Friday, February 8, 2013

FTSF: Valentine's Day (or, How To Keep The Local Florist In Business)



Here we go again! 

 Deja Vu!  
(Or, is that JaVu De
 ... or VuDe Ja?)  

No matter, it's 

Finish The Sentence Friday!   

Why do I expect bands to be playing and crowds roaring when I type that?  It never happens, yet I'm constantly awaiting the day it does.   

I guess I've just got nothing better to do.  That's kind of sad if you think about it.  

To be awaiting something that will never take place is a complete waste of "wait" time.  I mean, don't we spend enough time waiting on stoplights to change?  At least they'll change sooner or later.  

And, how about waiting in line at the grocery store?  Don't we waste enough time doing that?   We stand there, waiting on the lady that waits until the cashier finishes ringing up the order to pull out her check book.  Then, we wait while the cashier finds a pen for her.  Then, we wait while she tries to figure out the date.  Then, we wait while she fishes in her vast cavity of a purse for a driver's license.   Of course, after she finally finishes writing and validating, we have to wait for her to put everything back into this vast bottomless pit she carries.  But, at least when it is all said and done, we get to the cashier and have our turn.

So, waiting for something that will never happen seems so pointless.  It's like waiting on your kids to do everything right for a week.  It will never happen! Still, we waste time thinking that by some miracle, it will.   Yet, like the band playing and the crowd roaring, kids doing everything right for a week is just another example of false hopes and dreams being dashed to little tiny bits and pieces ... and some slivers that will snag the bottoms of your feet if you walk barefoot.


Just call me Mr. Positive today!   "Hey Scrooge, need some company?"

As I started to say earlier, today is Finish The Sentence Friday!  (still no band or crowd)  This is the day in which we experiment with our common sense to decide if we are ever going to have enough intelligence to keep quiet about ourselves, or, continue to provide tidbits of our past for the ridicule and sadistic enjoyment of others.   In other words, "Let's hear the smut!"



Today, the sentence we are to finish is:

 "The most-memorable Valentine’s Day 
I ever had was…”

As always, the gracious hosts of this are:





So, in charge of this hub hop we have an addict, a bottle fetish'er, a real mommy (vs. a fake one), and a disaster.   And you thought I was the only negative thinker here!   lol

Moving right along ... slowly ... let's get back to the topic at hand.

"The most memorable Valentine's Day I ever had was ... 

I wish I could tell you!   

What?  Rich is stumped?  Is he hiding something?

C'mon, you know better than that!

Lets look at a few things.  Men and women have a few differences in the way they think.  Women remember the things that make their hearts go thumpa thumpa thumpa.  Guys don't.  They remember basketballs going bounce-a bounce-a bounce-a.  It's really quite that simple.

I'm not a member of today's society.  I come from the past.  No, I'm not talking reincarnated, (although I do shoot a pistol better from the hip than in a rigid stance, which makes me wonder about having been a gunslinger in a previous life) but from a time of Black and White movies.


Today's society thinks it odd to treat a woman as something special.  It's something you only do on Valentine's Day, an anniversary, or when you really want to have a romantic evening (before the popcorn and ESPN).  

However, I've always done my best to mimic the actions of the charmers of the Silver Screen. (Bogey, Gable, Sinatra, Groucho)

  1. I hold out a chair for my wife (to keep her from missing it and ending up on her butt on the floor)
  2. open and close her car door for her (since she can't close a damn door right)
  3. ask her if I can get her anything when I go to the kitchen for refreshments (since she's getting too big to get up without straining and groaning)
  4. and help her on with her coat (that gets larger every year).  
  5. I walk closest to the curb (in case she gets mad and throws something at me)
  6. hold the door open for her to enter first (in case someone is shooting inside)
  7. and always order for her (in case the waiter has something to do instead of waiting three hours for her to make up her mind).

Seriously, I don't need a special day to show my wife love.  I'd rather surprise her on just any old day!  First, I do a little shopping for her.  Then, after she goes to bed, I hang up a couple of tops, set out some perfume, and position one red rose in a vase all next to the coffee pot in the kitchen.  That way, when she gets up, it's suddenly a special day for her.  She seems to like it.

