What's on your Valentine's Day Plate?

The key to a successful Valentine's Day, said the sage, is knowing what women want. Chaucer had one idea (cf. Wife of Bath), Shakespeare had several others (cf. everything he ever wrote), and Dorothy Parker had quite a different one. Two difficulties are uppermost in their declarations:

1. They're all men. Well, Dorothy Parker wasn't, but . . . . All right--scrap number one.

2. They didn't know Amanada.

High on the list of things that inspire love and affection in our marrage is . . .

a clean house!

Honestly, men. Take note. It's not just Amanda, either. Women, can I get an amen?

Amen!

Thanks, women.

Accordingly, I got up extremely early (and, as I usually get up between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m., I mean extremely early) and, as quietly as possible (beacause another essential ingredient is happily-sleeping children), I cleaned the entire downstairs from top to bottom, including mopping the floors. It all sparkled--from the cabinets (which we'll never be able to afford to replace but which aren't that bad) to the countertop (which seems to get uglier every year, but which we'll never be able to replace either).

Back in college, I used to make mix tapes for all my romantic interests (which were many and copius and were seldom returned . . . neither the love nor the tapes, I mean), but I havn't done that for years. The last mix CD I made was for a very close friend who was dying of cancer--he said it's one thing everyone does when they learn you're fighting cancer . . . the mix CDs came by the hundreds!

The mix tape has, over time, changed to the mix CD. Now, it's the mix iPod playlist. Since my post about a sensual (and alphabetical) string of songs, I've been putting together a lovely list for us. Penelope is going to a friend's house for dinner, and Powell and Van are off to their long-time babysitter's apartment for what we're calling a dinner party. They're very excited.

So are Amanda and I! We get four or five hours to ourselves in our own home cooking what we most want to eat and listening to lovely music. Ah, the transports of delight brought on by a house in which every noise is one you make yourself!

I've inserted a photo of the playlist in question above. If you click on it, it will enlarge to legible proportions, letting you see the variety in genre, length, group, and age (but with some notable repeats). Below, I intend to add some commentary on the songs (after a brief meeting that starts in three minutes).

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“I Want You” by Bob Dylan

I’m a big Dylan fan, though Amanda is not. Because of her diffidence, I’ve created a “Dylan” genre on the iPod so that we can have Folk (but not Dylan), Folk Rock (without Dylan), and Rock (sans Dylan). Because Amanda isn’t thrilled by Bob, I’m putting this song first. Again, it’s a light number—one that sets the tone for the rest of the playlist.

“I’ll Make Love To You Anytime” by Eric Clapton

Clapton and Knopfler are two of the very best Rock ‘n’ Roll guitarists working today. Clapton has speed; Knopfler has tone. Clapton is best in a blues genre; Knopfler can play just about anything. It’s hard for me to listen to a Clapton song that I don’t like; I don’t like some of Knopfler’s songs (“Sailing to Philadelpha” is a particularly egregious example), but I’ll listen to anything he plays in just to hear the tone of his guitar.

“I Want To Tell You” by The Beatles

Another fairly light, poppy love song. Because it is the Beatles, though, even a song like this has unimaginable style.

“Stay” by Alison Krauss

Amanda loves Alison. Her voice is extraordinary. I’ll even listen to her sing “Ghost in this House”—an otherwise maudlin number—because of that voice!

“Très Très Chic” by Mocean Worker

This is a late addition. I liked the minimal sound here, as well as the nice beat. And I happen to think Amanda is très, très, très chic!

“Via Con Me” by Paolo Conte

If you haven’t watched the movie Mostly Martha, go watch it now. Go. Watch. It. Now.

Here’s a quick link to the movie information.

One of the most delightful films we’ve seen. Do not see this film on an empty stomach. Plan to eat good food after watching it. Don’t (I’m pretty sure) wait for the Hollywood remake (tentatively entitled No Reservations!).

All that seems irrelevant until you realize that this song is from the film, and it’s a lovely number.

More comments to come—I need to head home to help out!

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