I didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day on Valentine’s Day. There just seems to be too much going on, or too much pressure created by marketing people. Last year, I was in Costa Rica on Valentines Day and I didn’t see anything like the commercial holiday I see here.
Rather than succumb, I wanted to wait for Saturday to have a quiet moment with my Valentine and with some pizza and a movie. Call it simple. Call it boring. Call it whatever you want. For me it was Today’s Perfect Moment.
Too often there is a way everyone expects things to be done. What you should understand is that I am an Aquarian through and through. That means there is also the way I want things done, and most often there are going to be different. Today I wanted it done this way.
Happy Valentines Day Sarah.
Honorable Mention
A beautiful Lamborghini passed me while driving to get the pizza. That exotic breed is unlikely to be seen in these parts during Winter. It revved its engine, but never had the chance to race off into the distance.
Before explaining Today’s Perfect Moment, I want to explain a few of the Honourable Mentions.
Honourable Mentions
A couple of my students gave me going away presents. I often get presents, but since Today was Valentine’s Day, I expected their chocolate/gift budget would be oriented toward their significant others. Since it wasn’t, I got a lovely bookmark and two boxes of Lindt Chocolate. Despite the Valentine’s Day theme, I don’t think these were for Valentine’s Day.
Preparation for the trip continues to roll on.
The temperature was into double digit lows plus the wind-chill but I didn’t have to wait for a bus today. When I arrived at the stops, the bus was already there waiting.
My lunch tasted good.
Today’s Perfect Moment
My teaching hours changed this past week. While I didn’t appreciate the shorter work hours and now have to find creative ways to recover them, there is one thing I did enjoy. I finished work early on a Friday for the first time since….actually I don’t remember when it was. I suspect it was mid Spring last year.
Normally I have to teach until 6:30 on a Friday. By the time, I get my administrative duties completed and putting stuff back, it is closer to 7 before I can leave the building. Today was different. I walked out the door at 3:30. The sun was still shining!
I should also add that this was my last day of work until my vacation is over. This made it extra-special. Obviously, it is Today’s Perfect Moment. It also didn’t feel too bad when everyone wished me a great vacation either.
It’s Valentine’s day and I am not involved in any romance. I had no fancy dinner date, or romantic dinner at home with bottles of wine and chocolate soufflés. Fortunately, I am a teacher, and sometimes the students bring you chocolate.
Also fortunately, I took a picture of the chocolate before I devoured it.
I wasn’t feeling this way…but a lot of people seemed to be
On the radio and in the newspaper the powers that be have dubbed this “Blue Monday.” The idea being that this is the most depressing day of the year. Really? Today? People who can’t get the weather right or even predict who will win an Oscar can somehow determine that today is supposed to be the saddest of the year?
Wait, it was scientists that determined this? Shouldn’t they be looking for the cure to cancer or AIDS or ALS, rather than trying to pinpoint the most depressing day? There are a million other more productive things they could be working on (like a way to get around Netflix blocking Canadians from American Netflix).
I digress. Today was supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. Based on my experience, that is a misnomer if there ever was one. Today should have been called grumpy Monday, or grouchy Monday, or stop bellyaching Monday. Everyone just seemed angry today. Just getting off the subway was a chore since this was the first time nobody waited until all the departing riders got off first. As a matter of fact, I didn’t see a smile or a kind word until a fellow commuter apologized for bumping me and dragging my from my now all too common sleep on the bus. If not for that I would have been in for a smile free day–and since that was mostly an apologetic somewhat ashamed courtesy smile, I am not even sure it counts.
Perhaps this was a marketing idea like Valentine’s day, or White Day (a big deal in Asia). The evidence is clear since even the movie theatre tried to get into the act by offering “pick me up romantic comedies” to the depressed. Since they didn’t offer a discount and since most of that is available on Netflix, I am not sure who well that is going to go over.
I understand that everyone is getting ready to pay their Christmas credit card bills, and some people are worried about the upcoming Valentine’s day, but really, was today worse than last Monday? Additionally, if you are a depressed person, don’t you feel like they’re using this word a little too loosely?
I think I’ll stick with disgruntled Monday. I like the way it rolls off the tongue (not smoothly at all).
Today’s Perfect Moment comes courtesy of either lingering Yule feeling or collective laziness. Since it provided a wonderful moment, who am I to quibble over the circumstances.
This evening saw me on an quick errand for milk. This is largely because I indulge my coffee habit every morning and while I don’t take sugar, milk is necessary. My “cream only” sister is probably shaking with rage right now, but I need to get on to the perfect moment and can do nothing to assuage her ire.
My errand for milk would normally have seen me take a quick trip in the car. I am not lazy, but colder temperatures do not inspire me to walk. Fortunately, undeclared New Year’s Resolutions aim at getting fit and thus resulted in a walk rather than a drive. You see, I can combat some habits (like driving) while completely turning a blind eye to others (coffee addiction). Fortunately, it wasn’t nearly as cold as some other winter nights.
While walking back, thinking profound and less than profound thoughts, wondering about tonight’s hockey game, considering my lesson plans for tomorrow, and dreaming of unrequited loves, I came upon a house with Christmas lights. While not uncommon in the neighbourhood, these struck a chord with me.
Maybe it is because the houses on either side were unlit, or maybe because it was a house on the crest of a small incline, but these stood out. They were all white (clear? frosted?) and hung in an irregular curtain pattern. Their elegant simplicity reminded me that we are still in a beautiful season that when stripped of its rampant commerciality (they’ve moved onto Valentine’s Day) there is a wonderful spirit of peace, love and giving.
I didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day on Valentine’s Day. There just seems to be too much going on, or too much pressure created by marketing people. Last year, I was in Costa Rica on Valentines Day and I didn’t see anything like the commercial holiday I see here.
An Archive of Perfect Moments 