Valentines is coming...

In many previous years this time of year has made me incredibly sad. Well, a combination of feeling like wallowing in tears and wanting to throw up at the extreme soppiness that's around. Big red hearts everywhere: "Buy me for your loved one!" "You need me to make your relationship last!" "You're not worth anything if you're not in a relationship!"

Okay, I don't think that last one is the intention, but it certainly seems to be the message implied.  It almost brings love down to the level of "he who loves the most, will buy the most." If you don't buy me expensive gifts, you clearly don't love me enough.

The teddies and cards and flowers and tea infusers (yes, Paperchase is selling valentines tea infusers - they have a tag on that says "You're just my cup of tea" - If I liked tea I would probably be unable to resist buying it for myself...) are all very lovely, but what do they actually say about love?

Is love, and should love be shown through gifts? Well, perhaps if you're a gifts love person (I'll try and do a post about the 5 love languages at some point, but in the meantime, go google! It's fascinating), but then you're all about the thought, and not about the money.  Should Valentine's day even be all about couples?

Now I seem to be perpetually single, but right now I'm perfectly happy with that.  I'm learning how to love myself, so that, if marriage is in my future, I can love better. Learning to know myself so that I can learn more about what I need in a future husband.

So this year, instead of all the valentines decor making me think "I wish I had someone to buy that for me" or "I wish someone would send me a dozen red roses" it's making me see the love everywhere.  (Well, okay, I'm probably never going to stop wishing someone would send me flowers, but hey, a girl can hope, right?)

A couple of years ago there was a bit of a campaign to make Singles Awareness Day a thing.  Celebrated on the 15th February, it never seemed to me like a great idea.  People who are unhappy about being single, and make more unhappy by Valentines Day, aren't going to suddenly be made happy again by a day which draws even more awareness to it...
To my mind, the better thing to do would be to try and make Valentines Day about all forms of love.  Familial love, friendship love, love for a stranger.

Why not challenge yourself to show an act of love and of kindness to someone you might not usually.  Give a "You're beautiful" card to someone alone in the street.  Visit the elderly neighbour who lives by themself.  Send a note to a work-colleague with something you admire about them.

So what are my plans for this single yet again Valentines?  Well, I'm going to spend some time with Jesus, some friends, and a whole load of other Catholic youths at Youth2000 in Leeds

So how about you?  Single? Coupled up? Happy with how you are? Any ideas for ways to spread the love on Valentines?  Let me know in the comments below!

Post the First

Okay, so I've decided to start a blog.

What next?

Hmm... I guess I should say a bit about myself?  That seems like a normal thing to begin with.  Yes, let's do that.

Okay, that's solved.  Now what do I actually write?
That's a bit trickier.

Hi, my name's Ann and I'm 25!

That seems like a good start.

I'm currently in the fun stage of having left uni (mostly - I'll explain in a minute or two) and being back at home living with the parents.  This has its ups and downs, and I spend a reasonable amount of time wishing I could afford my own space, but I am blessed that I have lovely parents who will let me still live with them while I try and work out what I'm actually doing with my life/whether what I (think) I want to do is actually a viable option.

Currently I work part time in my local Paperchase (I love the job, I love the stuff, I spend far too much of my wages taking advantage of the staff discount, and on the whole the customers are lovely), and I have a casual contract at my local museums (hence the blog name) I studied Archaeology at university, and the current plan is to try and get into Museum Education, so this is a wonderful job for me.  I get to sit on the front desk and chat to other people who are interested in history.  I love love love sharing my passions and interests with others.  I've had some fantastic chats with visitors from other countries about the Romans and about the medieval stuff about our town. If you're ever in St. Albans, you should go visit both museums!

I love Disney films (obvs.), Doctor Who, quite a lot of sci-fi in general (if Joss Whedon had a hand in it I'm probably slightly obsessed with it), love reading, music, history, crafty type stuff (have made a few items of clothing and really must get on with finishing my niece's Elsa costume before her birthday at the end of July...) I tend to have red hair, although the shade varies quite often. Also, and possibly most importantly, I am a practising Catholic.  Yes, this means I go to church every Sunday (and more often when I can). Yes, this means there are... certain things I've never done. Yes, this means I try to let God guide my life.

Oh, and I'm about to start an Open Uni module to try and get my honours degree. (Long story... but basically as a result of various circumstances I failed my dissertation in my final year and came out with an ordinary degree.  Next step is to get my honour degree and see where that takes me).

So that's me I guess, summed up in one blog post.  Where is this blog going to go? I really don't know.  I guess we'll find out soon... (unless I fail epically and don't ever post again, which is entirely possible)

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