A few random thoughts before I get started here…

  • Am I the only one that thinks Isla Fisher and Amy Adams kind of look similar? (After looking on Google Image Search, I find two things: yes, it’s probably just me, and there are many more “sexy” pictures of Isla Fisher than of Amy Adams.)
  • I (finally) beat Gears of War (1) last night with Mike Yin and I’ll admit there are few things I enjoy as much as playing a co-op video game with someone I know in real life.
  • Any first-guitar-buying tips from anyone?

OK, let’s do this thing.  It’s Valentine’s Day, a day that elicits strong emotions in those both getting lucky and those forced to endure these tough economic times without a romantic partner.  I’ve only had the (good?) fortune of only falling in love twice in my life, which makes things easier.  I can’t imagine having to go through the experience a large number of times because, unless you subscribe to a very different set of social mores, you can only really hold on to the last time you fall in love.

And it may sound corny and a bit Jerry Maguire-ish, but you know when you know.  There may not be a specific moment in time when a flash of light reveals your romantic destiny to you, but there’s certainly a feeling in your heart and thoughts in your head that aren’t quite explainable.  It’s like the feeling you get when you do something right, even though no one’s watching.

Another question I used to get when we first got married was: “how is being married different?”  With us, it wasn’t too different.  Compare our relationship when we first started dating and how it is now, though, and there is a difference.  I don’t think one is better than the other, but there’s a primal sense of “the hunt” right before a relationship starts and in some ways a sense of victory right after if you were the one who initiated it.  Now, there’s much more of a sense of familiarity and comfort.

It’s like a job hunt.  Initially, you’re very nervous and want to make sure you present your best face at the interview.  When you start, you try to fit in, see what other people are doing, see what’s acceptable.  Soon, you’re shooting finger darts and flying monkeys at co-workers and making slightly inappropriate sexual innuendos you’d never dare say when you first started.  Or, is that just where I work?

Let’s finish up with a someecard, a site which I’ve recently become a bit obsessed with.  (A small warning: most of their cards are what you’d call “not safe for work” so be wary of visiting the site in conservative climes, such as a public library.)