Hearts and Flowers.

Do you hate Valentine's Day? Do you dread the time of year when restaurants advertise unimaginative "lover's menus" and tacky red hearts fill shop windows everywhere you look?

This year, why not spend February 14th in Brunei Darussalam, where Valentine's Day has been officially discouraged? Every year, Muslim religious leaders (Imams) announce how Valentine's Day is a western construct with roots in Christian tradition and has no place in a good Muslim's life. This doesn't stop all the florists, restaurants, hotels, travel agents etc in town from trying to cash in on the "romantic" day. I think it's kind of cute how religious leaders make all these pronouncements (Pope - birth control?) and everyone just ignores them and does what they want anyway. It's the sign of a civilised society. :)

Frankly, I think Valentine's Day is ridiculous. Isn't it a complete waste of time if you are actually in a loving and happy relationship?

Valentine's Day is either for
a) teenagers or
b) couples who don't spend any time together all year. For one night a year, they are forced to gaze at each other in a crowded restaurant, trying to make small talk and desperately trying to keep up the "romantic" mood. Yuk, yuk, yuk.

Ignoring teenagers (because they are silly and totally controlled by their hormones); don't people realise that restaurants are open all year round? Flowers don't just appear in early February and disappear from the shops on February 15th. You are allowed to kiss your wife and tell her you love her on any random day....I could continue, but I think you get my drift.

Someone (I think it was Johnny Vaughn) said that Valentine's dinner in a restaurant reminded him of prison visits i.e. rows and rows of couples facing each other, while waiters (jailers?) hover around making sure everything is OK.

Let's not forget, it's also a crap time of year if you are single. However, I did hear a good idea for a Valentine's Day singles night (or indeed any time of the year). You can only attend as a pair, i.e. you have to bring along a friend of the opposite sex who is also single, and you meet other single people for drinks etc. Great idea, huh? As:
a) the organisers are always assured of equal numbers of men and women
b) you know that you aren't going to meet anyone too crazy - I mean, they have to have a friend of the opposite sex to attend. So they can't be complete creeps/bunny-boiling psychos.
c) if you get trapped in an eyes-glazed over conversation with the IT Expert from Hell, hopefully your friend will come and rescue you. Maybe.