Coyote Blog

A framework for choosing a Valentines present (click to enlarge)

via Flowing Data.

I am kind of a Valentines Day scrooge.  I don't really like manufactured holidays aimed at converting my guilt into card and restaurant sales.  But I did spring for a dozen red roses from the grocery store ($10 baby!) and a giant cupcake for my daughter.

I am not a Scrooge on most holidays - heck, we even decorate our house for July 4, not to mention Halloween and Christmas.  However, I feel about the same guilt in not celebrating Valentines Day as I do not having kitchen floors as minty-fresh as the ones in the Pine-Sol commercial.

When I was single, I used to love Valentines Day.  Often it was a great excuse to get my girlfriend all romantic and full of wine, and, well, you know.   One year when I was in business school and was sans g/f, I secretly left  a red rose on the desk of every female in my section.

Since I have been married, though, Valentines has been one of those sort of grim opportunities to screw-up, like anniversaries.  For the married person, Valentines is all down-side.  Yes, I know a few couples who have developed some Valentines rituals with which they seem to have a lot of fun (power to them), but my wife and I never have particularly bonded with the day.  This year, my wife and I swore off the flowers (its much more money to apply the money to roses some day she is not expecting them) and had a nice lunch al fresco on a beautiful Phoenix day.  So I guess it wasn't so bad after all.