Happy Friday, friends!
How are you guys doing? Did you have a good Valentine’s? Are you nursing a chocolate hangover? I have to be honest – I almost titled this post “How I Survived Valentine’s Day,” but that seemed a little too melodramatic seeing as yesterday was a pretty darn awesome day. Did I get swept off my feet by the love of my life and whisked off into a brilliant sunset? Not exactly, but I did:
… start the day with a smile thanks to an e-mail from a very special guy friend…
… do a little bit of [grocery] shopping…
Watermelon – Cantaloupe – Bananas – Apples – Cherry tomatoes – Blueberries – Cucumber – Baby carrots.
Annie’s Snack Mix – Puffins – Kashi Cinnamon Harvest – Strawberry kiwi applesauce – Dagoba chocolate – Maisie Jane’s almond butter – Kidney beans – Canned pumpkin – Dried figs.
Oikos plain Greek yogurt – Eggs – Frozen mango – Kombucha – Nature’s Path frozen waffles – Mapleton’s Organics vanilla ice cream – Ezekiel cinnamon raisin English muffins.
… get a big kick out of seeing a good number of sad looking guys picking up last minute flowers and chocolates at the grocery store.
… pick up some aforementioned flowers and chocolates for my very own Valentine [read: my momma]…
… pick up a little something for myself as well…
Revlon ColorStay in Vintage Rose and Pale Cashmere – Revlon nail enamel in Sparkling.
… use aforementioned “something for myself” on myself…
I did…
… cringe every time I heard someone say “V-Day” because it made my mind go to a dirty place…
… wonder why they feel the need to use industrial strength adhesive to apply a label to a plastic garbage can…
… and wonder why aforementioned industrial strength adhesive wasn’t around when I was trying to hang posters [that kept falling] on my wall as a teen.
In addition to all that, I did…
… enjoy a drink, even though I spent the majority of the time swirling the bottle around and trying to make sure the mother didn’t touch my lips…
… eat my prunes 😉
… enjoy some mandatory chocolate thanks to a well-timed package from the beautiful Lucie, which subsequently made me remember how ridiculously blessed I am when it comes to my friends…
And finally, I did…
… find a few spare moments to bake some treats…
… and spend the rest of the night enjoying those treats while glued to the TV next to my Valentine [read: my momma] watching this girl put on a good show…
(bonus points if you can name that movie!!)
. – . – . – .
So that was my Valentine’s in a nutshell. Extraordinary? Not exactly. Fabulous and full of love? Without a doubt. Despite not seeing Mr.Starbucks at all and basically rocking the single girl status, I had a really great day.
I got a few questions after yesterday’s post asking me if I’m okay with things not working out with Mr.Starbucks, and to be perfectly honest, yes… I am. I’ve think I’ve gotten to the point where I’m pretty comfortable with myself and being alone – being with someone actually feels pretty strange and takes some getting used to. Does that mean that I’m all: “YEAH! Being single ROCKS!!!11!!! Screw relationships!!! Single 4 Lyfe!!!!” Not exactly. But I am all for enjoying life and making the most of the hand that I was dealt. I can’t exactly change my situation, and I’m not going to settle for anyone but Mr.Right, so until he comes along, well… I’ll keep finding other things to be happy about. There are happy single people and sad single people, just like there are happy committed people and sad committed people. Attitude trumps situation.
. – . – . – .
For all my single ladies, does anyone else dislike dating as much as I do? Small talk. Awkwardness. Getting to know each other. Ugh! Can I please just skip all that nonsense and wake up already in love with my best friend?
For those in a relationship, where did you meet your other half?
Your valentine’s day sounds fabulous! I’m jealous haha 🙂 Grocery shopping is always one of my favorite activities, and your nails look AMAZING!! I wish I could do that to mine…I always mess up. Joe and I met in a bar…I swore I’d never date someone I met there…we’ve been together two years…God’s little joke, I think…He likes it when I tell him my plans…gets a kick out throwing them off 😉
Ditto! I spend so much time carefully planning things, and then life happens 🙄 Makes me wonder why I bother…
my thoughts exactly
That quote is SO TRUE!!!!! I love it. It’s all about attitude!!!
