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I Got No Sap
I might like Valentine’s Day a lot better if it came, say, in the middle of July when the weather is warm and I don’t have to put on twelve pounds of clothes just to go to the mailbox. But as it is, February is not my best month – it’s been cold and gray and dreary since November and while I know intellectually that in March things will begin to warm up enough for me to begin to believe Spring will really come, knowing and feeling in February are two entirely different things.
Nor am I the kind of female that gets all sappy. I’m not into the whole romantic comedy thing – I’ve never seen Sleepless in Seattle or You’ve Got Mail or Pretty Woman – and for the most part, love songs make me cringe. I read romance novels once in a blue moon, but when I do I usually find myself rolling my eyes and, occasionally, making fake barfing motions. If a man were to begin quoting romantic poetry to me, I’d be hard put not to giggle during the recitation.
Which is not to say that I don’t like being told that I’m loved and appreciated, or don’t like getting flowers or jewelry or being taken out for a nice meal, but I don’t like getting those things because greeting card and candy companies and florists say I should get those things. I want to receive those things because someone wants to give them to me.
Then there’s the small fact that I’m hard-headed stubborn an independent cuss and hate being told what to do. Oh, I HAVE to celebrate your manufactured holiday? Well, see this? It’s my butt. Kiss it.
That being said, Beloved and I usually observe Valentine’s Day in some fashion. Last year, we were out and about a couple of days before The Day at the Hartville Market (I’ll have to do a Travel Tip Thursday post about that place soon) and Beloved bought me the Precious Moments figurine you see here, along with another of the black-and-white retro Mickey Mouse statuettes by Jim Shore. Which was fine with me. Sometimes we go out to a nice restaurant on V-Day, but mostly I cook a special dinner for us, which is what I’ll do this year.
If you like all the hearts and flowers and romance, I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day this year, I really do. But if you’re like me, and find the fact that the local grocery store is offering “The Ultimate Stay-At-Home Romantic Dinner” for $25 (two dinky steaks and lobster tails in a heart-shaped container) absolutely hilarious, I’ll be more than happy to join you in the snickering.
For more optimistic Valentine’s Day posts, go visit Sprite’s Keeper and the Spin Cycle.
I’m a romantic at heart, but I view Valentine’s Day the same way you do!
Hear that? It’s me snickering… 
Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)´s last blog ..Wordless/Wordful Wednesday – So Much Snow, but Fun Like a Penguin
Heh heh, John and I are celebrating Valentine’s because the only man I would ever leave him for is coming to our town! Tomorrow is our celebration..
You’re linked!
(You said “dinky”.)(Snicker)
Sprite’s Keeper´s last blog ..RTT: Keeping it clean, if there’s time.
I don’t like Hallmark telling me how to celebrate or the media telling me how to think…I like to simply be me…and your Valentine’s Day sounds perfect.
Suzicate´s last blog ..An Every Day Kind Of Love
I’m snickering at you because I think you’re a lot more romantic than you realize. You call your husband “Beloved” for cryin’ out loud!
Every year Briefcase gives me a ridiculously sappy card and I give him a joke card on Valentine’s. I hate sappy cards, he hates joke ones. Why do we keep doing this?
Twenty Four At Heart´s last blog ..Call Me Exhibit A
Jan, when American Greetings is in the toilet and the other half of Cleveland in unemployed, I’m blaming you!
I agree, though. I hate the idea of spending $4.00 on a card! Argh. I do give into buying Malley’s chocolate covered strawberries, though. Mostly because I really like them and they’re only available a few times a year…
Mama Badger´s last blog ..Happy Birthday, Little Badger!
I told my husband when we started dating that he was off the hook for Valentine’s day. I knew he loved me the time he went to Wal-Mart at midnight to get and install a new battery in my car so I could go to my exercise class the next morning. (He needed his car to go to a customer meeting.) I’ll take that over flowers and a card any day.
class factotum´s last blog ..Marriage 201, Lecture 397: I told you so
I am definitely a sap, but that “Stay at home romantic dinner” is pretty insane!
Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..Spin Cycle: Valentine’s Day
Just go right out and rent Pretty Woman, because it’s a good movie.
Sounds as though they are offering a very lame meal. Can just as easily buy one lovely, large steak and share it with your Sweetheart. That’s a bit more romantic. It’s been so cold for us this winter that we are happy to stay at home and eat our Valentine’s Day dinner.
