(no subject)

[tvordlj]

Thursday is good. It's the day before Friday :)

Expect to be seeing a movie tonight with a friend. The movie is Sideways. Not sure what it's going to be like, sort of a road trip movie i think but with adults, not college age kids so it might be ok. The other choice was the Aviator and although i have seen a few Leonardo movies over the years, it's not been because he was in them because frankly, i don't like him. I must say though the exception was Catch me If You Can. He seemed suited to that role and he was very good in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, playing a mentally challenged teen.

I picked up a new passport application as i will need one later this year. My passport expires next January but you want to renew it a month or so before that as it takes a few weeks for it to get back to you. Also, if i am hoping to book a visit to the UK over New Year again, they prefer your passport not to be expired for a few months after your trip. So, I was at the post office outlet anyway, saw the applications there and grabbed one.

Looking through it there seems to be a lot more stuff they require than the last time i used it. They want the names and addresses of two personal non-family references that they say they will contact to confirm your identity. This is over and above the guarantor you need to sign the photo and application. I think you also need to give them other id in addition to the birth certificate, like a drivers license or health card and i don't like that. They take it and return it to you but what if you need it in the mean time? You are supposed to carry that with you if you drive which i don't but that's not the point. What if you get sick and need the health card? Hmm... maybe they don't take those documents, just record them. Bloody thing is now 87$!!! 62 for the fee and 25 for a consolate fee! Then you pay 10-15 bucks for the photos. sheesh. That's gone up a lot in the fives years since i last applied. I think i paid 60 last time. If the passport was good for 10 years like most countries do, that wouldn't be so bad but it's only good for 5! stupid government.

Post office... mailing a Valentine card ♥ It sucked being on the outside of couple-dom for so many years and seeing all the "two is better than one" PR this time of year when you knew darn well it was perfectly acceptable to be "one" and be happy with it, which i was. But yeah, it's also very nice to be able to buy a card and receive one. Cards are nice for any time of year really, not just for special occaisions. Mom and Dad have been married nearly 50 years and never did Valentine's. Of course Mom's birthday is a few days later and that was duly noted and celebrated, as it should be. My birthday is 2 weeks after that and i prefer the fuss being made of me then instead. Graham already knows he's not expected to provide flowers or chocolates or dinners out or any other special lovey dovey things for Valentine's Day other than the card. yes honey, i already know you've got one and mine to you is in the post :)

Do you "do" Valentine's day in any way? How or why not?

Comments

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

I've never made a big deal out of Valentine's Day, I don't really approve of being told when to be romantic and show my appreciation. I do like giving and sending cards when I'm in a relationship though, and this year I've also made a compilation for Simon. I might have been tempted to make a big fuss of him but since his birthday is so close to Valentine's Day anyway I'm doing it all then. :)

I know it's early days but so far we seem to be doing silly romantic things without needing an excuse anyway, so I hope that continues.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

*nods* That's pretty much my take on it. You should make the effort to show your affection any time, not just be obligated on a date that the card, jewellry and gift sellers have designated. We do and say romantic things all the time as much as we can being so far away. My birthday is a few weeks the other side of VD (i wonder if there's a reason it's got that as initials LOL) too.

[aditi-.livejournal.com]

The only thing we do to celebrate Valentine's Day is to go out to dinner. But that's nothing out of the norm for us anyway.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Aren't the restaurants more crowded then though?

[aditi-.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they usually are..... I think last year we went out for lunch instead..... or maybe that was the year before.... I can't remember. *L*

[rockiesgirl.livejournal.com]

J used to give me flowers just before Valentine's day, as a surprise, or else give me a box of chocolates on the day. I used to write him a poem, or get him his favorite sugar-free chocolates (he's diabetic).

I'm hoping that by this Valentine's Day, I'll have a new "J" to buy something for. *fingers crossed* Looking forward to our first date . . .

[sammantha.livejournal.com]

I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY..IT SUCKS FOR ME NOW.
Ok, just had to get that off me chest.

[rockiesgirl.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling, L. Last year, I went out and bought myself some chocolates and a soft pink teddy bear as a gift to myself. Figured since no one else was there to do it, that I still deserved it. I went out the day after Valentine's and got it all on sale. Was just fine with me!

[lola-is-naughty.livejournal.com]

I normally protest and dress ALL in black, including socks, underwear and shoes.

[sammantha.livejournal.com]

HAH I would too but at work we have a 'red day', which is a charity thing..so we wear red on Valentine's Day..get picture taken and put 2 to 5$ towards charity. So ...will HAVE to wear red I guess.
When I get home from work tho..off it comes!
Oh yes..I will replace the clothing hehehe.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Wear black. And a red bra or underwear or just a red bow in your hair. Have the picture taken and then take it off lol

[tvor.livejournal.com]

The bow that is. not the underwear or the bra hahaha

[psychfringe.livejournal.com]

I did that last year...
Dressed all in black..
I have a tiny silver heart shaped locket that I wore.
Anytime someone came up to me Id point to my locket and leer:
"lookit me, I have a heart-on"

ha!
I slay myself;)

[tvor.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna do that! I am! I have a lovely silver heart locket too that G. gave me for Christmas with our couples pics inside :))))

[psychfringe.livejournal.com]

do it..*L

[acey.livejournal.com]

Tim and I usually exchange chocolate, heehee. Who cares if it's meaningful or not? :D
I use all kinds of holidays days for chocolate sprees - Easter and Christmas (though I am not religious), Hallowe'en (I am definitely NOT a kid), St. Paddy's Day (I'm not Irish), Fourth of July (I'm not American)...if it's a holiday, it's good enough for choccies :D
An "occasion" for a chocolate spree usually makes us feel less guilty ;-)

[rockiesgirl.livejournal.com]

LOLOL

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Chocolate... it's not just for breakfast anymore :)

[lola-is-naughty.livejournal.com]

Amen! A world without chocolate is unthinkable. That reminds me, I have a Coffee Crisp here. It's horiscope wasn't very favourable this morning. Expect tragedy.