Or, I'll surprise her by having cooked a quality meal when she gets home from work.  I'll sometimes do the dishes (she's left from the night before and her breakfast) so she can relax a bit.  And, I've even done the red checked tablecloth and candle for a meal in the back yard under the stars.  However, I learned my lesson and will no longer attempt to bake pastries!  lol  

I think the most important thing I do is to always make her smile before she goes to bed.  With different schedules, she's always turning in earlier than I.  But, regardless of what the day brought, I will do whatever I have to do to make her smile.  It may be making up a weird song or rap, mimicking her actions, a joke or two, or even some teasing and pinching.  But, whatever it takes, I make her smile.  

As we've grown together over the years, I seem to love her more and more every day.  So, who needs Valentine's Day to show love?  Why cherish only one day when it can be experienced 365 days a year.


Especially now that the hot flashes and temper tantrums are over with!


36 comments:

  1. Oh Richard this was just a lovely post and you surprised me, you are a softy and romantic all wrapped in one. Your wife is very lucky to have you and seriously thanks for linking up as always!! :)

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    1. Janine - I'm amazed I surprised you! You should know to expect anything and everything from me by now! lol I try to look at it as having a little "class". : ) To me, a man's not a man unless he knows how to properly treat a woman. I'll admit to being a romantic, but to softy I might take a step backwards. lol I think I should have been born in another time, when men fought hard and had many adventures, yet could come home and love the woman they'd vowed eternal love. Maybe in my next life ... Many Thanks!

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  2. Despite your careful insouciance, it seems your wife's struck gold with you.

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    1. Considerer - So good to see you visiting! I see I've been successful at providing an atmosphere of ease with a desire to please. lol I don't know that she'd agree with you totally. Perhaps, Fool's Gold at times, but still worth a little more than red clay. : ) She makes it easy for me to be me, and tends to enjoy it. What more could I ask for? Many Thanks!

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    2. I reckon that's the sum of it - someone who makes it easy to be oneself. Perhaps I need to practice that for my Husby! I could learn from your wife yet!

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    3. Long ago, we decided that we married each other because we loved the way the other person was. Then, in the heat of growing pains and children, we tried to change each other. It didn't work. The changing wasn't making either of us happy. Finally it occurred to us that why not go back to the way we were when we were happy, and just be ourselves. Too many times, people get caught up in the roles they assume and become something they're no longer happy with. Keep your identity, handle the responsibilities, and you'll find everything works out much better. No one likes labels, and that's all roles are. Handle life, enjoy life, and live life. And, by all means, never get too full of yourself. Someone's just waiting to prove you a fool. Many thanks!

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  3. This was a fantastic post! I enjoyed it so much! Everything was right about it, the humour, the word pictures, the sentiment, the descriptions, the prose, the illustrations! Gee man, you rock!
    I have got to know a fantastic writer, a fantastic pèrson and a fantastic companion! (The order is not meant to show a priority).Woohoo!!

    Do I get to read more like this?

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    1. Joan - You've mistaken me for someone that has talent. lol Alas, I only wish I could live up to your kind words. I simply sit down and start typing. Whatever happens is whatever happens. Sometimes I get lucky! lol I do have my archive links above, as well as my link to my Hubpages.com offerings. Thanks again for your kindness.

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  4. Hi there, me again! I forgot to add: the Kaptcha is simple! I can actually do it!

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    1. I actually thought I had turned it off. I'll have to check it again. Many thanks!

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  5. Awesome read. Haha. I like the reasons you hold the door for the wife or put her coat on or hold her chair. You're so generous. Women everywhere would swoon for the likes of you. HA!

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    1. Cyndi - Good to see you! Now, now, you really didn't think I could play this one totally straight did you? lol If I couldn't do a blog on saving children straight, how could I ever do it while talking about my wife!?! : ) Glad you enjoyed! Many thanks!

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  6. Aww, Rich I always knew you were a hopeless romantic...very sweet post and I bet your wife thinks so too.:)

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    1. Emily - Really good of you to stop by! You read me too well! Ah yes, I'm Jacqueline Suzanne in drag! lol God, I should have never typed that! My wife will freak when she reads it! lol My wife said the other night that if she were Kate Hepburn, I could be Henry Fonda in the movie "On Golden Pond." I told her if she were like Kate Hepburn, we could afford a place on Golden Pond! She has yet to read this one. I figure it will give her a good laugh and help her smile when she gets ready to go to bed tonight. Many thanks!

