L-O-V-E

Valentine's Day, like any holiday, can be a sweet shot in the arm or a pain in the ass. I don't remember much about getting valentines in grade school, but that might have been when I got my biggest haul.  My girlfriends and I would pass out corny little numbers like this:

I do remember that big green eraser Robbie Fisher gave me in second grade, but the best valentine of all came in a small heart shaped box of chocolates from my Dad and that Whitman guy.

By middle school I finally realized that it was all about the Boy giving the Girl an eraser, (I mean valentine) but now all that romantic jazz was fraught with anxiety for a scrawny little girl like me. Relationships were short lived or revolved around too many drama driven events including the always awkward mixers.  Boys would be glued to one wall of the gym with girls feigning indifference on the other....all of us psychically willing some young stag to leap across that Great Divide while a local band covered "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress." Sometimes the girls would just give up and start dancing with each other. Consequently valentines were few and far between.

The love department got a lot more exciting and even a tiny bit dangerous in high school, but I don't remember getting a single valentine....and, never mind.  I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say boyfriends yes; valentines NO. At least Dad still came through with the Whitman sampler.

But L-O-V-E love itself? Now that's another story.  "Love is a walk down Main Street. Love is an apple, honey so sweet." Love is Al Green. On Soul Train, no less.  Check out this video from 1975.  Doesn't that make you smile? Didn't watch it? Then go back and do so because this video is my valentine to you, dear readers. Take advantage of February 14th as a day to throw your heart around in unexpected directions. Call an old friend. Give a valentine to someone who least expects to get one.

Or bundle up a lover, a friend or even a neighbor and take them down to the Hamilton where Mister Newmyer has once again roped together a great gang of musicians to create another cool show. This time everyone's covering those cuddly mop tops' most romantic numbers. All you need is ....