Day 154: Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

So I don't know how this will sound, but I've done stranger things before, I guess. On Day 154, I bought myself a heart-shaped box of Valentine's chocolates.

It's a not-so complicated story. I go to Kroger most days to pick up something for lunch at work. That way, I tend to eat less (pita bread and hummus, an apple), don't eat fast food, save money because I can eat that pita bread and hummus for four days, etc. Well, Day 154 was two days after Valentine's and upon walking into the store, I saw just gobs and gobs of candy that needed a home...and was discounted LIKE CRAZY. $9.00 boxes of chocolates down to $4.00. Bags of perfectly good fun-sized Snickers, covered in heart wrapping, 25% off.

I just...couldn't...resist...the deal!

But when I thought about actually BUYING one of those things AFTER V-Day, it's crazy uncomfortable. You look like you're single, desperate and making up for it, or that you're negligent of your own health, or just over-indulgent. It's so strange how purchasing a heart-shaped box of crappy chocolate is sweet and assumed for someone else when you buy it before V-Day, but an admission of a higher problem after V-Day.

Or do I just think too hard?

Day 152: My Funny Valentine

Mark and I decided that for this Valentine's Day we'd go simple. No fancy restaurants, no exorbitantly priced boxes of chocolates. Instead, we'd make dinner together, eat by candlelight, rent a Redbox movie ("Date Night" with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey), and call it a night. No pretense, just small demonstrations of love and togetherness.

I appreciated this idea a LOT, but I still had to get Mark something for Valentine's Day! Even just the tiniest thing. I went through a whole bunch of ideas that I really liked, that definitely didn't fit into our plan. Couples massage! Complete series of a TV show we watch! Celebrity chef cookbooks!

Too much money...an ostentatious show for a simple event. I already knew I was going to make dessert, so I headed over to Kroger, where I thought I'd find inspiration too. The first thing I saw walking in was a grown woman carrying a balloon, and I knew that was going to be right for me. Corny? Hell yes. Sweet? You betcha. Inexpensive? Done. New thing? Yes, in fact. I had never bought someone a balloon before!

Happy Belated V-Day all! With love from Mark and his balloon.