A few random thoughts before I get started here\u2026<\/p>\n
OK, let\u2019s do this thing. It\u2019s Valentine\u2019s 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\u2019ve only had the (good?) fortune of only falling in love twice in my life, which makes things easier. I can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
And it may sound corny and a bit Jerry Maguire<\/a>-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\u2019s certainly a feeling in your heart and thoughts in your head that aren\u2019t quite explainable. It\u2019s like the feeling you get when you do something right, even though no one\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n Another question I used to get when we first got married was: \u201chow is being married different?\u201d With us, it wasn\u2019t too different. Compare our relationship when we first started dating and how it is now, though, and there is a difference. I don\u2019t think one is better than the other, but there\u2019s a primal sense of \u201cthe hunt\u201d 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\u2019s much more of a sense of familiarity and comfort.<\/p>\n It\u2019s like a job hunt. Initially, you\u2019re 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\u2019s acceptable. Soon, you\u2019re shooting finger darts and flying monkeys<\/a> at co-workers and making slightly inappropriate sexual innuendos you\u2019d never dare say when you first started. Or, is that just where I work?<\/p>\n