Valentines Day...

It is that time of year again. You know, the time of year when everything changes to shades of Red,Pink, and Purple. The time of year when single men spend more than they can afford to impress girls who don't know they exist. It's the time of year when we all forget what love is, and allow ourselves to get lost in our infatuation...

Happy Valentines Day, everyone...

Unlike most people, my grievances with this holiday have nothing to do with me being single.  I don't mind being single, I'm happy for all of my friends who are currently in relationships, and I think Valentines Day has a lot of potential to be a good thing for me in the future.

The things I do not like about Valentines Day are as follows:

1. Valentines Day forces more emphasis on to the giving of gifts than it does to showing affection.  Now, I realize that these can be one and the same.  However, as a man, it seems as though my worth is often based upon the extravagance of the gift I can afford to purchase.  What ever happened to writing a hand-made card to your "valentine," or even just spending some quality time with them?  Why does everything have to be over-romanticized, and so dramatic that even Shakespeare would tell a few of my friends to chill out?  I just don't get why "simple" has become "cheap"...a lot of thought can be put into simplicity.

2. Valentines Day encourages infatuation, and calls it love.  This is probably my least favorite thing about today.  Love is something special...duh.  Let me try again.  Love is an emotion that transcends a feeling and is formed in the shape of a commitment.  Is that better? (Feel free to share your own definition).  It really bothers me that just because today is Valentines Day, men and women everywhere will disregard what love truly is for the pleasures of its antithesis. 

3. Valentines Day makes single people feel like crap.  Valentines Day is a day for couples, and it intentionally excludes single people.  Sure you could argue that it is the single person's fault for not being with someone, but that would just prove my point.  Valentines Day is a shallow holiday that causes people to set aside their standards so they don't have to be single.  I don't like it, and I choose not to participate.  For all you single folks out there, have a party.  Forget about the couples and have fun with your other single friends.  There really is no reason to mope...

I have a few more reasons to not like Valentines Day, but I'll let it rest for now.  I'm sure some of you are getting tired of reading this anyways.  I've now been without a better-half for 22 straight Valentines Days, and I am totally okay with that.

Feel free to comment here or on my Facebook page.  I'd love to hear your opinions and rebuttal.

-Matt