Haha our grocery carts look so similar!
I would HATE to be dating again, sorry…Just all the akwardness does suck. BLA…I met my hubby through friends…he wanted me from the get go lol 😉
Oh I didn’t know things weren’t working out in that direction, but I’m so blessed and happy to see that you’re enjoying your precious life right now, just the way it is! It’s so refreshing to see people be content with or without somebody in their lives. I actually liked being single all the way up till college, which is when I met Greg. I always told myself and God that I didn’t care for dating until maybe college hits, and I knew it would be taken care of in the end anyway. So here I am married to my first and last boyfriend, lol. 🙂 I hope you have a great day dear friend!
I am SO happy you still had a great valentines day girl! Love the nails, look super cute! I also love that you got your mom some treats!
Oh dating, something I would never look forward to again if that day ever came! I waited too for mr right and I am happy I did 🙂 I say he is pretty awesome 😉
You deserve the best and never settle for anything less <3
Ummm first, please take me grocery shopping with you! Love everything you bought 🙂
And oh man… I don’t really complain about being single, though I definitely feel that loneliness sometimes and wish I had that companionship. But at the same time, I’m with you on hating the initial awkwardness of the first dates! It feels like SUCH an effort (physical and mental!) to go through a date with someone you’re trying to get to know and assess if you like or not. I used to get excited about the first dates, but now? They’re almost a disincentive to date in general! haha. So sad, but… I don’t know how to change my mindset. I end up not being up for all the effort to get to know someone really well, and shy away from any opportunity that arises because I automatically “assume” nothing will come of the experience anyway. Hmm…
Hehe I’m kind of in the same boat. After going on way too many dates where I just didn’t click with the guy, it’s a little hard to find incentive. I’m thinking that meeting a guy as a friend without the pressure of it being an official date is really the only way to go.
Taken, or flying solo, your Valentine’s Day looks like it was full of fabulousness! Could you please come down this-a-way and help me with my nails? They’re looking awfully drab and in need of some shine and sparkle ASAP 😛 Don’t even get me started with how many men were at Whole Foods yesterday after work, scrambling around trying to find the “perfect” gift. WF even had sticky tags on the different color roses – engagement, love, friend.
Even though I have 2 sweet male valentines in my life [hubby and furry], my true valentine will always be my momma… They’re seriously the best!
Love this! As a single girl I couldn’t agree with you more. Dating is just awkward! Until you get to know someone it’s just no fun! My momma was my valentine too. Nothing wrong with that 😉 I love the nails too. So pretty and festive!
Dang this does look like a pretty fabulous day. And your nails are absolutely Gooorgeous..bet you smile everytime you look at your hands .
Prunes! Love’em. (If you haven’t already ) you need to try them stuffed or dipped into almond butter. Like really. They are also pretty insane coated in dark chocolate :D.
An’chyah, dating sucks.
Xxx
I’ve never tried them with AB (I usually go dates with that route) but you just reminded me how much I used to loooove chocolate covered plums. My mom always bought this one kind from a European store and I’d go kind of crazy over them and eat half a bag at a time 😉
All of your groceries look amazing! That box filled with chocolate and goodies, so sweet! I agree with you about dating. I am a horrible dater! Awkward silences, stupid small talk yea pretty much all of it. And I always feel awkward when guys want to pay all the time. We are both in school, were both tight on money, we should take turns spending.
I have to say I have been single for quite some time and I don’t mind it that much at all! As you say, the small talk and awkwardness… just not my thing! But I am on the young side (17), I don’t have that much experience at all yet and I feel that so far in my life all of the guys [read: boys] just don’t seem ready to be in a committed relationship either! I know that I’ll get more experience when college comes around. I’m looking forward to the time when I do find someone, though! I don’t mind an intimate session 😉
Oh, and of course, Gone With the Wind… such a classic!
The movie has to be Gone With The Wind… if I’m wrong I’ll be pissed, since I’m a movie buff, haha.
