I like Valentine's Day, alright?

There's a lot of bah-hum-bugging about Valentine's Day going around. When I've asked my attached friends about their Valentine's plans, nearly all of them have said "eh, Valentine's Day is dumb, we don't do anything"-- or something with that jist. You know what I mean. I don't get it.

I appreciated this post at LittleBrownPen about a meaningful Valentine's Day on a sparse budget ($20, to be exact). To me, this is the point of Valentine's Day-- a little reminder to just take some time to enjoy one another. It's a good thing to do at this point in the winter. I'll admit, my last solo February was in 1997, so maybe I'm not sensitive enough to the pains of being single on 2/14. But for those who are in a relationship, I don't understand. I'm not talking about blowing big bucks on a hideous Valentine-themed diamond-encrusted piece of jewelry. But what's so bad about getting out the crayons and drawing a heart for your beloved? Or carving out some extra time to spend together? Take an average Saturday and find a little extra romance in the melting snow, it's good for you.

My husband and I spend a lot of time together-- I think we're very good at showing our appreciation and love for one another. That doesn't mean we can't find something to enjoy on a holiday that is all about L-O-V-E. Especially when it's gray outside, when the hubster is bogged down with homework, and we've just had a crazy week. Ok fine, maybe Hallmark invented it (although National Geographic begs to differ), but still. I don't see the perks of kicking St. Valentine in the shins-- is there something to prove that I'm missing?

Tomorrow, our first married Valentine's Day, we'll make breakfast (cinnamon raisin french toast, freshly ground coffee, grapefruit). That Valentine of mine will spend a few hours working at his desk, I'll go to yoga class. In the afternoon our plan is to check out some exhibits at a contemporary photography museum in the area followed by dinner, local beer, and conversation at a brew pub we've been meaning to try since we moved out here. Just us. Nothing fancy, but a little something different than a normal Saturday. A reason to slow down.

Why not kick the cynicism and enjoy one another tomorrow? Have a good conversation. Laugh a lot. Find a little romance in the every day. Cut a heart out of construction paper and give it to a cute boy or a pretty girl. I promise, Hallmark won't get a dime.