Why I'm Doing This

My sister and I, on our knees for freebies (or in the words of Djimon Hounsou in "Amistad": "Gives usss usss free...iPod")


My elder sister's been dateless for, uh, most of her existence. But being decidedly single doesn't equal being loveless. (Just crabby and cynical and makes you quote movie lines like, "Valentine's Day was invented by greeting card companies to make everyone else feel like crap.") So the dutiful younger sister *bashfully blinks eyes* took it upon herself to make this year's V-Day a little different.

Below are 10 songs that best capture the quirks, oddities and personality defects of my bloodiest valentine--my sister. We're not exactly "Hallmark" sisters, i.e. we don't braid each other's hair, call each other "Sis" or share a bowl of ice cream on a hot afternoon, as sisters are often depicted on greeting cards. I complain when she forgets to wash her hair, she regularly calls me "eejit" ("idiot", inspired by Frank McCourt), and we goad each other into violence by stealthily leaving the largest, crustiest pot in the sink for the other to wash. Our relationship swings from brutal and rough, to funny and hysterical, to mean and viciously witty. Having lived with her for the past 23 years has left me with weakened eardrums, assorted scars, and, well, a unique perspective on life and survival. After all, the reality is that any love relationship has got to be bittersweet and make you a cartwheeling cripple, I guess.

The great thing about Valentine's Day is it isn't just a time for romantically-involved couples; it's also an excuse to say a few words to people who mean so much more to you than they think they do.

So, dearest sister, if you ever hear me scream "Leche kang bruha ka!!! @%^$#!" from time to time, don't ever believe me, ok? To my eternal roommate and most lovable hag who's given me hernia and memories: this one's for you.