterance said, it will work out!
Jen H -- FINALLY, after months, someone recognizes the Dropkick Murphys!!! Figures it's a Mass resident who recognized it :o). YOU WIN! (and loved that quote from Patrick....)
Tink, you're right, I never did -- I LOVED The Hunger Games. Great book.
Amanda, the black heart CRACKED ME UP. Go Callum!
Natasha, that sounds like a lovely thing you have planned, and Candelion, what a lovely tradition.
I'm so glad y'all likes my list and especially the video -- please pass it on!
I also felt bad about getting a rose today. :[
Why does the world have to be so screwed up sometimes?
No guilt!
(And seriously, yes, with the crying...)
also like you Valentines post, being single its always odd to see everyone plan for a single day and i dont get whey they dont do it randomly throughout the year.
One question about the book: The US back cover shows a woman's eyes which I assume are meant to be Katsa's. But they are not two different colors. Or, if they are, they are too subtle to really tell and one should recognize a graceling immediately, shouldn't one?
Again, thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to more great stories from you.
Libby
But last year I decided it's kinda stupid to hate a day celebrating love. Coz love is kinda awesome.
So last year, on Valentines Day, I walked around the local mall all day wearing bright pink tights and a cute stripy scarf, (I was wearing a top and skirt too lol) holding a giant plush rose, and I played a game.
I smiled at people, and if they smiled back, I got points.
It was fun, i mostly got weird looks, because hey, I looked weird, but I definitely made at least thirty people smile.
I posted about your blog (and this post) on my blog today here and I will be forwarding a link to this post to several of my friends -- the ones that don't read my blog too often!
Happy belated Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day! (OK, so we might need to shorten that a bit, if it's going to catch on...)
Thanks, everyone, for your really sweet posts and great V-Day stories!
Libby
Thanks :o)
If not now, someday love will win. Kisses for everyone ;)
Overall, great post :D