BAH-LOVE-DAY!

Wow! this is a tough one, this Valentine's Day 2021, I'm 52 years old and always had a valentine, well maybe missed a few years in between 2 failed marriages, but in between and in my younger days I had a collection of boyfriends, and of course lots of heartaches. Nowadays, with online dating I find it challenging and nauseating! I can't drink enough wine to face the technology of trying to find love. I get a lot of messages, some are actually enticing but then poof! where did he go? Just writing that I figured out the first song for my anti-valentine's day playlist....ready? are you still there?, the thrill is gone by B.B.King. You know what I'm writing about, once the high, the euphoria, the bliss of love hits reality that is when the thrill starts to diminish, sometimes slowly and painfully or immediatley like a flash in the pan.

Now, this Valentine's Day I really tried to pretend wasn't happening and I probably could of mentally willed it away but I had to go to work. My job is, are you ready for this? I am a baker and cake decorator, yes heart shaped cakes too! Excuse me while I go barf! Now you see I couldn't run from it, I couldn't drink it away, I couldn't pretend it was my birthday! On this Valentine's Day and probably the only day this past year I was glad to be wearing a mask to hide my clenched jaws, my sourpuss.

After work, I went to the grocery store and bought myself flowers, champagne, lobster tails, a cake, a stuffed koala bear; and two toys for my dogs Lola and Simon for our Valentine's Day party. Yes, I was feeling a bit manic, desperate, depressed, anxious and needed something, someone, anything, everything... a spoonful of sugar , where is Mary Poppins when I really need her?

Well I'd like to tell you that I got home and I was madly in love with myself and the party with Lola and Simon(my dogs) was a blast, but I did try, I really did! Instead, I forgot all about the lobster tails and popped the bubbly. I had enough heart to give Lola and Simon their treats and I sat in candlelight drinking my champagne, listening to my Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist reminiscing my past love's. Then I realized I should of bought a case of champagne, luckily I still had some sense and stayed put, that's all I need is a DUI on Valentine's day to boot!

Instead, I played my Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist. some songs I danced to and some I cried to, but I made it through to the next day. Although, with a hangover and bulging eyes I survived and still have a little bit of hope left in my heart for that oh so sweet, thrilling feeling that only love can bring to the human heart.

Until then my Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist still plays in my mind. These songs are a part of a love story in my life, and are in many ways a part of me because of that fact. There's a quote or two that I recall about music and love; "Where words fail music speaks" by Hans Christian Anderson. Another one that comes to mind , "Music is the soundtrack of your life", by Dick Clark.

Now, my fellow Valentine's I present my Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist, BAH-LOVE-DAY! :

1. The Thrill Is Gone, B.B King

2. It's A Heartache, Bonnie Tyler

3. You're No Good, Linda Rondstat

4. Desperado, Eagles

5. My Achy Breaky Heart

6. Gimme One Reason, Tracy Chapman

7. I Hate Myself For Loving you, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

8. Two out of Three, Meatloaf

9. Another One Bites the Dust, Queen

10. Heartbreaker, Pat Benatar

11. Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar

12. The Winner Takes It All, Abba

13. Cold As Ice, Foreigner

14. Jar of Hearts, Christine Perri

15. DONE, The Band Perry

BAH-LOVE-BUG