Oh Valentine’s day: how I heart you and how you vex me. My stomach is killing me from all the chocolates I ate. My eyes are swollen from all the flowers surrounding me throughout the day. That pollen thing is a killer. A killer, I tell you. My nose won’t stop itching. At this point, my contact lens are stuck at the back of eye sockey. Wait, is that a typo? I meant socket, eye socket! Now I must cry to get the contacts unstuck.  Earlier, I nearly fell on rose petals that had fallen throughout the day on the subway’s stairwell. For some reason the 6:16pm train was way fuller than useful nearly causing me a brain aneurysm due to the extra volume of inane conversations in surround sound. Did you know that numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine? Oh, the pain and fury of Valentine’s Day.

But, mind you. I did get a fancy bag today. Three in fact this past week. That’s pretty awesome. All three handbags are in some way a variation on goth chic, to match my goth Christmas tree. Skulls and hearts and roses- how appropriately Valentines is that, eh?  Now, I have an excuse to go buy three new pairs of shoes to match my handbags. Well, it’s not like I really need an excuse to buy shoes. But I will take that Valentine’s day excuse nonetheless. I went to lunch today where they started preparing my favorite cocktail the second I entered the door. Now that’s love. LOVE, love in fact.

Speaking of love. Valentines is about that specific emotion right? Did you know that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the United States to profess that love sentiment?  Also, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year worldwide.  Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, usually to children. I was so lucky to get two such cards today.  In Slovenia, St Valentine was one of the saints of spring, the saint of good health and the patron of beekeepers and pilgrims.  So, valentines and the celebration of love, is about being stung with anticipation of change, a healthy heart, and a thirst for travel; along with some great accessories.  Just in case you didn’t know, in Puerto Rico Valentine’s Day is known as “Día del Amor y la Amistad” (Day of Love and Friendship).

Love, friendship, shoes and cocktails make for a great day! Happy Valentine’s Day!