Love sucks

Noticed an increase in advertising for the following lately; chocolates, jewellery, flowers, lingerie?  If you do indeed live in a box, you might not have realised that St Valentine’s day is almost upon us.  It’s all very nice if you’re one half of a happy couple (or even a couple that can make a convincing approximation) but being a “Singleton” on Romance’s day of days can leave a little to be desired. 

Rather than basking in other peoples’ radiant, romancey, glow (eerrrgh) why not grab these goodies from the library and hunker down in solitude?

• Nursing a broken heart but need a little humour to help things mend?  It’s called a break up because it’s broken : the smart girl’s breakup buddy is a funny band-aid for bruised and battered hearts penned by Greg Behrendt author of bestseller He’s just not that into you : the no-excuses truth to understanding guys.
• Need some encouragement to enjoy the single life? The between boyfriends book : a collection of cautiously hopeful essays might be your cup of tea (for one)…
• Hell hath no fury : women’s letters from the end of the affair is full of letters that women have written to their exes and some of them are hilariously malicious in tone - lovelorn laughs aplenty.
• Looking for the perfect “wallowing in self-pity” soundtrack?  I recommend some Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday - both great women with incredible voices and lives tinged with tragedy.  For a little “at least my life isn’t that bad” gratification consider a Piaf or Holiday biography to boot.
• Looking for a little divine intervention?  ”Spinsters” can claim not one, but three patron saints – Saint Andrew, Saint Nicholas (yes Santa Claus), and Saint Catherine of Alexandria.  Saint Catherine gets my vote as she is also one of the patron saints of librarians so in terms of heavenly help she’s got to have the most bang for her buck.

Anybody else got some helpful tips on how to survive Valentine’s day?