What a difference a year makes...

Exactly one year ago today, I posted a blog (only the second one I'd ever written) about Valentine's Day from the single perspective.  Twelve short months later, I am on the verge of my first non-single Valentine's Day.  I'm sure I'll blog about the experience later this week, but for today I felt like looking back on where I was last Valentine's Day.  What a difference a year makes!  Since I had exactly two followers when I originally posted this, it should be new for most of you.  Enjoy!

Happy Single Awareness Day!
(or you can call it by it's initials...SAD)



They finally decided to make a card for this underground holiday?!

It's that time of year again, the florists' Black Friday. Time for hearts and flowers, chocolates and candy hearts, cards and stuffed animals. I like Valentine's Day, in theory. A day where you pay extra attention to the one you love by showering them in gifts and flowers? Sweet! (Not tooth ache sweet, but more Dude, Where's My Car? sweet) If that was the way it ever turned out for me, I would be all about this holiday.

I am a single girl. Girl? Woman? The debate rages on in my head. Now that I am thirty-two, woman seems more appropriate, but the chick in my head isn't quite ready to let go of being a girl yet. Wow, I just put my age in print on the internet. Aren't I Little Miss Maturity? I'm just barely over thirty, just a scosh past it, nowhere near approaching forty... those therapy sessions are still years and years away. Deep breathes, Lainey. Head between the knees. You're okay, you're okay. But, I digress. I am a single put whichever noun you feel would be most appropriate here and as a singleton, Valentine's Day is not really a beloved holiday for me.

A few years ago, when the ratio of my single friends to married friends tipped more heavily to the single side, I would get together with my single friends on Valentine's Day. We'd meet up at a restaurant and celebrate Single Awareness Day. For those of you who've never heard of it, Single Awareness Day is the companion holiday to Valentine's Day. It's kinda like Festivus, as it is a holiday for the rest of us who don't have the pre-requisite loved one necessary to celebrate Valentine's Day. Sports bars work best for Single Awareness Day celebrations as they tend to have less couples related activities on Cupid Day. We'd have some laughs, talk about our adventures in singledom, and go home feeling like it was okay that we were still single on this most coupled holiday.

Now, the scales have shifted and the single friend pool has dwindled. Everybody (or at least it feels that way sometimes) has gotten married and I'm still single. Normally, this doesn't bother me that much. By and large, I like being single. There are some benefits to being single in the world today. I don't have to tell anybody where I'm going or when I'll be home. I can spend my money as I please without having to explain my purchases to anyone. I have total control of every remote control in my house. How many married people can say that?

Even with my "single and loving it" attitude, I can admit that there are times (not often, but occasionally) when I wish for something other than my single status. When I get sick or break a bone (a new experience for this year), I really wish there was someone else in my house to take care of me. When I light the Christmas tree lights and lay on the couch in my darkened living room, I wish I had someone to snuggle with while I enjoy the glow. When I play with my adorable nephew, I sometimes wish I had one of my own to play with and tickle (something I won't do while I still have my single status). And, of course, on Valentine's Day when co-workers are receiving floral deliveries and friends are talking about their plans for the evening, I wish that I had someone to send me flowers or make evening plans. Whoa, this got heavy all of a sudden! Quick, back to the lighter side before somebody reading this gets SAD.

So, if like me, you don't have a Single Awareness Day celebration to attend this year, then you have a choice to make.

Option #1: Sit at home watching sappy movies on Lifetime with a box of Kleenex.

Option 1: Pulling a Bridget Jones.

Option #2: Go to dinner at mom's house where you'll undoubtedly be presented with a Valentine's Day card and a box of chocolates.

Option 2: Momma's home cooking and some TLC

Option #3: Get out of the house and make your own Single Awareness Day celebration.

Yeah, I'm leaning towards option 3, too.

As my BFF pointed out in the comment section of the original post, I ended up choosing option 2.  Everybody wants a card and candy on Valentine's Day, even if it's only from Mom.  On a happier note, I now have most of the things I longed for in this post.  I had someone to snuggle with on the couch while looking at the Christmas lights in December .  I've got someone in the house to take care of me when I get sick and I'm pretty sure that I'll be getting a special delivery from the florist at work sometime tomorrow.  At least, I hope there will be or else my honey's going to have some explaining to do when I get home. 

Happy Valentine's Day to all my coupled readers!  Make sure you show the love to that someone special in your life tomorrow.  Happy Single Awareness Day to all my single readers!  May it be a day of enjoying all the benefits of singledom.  Enjoy hogging the remote control for me while you're at it.  I never get to control mine anymore.  I'm lucky if I even know it's location nowadays.

But, losing control of the remote seems like a fair trade for all the other wonderful things I get from being with my honey.  I love you, Jay!  Happy Valentine's Day!