I don’t like dating – I’m very happy being single and being able to ogle over my favorite actors (Ian Somerhalder, Paul Walker, Ryan Phillippe, and Matt Bomer) without a guy getting jealous or whatever.
No, no… you’re right… But Paul Walker is mine
I’d like to collect my bonus points because that’s definitely Gone with the Wind, right? And I know exactlyyy what you mean about hating dating. I absolutely hate dating. I’m awful at it. I have nothing to say. I always wanted to skip the “wooing” stage and go straight to sweatpants and movie nights.
And me and Matt met at a bar…super romantic haha. It’s actually a pretty funny story, he was wing-manning for his friend who spotted me and wanted to hit on me. So the two of them walked over to talk to me and my friend…and I casually ignored the friend and went straight for Matt. Luckily, me and his friend have laughed it off since!
I definitely got a good laugh out of the fact that the line up for flowers at the grocery store was longer than any other line. And almost gagged with the overwhelming smell while walking past the flowers as well.
I like getting to know people, but I hate being let down just as much. Honestly, I don’t mind dating THAT much, but you’re right, it would be pretty sweet to just be over it in a flash and have a BBFFL (best boy friend for life).
‘Attitude trumps situation’: hell yes! I met my husband (I hate the term ‘other half’ – it makes me think that you are some how incomplete without them!) at my sisters wedding. I was chief bridesmade and he was best man – it really was that clichéd! Have a lovely weekend chick!
Yeah I’m not fond of the term either, but typing out all the possible matches was just a little clunky. I suppose I could have said ‘significant other’, though. And that is wonderfully cliché 😀
I love your nails! Whenever I do sparkles they end up looking like my 7 year old cousin painted my nails haha.
I love prunes, I don’t care how much that ages me but I find them delicious and amazing. i don’t usually buy them but when I visit my grandma I always eat them with her. Yes, i am a grannie. I wish I could find that oikos near me, I barely buy greek yogurt anymore because of the price tag. sad sad day.
Totally agree on the dating this. That’s why I’m so glad I’m in a relationship. If we ever break up I may just become a cat lady because I hate the dating part. Awkward! I actually met my boyfriend in my backyard. haha. I was seeing/”hanging out” with a boy who lived on the 3rd floor of my house in college (I lived on the 1st) and 4th of July weekend they were having a party in our shared backyard. Went out to join the boy I was seeing and ended up meeting this guy. We all hung out and didn’t think much of it, until “hanging out” guy ditched me later that night at the bar, and this new boy started talking to me. After exchanging numbers and a week of texts later, we went out on a date. The rest is history.
First of all- I love this post! I’m so glad that I found your blog.
This line is great: “There are happy single people and sad single people, just like there are happy committed people and sad committed people. Attitude trumps situation.” It’s so true.
I met my boyfriend Connor literally 6 days after I moved to Boston from NYC. My roommate and I were doing a big Target shopping trip to find apartment items, and we swung by her boyfriend’s place on the way back. He intruded us to his roommates…one of which was Connor. He was also new to the city, and we were both starting grad school at BU, so we decided to explore the city together. Aaaaand the rest is history, as they say. I know it’s cliche, but I really think people meet when they least expect it. When I moved to Boston, it was a fresh start, I had my mind on grad school and career goals, and the last thing I was thinking about was finding Mr. Right. Big things happen when you least expect ’em.
Awwr! That’s seriously like a hookup straight from SATC… except… one that lasts 😉 So happy for you, girlie!
I think dating seems SO awkward. I’m horrible with small talk and the whole “who’s going to pay for the bill” and “what are we going to talk about” just stresses me out thinking about it. Hence probably why I’m single, but right now I actually feel pretty content and I’m okay with that. My mom was my valentine too! 😉
Frankly, my dear…I love Gone With the Wind!
I too cracked up several times yesterday at “Happy V-Day!”..my mind went places it def. shouldn’t have. I met my husband seven years ago at cookout. He’s made me laugh ever since.
I’ve recently became obsessed with Cinnamon Puffins (I had to order them online because I couldn’t find them anywhere).
