I’m not going to say what I got, because my girlfriend might be reading this and I don’t want to spoil anything.

Anyway, Valentine’s Day. For me, it’s both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s a bad thing because I’m over here and all my family and loved ones are back in Oregon, so I can’t really talk to them or spend a lot of time with them except for the brief moments of skype or Facebook IMs. That makes me sad, because I would like to spend more time with them.

On the other hand, Valentine’s Day is a good thing because I can spend time recollecting on why I love my family. They’ve supported me, encouraged me to do the best I can (although sometimes it feels like there’s some disconnect between what I feel is my best and what everyone expects to be my best. I chalk it up as normal stress, but sometimes it feels like a giant sky bison is fighting a lemur while being cheered on by

It makes sense in context… also, Chakras

sheep and then a six armed Indian guy floats by and sings about Chakras… okay, I’m getting distracted). Anyway, my parents are awesome, and my whole family is awesome. I might not see them a whole lot, but I’ve gotten to thinking “Well, I might not see them a whole lot, but that means that I have to make the time that I am with them as special as possible”. and that’s what matters in the end; that we spend as much time with the people that we love, and even if we don’t have a lot of time together we get a chance to make it really special.

If this is sounding depressing, I blame the weather. I like snow and all, but I don’t like having to walk around in it day after day, always having to be careful in case there black ice somewhere beneath the snow drifts (although seeing the “snow gophers” is always amusing. I’d get some pictures, but they’re camera shy). I heard we’re supposed to get 50 degree weather and rain next week, and my inner Oregonian is going “yay” because admittedly I have more experience with rain than snow (and I won’t have to worry about slipping on ice). So to all potential Wabash students out there reading this blog, if you love snow I’d say come here to Wabash, if you don’t… well, still come here to Wabash, because Wabash is awesome and the snow will melt eventually.

Oh, more Valentine’s stuff. One thing I don’t care for about Valentine’s Day is the mass commercialism that seems to permeate 99% of all holidays. I do not enjoy seeing copious amounts of pink and red merchandise bombarding me, and I especially don’t like the heart shaped chalk they call candy and the magazines that tell you to “spice up your love life”.  I find it insulting that companies will browbeat and push people into accepting their definition of beauty. It’s even more insulting if a guy tries to make his girlfriend see things in the way that the magazine advertises; my girlfriend is perfect the way she is, and I don’t want her to change into some “idealized” definition of beauty because then she wouldn’t be the girl I know and care about.

Anyway, Happy Valentine’s Day. Stay true to yourself, love each other, don’t run with your spears and enjoy your time with your family.