Valentine's Day

Posted by Anonymous On 10:57 AM

I had a request from a faithful Cachinnatee to post something about Valentine's Day. Well, actually, the exact transcription of the txt message I got is: "Could we get sumthg about the 'LOVE DAY' on the cachinnator? It is tomorw ya know"

So perhaps I was a bit hasty in assuming this was a request for a Valentine's Day post. After all, we all know that Valentine's Day is a mash-up of the Roman festival of the Lupercalia and a commemoration of a pair of early Christian martyrs named Valentine. Hardly 'LOVE DAY' material if you ask me.

Then again, Valentine's Day was eventually associated with romantic love. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a hot hot love poem called the Parlement of Foules in which he cites Valentine's Day. Well... actually he cites "Volantynys day." And he says that Volantynys day is "Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make." I know, HOT, right? And he would know about steamy hottness, being the author of "The Canturbury Tales." Could this be the source of LOVE DAY?

You know, perhaps my tendency to dig into history to understand context is a bit overblown and overrated. Maybe I should just take Valentine's Day as it is today for all its undeniable merit. And judging by the advertising on television it's about surviving the ads for Vermont Teddy Bears and PajamaGrams without blowing your brains out. (And hell no, I'm not linking to them.) Also it's apparently about proving I love my wife by buying an ungodly number of diamonds that people died to extract from African mines. Hmmm... I'm still not finding LOVE DAY.

How about this: forget pagan festivals, Christian martyrs, hot Medieval poetry, and soul-withering consumerism. Here's my wife:



I love her. And she makes me want to celebrate this day, the day whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

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8 Cachinnations

  1. Seth Ward Said,

    How you and I ever convinced our lovely brides to look at us without chuckling, let alone marry us, is a mystery to moi.

    Then again, you are a much sexy beast than I!

    Happy V-day, lovebirds.

    And the Chaucer is TOTALY sexy. Just dim the lights, throw on some Barry White and read some Chaucer... you'll thank me later.

    Posted on 2/14/2008

     
  2. Anonymous Said,

    Yeah, what the nut? How did that happen to us? Probably best not to question. I may not want to know. I'm just happy.

    And don't you mean "lovebryds?

    Posted on 2/14/2008

     
  3. Red Said,

    Is it wrong that we don't celebrate valentines day? I would so much rather David randomly surprise me with flowers or a sweet gift, than to do it when everything is marked up and so cliche. I say, we love each other enough that we don't have to prove it by spending a bunch of money we could more reponsibly spend another way on one day just because everyone else does. For that matter, we don't buy each other christmas, anniversary or birthday presents. Perhaps that's a bit strange, but we try instead to take a trip, or do something out of the ordinary and special together to celebrate the occasion.

    Food for thought.

    Posted on 2/14/2008

     
  4. Beeki Said,

    I love you Scottiebear.

    Posted on 2/15/2008

     
  5. Anonymous Said,

    Boycott all you want, Red. I prefer to chese my make.

    Posted on 2/15/2008

     
  6. Chaotic Hammer Said,

    Seth and Cach - Gentlemen, I have a proposal. We should start some sort of club, support group, or secret society for guys who married out of their league.

    I would like to propose that we be called HOGMATH.

    Homely Ordinary Guy Marries A Total Hottie.

    What say ye?

    Posted on 2/15/2008

     
  7. Anonymous Said,

    Not bad... not bad at all.

    Posted on 2/15/2008

     
  8. Fork Said,

    Wait, no. Valentines Day isn't even pagan, according to my Anglican friends. The guy who started it got the wrong Valentine. The holiday is a fraud.

    Posted on 2/19/2008