So you broke up with him. So he’s out of town. So you’re still waiting to meet him.

So?

Waiting for Prince Charming is no excuse not to celebrate the greatest thing of all. Love. And who better to love on than yourself this Valentine’s Day? No one wants to listen to you whine! So shut your mouth and take some cues from this list for a happy solo Valentine's Day.

1. Try a new hot chocolate recipe. Learning something new, even if it is as simple and delicious as hot chocolate is rewarding.

2. Buy flowers. You’ve already heard the old “buy yourself some roses.” But you know what? Maybe you don’t even like roses. And besides, roses die before you even get a chance to enjoy them. Instead, go to your local grocery store and buy one of those springy potted plants (like a hyacinth) to liven up your living space. Taking care of the plant and nurturing it will give you a sense of wholeness and remind you that spring and new opportunities are just around the corner, instead of focusing on what you don’t have (ie a boyfriend)

3. Clean out your makeup drawer. It sounds boring but getting rid of junk like makeup, which gets sticky and messy overtime, and sorting through the things you actually use will give you a better idea of what you might need to go out and get and give you new ideas about how you wear your makeup and what it says about you. Plus it’s a good excuse to go out and buy yourself some new lipgloss.

4. Write a love letter. And not to a boy, silly. Take this time to reflect on a person who you’d like to express your unconditional love to, no matter their role in your life.

5. Rent a movie that’s not exactly a chick flick. Any other day of the year they’re fun, but for some reason they become hopelessly depressing on V-Day.

Try one of these quirky but fun films:

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Feast of Love
• Marie Antoinette
• Garden State
• King of California
• Me and You and Everyone We Know
• Igby Goes Down

 6. Go on a photo adventure. Pack up the ol' point 'n shoot, a good pair of walking shoes, and get yourself out to see the world! Oh, and take pictures of everything! Later, when anyone asks you what you did for Valentine's Day you can show them. It'll look a lot more fun than waiting in a crowded restaurant lobby because it was.

7. Try a magazine that isn't all about the boys. Real Simple, Body and Soul, and Smithsonian are a few that cover the thinking girl's needs.

8. Exfoliate! Make your own yummy and relaxing exfoliator with granulated light brown sugar and a dash of warm milk. Just make sure not to mix in too much milk or the brown brown sugar will become syrupy.

Not that that couldn't be fun too.

 9. Take a trip (to your library) Not only is everything there free but it's a good place to explore and take your mind off the holiday. Plus, where else are you going to find someone so completely alone on Valentine's Day that they've ended up at the library?  *wink wink*

Check out these complicated tales of love while you're there:

• My Mistress's Sparrow Is Dead: Great Love Stories, From Chekhov to Munro Jeffrey Eugenides
• Sweethearts Sara Zarr
• The Perfect Age Heather Skyler
• Looking for Alaska John Green
• Everything Beautiful in The World Lisa Levchuk
• A Swift Pure Cry Siobhan Dowd
• House Under Snow Jill Bialosky

10. Flirt. That's right, flirt. It is Valentine's day, afterall. So, whether it be the grocery-boy who's obviously had his eye on you since he saw you browsing the avacados last fall or your boyfriend whose 300 miles away, give a little wink or, you know, just say 'hi' and who knows? Maybe next year will be different.