In support of Valentine's Day (4 days early)

Have you seen the commercial for Kay Jeweler's where the guy, Zack, gives his girlfriend a pair of diamond earrings in a pink ballerina jewelry box?  And the woman gushes, "Oh, I had one just like this when I was a little girl!"  And Zack says, "it is yours, I got it from your Mom.  There's more, open it."  And she says, "Oh, Zack" before uttering the inscrutable statement, "I think I know exactly how she feels..."

Every kiss begins with Kay...

So, diamonds make her feel like a miniature ballerina?  This is all well and good, but the first few times I watched this commercial a key piece of evidence was missing.  There was no mention that Zack got the jewelry box from her mother.  The only part shown was Zack giving the earrings in a child's pink ballerina jewelry box.  I don't know about you, but the notion of a man giving an adult woman a child's jewelry box struck me as creepy.  Perhaps others thought so as well, which could be why the longer version of this commercial is now airing.  (Ooooh!  I see, he got it from her mother!  Now it all makes sense!  I hope my valentine does that, too!)

Equally annoying to me are those, "He went to Jared!!!" ads.  Do they have these commercials in your neck of the woods?  The man buys a piece of jewelry and whispers start shooting through the room: "He went to Jared, He went to Jared!"  Then the gift recipient looks into the man's eyes, tears up a bit, and declares, "You went to Jared."

It makes me want to vomit, among other things.  I'm not even going to get started on those E-Harmony or Match.com commercials.  For all I know, these dating services may very well be effective, but I can't help but find their ads to be somewhat misleading and perhaps bordering on the irresponsible.  It's as if they're suggesting that finding "that special someone" can be scientifically, instantly guaranteed.  I notice these commercials even more frequently around Valentine's day.  (Did you see the one where the couple travels back in time, pregnant, getting pregnant, getting married, first kiss...barf!)

The irony is, I LOVE Valentine's Day!!  I love any excuse to sappily declare my adoration to the man I love.  I just find it irksome the way these corporations try to force their cookie cutter notions of love down our throats, turning this day into something un-lovely, commercial, and desperate.

I'm a hopeless romantic.  More than material things, my heart longs for cheesy love songs, poetry, bear hugs and kisses good night.  (I know what you're thinking, and if you like, I'll hold your hair back while you vomit.)  Luckily, I am married to a man who provides me with these things.  On February 21st, we will celebrate ten years of being together.  For me, this milestone is monumental: over a third of my life has been spent with this person.  It blows my neurotic little mind. 

You may note that the 21st is just seven days after Valentine's day.  Hubby wasn't my Valentine that year (one of his best friends attempted to be, but did not succeed.)  Suffice it to say Hubby and I became an item seven days later.  Violins, cupids, and forty ounces of Colt 45 were all present. 

And our love is ever ripening.  Little hints tell me we're growing older.  Whereas before, Hubby might have actually bought me the giant gorilla that sings "I'm just a love machine," now he just turns to me in CVS and muses, "Where would you put that thing?  Look at it, it's huge!"

I love him for this.  For I have to agree, there is no room in our apartment for a giant singing gorilla.  Nor would I want there to be.

My Valentine is demonstrative, affectionate and kind.  He's given me jewelry and taken me for lavish dinners, but what I remember most are the little things.  The special dinners he's cooked, the poems he's written, or the flowers he gave me when we had absolutely no money.  This man sets the coffee maker up every night.  He brings me my contact lens case when I'm lying in bed and feel too intoxicated tired to get up.  Indeed, he's even taken out my contacts for me on occasion.  Now that's love.  In a million little and not so little ways, he makes my heart smile. 

My wish is for everyone to have someone like this to love and be loved by.  But for those of you who find yourselves without a Valentine, I'd like to suggest, if I may, the following: be your own Valentine.  After all, you'll be putting up with yourself for eternity, so you may as well make friends.  Cook yourself a fancy meal, get your nails done, buy a good book.  Love yourself fiercely, unabashedly, and your Valentine is bound to follow.  Valentine's day is about love, but I strongly believe it's not exclusively for lovebirds.  Contrary to what society and corporate America would have us believe, this day is for everyone and nobody should feel excluded.  Everyone deserves roses and Godiva, dammit!  Treat yourself to something nice.

And when Zack and his pink princess ballerina appear on your TV screen and you feel the urge to flip them both the finger, just do it.  I did.  And I will continue to do so as long as that commercial airs.

Let's brake for Valentine's. 

    

Comments

[Weinerdog]

I hate those F'n comercials because 1. who says every woman wants tacky jewelry from an even tackier store?
2.who gets valentines presents anyway?

[Thee Odd Broad]

I'm all for Valentine's presents but I don't think I'd like one given to me in a pink plastic ballerina box.
xoxo

[Ma]

Why are all the couples in these commercials attractive? I'm sure there are a few dogs looking for love on-line..I'd like to see a couple with really bad teeth (or maybe no teeth), a few tattoos, and maybe a nice mullet! Happy Valentine's Day, my darlin' face....

[Keely]

Two things:
I think I know why your eyes are infected if Hubby has his fingers in them...although it is a sweet gesture.

Also, I forget which dating thing it is, but it says something to the effect of "If match.com rejected you, we'll find you a date". Not exactly in those words, but they might as well be. The people complain that match.com couldn't find them a date for one reason or another. They fail to realize that match.com couldn't find them a date because they're creepy. If I were to venture into the world of dating services, I would be happy if my dating service was rejecting the psychos.

[The Odd Broad]

You have a good point there, Bubs. xoxo