So you've read part one and you're back for more - I'm starting to think people agree with my views? Today wasn't quite what I had in mind in terms of field research by I think I've made a sufficient number of observations today to get this post rolling. Mixed with my 'message for the year', what lies ahead should be good.
I predicted this morning that I was going to get a hard time for my Valentine's day posting routine. I also said that there was a good chance I was going to get the whole 'it's because you're single' tripe from folk. I ended up not seeing an awful lot of people when I went to university so sidestepped any such abuse. Suffice to say that had I seen certain people today and spoken to them, my ears might not be as cold as they are now due to the bleeding.
I had coffee with a very good friend of mine and because of the nice chat we had, I actually forgot that I was riled about the coming of the 14th of February. I was greeted by the roses and crap cards as soon as I walked into a shop afterwards, but for an hour I was able to forget the trials that I create for myself, and enjoy a good cup of joe in good company. Might be the best way I've ever spent this otherwise abhorrent day.
When I was out and about I did notice a few things. First, the library was particularly quiet today which could either be because it is Friday or because it's Valentine's day. I believe that I'm in the majority when it comes to law students being single, but that is not to say that there was not a chunk of my peers out tending to the charade today. Shame on them.
I then made my way home after finding no focus in the library whatsoever - the excitement of writing tonight clearly got to me. I noticed an unusually large number of couples walking around, looking lovingly at each other. Whereas yesterday it would have been 'have you put the bins out', today it is 'I love you more than words can say, and here is a teddy to prove it'. I venture that tomorrow's conversation will return to the standard 'you left the toilet seat up' or 'why are you not ready yet?' stuff, but who am I to say?
Having finally made it back to the normality of my flat, I started to think about what this year's message might be - well first I tried to do some dissertation work but it didn't happen. I like to put a little moral at the end of my otherwise unconvincing, and borderline jealously fueled, argumentation but I couldn't for the life of me come up with anything. Then it started snowing/raining and I know immediately what I had to do.
I've never run in snow before, but it wasn't too bad. Maybe I should have been wearing more than shorts and a couple of t-shirts (hat and gloves were included too!) but I enjoyed the experience nevertheless. One thing that you are guaranteed to get when you are out running in the snow is dirty and confused looks from people on the street and on buses, wrapped up warm against the elements. I've been for a few runs in similar conditions but today more than ever before it struck me just how isolated one can make themself when they want to. I was running a few metres away from people, but I felt like I was in a different world.
There is a certain amount of clarity to be had from having frozen thighs and forearms that I look forward to achieving again.
So what does this all have to do with Valentine's day? It struck me, while my lungs were burning in this perfect isolation, that we ascribe too much to norms. Today you will see your newsfeed on Facebook clogged up with either (a) couples or (b) single people telling you they are alone tonight.
I've said my piece on the former. As for the latter, I don't get it. For the same reason that I don't feel that people should feel the need to express their love on a particular day of the year, I also don't feel that people should be dragged down by the fact that they are not 'with someone' tonight. You'll (invariably) still be single tomorrow but for some reason you won't care as much - why?
Yet again I'm able to call on the great man for guidance here. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Elvis Costello's vast back-catalogue contains a song for pretty much every emotion and thought. Tonight I remembered the track that I've put below and was pleased to find a live version with a wee bit of Costello's great words at the start.
You can take whatever message you want from these blog posts, but keep in mind that today is like any other and if you ain't happy then do something about it. Don't just get all emotional tonight and then go on as normal tomorrow. I will be, but then again I'm happy - I might have mentioned that already?
Thanks for reading tonight's posts and I hope you have a great Friday night just like you usually should.
Martin.