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  7. You have the amazing ability to make me both laugh and cringe in the same sentence- it's a gift! I loved how you ended your post- making your wife smile is probably one of her favorite things about you, I would guess. And wow, someone just used the word insouciance in their comment about your post. :)

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    1. Stephanie - Thanks for stopping in! I used to say onstage that I used to love making people laugh and love making love. Unfortunately, I usually did them both at the same time. There is a need to maintain the character of the blog with sarcasm and humor, but play it straight at the same time. Sometimes, I get lucky and achieve that. Other times, people just consider me an ass, and they're probably right! lol C'est le vie! I do try to add a little excitement to life's daily tasks. I love teasing the cats and getting them to meow in multiples at feeding time, as well as making my wife forget the day's problems and go to sleep with a smile on her face. When she does that, she sleeps soundly ... and leaves me the hell alone! lol Yeah, I was kind of surprised with the word usage myself. Not by who it came from as she's extremely intelligent and a great writer. But, because she directed it at a Kentucky resident! I pertinert had ta git around ta maybe pull out tha dikshunery on that'en ta figure out what it meant. lol Many thanks!

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  8. What a sweetie you are behind that comedic exterior! Every once in a while my honey remembers to hold a door for me...this is when he hasn't forgotten I'm with him and walks all the way out to the car before he realizes he left me inside! He never seems to forget me when it's time for dinner though. ;) Love reading your posts Rich.

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    1. Sherry - Really good to see you here! Don't be fooled, I'm an ass at heart! lol You're going to have to start doing what my wife does to remind me she's present. It's called "nonstop chatter." No matter how hard I try, selective hearing cannot be utilized when listening to one that sounds like Charlie Brown's parents! lol Remember, the way to a man's heart it through his stomach. It's just hard to find someone to go that route when you want it cut out! : ) Many Thanks!

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  9. My husband is like that.... although he does have a tendency to do even more on these special holidays. Just yesterday he went to the store and brought me back something special because he said I needed something special for the day. I am lucky I found him!

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    1. Stacy - Really appreciate you stopping by! For your age group, you definitely lucked out! There's too many that take the efforts of the wife for granted. It's great to know that he really does appreciate you! My wife wants to know how often you have to threaten him, just to measure it against her count on me. lol Many thanks!

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  10. So sweet! I love that you decided to experiment with your common sense and share this story of you and your love. I have to warn you, though. If any one of us women shows your post to their husband and says, "hey, look, why can't you be more like Rich, huh?", you better change your address b/c you might just have some husbands hunting you down!

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    1. Rachel - I have obviously been a Bad Boy! I have let the brotherhood of husbands down in this display of weakness and being twisted around my wife's little finger! Woe to the man that lets his brothers in arms down! lol Hey, most guys don't realize what they've got until it's gone. I always wanted mine to stick around. See, I know that when a wife leaves, so does at least half of our stuff! I'm very materialistic! lol If I keep my wife, I keep my stuff! (Maybe that comment will get me back in their good graces!) lol Many thanks!

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  11. You know, I am not a huge fan of V-day, but I can see it's point. It's not for men like you, though. It's for those who suck at being nice. They need a day to help them out. Take my dad, for example. He's a great guy...but sometimes he forgets to tell my mom just how great SHE is. My mom, she needs help in that area, too. So, it's actually a good day for them :)

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    1. Dawn - Would you believe I just left your blog? Wow, great minds! lol My father was another one that didn't know how to really show his feelings. I think he was probably raised with the old school attitude, "Real men don't show emotion". I've always said the hell with that. Living breeds emotion. Hiding it just displays a weakness in being able to control it. Perhaps that's why I'm the way I am. He never showed me much love or emotion either, and I never wanted to be like him. It doesn't mean I didn't love him, just his ways weren't my style. I can completely see your point! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting!

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  12. I was on my way to tell you how much I enjoyed your post, but I had to read all of the comments, too. Your responses made me laugh just as much as the post did. You are funny on the fly. Between that and the way you lovingly treat your wife, you have won me over.
    That Considerer and her big words. Show off. I really did have to look it up.
    So glad you stopped by my blog. I never make it through all of the hop links, and just might have missed this.

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    1. In the Coop - I think I'm just in a state of shock after IU's game last night as to my quick responses. Alas, my college has hit the skids one more time!
      The primary character of this blog is one of sarcasm laced humor, but, of course, I do my best to go over the line as much as possible. Sometimes, it may border on abrasive to some, but when I go that far (like yesterday's post on "How to rid yourself of unwanted children"), there's a strong message that I'm attempting to get across. On Mondays, my female cat Gabriela does "no holds barred" "Mommy Blog" that many seem to enjoy.
      As far as my wife is concerned, she's really a wonderful woman, and she'll tell you the same if asked! lol Glad you enjoyed this post. I hope to see you back here in the future! Many thanks!

