Valentine Day's Article

[GAAZ]

I hate Valentines day because you're supposed to tell ther person you love that you love them one day out of the year like it's more special.

The whole reason there is a Valentines day is so women have another day to get presents and if they don't get something then they complain or something.

I wouldn't know cause I've never been involved with anyone over VD.

But growing up my dad got my mom something and my mom got my dad...I dunno, the red light to come on in her car signalling she had less than 1/10 tank of gas?

[Exottica]

[Reverend]

[Ming]

I think the article was great, and I enjoyed reading about your perspective on things, as well as reading what everyone else has to say about the day. My opinion on it is thus...

I used to HATE Valentine's Day with a burning passion, just because of the whole "singles bitterness syndrome". However, I did eventually find that special someone, and this will be my third Valentine's Day with a wonderful girl. Now that I have some experience from both angles, I must say that Valentine's Day is still the most useless holiday that we "celebrate", and it's just a testament to the power of marketing. Like was already said, you should celebrate the ones you love everyday, not just on one day.

And as much as the people here on PO seem to understand that (because the people here are all a bit more enlightened than the general masses), most people don't. That's why this "holiday" has managed to survive as long as it has. Because there are always those stupid dumb-asses that think that buying some girl jewelery means he'll get laid which he thinks = "love".

Now, I'll still get UP something. But that's because I love her and I think she deserves gifts at any opportunity I get, and this is one of the only times of the year that you have a perfect excuse to eat chocolate until you're sick. And I mean, when else during the year are you going to be able to get those little colored chalky heart-shaped antacids with stupid crap written on them?

[Satine]

Excellent article. I liked it a lot; twas very amusing.

And I'm single once again this Valentine's Day (like I have been for the last 17 of them), so I think I'll secretly admire myself and buy myself a rose and some chocolate. And go see "Vagina Monologues", 'cause a group from the drama department is performing it.

[Silver Adept]

[Cheshire]

I've never been a big Valentines person. Around the age of 12, my family decided Valentines was better on February 15th. 1/2 price candy. Brian and I have gone out in years past but it's always such a hassle! No one takes reservations and I always seem overdressed. This year, unless he gets tickets to Madam Butterfly, we're staying in.

[punk rock girl]

i'll have to agree with doot here in respect to the technical side of the article. i am saying this cause i want to be honest and hopefully helpful but it felt two much to me like you were rambling. i couldn't follow what message you where trying to convey because i was lost in how many points of view you had. are you saying you hate valentines? are you saying you are now excited about it? or are you just interested in how your perspective changes as you do?

your article is about your opinion of valentine's but it needs to have a message and reason behind that opinion to be an article, otherwise it just feels like a blog or rant. if you indeed have an overall message behind the article i'm afraid that to me it wasn't very clear.

i personally remember the day when i celebrated "single awareness day" and hated the holiday but now i have taken a different perspective. i found that i was too focused on myself so now i focus on others on valentine's. i firmly believe it is a day to share the love.. not necessarily romantic but any kind of love. i especially focus on friends without a significant other and those i don't know. giving a little of yourself whether its baking brownies or giving hugs or even a smile made me realize that i can help change the perspective for others as well. its amazing what a little love can do when you are focused on giving it to others.

[Hazard]

I liked the piece in so much that I deal with it in that baised view point. But that view point comes with a bit of humility as well. You see, I know my friends aren't lording over what they're doing, but when they discuss among themselves (and for those couples out there that do this, realize that you're not doing this intentinally, you're just doing it so don't feel bad) and around thier friends between themselves what they're doing/have done for V-Day. And other couples regularly do this. The grand scale of "Have A Relationship Or Get Out The Way" Day is highly aimed at couples. No date? FIND ONE YOU HEATHEN OF LOVE. Can't find a date? OUT OF OUR FACE AND DON'T BOTHER THOSE COUPLES, AS IT'S THIER SPECIAL DAY.

So am I bitter about it? Slightly, but only because the feeling I get when I see everybody else in the world feel the need to be happy and lovey dovey all on the same day, is about the same one feel's when Christmas rolls around and you're living on your own, eating BK, and don't have one thing to share with the world except for that hoping feeling for snow. And you happen to live south of the Mason Dixion line. That my friends, is the feeling of being unwanted on V-Day. If I at least had the feeling of being wanted, then things would be jolly, but it's that hole that is made so painfully obvious by marketing and people not only wanting to share but doing so in the most beligerant manner possible (and let's face it, if those who are single weren't now, you'd be beligerent if somebody loved you unconditionally as well) that makes you feel at your worst.

So to sum it up, other couples aren't deliberately making an effort to throw it in your face that they're in bliss. It just happens. But for the whole of this country (and quite a few others as well) to raise up and throw this feeling into the air all at once is not only suffocating, but gut wrenching for those that are single. Nothing is more painfully obvious than having the fact that you are alone with nobody to share your feelings with thrown in your face by a holiday.

[underpants]