This thing called L-O-V-E

It's the season of love once again, or so they say. This time of the year becomes another excuse for everyone to unleash his or her soft side and become mushier than ever. Another excuse for establishments to flood their stores with flowers, chocolates and cuddly bears and leave television shows and radio stations blaring with sappy love songs and shows that make me cry and puke at the same time (not necessarily in that order). Admittedly, all these cupid hangings and pink and red heart displays are too annoying for my taste. Of course, I've had my fair share of flowers and chocolates and cuddly bears and serenades, but who doesn't want to receive gifts no matter what occasion it may be? Not that I'm an unbeliever in love, as a matter of fact, I have placed a lot of hope in love, especially with my being in the brink of it nowadays. It's just that the fusion of overhyped v-day and my non-penchance for mushy stuff extremely saturates me. And to make matters worse, a singleton like me cannot escape the ever-lingering question of who I will go out with on this glorious all-hyped up hearts day. Just like the other day, I encountered this question for at least 10 times, yet it's fascinating to look at their reactions whenever I say that I won't go out and actually have never gone out on a v-day, ever, as in ever. They practically freak out and think I'm some kind of a lunatic (which I actually am). I have never actually thought that non-date on a v-day qualifies one as a lunatic, since all my closest friends don't go out on v-day as well. Actually, they don't date at all (save for one). Don't you just find it too arduous to go out on a day, or night for that matter, when everybody else is out? And since I'm the type of person who can't even finish January's worth of planner and prefers spontaneity, making reservations and plans is really not my thing.

Last night, I had the wonderful opportunity to have a talk with a friend in one of our Starbucks sessions (I really believe that Starbucks is the perfect place to hang out and catch up with friends and bond with new ones. I would have loved to talk more about this, but then again, it's worth a totally different blog entry in itself.)

Anyhow, it was quite enjoyable delving into the mind of a bohemian musician cum artist critic slash societarian (beat that!) while sipping a tall cup of good ol' white choco mocha (for free!). We were just sitting there, having our free-flowing conversation about music and people and family which eventually led to what else, that thing called love (I really blame the valentine frenzy for this). There I was, venting out my cynicism in valentine dates, valentine displays, valentine music and everything in between when he gave a reply which rendered me speechless. For someone as talkative as I am, being speechless is quite a rare occasion, therefore, what he said really stunned me, and affected me so, that I actually am writing a blog entry for it.

Going back to the conversation, he compared the valentine's day to one's birthday. And I quote, "Whoever declared that one should celebrate his or her birhtday? Isn't it the society itself? And since you love celebrating your birthday, why do you find celebrating v-day corny when that same society declared it as a celebration as well?" Which actually got me thinking, hmm... he actually has a point. Why is it that I find v-day stuff too corny when I actually enjoy christmas stuff (to the extent that I actually like setting up our chrismas tree at home and singing christmas songs at the top of my voice)? Except for the fact that christmas is actually a celebration of the Lord (and our heck of a society keeps on forgetting that) and that is the reason why I celebrate it, why don't I join in the celebration of something as good as love? Hmmm...

This valentine's day, I'm still quite unsure of what I will be doing. As of this writing, I have already received 2 invites, which I both turned down (for some personal reason I'd better keep to myself lest they stumble upon this blog). I might just as well spend the pre-v-day night (feb13 night) with my friends, but then again, we'll be spending feb14 night together anyway so why not spend feb 13 night with somebody else?

I've been in Starbucks mode for the past how many months now, and since the current Starbucks theme is trying out things you've never tried and done before (like the Valencia caffe latte which I don't recommend at all), I just might change my mind and go out tonight. Or better yet, spend time alone in Starbucks, get a grande double espresso nonfat soya milk vanilla frappuccino blended cream affogato-style, sit on a couch and have a date with myself...

Wait, I got a text message from ******, come to think of it, I just might have my first v-day date tonight...