Love your blog!
I met my husband in college at a party. I was drunk and smacked him on the head when he outed me on a game. Cute surfer, soccer/baseball loving dude he was, I found out he was from the same area as my family. And then we got to talking and having fun and we’ve been doing so for almost 9 years now.
Movie: Gone with the Wind!
I’m glad you are a happy single. I have a girlfriend who is the very sad unhappy single. The “whoa is me I am undeserving of love” type. Our other close friend and I have tried so many times over the years to get her to stop thinking so negatively to no avail, and her self degradation is beginning to annoy me. I am firm believer you attract whatever you send out and she refuses to think positively about herself. 🙁 I think love comes when you are able to happily love yourself. If you truly do, it shows, it’s attractive and people will be attracted to the happiness that glows from you. And from there you will gain new friends and maybe a companion that will grow in that love and happiness with you. Love is not all rainbows and butterflies, such is life, but when we acknowledge the bad, and try to improve upon it, it betters us as humans and makes us more understanding in the world of love for ourself and for those around us.
Sorry for the mini rant. Not pointing it directly at you. 😉
Loved your “mini rant,” because you’re so right. We attract the same kind of energy that we put out into the world, and not being able to love ourselves isn’t exactly the biggest enticement for others to love us. I hope your friend will be able to let go of the negativity – sometimes it comes with time and age.
I’ve only been single for 5 months and dating for maybe 2 of those months, so i don’t really have an opinion. My ex and I fell pretty fast for each other and I loved the whole thing! The few dates I have been on have been a little weird…which tells me that the guy just isn’t for me! I’m usually a really good reader of people and if things feel weird, but I see potential, I give it another go. These dates have felt weird with no potential (see: getting asked to do cocaine with the one guy, and another having lost his license in a DUI years ago and not trying to get it back).
“Attitude trumps situation” – I like that, like, a LOT! Honestly, Valentine’s Day is just like any other to me [as a single lady]. I feel no more or less loved or lonely just because I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment. Maybe it’s because these kind of holidays never played a role in my family? Most important thing I did yesterday was showing a worried and sad friend that she was worthy of love and appreciation despite her current troubles. It’s Valentine’s Day’s negative effect on people like her that makes me sad.
Happy Friday, Amanda! Hope you got my mail because, well, it had to be said :).
It’s really great that you helped out your friend 🙂 And I did get your mail and will reply to you soon!
Oh, don’t worry, take your time :).
Grocery shopping always makes me happy!! Is that weird? So many people complain about having to go grocery shopping, but I actually find it to be quite cathartic. The only thing that I dislike about it, obviously, is the spending money part… :/.
I find grocery shopping to be quite enjoyable as well – it’s a lot less stressful than shopping for something like clothes! Probably because you don’t have to worry so much about finding the perfect thing 😉
Gone With The Wind!!! Such a great movie – love it, have to watch it again soon. Would be a great opportunity to spend a nice evening with my mum. Add in all the Scarlett movies and it’ll make a whole marathon. Not the worst way to spend Valentine’s – my boy just completely ignored it and we spend the day watching series and fighting over nonsense. I just talked to a friend how I missed single Valentine’s 😀 Ok, I am ungrateful here. Guess we just should not make so much fuss about one day of the year.
It sounds like you had a great day!! With cute nails like that and Toblerone how could you not?? (I heart toffee!)
I also cringe when I hear someone say v-day. No. Just no. I always love your nails. My boyfriend was flying all day so it was kind of like I rocked the single girl status considering we didn’t chat until around 9pm that night for a bit. Oh well. It’s good to not be overly worried about the dating scene, I have found everytime I’m not is everytime I meet someone that I’m interested in.
I love Gone With the Wind!! It’s one of my favorite movies! Those frozen waffles sound really good…
Anyways, I met my current boyfriend sometime in junior high through 4-H events. We didn’t start dating until I came to college.
