Love Quotes

Infantile love follows the principle: "I love because I am loved."
Mature love follows the principle: "I am loved because I love."
Immature love says: "I love you because I need you."
Mature love says: "I need you because I love you."

~Erich Fromm
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In Sandman: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman

Have you even been in love? Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...

You give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like "maybe we should just be friends" or "how very perceptive" turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.




(two very, very different quotes :P )

Go! Go! 60's!

Although my dear mother has a Pleasanton phobia, she graciously accompanied Julia and I to the car show last Sunday. I can’t wait for this weekend and the Scottish Games, because unlike the previous years, my mother has not objected to the Pleasanton location. This is due to the wonderful music and the bustling uniqueness of the vintage car show. Not to mention the fact that my mother found the town reminiscent of her childhood haunts in Camden Ohio.

Julia and I dressed up like we were from the 60’s, and paraded around the grounds passing out fliers for the September 5th concert. Julia was unbelievably sweet to come with me, and I think despite her objections she enjoyed herself. I asked her to come casually, not wanting to trouble her with the “themed” aspect of our attire. Though she was such a good sport and came through when everyone else did not. I understand the difficulties for sure, however. I am the only one who can drive out of the bunch of people I asked, so without question, getting to appropriate places is difficult. Finding your way out of SF or Oakland is no easy feat, especially when you have to rely on bus lines and walking shoes.

Still the event itself was remarkable. I really was so happy to help in any way I could. It’s great fun to see and be around such sweet natured people collaborating and playing wonderful music together. I was happy to be asked as well, and even happier that I was actually able to do some good. If someone asked me to cook a fantastic Vietnamese dinner by nine, I would love to lend a hand—only, the end result of this request would probably be a mangled, inedible meal. I just don’t have the ability. Handing out fliers, and coming in themed garb, on the other hand, are two things I can do with a smile.

Kittens!

I have the two cutest, most adorable kittens living with me, unrivaled in kissability. I saw them like magic in Rabbit Ears, these two little rescues that I just fell in love with. It was like finding out that I suddenly have superpowers, that moment when I realized that I could make a kitten apart of my life. I could adopt a purring ball of wonderful, curling energy. I’ve been so conflicted though, because there is not only one kitty fantastico, but there are two! They’ve been living with me for the time being as I try to figure out a plan of action. Will I give in and adopt both? Will I be scared off by the fact that college is right around the corner, inducing a whole new set of doubts and duties? I could bite my lip and do the unthinkable… separate them and adopt one…I’d feel so guilty, like I’d committed murder. It’s almost the better option, though, because low and behold, there is a slight possibility that my kitty could come live with me in my new apartment. However, the dreaded prospect of “pets,” is not one of those easy topics to bring up with most landlords. It’s understandable; pets have dirty business to take care of, as well as chewing/scratching urges and so on. But how can anyone not melt at the kneading, pleading nudges of a cat seeking some love and attention? I for one am a sucker for animals—all the way—no questions asked. When I was little I used to bring home all sorts of spiny, misshaped, smelly, sticky, and furry wildlife. I’d go for snakes, lizards, frogs, birds, plague-ridden rats… You name it: it’d love it. I’d spend a whole afternoon digger under a rotting log looking for a spotty, lethargic salamander to cuddle up with. My face smeared with mud, I’d triumphantly cup the prize in my hands. I was such a wildlife freak; I’d just as soon pocket the beetles and worms along with the salamander, the original creature of my affections. My heart would race every time I discovered a new pulse, thrilled at the miracle of creation. It was 10 times more exciting than Easter egg hunting, which as a kid is pretty damn fun.