JenOni

Archives for Feb 12, 2019

Single on Valentine’s Day is a Good Reason to Celebrate Love for Self

Happy Valentine'sDay

Single on Valentine’s Day

I think I missed the memo that being single on Valentine’s Day is a curse.  During this time each year, I see articles coaching people on how to cope with being single on Valentine’s Day.   Don’t get me wrong I like the idea of celebrating with the one you love.  However, being single on Valentine’s Day is no reason to be sad.  I feel like it gives a reason to celebrate doing something special for yourself.

If You’re an Ex

A few weeks ago I saw on the news how to celebrate Valentine’s Day if you have an ex.  Now there are activities if you have an ex,  a zoo in El Paso Texas allows people to use ex’s name for a cockroach which is then fed to a meerkat.  Hooters offers a  coupon for ten free boneless wings by completing an online quiz and shredding an ex’s picture.   All of this negative energy is no for me.  Just move on and channel this energy to celebrate YOU!

My thoughts as a single woman and the idea of stressing over Valentine’s Day brings a few questions to mind.  What happened to the idea of celebrating love every day? Why is being happy and loved dependent on being in a relationship?  Is it possible to love yourself and love your time alone?  Do we spend enough time loving ourselves?  Are we emotionally and spiritually ready to share with another person?   Why have standards and expectations become irrelevant?

Love Jones

One of my favorite movies is Love Jones.   After watching the movie multiple times, I realized how much I missed in my 20s and 30s.   I know now experiences should have no regrets or settle for less.   My takeaway from the movie is the fact a loving relationship requires time, mutual respect, unconditional love, patience, and work.   It was also eye-opening to see how much time is wasted when we are not clear with expectations.

2014-12-12-lovejones

My mantra is to CELEBRATE ME every day of the year.

Ways to Treat Yourself for the Month and Beyond

  1. Book a relaxing massage at a local spa
  2. Schedule an appointment for a facial
  3. Plan a treat to a special pedicure and manicure
  4. Order a dozen of roses for the month and for a real splurge order LeFleur roses (on my 50 wishlist)
  5. Buy a box of favorite chocolates(Turtles are my favorite)
  6. Make dinner reservations at a favorite restaurant

ABC Series, A Million Little Things is a True Testament to Friendship

*spoiler alert*

A Million Little Things

I binged watched the ABC series, A Million Little Things last year and I am hooked. It is the epitome of friendship and the story of 4 male best friends, (John, Gary, Eddie, and Gary) living in Boston.  Three of the friends are married and one is single.   They share their love of hockey, family, and friendship.  The storyline is so emotionally charged and after the first episode it drew me in for more. 

Friend Circle

John is the rock of the entire group.  He is the one who everyone can count on for everything.   I realized everyone came to him with their problems but no one asked John if he was fine.  John and Delilah are married with two kids. Their relationship appeared strained due to John’s long work hours and being there for everyone else.   I think he checked out of his relationship in the first season, we are not certain why.   Delilah was a stay at home. Her previous life before John is not covered in season one. Delilah clearly checked out when she decided to have an affair with Eddie.  Eddie and Katherine are married with one child. Katherine is the female version of John.   She is a hard-working and ambitious lawyer who works hard at maintaining a solid foundation at work and building their future. Eddie is a stay at home dad and occasional band member.   It is obvious that Eddie has checked out of his marriage as well with the affair with Delilah.  Rome and Regina are married with no kids but a strong bond.  Rome struggles with depression and came very close to committing suicide. He finally realized he was suffering from depression and decided to take medication.   I love how Regina supported his truth and his decision to seek help.  Gary is single with a dog and non-committal.  He starts a relationship with someone from his support group.

John

The turning point is when John ends his life. There were so many unanswered questions, mainly WHY? They all believed John had it all, his wife, kids, a successful business, but there was something missing in his life.   Ashley, his executive assistant was the closest person to his business and she had no clue on the signs.  The first half of season one introduces us to all of the characters and unravels all of their stories.  Also, Maggie’s character is introduced as Gary’s new interest and also the women he met in his breast cancer support group. 

 When the next half of the season resumed, it traces all of John’s steps the day before he committed suicide. It answered a few more questions that left me on a cliffhanger. John’s largest real estate deal went in a different direction and he was in significant debt. It was not clear if this is why he ended his life or if there was more.  John also knew about the affair between Delilah and Eddie.  The day before his suicide he mapped out his plan.  John made sure he took care of everyone in the friend circle.  He purchased a building for Regina to have her own restaurant, he made the guys executors of his estate, Ashley was given tickets to Barcelona, he purchased an entire city block to protect the sale of his college apartment, left a video for Barbara Morgan, hand-written notes to Delilah and Barbara Morgan, and secretly gave keys to the college apartment to Ashley.  John also knew about Eddie and Delilah.  His last voicemail call to Eddie was to say “love one another”.

Aftermath

John’s death left a lot behind for everyone to process.  Katherine and Eddie separated.  Delilah finds out she’s pregnant with “John’s” baby.  Katherine starts dating a partner in her law firm.   Delilah has to go to Katherine for her real estate mess John left behind that included $18 million dollars in debt.   John focused so much on the business deals that he forgot about his family.  Maggie, Gary’s girlfriend is now a part of the friend circle.  John’s death has left so many questions.  Delilah’s letter from John provided some closure for her and their kids, however, it showed he was in a lot of pain.   The big question that is not answered, who is Barbara Morgan?  My theory is she is someone from John’s past that he carried a lot of guilt throughout his life.

My Thoughts on AMLT Friend Circle

The friend circle was carried out by John. He was the friend who encouraged, loved, counseled, and cared for everyone else’s needs. The one thing that sticks out is no one in the circle asked John how he was doing. There were no signs of his pain because he was so good at masking his feelings. He was the strong one of the circle and it was assumed everything was great. The conclusion I reached after watching season one is to check on strong friends.