The Week: February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day!

In my younger years, I hated this holiday with a passion. Guess when that changed. Go ahead. Guess.

Sometime around when this photo was taken, I’d say:

That’s me and Rand, on our first Valentine’s Day together, in 2002. Crazy, right?

Needless to say, my feelings surrounding February 14 have changed a little bit. I still think it’s way too commercialized, but holy crap do I love celebrating love.

And in order to properly do that, I need to go bake (and eat) three dozen or so heart-shaped cookies. While I do that, you enjoy these links.

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NFL prospect Michael Sam came out to the press recently, in a rather brilliant and brave move. Retired receiver Donte Stallworth explains why any team worth its salt should be ready to draft him.

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Dallas sportcaster Dale Hansen slams the league for its hypocrisy regarding gay men in the NFL.

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Classic video games, reimagined as romance-novel covers.

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How an artist managed to secretly display his work in the MoMA for nearly 2 years.

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We drove past Slab City while we were in Palm Springs, without knowing too much about it. The New York Times takes a closer, fascinating look at this unregulated little corner of the U.S.

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Introducing Valensteins! Valentine’s Day cards featuring Frankenstein, witches, mummies, and a bevy of other monsters.

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Light + dancing + animation = the spectacular “Pleiades” performance by dance troop Enra.

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I made these two years ago, and I’m still pretty proud of them: Billy Ray Valentines, inspired by Eddie Murphy’s character in Trading Places.

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A comic book artist illustrates the difficulty she faces when going into comic book shops.

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I’m sure I’ve posted this before, but since I can’t let a Valentine’s Day pass without listening to it, here it is again. “I Don’t Really Love You Anymore” by the Magnetic Fields.

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Have a wonderful day full of those chalky little conversation hearts that cost, like, 4 cents for a huge box.