my funny valentine

i've been so busy at work this week that i haven't had much time to think about 2/14. which is a good thing.

but on my way into work today, i passed by a former flame in my car. (well, "flame" may be a bit overstated in this case...we were more like friends who kissed each other.) i honked the horn and he kind of half turned and i wasn't sure if he knew it was me. so i called him, in part to let him know it was me and in part to razz him a bit for not returning my calls or text messages. (i'm not trying to rekindle things -- there goes the fire reference again! -- but we've been threatening to meet for sushi for a few weeks and haven't made it happen yet.) he answered, laughing, saying he figured out it was me, and asked me how i was doing. i said i would be doing better after today was over, and he said he felt the same way. then he told me that he was telling his best friend that he wanted to call me to meet for sushi but was afraid to call me this week because of this so-called "holiday." he didn't want me to think he was trying to capitalize on it or something like that. "i told him i'd call you next week, just to be safe," he said. it's hard for me to capture why and how that was so funny in words, but basically he was sharing that guys are terrified of valentine's day, whether single or not. i've noticed that three potential online date connections have gone cold on me this week and i was starting to feel a bit paranoid. but maybe it's just that they are going to wait until this day (or even week) passes so no one gets confused. somehow it was reassuring to understand that this day freaks guys out too, though perhaps in a different way than i feel. ah, the psychology of dating, endlessly fascinating.

eat some chocolate for me today, peeps. xo, md