The Neighbor wanted me to post the following entry so Happy Valentine’s Day to her!

Unless you’ve been living on the planet Kashyyyk with all the smelly, hairy Wookies you would have known that this past Wednesday was Valentine’s Day. As most people would probably tell you, it’s a holiday for lovers and the romantics. Couples get each other gifts ranging from chocolates to roses to fine, expensive jewelry. Now as it happens I am a single guy and have been for probably about 89% of the Valentine’s Days I have been alive for. This means that I might have celebrated some form of the holiday, either gift giving or what have you, maybe three times in my life. Some people read this fact and think, “Awe, that’s so sad” or “He needs a girlfriend.” But I however must request you to reconsider.

It seems to be a pretty popular belief that single people are rather unhappy with being single (as evident by the sheer amount of people that wish to “hook us up”). While this may hold true in some cases, I think the majority of singles are rather happy and content with being single. Now I’m not saying that I would be unhappy in a relationship, I’m just stating that I am at ease with my singlehood. Being single is not something that should be looked upon as a disability and just like the disabled I am not looking for, nor desire your sympathy of my state of life. Frankly I am not ashamed by it, nor am I unhappy with myself. I am not looking to be set up with anybody nor do I enjoy those that try to do so. I’m not looking to join couples on their dates out of pity because let me tell you, that is just oh so much fun! I’m not depressed because I’m 26 and not married. I’m not miserable because I spend some nights by myself with a good book, movie or video game. I have friends that I enjoy being around and hanging out with, and I have hobbies that I enjoy doing by myself like snowboarding and reading. I’m not searching desperately for romance nor am I sulking around because I have no one special to spend my free time with. I am very comfortable with who I am and what I do. It doesn’t matter that I’m a guy, as I know some girls that feel the same way (although it does appear that more males enjoy the single life than females).

So on this Valentine’s Day I am opting to not celebrate that holiday but instead partake in what I like to call Single Awareness Day. Yes we the single population are out there, and yes we are content with who we are and how we live. We don’t desperately desire a significant other and we definitely don’t want to be forced into a relationship by a friend who thinks we do. We aren’t to be feared, or misunderstood. We are simply a joyful people that want nothing more but to live our lives day-to-day, minute-by-minute with little expectation of the immediate future. If we were to come across a relationship in our lives we would definitely be content but until then, we will remain satisfied and pleased with our current lifestyles.