Valentine's Day 2008: February 2008

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Valentine's Day 2008, Part 5

Why do people keep getting shot in my stories?! Focus, Norm, focus!

Heh, heh Faith and Hope... hmm...
"Faith, hope, love, abide these three... but the greatest of these is love..."

Love... "the Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis... yeah, I'm likin' that idea...

Storge... affection-love.

"This warm comfortableness, this satisfaction in being together, takes in all sorts of objects. It is indeed the least discriminating of loves."

Philia... friendship-love. "Friendship arises out of mere companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden)."

Eros... passion-love. "Now Eros makes a man really want, not a woman, but one particular woman."

Lastly, Agape... charity-love. How can I illustrate that?

"Christ did not teach and suffer that we might become, even in the (aforementioned) natural loves, more careful of our own happiness. If a man is not uncalculating towards the earthly beloveds whom he has seen, he is none the more likely to be so towards God whom he has not..."

"...We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it."

"God is love. Again 'Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us' (1 John 4:10)... We begin at the real beginning, with love as the Divine energy. This primal love is Gift-love. In God there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desires to give."

I know what I can do... :- )

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Valentine's Day 2008, Part 4

I need a different angle... a classic movie, drama, pathos, chiaroscuro...

Dime-Store Lace and Leather Soles

Crime was down, and the sun was up. That's bad for business when you're a private eye.

The only mug I'd seen all day was my own, looking back at me from my last Bubble Up. I had one swig left, and I was saving that for closing time.

Before I could get up, the door opened, and trouble blew in.

Trouble comes in all sizes. This one was 5'4, with curves like neon and eyes like a Frigidaire.

Are you Bruce Cupid, snoop-for-hire?

That's what the door says, sweetheart.

My name is Faith Mulberry. Mr. Cupid, you must help me.
My sister Hope is missing.

Times are tough, but I can afford to pay you and cover expenses.

I've always wanted to take a case on faith. So, what's the job?

No, no, no... with a mystery, you gotta start with the ending, then work backwards...

Put that Roscoe down, doll -- you don't want to do that.

What about your sister? What about us?
...don't we have something good?

Hope? I lost her last year.
It was springtime when a young man's fancy turned to my sister. You didn't even know her, Mr. Cupid, and you shot her, you shot him. They fell for each other, and got married.

No, you won't get the drop on me.
Not if I shoot you first...

Nah... I can't tell a story about heartbreak and disappointment for Valentine's Day...

to be concluded...

Valentine's Day 2008, Part 3

Arg! Classical romance... where's the passion? The repressed, hopeless romantic released?

the Coco Bongo

LET'S ROCK THIS JOINT!

Don't you hate it when they say TO BE CONTINUED...

Valentine's Day 2008, Part 2

OK, that was good, but it... it didn't have romance... How about...

R + J

It is my lady! O, it is my love!

O, that she knew she were!

She speaks, yet she says nothing.

What of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it.

I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks.

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven

Having some business, do entreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O, that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!

Ay me!

She speaks.

O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art

As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,

As is a winged messenger of heaven

Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him

When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds

And sails upon the bosom of the air.