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
Di´s last blog ..Root Beer and Tracy
A gentle word like a spark of light,
Illuminates my soul
And as each sound goes deeper,
It’s YOU that makes me whole
There is no corner, no dark place,
YOUR LOVE cannot fill
And if the world starts causing waves,
It’s your devotion that makes them still
And yes you always speak to me,
In sweet honesty and truth
Your caring heart keeps out the rain,
YOUR LOVE, the ultimate roof
So thank you my Love for being there,
For supporting me, my life
I’ll do the same for you, you know,
My Beautiful, Darling Wife.
- David G. Kelly –
OK, I know you are gagging, but I do love you and send you a sappy poem because you hate them (even if they are true).
But you KNOW that I think Class is right – you want love baby, just ask yourself who runs out to get you batteries in the middle of the night! Who keeps your vibrator running? THAT is love! Cards? GAH.
I AM looking forward to a home cooked meal – I AM SICK OF APPLEBYS! And you have not been forgotten – though you won’t believe it I am DAYS ahead of you on V Day!
I share your snickering sentiments, because I hate manufactured holidays. But I also cannot tolerate doing nothing… so I have expectations, damn it.
Also, You’ve Got Mail is very cheesy, but I find that movie oddly comforting.
Last year, other half was traveling for VD. I was displeased.
Hope you guys do something fun.
Erin´s last blog ..non academic
We think a lot alike. I am definitely not a romantic.
Beth´s last blog ..Trying to communicate
I am romantic, but I’m not a Romantic. If you know what I mean. I’m basically totally cynical and pessimistic about love, but I enjoy candlelight and flowers and champagne. Wait. This should be a blog post for MY blog. Damn. Okay, when you read this stuff about the little r, big R in my blog, pretend you haven’t read it before.
Gretchen´s last blog ..What’s Wrong With This Picture?
[...] – check out my post, then my comments, from [...]
Bah humbug. Sometimes we acknowledge the day, sometimes we don’t. Either way, I’m fine. I like to celebrate all year. Sometimes the 14th of SUCKY February just doesn’t fit into my schedule.
Did I mention that I HATE February?
PS. I may not be a romantic either but that comment from Be…….melted my cold heart. *wink*
I try to pretend V day doesn’t exist and that’s fine with HBL, although we do get each other a card just on principle. My grands expect all the fluff and clutter that is thrown in your face the second you step into a store around this time of year. I’ve decided that this year is the year of cards with a new 5 dollar bill tucked inside and they can go buy their own crap the day after when it’s 1/2 price. I can then remind them that is the same as if I’d given them 10 bucks. Think they’ll be o.k. with that? LOL
Sounds romantic, right?
Midlife Slices´s last blog ..Good Things Come To Those Who Procrastinate
I am so with you Jan on this! Me and hubby dance to a different drummer and even tho we do get each other funny cards on V-day (and most likely, he will bring home some flowers beause he knows I love flowers), we are so not the “sit-in-an-overpriced-restaurant-just-because-everyone-says-so!” kind of couple. Who has time for that? BTW – your hubby is so sweet and obviously is head-over-heels and, that is all we ever really need to know!
Milkayphoto´s last blog ..No need to adjust your monitor
Valentine’s Day here is effectively in the middle of July (August really) and I still don’t like it.
A Free Man´s last blog ..King Solomon, he never lived round here
I inherited my dad’s viewpoint, which is, it’s a lot of bunk. My poor mother always hopeful, always disappointed. Hubby and I don’t celebrate this holiday either. It helps that our anniversary is next week.
Valentine’s day is for the young person’s holiday, the foolish and impulsive. We wise old people know that we don’t need a yearly reminder.
Ellie Belen´s last blog ..The Day I Became a Queen
What I hate is the fact that there now is Sweetest day in October… What, we now have to buy stuff for our loved ones two times a year. I tend to call that one a Hallmark Holiday and always seem to forget to do something. But I usually get something for my wife on Valentines day just to celebrate the day.
Thanks for sharing,
Christopher (AKA: CaJoh)´s last blog ..F2: Is Love in the food?
Aw, I just read your hubby’s comment.
Cramming that sappy poem down your bloggy throat is indeed love. I despise sap and the VD holiday as a whole, but I am all for sincere demonstrations of love. That was heartfelt, I think. Now someone singing me a serenade, that would make me hurl just a little.
You guys are lucky to have each other every day of the year.
mrsbear´s last blog ..Success (of the Flushable Variety)
I do go in for sap on occasion, but it has to be good sap. I have a really hard time finding romantic comedies I like–I end up preferring really quirky ones, like “The Baxter” or “500 Days of Summer.” Hope you have a good one!
Patty´s last blog ..Love is in the air
I’m glad I’m not the only one with the same idea! Sentimentality comes from the heart and not the wallet! I talked to someone today who said they put a lot of thought into buying flowers. What a joke!