Love.

I try, very hard, to be what I think is "rational" as often as I can. I have very cynical tendencies. Though I may appreciate the devotion of certain "Hollywood" types with thousands of children, in my heart of hearts I will not be surprised when there is an ugly breakup. I sometimes hate people (mostly in waiting lines, on the train, etc.) for no reason. I have a physically negative reaction to most children between the age of 8-18. You know, the usual East Coast, bitter, single woman, curmudgeon-before-her-age stuff. I'm such a Miranda.

But then, there are some things that get me in that soft, gooey, absurdly girly romantic place. Yes, this is a picture-driven post, and sure, maybe it's also a little driven by the creeping, ever soul-crushing, sappiest of sappy (boy, I'm using a lot of adjectives today...) holidays - Valentine's Day. [Keep in mind, this post is coming from a girl who in the past has spent that same holiday cuddling with close friends, watching The Notebook (crying, lamenting loneliness) and then Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (soaking in violence and badassery), and/or by taking a road trip to a $1 Chinese Buffet restaurant, getting carryout and then eating chips, popsicles and leftover Chinese food while watching 30 Rock with friends. What can I say? I'm an old fashioned girl...]

But there are, as there must be, things that will always allow me to retain that faith in 'love'. Chief among those things are black and white photos of old timey kisses, people looking at people with unadulterated love in their eyes (it happens, believe it or not), old people holding hands, It's a Wonderful Life, general genuine love, and tipsy Irish middle-aged couples who, whilst walking down the middle of the street pull each other close and sing to each other a little bit too loudly and smile a little too deliriously and giggle and slow dance and forget that there's a world around them. That kind of stuff. Stuff like this:

Michael Caine and the Wifey

Dr. King and Coretta

Love tube

If anyone knows the name or artist of this photo I'd REALLY love to know - I've had it for a while and I have no idea how it came into my possession, what it's called, etc etc. And I love it ever so.

I've always found that the ability to sleep well together is a key indicator of being able to be well together.

That seems dangerous. Dangerous and adorable.

What red-blooded woman hasn't dreamt of a "running into yourself"-esque moment like this?

Scandalous!

Oh - and Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. If he and I could never be, I'm glad he found a woman like her.

"Why go out for a hamburger when you have steak at home?"

That would be the aforementioned look of love. Right there in those baby blues.

There is just so much adorable love here. They're having much too much fun together.