The dark day of Valentines Day is upon us...

[D'Snowth]

The thing that bugs me is the fact that our culture SAYS that's more important, but it's like saying "It's better to give than receive." Culturally, we WANT to think we're above materialism, but we are NOT. It's in animal nature to be possessive and to want.

What really gets me is the commercials that condition us to believe otherwise. It's like those commercials that say "We know that times are tough." What are they doing? Lowering prices? Hiring? Raising the quality of something? No... just making conversation and subconsciously trying to get us mad at the wrong people because we can't bury ourselves in thousands of those products, and deep down those companies KNOW they're responsible for the reason WHY times are tough in the first place. You know those commercials that are like...Families are important! Instead of eating at a restaurant, go to a chain grocery store and buy everything there.

Those diamond commercials want us to believe that's tender moments of deep loving relationships when subconsciously they're saying, if you're man's not willing to be under incredible debt for a shiny rock that a bunch of Africans died over to get, he's a total loser. They're almost as bad as those video game commercials that tell guys to forget about anything but playing with our overly masculine war game macho macho gadgets. My sister KNOWS people like that and hates them.

Gee, I didn't mean to get anything started with that post, lol.

Not that I don't appreciate reading your thoughts and views, you know I do, but I was just trying to tell Jamie that there can be "value" in the expensive kinds of gifts you would "traditionally" give to somone you care about, but there's more genuine sentimental value in the kinds of gifts that really come from the heart, like the artwork he did for this person.

 

[Drtooth]

Aw, heck, you know what I mean. The whole thing where we get mixed messages about how something deeply sentimental and hand made and coming from the heart is SUPPOSED to be the thing that's most important, and everyone tells us that. Then they tell us the opposite. it's confusing and annoying.

 

[frogboy4]

I actually broke it off with somebody I was seeing many years ago because he gave me chocolates upon returning from a European trip. It just showed that he didn't know me well enough by then. Anyone knows a cheap little do-dad with googly eyes or a handwritten postcard would do the trick.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I do want to say though, in defense of materialism somewhat, heh, I had a BF who let Christmas come and go without giving me any kind of present, even after I'd given him his. It wasn't malicious neccesarily, just that there was always some excuse. I would have settled for even a card, but even that was too much trouble. To be fair, he did eventually come through, a month later, heh. I wasn't hurt that I didn't get a present, I was hurt that I just didn't seem to matter enough. It was just assumed I'd always be there. You can't take people for granted.

 

[Convincing John]

You're just now seeing Valentine's Day decorations in the stores? I've been ignoring them since the first of January!

Oh, I saw 'em before in another store (grocery store), but there weren't that many and I just ignored 'em. It's really the only store I go to now (my van died). Besides, they had the Valentine's Day stuff behind all the Super Bowl stuff (chips, beer, other artery cloggin' stuff).

I just needed something from Walgreen's and holy cow was that place loaded with pink and red! Then I thought of this thread and how Walgreen's (mine anyway) has that stuff right up front of the store where you can't miss it.

Ah well, if you don't celebrate it, that's fine. We can always talk about muffins 'round here, if you want!

Convincing John

 

[frogboy4]

I decided to send the picture a week early so it wasn't considered a romantic gesture and he liked it so much that it's now his facebook profile picture. He's one of those truly unique people and I felt like reminding him of that. It worked.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I decided to send the picture a week early so it wasn't considered a romantic gesture and he liked it so much that it's now his facebook profile picture. He's one of those truly unique people and I felt like reminding him of that. It worked.

I think that makes sense, sometimes people can get weirded out but the whole Valentine's Day thing. Best to keep the pressure off.

 

[Drtooth]

I actually broke it off with somebody I was seeing many years ago because he gave me chocolates upon returning from a European trip. It just showed that he didn't know me well enough by then. Anyone knows a cheap little do-dad with googly eyes or a handwritten postcard would do the trick.

NEVER turn down European chocolates (unless it has something to do with an allergy or something). Do you know the purity standards they got there? They can't even use vegetable shortening to stretch the chocolate instead of cocoa fats. Even just British candy bars takes better. You haven't lived until you had a Lion Bar.

Again, that is if you're not allergic. But it's like going to Italy and refusing to eat anything covered in red sauce.

 

[mr3urious]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of Hershey chocolate, either. But the Bliss chocolates are pretty good.

 

[Drtooth]

Not saying I don't like the American candy we get... I'll eat ANY chocolate, even that chalky Palmer stuff... but expensive Euro-chocolates that were actually FROM Europe? That stuff is like GOLD!