How I Spent Valentine's Night I spent Valentine's Day evening alone in a pitch-black room →[More:] with a sweet roll of 35mm black-and-white film. My first date with this roll had only been a few days before, when we had walked on the beach and marveled together at the wonders of wood, stone, sand, water, and sky from many different angles. The first date had felt promising, but only tonight would I know for sure if it would bear fruit. Alone in the room, I gently opened its metal cover and eased it slowly but decisively onto a stainless steel reel, then nestled it into a cozy tank. From there I took it to a carefully-measured bath of powerful, sweet-smelling emollients, gently rocking it back and forth, before finishing with a bubbly romp in a tub of Photo-Flo. After it had relaxed in the warming glow of the film dryer, I laid it out before my full view on the light table, and it revealed its heretofore hidden story to me. The memories replayed in my mind of the walk on the beach, now preserved in silver crystals for all time, and even more beautiful than I could have imagined.