Happy Valentine's Ka Ching

(grumble, bah, okay fine).

Sure, greeting card and flower companies need to make their money. Markets and all that. No different from Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and Secretary’s Day and even Boss’s (!) Day being totally contrived, branded, and sold. Shrug, right? And, as February has almost nothing going for it (unless you live where I live, and then it’s bleedin’ beautiful!), it’s a good time to get that contrived ball rolling and keep it going in the months where everyone expects some sort of thing to celebrate beyond the usual big ticket events.

I give you today’s Super Bowl. We went to the store this morning and it was like the day before Thanksgiving - a genuine holiday. I would lay money that most of the people prepping for the Big Game couldn’t give a flying. Any excuse, though, eh? The locusts stripping the beer section were likely of the larger, Seinfeld/Puddy/naked chest-painting phylum. The guys I know who truly love the game don’t go to Super Bowl parties. They stay home and watch the game.

But Valentine’s Day is perhaps a good time to ponder romance. The beautiful “meet cute” moments we’d been presented in movies for more than one hundred years have devolved into quick hits on dating apps. Does anyone remember the charming little film, “Crossing Delancy” with Amy Irving and Peter Riegert? Not a blockbuster, but I’ve seen it at least four times. Upshot? Meet in person, and keep an open mind. I did that and I’ve been married for 40 years.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Ro! It’s been a helluva ride! I love you.