[acey.livejournal.com]

YOu can't get Coffee Crisp here in the US of A. My son and his wife sent us a bag of them in the Christmas Box. They didn't last long :)

[sammantha.livejournal.com]

since I had such an emotionally rough day yesterday..I really wanted chocolate. So when I was out..tried to pick up the one I really wanted..Lindor pb and chocolate, but could not find the pb one. SO I came home without. HOWEVER TODAY, I was getting something and decided on two kit kat bars - almost as good and when I came home..had a HUGE glass of COLD MILK and two of them..and they were AWESOME!!!

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Accident? lol

[lola-is-naughty.livejournal.com]

It met it's demise earlier this evening.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Pushing up the daisies? popped it's clogs? Gone to meet it's maker?

IACBTP ;)

[psychfringe.livejournal.com]

it's FRIdaaaay.
time for chocolate

[abishag.livejournal.com]

I only "do" it as a theme for the shop window. (one of the new bookshops here has strap-posters with "Say it with words", LOL.)
It is definitely not OO's style and the last five years he has fortuitously been in Toronto at this time of year - I tease him because this year he arrives back on the Monday morning, so is technically here!
Last year I was there with him, and he did actually surpass himself and bought a CD of the music we had at our wedding (v. hard to find)but Toronto has this special shop. Irony is he'd completely forgotten that when I mentioned it yesterday!
My former fiance bought me flowers, but that was a conventional gesture and meant far less that what OO gives from day to day.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Say it with words... that's a nice tradition to start for valentine's day isn't it? Buy each other a book! It would take in the card factor too if you like cards, and add a note inside.

I know what you mean about conventional gestures. I would not want someone to do something special on Valentine's day because it was the done thing and as we all know, doing something sweet on a random day means far more.

[trixiedelarue.livejournal.com]

I personally think its a pile of pants, but I do like aod's idea of the chocolate holidays ;)

lmao

Even when I was in a couple I never made a big deal out of it, it always seems fake to do that.

[gramie-dee.livejournal.com]

One card with appropriate mushy sentiments is on it's way to Canada. ;)

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Yay :) ♥

[gramie-dee.livejournal.com]

Shucks. ;)

[blueberrymoon.livejournal.com]

I have always liked the idea of a "sweetie pie day." I like giving out Valentines. The day is a nice reminder for saying I like/love you for people who sometimes don't normally think of such things.
On another note, I have been going through passport trauma also, and you can send in a photocopy of license etc. as long as the person who signs your pictures, signs and dates the photocopy saying they've seen the originals. Whew. I was stumped on that one too.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Yes i saw that. I may do that if they are going to take the other id off me for 2 weeks or so.

[psychfringe.livejournal.com]

We went to the Passport office and stood in line..They looked over our documents and didnt keep ;em

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Hmmm ok. that's good to know too. I know they do keep your birth certificate but that's ok. You don't need that on a regular basis.

[lola-is-naughty.livejournal.com]

The passports have gone up even in the last 3 years since 9/11.

I know here they just record the drivers license or other id when you drop off the application. They keep your birth certificate though until you pick it up a couple of days later.

I don't do Valentines, but I wish I had someone to do Valentine's with though.

[sammantha.livejournal.com]

grin, I just want to DO a valentine :)

[tammihayne.livejournal.com]

Valentine's Day is my FAVORITE day of the entire year and always has been. Even more than my birthday. I LOVE V-Day. It's the whole "day devoted to love and caring" that I like and well there's that hopeless romantic in me...I adore it.

However, that being said, Adam and I usually just go out to dinner or perhaps a movie as well and exchange cards and sometimes a small gift but the day we usually celebrate is the 23rd because that is the anniversary of the day we met. So, while we do acknowledge the 14th in some way we celebrate more on the 23rd, like a real anniversary...dinner, movie, maybe a trip somewhere overnight. That is the really special one. This year will mark 6 years since our blind date that led to all of this :)

[tvor.livejournal.com]

And see, that's the kind of celebration that *means* something to *you*.

[psychfringe.livejournal.com]

This year, Valentines will be spent taking my Fonz in for his Neuter.
Kinda ironic , eh?
ha!!

I can't ever remember doing anything big for Valentine's day. We usually buy a big bunch of Chinese and bring it home and we all enjoy it.
I leave valentine cards for my kids on their pillows.
This year, Shan's will be from Johnny Depp.
Ky's will be from: Avril Lavigne.
*heh*

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Awww that's cute! It's nice when you involve the whole family :)