Jour de Saint Valentin

It's Valentine's Day today, which means almost nothing in France. Really, it's no big thing here. There are no grand flower deliveries at the office, no bragging about gifts people bought for/received from their significant others... just no hype to the "holiday".

It really shows you how much this day is a byproduct of Hollywood and the greeting card companies. Those two sources set expectations high with movies, TV shows, and advertisements where people do incredible things in order to show how much they care about their loved ones. It's crazy how we get sucked in.

Factor in America's competitive nature. If you did not give or receive the most extravagant gift ever, then you're either not "as good" as everyone else. You might have given a thoughtful, intimate gift, but then your pal making $200K per year disses you since he got his S.O. a $5K ring, which makes your $30 thoughtful and intimate gift look like garbage. Here's a hint guys: girls like the thoughtful and intimate gift, especially if there's a story to it. Girls: if you get the random expensive gift, then your guy was searching for ideas... or he just doesn't know you that well.

OK, time for some random thoughts:

• So all that nice weather this week? Gone today. Thick fog this morning, and I mean thick like Mo'Nique's thighs.
• I'm going to have some random people staying at my place this weekend. Jessie has friends coming in tomorrow night and, since she has no room to house them, I'm being "the good guy" and letting them stay chez moi. I have no problem with this... but it will be interesting.
• I need to clean my apartment.
• I'm expecting to get into a fight with someone I care about. Of course, living in different countries, this makes things hard. Here I am with my thoughts, ready to go, and she's sleeping. I don't want it to be an email battle, needs to be over the phone (unfortunately, it's the most personal it can be, given the circumstances). Happy Valentine's Day, indeed.