Teat yourself

Recommended listening: nothing like this, by Omar.

If it’s on MTV Base, it must be cool.


As a fresh of face 18-year-old, I celebrated passing my driving test by burning several CD’s for my first car. Having always been a firm believer that music can define or exaggerate any mood or feeling, the carefully selected tracks were mixes for various occasions, scenarios and even weathers. One mix turned July on the A45 into a scenic Mediterranean coastal run. Another existed as a dance mix best enjoyed driving at high speeds through tunnels. One became an un-intentional winter soundtrack, and one was as smooth as ‘nothing like this’ by Omar. That CD was compiled with the intention of guaranteeing a good-night kiss (and maybe more) while dropping a date home.

Sip a glass of cold champagne wine,
The rug that we lay on feels divine.

Smooth.

As a shy guy, I often relied on the music to make the first move. Sometimes it worked.

Valentines Day is an odd holiday, one special day for love? What about the other 364!? The man behind the story of this day of longing and love is Saint Valentine of Rome. He was beheaded for marrying couples without permission of the church a couple of hundred years AD. Having then fallen in love with his jailors daughter, their main means of communication were letters of secrecy signed ‘your valentine’, born out of longing thoughts for a forbidden love. The church must have felt strongly regarding Saint Valentine as they took the trouble of separating his mind from his body. Some of Saint Valentine is buried in Rome, and some in Dublin.

I thank Google and 30mins of my evening for me knowing this.

For discovering the joys of solo cooking with an iPod, I thank a wise man. If you too find yourself single this Valentines Day, this is just one way to really treat yourself. Take the time to prepare an indulgent meal and pour yourself a glass of beer or wine, turn your mp3 machine to something funky with a good beat and get lost in food and music. Be careful not to lose any fingers while chopping.

Treating yourself is just as important as treating him or her. Or it. Love who you are, where you are and what you are. If you can’t, don’t or won’t… see the change and be the change. Do something empowering. Love you as much as you love your girlfriend, boyfriend, pet, new bike, vibrator or whatever.

With thanks to the ever thrifty and brightly coloured Ryanair, I’ve treated myself to some days in Sweden next week. But for now,

Happy Valentines from the Venice of the north.

du är underbar.

Xoxo-Glenn