AVDvii
2.14.6
It's that time of year again. February 14th. Pagan ritual turned corporate holiday. V-Day...
As always, I'll be holding an Anti-Valentine's Day party tonight. This will be the 7th annual: The AVDvii.
Recently, however, one of my friends questioned the motives behind the party. He claimed that I no longer have a reason to continue the tradition, since I have no current heartache. I was actually a bit amazed that one of my closest friends could misunderstand AVD so horribly. So, I'd like to explain it one more time:
I am not against love. I am not against relationships. The initial inspiration for AVD did indeed have to do with my first break-up with Kris seven years ago, but even then the party was about the holiday itself. To be against Valentine's Day only when you've had a recent break-up is stupid and hypocritical. One either suppports Valentine's Day...or they realize what it's all about. There is no middle ground.
There. I feel better. Moving on...
I found myself walking through the grocery store a few days ago listening to some helpful advice over the store's loudspeaker system. A monotone voice was recommending that I buy not one, but many Valentine's Day cards. This way, I could "surprise my sweetheart" all throughout the day by hiding the cards all over the place.
All I really gathered from the speech was the fact that the card companies are no longer happy selling me just one piece of paper for $3.99. They now want me to buy three or four cards each year.
Once again, it all comes down to money.
Unfortunately, this appears to be true of most "special" occasions these days. It seems that each and every year, the corporations find a way to make more and more money off of each holiday. They start stocking the shelves with decorations and appropriately colored candies earlier and earlier. Their advertising blitzes get ever more apparent.
Each month we're assaulted with some kind of holiday campaign...each one begging us to open up our hearts and wallets for our loved ones. There is only one month remaining that has failed to be commercialized:
August.
August remains a last gleaming bastion for the holiday hater. One full month free from presents, cooking, and candy dishes. I only fear that one day some ruthless corporate assface will realize this and get to work inventing a new holiday. Something stupid like, I don't know...Summer Day?
Yeah...that sounds pointless enough.
It might not be too far off...
