It's February 1st, Do You Know Where Your Mind Is?

Sorry folks, that's the best title I could come up with. I guess I'm not in much of a headline writing mood, but whatever. But I know I did come to post a blog tonight for a reason. That reason is to spread the word that Valentine's Day is coming. A sign at the Student Center bookstore said it best, and I'm taking it as my own little motto for the pseudo-holiday "Valentine's Day is February 14th. Consider Yourself Warned." I first noticed that when I went to pick up my books, standing in the super long line. Of course I was stopped in front of the Valentine's Day display of books and stuffed bears that sang. And of course some idiot decided it'd be cool to make everyone of those stupid little bears sing and then film it on his phone as I heard him mutter "my girlfriend would enjoy this." Personally I wanted to take my basket of books and knock him in the forehead.

I digress.

Valentine's Day is the bane of my existence. Okay, maybe I'm going a little too far with that, lemme try it again. I hate Valentine's Day with an undying passion rivaled by few things. Of course my hatred for Valentine's Day takes a back seat to:

1. The St. Louis Cardinals
2. Duke basketball
3. Ohio State football
   
4. Creighton basketball
5. The Chicago White Sox

I'm sure there are things I'm missing but as of now that's my not-so-happy list.

Valentine's Day is a horrible day (for me) let's just face facts. It's never been a good day for me. As a child, I got the least amount of Valentine's Day cards. I never had a girlfriend on Valentine's Day, you know how much it sucks when everyone else does? Then there are the times that I just go out of my way to fuck up Valentine's Day (i.e. "I really, really, really.....like you.") for example. Oh and then there's the times I actually made efforts and got rejected in a way Dikembe Mutumbo would envy. Don't forget, you're talking about Mr. Cursed, Mr. "I Believe In Black Cats & Billy Goats", Mr. I Can Pull A Sports Reference All The Time When I Talk About My Love Life....

....oh yeah and then there was this....(see below)

I think the worst Valentine's Day was in 1998, when I heard on the news that my idol, Cubs announcer Harry Caray, suffered a heart attack while at dinner with his wife Dutchie in Arizona. Harry died soon thereafter. Think about it, my idol fucking dies on Valentine's Day; I think that's a sign of a day that's not meant for me to be happy. I cried when I found out he died. But this blog isn't about Harry Caray (R.I.P. Uncle Harry, you're still missed.)

But for once, this Valentine's Day is different in a way. For the first time in a long time (if ever) there is no girl that I'm head-over-heels in love with. There is no girl that I am willing to go out of my way to make her mine. Well, technically there is one girl but she's kinda taken. Damn you Tony Romo, damn you to hell! (Ha! you thought I was gonna play a certain card didn't ya? I know you did...I almost did, but damn Tony Romo for taking my Carrie Underwood!) Anyway, this year, she (being the single version of the girl of my dreams) doesn't exist, and to be honest it's kinda weird. Usually it's quiet nights like this in which I plot my Valentine's Day mission and I'm all giddy and happy and hopeful and all that stuff that leads to major let down when you get the cold shoulder. I tell you what, there's nothing like rejection on Valentine's Day.

So what's Lu gonna do for Valentine's Day this year? To be honest, I have no clue. I can't get super drunk because I have a major writing assignment due the next day. The beneficiaries of this of course are my roommates who won't have to deal with "lonely/depressed/drunk about being single Lu" and my computer chair that usually gets tossed in rage/anger/depression. Since V-Day falls on a Wednesday this year I have two classes; hopefully I won't be stuck on campus too long so I won't have to deal with the potential of happy couples. As for Wednesday night, an early dinner followed by a night of writing a paper for POLS 352I. You know, if I get it done early, I can still get completely trashed on V-Day. I guess that'd be pretty sweet.

The safest bet for me on Valentine's Day is to stay away from the radio, the telephone stay off instant messaging services (or the internet as a whole) and to trap myself in my room, only emerging to use the restroom and cook food (and of course go to class.)

My hopes for Valentine's Day are small. All I want is my mom to send me Fannie Mae chocolates from Chicago because if not for them Valentine's Day would just be officially the worse day in the history of mankind. Even ranking below "Bartman Day."

To be honest, a part of me wants to get that assignment done A.S.A.P. so maybe I could have a chance to go drinking at the bar, in hopes for a Valentine's Day special. Nah, let's not get my hopes up.

*Sighs* For Valentine's Day there will be no act of defiance towards V-Day lovers. I'll try to get on with my day on a normal schedule, nothing special and try to act like it's just another day; because really it is. It shouldn't even be a holiday cuz I still have to go to school!

And of course, the Cubs fan in me will get the final word in this all. I know it's cliche to say "with every cloud there's a silver lining," but this year I believe it. With the gray cloud of Valentine's Day hovering, February 14th brings one positive. It is the day where Cubs pitchers and catchers report to Mesa, Arizona for Spring Training and it is the first day in a season that hopefully ends with a World Series championship in October. February 14th: The 1st Day Cubdom Strikes Back.

I guess it won't all be bad...until I find out that Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are out for the season already. But let's hold off on that for a while.

Hope you enjoyed my rant that makes absolutely no sense, but it felt good to write it!