Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Love Notes
Sigh. This has already been a very long week, and it’s only Wednesday. The work has been challenging and less than gratifying - lots of numbercrunching and answering for long-past mistakes. My eyeballs hurt. I have not had time to attend to many of the things I wanted to get to, mostly personal things, but those are the important ones, right? The area around my office was infested with bad feelings today, too, as we’re a block off of the original route of the Olympic Torch, which ultimately bypassed us but not without leaving many angry activists in its wake who filled the air around me with ungratified protestations. I feel like my trip to Tahoe was a very long time ago and lasted only for a couple of minutes. I just want to watch some escapist dvds tonight but I don’t think I’ll have the energy once I get Z to sleep, which I am guessing will be around 9 pm after 45 minutes of quiet time in his room. I’ve got to break that pattern. I’ve got to break something, damn it.
When I feel like this, the best thing I can think to do is remember nice things people have said to me in the recent past. And - this is theatrically pitiable - the very best ones were written on candy. Yes, I got a little box of candy hearts about two months ago and they said the most thoughtful things. I don’t care that they were printed by filipino illiterates in a third-world sweatshop (mmm, sweaty candy) - they came to me, they were meant for me, and I appreciated them - so much that I writ them down so as never, ever to forget. And now that I’m on the verge of believing the hype and writing myself off as yet another self-rightous blogger with a glucose chip on his lonely shoulder, I think I’ll revisit those tender messages and lucky you, I’m dragging your hapless asses along with me.
The following list is ordered by frequency of mention, from fewest to most. Where different candy-heart-borne messages occurred an equal number of times, such messages have been ordered alphabetically. The number of candies bearing any given message appears in parentheses following the message, together with the color or colors of said candy or candies. Where multiple candies bore the same message, the various colors of such similarly-messaged candies are stated in alphabetical order. These instructions will not be repeated. Do not open your candy until your proctor tells you to do so.
Be Mine (1, peach)
Call Home (1, white)
Call Me (1, green)
Dear One (1, purple)
I Hope (1, white)
Kind (1, green)
Love (1, yellow)
Marry me (1, purple)
Miss You (1, peach)
My Girl (1, yellow)
My Man (1, purple)
My Pet (1, white)
One Kiss (1, pink)
Smile (1, purple)
First Kiss (2; white, yellow)
I (heart) You (2; pink, pink)
Go Fish (3; green, pink, white)
Purr/Fect (3; peach, yellow, white)
URA Tiger (3; green, purple, purple)
(Illegible) (8; green, green, green, purple, purple, purple, white, yellow)
Gives me a warm fuzzy just to think back on those good times we had together. Anyway, it’s a lot better than remembering the experience of actually eating those bastards. What horrible candy. Goes to show, you can kiss up till you’re green, peach, pink, purple, white and yellow in the face, but if you’re made of chalk and recycled newsprint, you’re going to leave an unpleasant taste in somebody’s mouth. Likely, mine. I have to learn not to eat everything that people give me just because it’s a holiday. That hollow chocolate farmworker I got for Cesar Chavez Day was a real mistake.
