With Candy So Abundant, Sugar Coating Is Not Necessary!

I think it has been awhile since I let go of a good ole' old fashioned rant so today's the day!

Whose dumb a$$ idea was Valentine's Day anyway?

Now before any of you go off trying to convince yourselves that I'm pissed merely because I am an embittered single woman and thus won't be getting any of the candy or other obligatory tokens of the day let me just say two things:

• Though single, embittered would not be an adjective anyone would use to describe me!


• If I wanted to, I could gift myself with flowers, candy, etc. with more spontaneous and truly heartfelt presentation than most of the "gift" giving that will take place today!"

I mean come on, who could have thought this whole scenario was a good idea?

Let's step back and examine the situation...

Boy meets girl.

Boy likes girl.

Boy waits 2 days minimum before calling girl.

Girls smiles and picks up the phone all the while thinking, "You'll pay for those 2 days on V-day!"

Okay, so I'm being a bit melodramatic I admit but come on people how did the "romance-mongers" a.k.a. businesses trying to make a buck off of commercializing love ever pull such a coup over on us without us ever seeming to notice? To make matters worse, it ain't even all that creative...

Fellas, I'll give you all a little credit for trying to resist this machine, but with booty on the line, y'all fall in line pretty easily it seems. My sistas, we are another story entirely. I have seen it all in reaction to what a sista did or did not receive on this most manufactured of all the commercial holidays. From being pissed that the flowers were carnations (which mean friendship) instead of roses (which mean love; but only if they're red mind you--who comes up with this ish) to going postal because yet again the box contained an appliance instead of a diamond ring, I am astonished and appalled by the atrocious behavior I've seen my sistas display on this made-up "holiday". Even more alarming is the fact that rarely does a sista-friend step forward to breath sanity into an obviously insane situation as most of us seem to behave as if our brains have been deprived of oxygen when it comes to our response to a brother not jumping through the "hoops" affiliated with this day.

Let's face it, if it was really a holiday, I wouldn't have to work. If it was really all about love, it would have been scheduled to occur on weekends when lovers would be able to lay around with each other and ummm "meditate" on their mutual adoration. If it was really about love, the most honorable emotion we are capable of, the damned day would have some semblance of authenticity, realness, some basis in reality. But noooooooooooooooooo, it's just a manufactured, fake azz, excuse for brothas to get ganked, sistas to get stressed, and purveyors of the spoils of this war (i.e. jewelers, candy makers, florists) to clean-up!

It doesn't even matter whether one is single or part of a couple, nobody wins with this one. Official couples fight over what did/didn't, should/shoudn't have been purchased. Singles are ill-at-ease as they struggle to figure out if they are "serious" enough to be expected to fall in with the requirements of the day. Brothas get more broke while sistas get more stressed and in the midst of all the "romance" permeating the world, there is an undercurrent of "LAWD puleeze just let it be ovah!"

Now if you like this kind of forced festivity, far be it from me to try to dissuade you from it. I'm just saying from my point of view, I'll pass on V-day in favor of something truly from the heart, floating on the wings of fantasy, that shows up with no preamble sometime in the future...maybe a month from Wednesday and maybe even just because its Wednesday!

HAPPY FEBRUARY 14TH Y'ALL!!!