Love To You All!

I don't hate Valentine's Day but I don't love it. I've done the coupled-up-over-priced-dinner. I've done the single-ladies-hit-the-town-en-masse. I've done the coupled-up-cook-a-romantic-dinner. I've done the single-ladies-fancy-drinks-and-chick-flicks. Ugh, none of them really made me feel any better about the day.

This year I decided to do something a little different. This year I'm taking myself on a date. In about an hour, I'm heading out to see Casablanca at a nearby theatre and I'm getting dressed up for the occasion. My original plan had been to find people to go with and then I just decided 'fuck it'. Not to say that if a friend had wanted to join me I would have said 'no', but I liked not having to worry about whether or not I'd find someone to join me.

Maybe I'll run into someone up there that I know or maybe I'll be the lone single ticket in a crowd of couples. Either way, I have a date with Rick and Ilsa and that's more than enough for me.

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

UPDATE:
After I posted this entry, I disappeared into the back of my apartment where there are no windows. When I returned to my living room less than 5 minutes later, torential rain was pounding against my window.

If I was driving I would have still gone, but I'm a public transit gal and I really don't like wearing my dry suit on the bus. So instead I've had a quiet Valentine's evening doing a few jobs I had on my list for tomorrow. Romantic, I know.

But don't worry, I still plan to keep my date with Humphrey. Just a few more items to cross off the list, and then it's me, Humphrey and a glass of wine.

Best. Film. Ever.

Valentine's Day. Even when I'm apart of a couple, it's not really a day I look forward to because it always has such a big build up for a day which rarely has any personal connection. Hey honey, let's celebrate our love with every other couple in the the world while restaurants jack up their prices! But this year, I'm actually looking forward to Valentine's Day. Why? Because Cinecenta is showing Casablanca!!!!! (Yes, Casablanca deserves all those exclamation marks.)

Casablanca is my favourite movie. It's funny, it's romantic, it has Nazis, what's not to love? When I meet someone and find out they haven't seen Casablanca, I judge them a little bit. When I meet someone who has seen it and doesn't like it, well, I judge them a lot. How can you not like Casablanca? How? I automatically assume that there must be something wrong with them because there is. How can you not enjoy a movie with Humphrey Bogart (there was a man who could rock a fedora!) and Ingrid Bergman? It has what is apparently the most misquoted line ever in cinematic history ("Play it again, Sam") along with "round up the usual suspects", "here's looking at you, kid", and "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship". Plus, it has Nazis.

It's been ten years since I saw this film on the big screen. It was playing at Cinecenta the weekend before I moved to Germany so I gathered up a group of friends and made them watch it as my going-away party. The idea of watching it again on the big screen has gotten me really excited. (I may have squealed to myself... alone... in my apartment... and then clapped my hands like I'm five.) So, bring it Valentine's Day. I don't care if I have to go to the movie alone, it's going to be awesome. Take that, Elton John.

Also, if you haven't seen Casablanca and you plan on ever talking to me again... you might want to watch it... or make sure you're a very good liar... but I think you should just watch it. It has Nazis!

Tonight

The very first non-symphony concert I ever went to was Leonard Cohen. It was on 'The Future' tour and I was still in elementary school so I was still very young. It was at the Royal Theatre and I just remember it being awesome!

Tonight, I will see him for the first time in roughly 20 years.

It will be awesome!

Update: It was awesome!