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  13. I cannot tell if my comment got eatten or not, but in case it did, I really loved this post. You had me guessing the whole time, and now I am wondering if you teach a seminar. If so, how do I sign my husband up?

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    1. Melissa - I'm guessing the previous comment got eaten by the mad, raving raging web monster that snags comments without mercy! Seriously, I don't know, this was the only email notification I got from you. I am very happy you tried again! :) I'm afraid my seminar teaching days are over for now, at least. The last group I taught decided doing the dishes occasionally could only be accomplished if they balanced it out by leaving the toilet seat up. I kept getting calls from upset ladies in the middle of the dark of night, wanting their money back. lol Many thanks!

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  14. I didn't know where you were going with this. I thought I was going to have to cringe for you wife. But you've got one of those soft spots. How sweet! #7 really struck me funny. Kind of a different scenario. EVERY single time we go to some of the SAME places and a side salad comes with the meal, he asks, "What all comes on the salad?" The waitress names for example, "Lettuces, cheese, tomatoes, onions and croutons." So he says, "I don't want any cheese, tomatoes, onions or croutons." After fifteen years of marriage I say, "Can you just bring him a bowl of lettuce and extra thousand island." (You know, I'd like to eat TODAY).

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    1. Kenya - Really good to see you again! Most of the time, I don't know where I'm going with these until they're completed! lol I never plan any of these blogs. They just happen. Perhaps it's part of the mystery of my writing. lol Your hubby sounds vaguely familiar. I think you guys sat a couple of tables over from us one night. The waiter went by, shaking his head, and, under his breath, saying, "Wascally Wabbit!" lol Perhaps he's pretending to eat a Big Mac minus the two all beef patties, cheese, pickles, onions and the sesame seed bun! Vegan, anyone? Many thanks!

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  15. This was too nice...you still in the dog house? lol

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    1. Terrye - How are you doing? You know I stay in the doghouse, although I've never understood that phrase. I mean, if a man visits a cathouse, and gets caught doing so, people say he in the doghouse. That would make the ladies inside be made out to look like dogs. But, if they looked like dogs, why would a man go into a cathouse? Maybe I can get Gabriela to answer that one on Monday! lol Glad you like it! Many thanks!

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  16. I'm right there with you and LOVE the list! I think number 5 was my favorite but loved them all. You're an amazing writer. I wasn't sure if this was going to become an illustration of how much the world has changed regarding gender roles and how to treat a woman at first and you completely rocked the flow to your list, to making your wife laugh every night and to loving her every day. Awww. :)

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    1. Kristi - Really good of you to stop in! Glad you liked this piece! Number 5 is a necessity for surviving attacks by a wife that could take place every 28 days or so. I figure I've been through about 30 years of PMS attacks aimed in my direction. That's 360 vicious attacks I've somehow survived. One learns how, after a that many attempts. lol I think most of the time she's simply laughing at night because she can't believe I'm still alive. lol Naw, she's really something special. I just can't get scientists to remove her and research what. Her and I make a good pair. We at least have each other if nothing else. Many thanks!

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  17. Richard, my husband has the same way of thinking. He doesn't believe in Valentine's day at all, and believes love should be shown every day. Truth of the matter is, we say everything in love every day. We whisper sweet nothings, and compliment and appreciate. But sometimes life gets busy and we don't get to showing it as much as saying it as often as we'd like. For us, that's where Valentine's day comes in. Every year one of us takes a turn to surprise the other one with something romantic/fun/creative. That's not to say that we don't do this throughout the year - we do have our date nights now and then, but this is special for us. We don't give gifts, it's more about the sentiment of trying something new and spending quality time together. It's also before our anniversary, so sort of a build up. There are very few men like you in the world today. After all those years of marriage to still hold a torch like that to your wife...it's beautiful and so very inspiring! She's one lucky lady! All those things you mentioned are romantic and show respect and caring, which to me is more important than any fancy chocolates or bunches of red roses.

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    1. Melanie - Good to see you! Hope you had a great time this last weekend! I like your arrangement for V-Day. It really sounds like you two have it together well! I don't know about me being such an oddity. I think there's more like me than most realize. They just don't let on about it. lol Many thanks!

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