We commemorate the hearts-and-flowers season, even though they be frozen hearts and flowers, with this week's annual Valentine extravaganza, The Book of Love.
Long before citizen journalism became a buzz phrase of the information age, Isthmus readers were writing the BOL, penning their encomiums to Eros and happily sending them along to us to print in time for the great holiday for lovers. Presumably we've been the catalyst for many an amorous encounter. That has been our hope.
A couple of years ago, someone around here got the bright idea that maybe the readers would also like to provide the art for the supplement. This year's BOL is replete with photos supplied by the public. We were a little oversubscribed, so the overflow of images is online at TheDailyPage.com. Don't worry, whether in the paper, or online, you look mahvelous.
We like the pics. For one thing, they let us see what our readers look like in all their handsome diversity. You're a good-looking crowd, and so are your dogs and cats, many of which figure prominently in your submissions. The kids are cute too.
You are a loving bunch. Your love notes are dedicated to spouses, parents, kids and animals. You folks are metaphorically sloppy-kissing all over the place. And then, sadly, there is the occasional lament of unrequited love - or love that is no longer being requited. The path to love sometimes encounters a dead end.
Some like it rough. That crowd should head on over to our cover story this week, "Rollerdolls," by intrepid contributor Melissa Faliveno. Faliveno gets involved in her stories. It was one thing when she was writing a story for us about baristas; it was another when she checked out the leather- and-chains scene in a later issue. This time she's jumped all the way in and takes us along for the ride. The Mad Rollin' Dolls like to mix it up and may have their own paradigm of femininity. Something tells me Valentine's Day is just a little different down at the roller rink.
