Repeating myself
One of the reasons I find it hard sometimes to post here. I come up with an idea in my head about something to write about, then either a) because it is on my mind or b) coincidence, I find myself discussing the topic in an email or on a forum of some sort before I get up to being ready to blog. So, I suddenly don't feel like writing about it again.
That is sort of how I feel at the moment. I'm going to write anyway, though, with more detail than I did earlier today. Oh, and that is also the reason I'm posting at a later time today - to give my thoughts a rest so I don't feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over, lol.
First, though - last night I was feeling a little tired - too tired to deal with charts of any kind. So, instead, I finished the first Hermione sock!! :) Yahoo - now all I have to do is make sure I get the second one done. I think I'll start it tomorrow - tomorrow night is the first of the new season of Survivor. I know, I'm not fond of reality shows, so why am I going to watch Survivor? Well, because I have kind of gotten interested a little. I love looking at the scenery, dreaming or remembering what tropical places look and feel and smell like. And it is especially beautiful on the HD TV. :) I also find that even though there is an element of dog-eat-dog-make-friends-then-stab-them-in-the-back, there are still some interesting challenges and teamwork. Rooting for the underdog(s) and so on. And, DH and I do a little sort of side game. We used to be in pools with other people, but for one reason or another, don't seem to be able to find any these days. So, what we do is, we put all the names on a paper, then we draw names - each of us has a "tribe" of half the people. When someone is voted out, whoever had that person will burn the slip of paper. By the end of the season, one of us has the "winner". It just sort of adds an element of fun for us, a bit of interactive watching. So, I'm going to need some relatively mindless knitting tomorrow for at least an hour or so. Hermione rib and leg will be just the ticket!
Now, on to my topic of the day. My husband is really sweet. He always remembers things like birthdays and anniversaries. This morning, right after saying "good morning" he went and said "happy Valentine's Day". Dang. So, I had to say it back. Honestly, to me, today is like any other day. Sure, when I was a kid, at school we made heart shaped stuff, and had a box for classmates to put Valentine cards in. There was a rule that you had to give Valentine's cards to everyone else in the room. Fine - I get the point that you don't want a kid to feel left our or hated or offended - but sadly, not everyone followed the rules - when you counted up your cards and there was less than the number of kids in the room.... But, still, in other ways, it kind of turned the whole thing into a meaningless celebration. It was another "holiday" to make themed stuff for, to spend the last hour or so of the school day not doing school work, etc.
A few years later, when you start noticing boys/girls, then Valentine's day becomes a day with a different meaning - and one that is every bit depressing and offensive and exclusive if you don't have someone to share it with. If you do, then it becomes another obligatory gift giving day, whether you want to give a gift or not. Suddenly you are judged by your commitment to the ideal - you must give chocolates or roses or hearts because the calendar says to. A lot of high-school romances are forged or broken simply because mid-February rolls around.
Young adults seem to have the best of this occasion. Newlyweds, engaged couples, others in a relatively new relationship all seem to enjoy and benefit from the idea of having a day to celebrate their love. More power to them!!! As you get older, I think, you realize that every day is a good day to celebrate love. And the others who benefit from a special day are florists, card makers, and a few other retailers. There was a news program last night, and one of the feature stories focused on how the price of roses goes up in the week or so prior to Valentine's day. One florist was selling roses for 80 bucks - if you wanted a vase or arrangement, it could go as high as 120. Another florist was asking 50, and the local supermarkets would sell you a dozen for 20 bucks.
Now, don't get me wrong - I do like flowers. Heck, I love the rose BUSH my son gave me for mother's day last year - I have it wrapped up under burlap for the winter, and am looking forward to seeing it grow and bloom again this year. And I appreciated (make that, LOVED) when my husband sent me a flower arrangement to the store I worked at for my birthday a couple years ago. BUT - to spend 80 bucks on flowers just because the calendar says it is the 14th of February??? Flowers that will probably only last a few days? Seems like such a waste... What I could do with that $80.... buy a week's worth of groceries... buy a lot of other interesting things... clothes to last a few years. Yarn, give me the pleasure of knitting or crocheting, plus a useful item...
I dunno. I mean, if you like to do the whole Valentine thing with hearts and cards and flowers and chocolates, fine - I'm not saying you shouldn't. But for me - I don't need the calendar to tell me that I love my husband or that he loves me. Well, that isn't exactly true - see, in another 12 days, the calendar *will* be telling me, in a way, how much we love each other. See, in 12 days, we'll be "celebrating" our 35th wedding anniversary. That, I think, says a lot more than a card, a chocolate, or a flower ever could about love between two people.
