Monday, February 14, 2011

The Fine Art of Surviving Valentine's Day


This is not my first Valentine's Day alone, so I have developed my own way of acknowledging the day, which involves a delicate balance of wallowing, laughing, and avoiding. All three elements of this plan are essential, but its best not to do too much of any one of them.

Ahead of time, I think its best to decide a treat for myself.... this year, a box of chocolates, as you can see above I have chosen 8th Sin, these have whole macadamia nuts in a soft, creamy blend of white, milk, and dark chocolate and are appealing in appearance. This is like my reward to myself for not turning into a bitter man hating cynic and at the same time help cheer me up if I get a bit sad about my life situation.


I also choose to read a book, or watch some movies, its a creative way to think about my life and get my feelings out. This year I have chosen to reread an all time favourite of mine, The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger... because it is a love story, but its tragic, so I don't have to experience someone else's happy ending, and its also such a fantastic, original, story that I don't focus on myself too much (remember: delicate balance!).
I usually decide on these things ahead of time, this way I can avoid going to the shops and its not a day I usually feel like being with other people on... but I broke my unwritten rule today and went to the shops (I had to get the chocolate!). Unfortunately there was an... how should I put this.... unpleasant? moment which has clouded my day, though my family finds it hilarious.
Sitting on a mall bench (unfortunately it afforded me views of both the florist and the bakery, very bad choice of locations) a woman began to talk to me. By freak chance, my Dad comes along and leans all over my shopping trolley, so the woman says 'is this your husband?' MASSIVE FREAK OUT I'm insulted, horrified, also worrying how old do I look today? since Dad is nearly 80 years old. I said 'no this is my dad', and get this, she has the nerve to say 'are you sure he's not your husband'!!!! I'M QUITE CERTAIN, THANK YOU.
Dad thinks its hilarious because he can guess exactly what my reaction is, I'm sure he saw the look on my face which she seemed to miss. I am not ready to be married to someone with prolific amounts of nasal and ear hair, with a stooped back, leathery face, and badly disguised baldness.
I'm usually mistaken for being 10 years younger.... its my baby skin. I know, I know, old dudes score hot chicks all the time now.... but my father could never, ever, score another woman in the rest of his life, if mum goes, that's it for him!
So I'm freaking out! Its totally distracting me from my habit of laughing at relationships past. I'm checking my head for grey hairs, looking closely at my face, thinking what happened to my 'lovely' time tested method of spending V-Day?
I will never leave the house on VDay again!

4 comments:

Mags118 said...

Hi Starry,
Sorry but I just couldn't help but laugh, there was something obviously very wrong with that women that thought your Dad was your Husband. It was just not your day at all, it's called the wrong place at the wrong time.

The chocolates look delicious a very nice treat indeed. I'm also a lover of chocolate but for some reason they never last long in this household. :)

Starry said...

haha, tell me about it, mine don't last too long either. I am quite proud of having gone 2 months without any chocolate over summer! But I knew this day was coming and that chocolate was the order of the day.

It is funny about the woman/dad/husband thing, even I can see that, even funnier is the effect its had on me.

I had been planning on having a good hard laugh about relationships past but I guess I don't need to now.

Spiral said...

Happy Valentine's Day Starry. I'm wearing your teapot earrings today and had someone compliment them! :)

It's my first Valentine's Day alone in about 11 years. However, I'm surrounded by friends and noone is making a fuss anyway. I've received a mintie, chocolate, texts and a card from friends and it has just been a pleasant mostly ordinary day.

When I'm out with my dad, people often think we're a couple. He's almost 60, I'm 33. Gets a little awkward sometimes but we often slip in comments to let people know what our relationship is. I've never had anyone question it!! Weird lady. Funny thing was when occasionally people thought my last boyfriend was my dad :p

Starry said...

I'm so glad the earrings are making you feel good and earning complements, and I love your friends for their little thoughtfulness-es. I used to always give one friend a year a valentine but people didn't get it... too American for them! I always had to explain...

I guess people like to make assumptions one way or another - either someone's your dad when he's not, or he's your partner when he's not! It probably didn't help the way my Dad leaned all over my trolley and put his bag down in it... he also never lets a woman push a trolley... a bit like how in a couple the man always drives except when he's been boozing!