PlazaJen: Passion Knit

I know, I'm IN advertising, and I love marketing that's done right, but sometimes the whole commercialization of events and days that are supposed to be meaningful makes me j-j-j-jaded....

I don't like the whole "Your husband/boyfriend loves you THIS much as quantified by the size of a bouquet and choice of flowers". I really hated it when I was single, but being married doesn't really change it. And yes, I do fall into the trap of "If you love me, you'll buy me that" - mainly because it's the entire fabric of my life, and how we did things at my house. Rewards were plentiful if you did what you needed, and to quote my dear father, "It's better to have than to want." I married someone who counterbalances my desire to own everything at Crate & Barrel. The Wo, he is a practical dude. Someday, though, I know he'll buy me that french fry cutter. Maybe?

In any event, I can't get behind the consumerism of Valentine's Day, because flowers are overpriced, and even though I love to shop, I also love me a deal. I might buy myself some flowers at CostCo next time I'm there, because I'm starting to feel the weight of winter, and a bright cheery spot of something resembling Spring would be nice to see.

BUT! In the SPIRIT of Valentine's Day, I'm going to tell you two little stories. The first one made me cry at my desk - a co-worker who sits by me came in my office and told me how much she enjoys hearing me answer my phone in the afternoon (James calls every day when he gets out of school.) She said, "You can hear it in your voice, how much you love him, your voice totally changes, and it's what I want to have, four years, ten years from now." (She just got married this past year.) Despite the feeling (a little bit) of being an old lady, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Tears brimmed in my eyes, not because I was embarrassed, but because she was right. I love James to the moon and back and around it a few times as bonus. He's my rock, my soul mate, my ballast in the horrible storms I've weathered, the one who laughs when I parody Madonna and sing "Wrap you up in MYLAR". Sometimes it just takes the simple act of a different person's perspective for you to see what has become familiar (it often reveals something about them, too.)

So the other little story? I make James a lunch every day. (Lunches made with love!) I started going a little crazy with the sammich-making, all kinds of meats, fancy lettuce, pickles, mustards - I didn't want it to be boring, day after day. He then told me he loves PB&J, and we had an interesting learning moment - for him, they're a treat. For me, PB&J was always the last choice, what you had if you'd run out of everything else, and it symbolized bare bones and boring. Good to know! If the people want PB&J, by golly, give 'em PB&J! Just so I wouldn't forget, I discovered this on the inside lid of his lunch box:



As my dear Auntie Karen once said: Behavior that isn't reinforced is rarely repeated. It's probably why we thank each other constantly for all the standard things we each do around the house. And I know a certain fifth-grade teacher who will be getting a regular rotation of PB&J in his lunches from now on, too. :) As for everyone else - hey, I hear tomorrow's a GREAT day to buy chocolates. Sales and all. Who loves a deal?!