Valentine's Day is a bogus holiday, as far as I'm concerned. Why do we need one day for women to expect to be lavished with gifts, making their men suffer as far as what to do next? I really never did like the day; I'd rather celebrate with the one I love all throughout the year. And while in recent years I haven't had a person to share this pitiful day with, it never ceases to amaze me how many hoops men will jump through, and how many hoops women will put up for them.

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I got asked all week long if I had plans. Yes, yes I did. I planned to spend Friday the 13th taking my cat to the vet, teaching a private group course, and then at home with a steak and taters. Saturday was to be spent at my parents' place, with Sunday spent in Sacramento with one of my closest friends. When I would tell people of my plans, they all frowned. What, no plans to go out on V-Day? It seems one is not allowed to have non-amorous plans on the 14th of February. Tough.

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One of my parents' neighbors was bragging about how her husband spent all this money on flowers, jewelry, candy...the works. My dad's response: so how long has he been cheating on you?

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My brother and his girlfriend went down to Disneyland this weekend. In my email today was a picture of the two of them, Mouse Ears on. The running joke in the family is that he's going to propose to her in "It's A Small World"--no, he's not going to, that we know. But somehow it just seemed right. Either that, or do it on "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride."

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My neighbors and I were reminiscing the other day about the best, most romantic act that they (or, in my case, a former beau) have ever done. The gents had some great ones--spa-days for their loved ones, shopping sprees. I couldn't help but giggle, and when it was my turn to spill, I told them of the most romantic day or act that has ever been done for me. When living in Texas, I got very home-sick--not for my family per se, but for the coastline. A former beau (who I very nearly married) knew my pain; he was from Baltimore and missed the Atlantic coastline. So he set up a whole day where we had a picnic lunch on Lake Travis (just to the west of Austin), with dinner at the Oasis which looks over the lake. Ok, it wasn't the coast--and the Texas coast is ugly and couldn't be further from the beautiful rugged coastlines we were used to--but it was the next best thing. Their jaws dropped...they didn't realize it was so easy to please a girl.