That is sort of how I feel at the moment. I'm going to write anyway, though, with more detail than I did earlier today. Oh, and that is also the reason I'm posting at a later time today - to give my thoughts a rest so I don't feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over, lol.
First, though - last night I was feeling a little tired - too tired to deal with charts of any kind. So, instead, I finished the first Hermione sock!! :) Yahoo - now all I have to do is make sure I get the second one done. I think I'll start it tomorrow - tomorrow night is the first of the new season of Survivor. I know, I'm not fond of reality shows, so why am I going to watch Survivor? Well, because I have kind of gotten interested a little. I love looking at the scenery, dreaming or remembering what tropical places look and feel and smell like. And it is especially beautiful on the HD TV. :) I also find that even though there is an element of dog-eat-dog-make-friends-then-stab-them-in-the-back, there are still some interesting challenges and teamwork. Rooting for the underdog(s) and so on. And, DH and I do a little sort of side game. We used to be in pools with other people, but for one reason or another, don't seem to be able to find any these days. So, what we do is, we put all the names on a paper, then we draw names - each of us has a "tribe" of half the people. When someone is voted out, whoever had that person will burn the slip of paper. By the end of the season, one of us has the "winner". It just sort of adds an element of fun for us, a bit of interactive watching. So, I'm going to need some relatively mindless knitting tomorrow for at least an hour or so. Hermione rib and leg will be just the ticket!
Now, on to my topic of the day. My husband is really sweet. He always remembers things like birthdays and anniversaries. This morning, right after saying "good morning" he went and said "happy Valentine's Day". Dang. So, I had to say it back. Honestly, to me, today is like any other day. Sure, when I was a kid, at school we made heart shaped stuff, and had a box for classmates to put Valentine cards in. There was a rule that you had to give Valentine's cards to everyone else in the room. Fine - I get the point that you don't want a kid to feel left our or hated or offended - but sadly, not everyone followed the rules - when you counted up your cards and there was less than the number of kids in the room.... But, still, in other ways, it kind of turned the whole thing into a meaningless celebration. It was another "holiday" to make themed stuff for, to spend the last hour or so of the school day not doing school work, etc.
A few years later, when you start noticing boys/girls, then Valentine's day becomes a day with a different meaning - and one that is every bit depressing and offensive and exclusive if you don't have someone to share it with. If you do, then it becomes another obligatory gift giving day, whether you want to give a gift or not. Suddenly you are judged by your commitment to the ideal - you must give chocolates or roses or hearts because the calendar says to. A lot of high-school romances are forged or broken simply because mid-February rolls around.
Young adults seem to have the best of this occasion. Newlyweds, engaged couples, others in a relatively new relationship all seem to enjoy and benefit from the idea of having a day to celebrate their love. More power to them!!! As you get older, I think, you realize that every day is a good day to celebrate love. And the others who benefit from a special day are florists, card makers, and a few other retailers. There was a news program last night, and one of the feature stories focused on how the price of roses goes up in the week or so prior to Valentine's day. One florist was selling roses for 80 bucks - if you wanted a vase or arrangement, it could go as high as 120. Another florist was asking 50, and the local supermarkets would sell you a dozen for 20 bucks.
Now, don't get me wrong - I do like flowers. Heck, I love the rose BUSH my son gave me for mother's day last year - I have it wrapped up under burlap for the winter, and am looking forward to seeing it grow and bloom again this year. And I appreciated (make that, LOVED) when my husband sent me a flower arrangement to the store I worked at for my birthday a couple years ago. BUT - to spend 80 bucks on flowers just because the calendar says it is the 14th of February??? Flowers that will probably only last a few days? Seems like such a waste... What I could do with that $80.... buy a week's worth of groceries... buy a lot of other interesting things... clothes to last a few years. Yarn, give me the pleasure of knitting or crocheting, plus a useful item...
I dunno. I mean, if you like to do the whole Valentine thing with hearts and cards and flowers and chocolates, fine - I'm not saying you shouldn't. But for me - I don't need the calendar to tell me that I love my husband or that he loves me. Well, that isn't exactly true - see, in another 12 days, the calendar *will* be telling me, in a way, how much we love each other. See, in 12 days, we'll be "celebrating" our 35th wedding anniversary. That, I think, says a lot more than a card, a chocolate, or a flower ever could about love between two people.
posted by Catlady @ 2:16 p.m.
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