Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Valentine's Day

OK, I know it's a cop out to discuss this holiday, but I must. I have never been a fan of this holiday because it forces everyone to acknowledge love, passion, blah, blah. I prefer to acknowledge that everyday, but whatever. I suppose one day in Feb. - when the snow is deep, you are cold, and you are cranky is better than, say, a day in Aug. when you are half naked on a beach, but I digress.

I don't like to celebrate it, to be quite honest. I do because I have a boyfriend and I think he likes it. He cracks me up because he gets so excited when he gets me a gift or is trying to surprise me. In fact, he gets so excited that he can't keep the secret. He has to give me the gift or tell me where we're going or make me guess (which I always do and then he gets mad because I guessed too quickly). Friday night he had my gift in his car. He wanted to know if I wanted it. I said, no, I'll wait.

That is sure recipe for getting it right away. I don't think J can fathom someone not wanting their present immediately particularly if it is offered. I know that he offered it hoping I would say yes, so he could tease me and say, no you have to wait. I'm not a dumbass all the time.

I got the present on Sunday. It was a firepit for my backyard. I had mentioned wanting one. This one is damn cool! It is this burnt orange/red color - the color of autumn - and it has stars and crescent moon cutouts. Perfect!

I got him one of those clay roasting pots - similar to one you would use for garlic but much bigger - to roast a roast!

Now, these gifts sound like they are more a benefit to us than to each other, so to speak, but that's the beauty of V-Day - you should give and get gifts that benefit both of you. That's how I feel. What am I going to do, sit alone by my fire pit? Who is he going to cook a roast for, himself? Come on.

He better be cooking a roast for me.

And soon!

On an unrelated topic - Peter Benchley died. He's the author of Jaws, et.al. It's because of him that I wanted to study marine biology. It's because of him that I didn't like swimming alone in our pool in the early 1980s. At least if I was swimming with someone else (my brother), I could outswim that person and survive the shark attack. Because, as you may or may not be aware, there are pool sharks. They are nasty creatures. Bite, eat, leave a mess.

I wanted to study marine biology because of Peter because his book was so far from the truth it pissed me off (even though I didn't want to swim alone - I recognize the hypocrisy). I wanted to study sharks so that I could communicate about them to the public. Make people understand.

But here I am. A professor of J/MC at SBU. Not a marine biologist. But guess what? I could still write about them if I wanted. Perhaps I will. And I can swim alone in my pool without worrying about being eaten by sharks.

Speaking of being eaten by sharks, that's your fate if you forget my birthday. And a friend of mine yesterday told me that she already has my birthday present picked out. I applauded her priorities because my birthday is a huge deal, I don't care how old I will be. This year I will be celebrating the 23rd anniversary of my 14th birthday. I really do act 14. She told me she was getting me the DVD set of the Golden Girls. Oh Yes! My guilty pleasure out here in cyberspace for all to see. Now you know how big a goober I am. I love those damn Golden Girls! Which Golden Girl would you be? I think I would be Dorothy.

My birthday - for you to mark on your calender - August 9.

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