It sounds like you had a lovely Valentine’s Day!:) For the record, I absolutely love prunes, even though they have that reputation for being an “old lady” type of food. But they are so delicious!! I have never dated anyone in my nineteen years of life, and don’t plan on it anytime soon, but I am sure it would extraordinarily awkward if I did:D I am not exactly the most social and extroverted person…
God has the perfect person for you! Don’t settle for anything less 🙂
Cameron and I were actually in the same kindergarten class! We have known each other for a long time but started dating junior year of high school, which means we are coming up on our 6 year anniversary in a month! We are both from Orlando but we’ve currently been long distance for 4 and a half years since we went to different colleges and now he is working down in Miami. Sorry for the novel. Haha. I hope you have a wonderful day today! xo
Since kindergarden?! Omigosh that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You guys must have a really solid relationship to be able to manage 4.5 years of long distance 🙂
Ohh I love your attitude, Amanda! As much as I’d love to be in a relationship, I am very content as a singleton too! There’s a time and place for everything and I know my “Mr. Right” is out there…I just have to be patient rather than settle! I think I owe myself that little bit of respect!
Sounds like you had a wonderful V-Day (I couldn’t resist)! How do you always manage to make me crave cookies…regardless of time or day? I have actually been meaning to whip up a batch (a la Betty Crocker) and I think I might just this weekend! Ohh and tell me you’ve tried the white Ferrero Rochers yet…if not, they’re coconut-encrusted and taste YUM!
Oh those nails are so pretty! I love them.
Yep, I’m just super used to being single, the last time I was dating someone was so long ago, I just don’t really care anymore. Plus I’m super independent so I do fine alone anyways.
So I tried the cinnamon kashi cereal and oh my goshhhh. Love it!! It’s so freaking tasty.
Your valentine’s day basically equals mine haha. I baked, watched a movie, but also nearly died on brussels sprouts. Seriously. Haha, not a usual thing to happen;)
I totally find dating awkward too, the beginning is just horrible. I wish life was like a fairytale and my man could just find me and we wouldn’t have that first date nonsense 😉
“So I tried the cinnamon kashi cereal and oh my goshhhh. Love it!! It’s so freaking tasty.” <-- That just makes my heart super happy
Gone with the Wind! Such a classic! So, by “bonus points” do you mean some of those cookies you baked??? 😉 Happy Friday!
I am so used to being single. You’re right… The actual dating is what is awkward for me now, but I guess dating is always awkward at first. DRIED FIGS!!! I picked those out in a heartbeat. They are my kryptonite right now. Can’t get enough. Hahaha “V-Day”… Great minds… Err, dirty minds? think alike.
Yep…. nursing the chocolate hangover. I wish it was different than most other days of my life but sadly I have them often. My husband and I met in college our freshman year on the cross country team! He had a gf so I spent the first semester proving how he needed to be with me… It worked 😉
Of course it worked! You’re fabulous!
Haha – I never thought of V Day sounding dirty, but now…it does!
And Vishnu and I met in college when he came up to my school with a bunch of mutual friends for a formal. Long story short, he ended up making me laugh a lot that night and eight years later…here we are!
Oh I am glad the parcel arrived well and even on VDAY 🙂 and the cookies look so delicious. As you know I am taken. Sandro and me met when we were Flight Attendants for Swissair. He thought I am a crazy bitch and I thought he is a snooty-nosed little upstart. 11 years later we started to like each other 🙂 and YES, I HATE dating. Everything is embarrassing. SO glad it’s over and hope it will be as long as possible 🙂
Gone With the Wind! My favorite movie (after the Lion King). I just adore Vivien Leigh. Loving your nail polish choices, too. My boyfriend and I met in 7th grade science class, though we didn’t start dating until many years later 🙂
7th grade science class?! Ack! So sweet 😀 And I’m loving that you love The Lion King – it’s one of my top Disney movies along with Beauty and the Beast <3
Oh man we have the same taste in food. Cinnamon puffins or cereal of any kind is just my absolute favorite. And I spy some waffles in there- don’t think I let those slip away from me! Single lady over here- My valentines day was just another thursday. I tried not to think about it except for the adorable package my mom sent me. Worked pretty well for me 🙂