cheese it, the cops!

Love is a bar band in Boston or Austin

Ok. Crusader AXE here. I guess the incredible, inscrutable, incomparable one either wanted me to occasionally put something here for the erudite masses, or he just forgot he gave me permission many years ago. Regardless, I'm glad he did. He gets a better class of reader here than we do at the Defeatists, most of whom appear to be robots. 

 

Today's topic is love and Valentine's Day. I speak as a bloodied veteran here on several fronts.

So, in the proper spirit of the thing.  Ok. Yesterday was our 36th anniversary. We are very fond of each other and have a reasonably complex financial life that would make disengaging difficult. We don't want to cause the other pain or even inconvenience. I rate this as a successful marriage. We don't hate each other, wish the other grevious harm, and try not to act contrary to our mutual best interests. 

That said, we got married on Friday the 13th. My thought, being a strategic thinker, was that this way I would not forget both Valentine's day or the Anniversary and hopefully, one would key my brain as to the other. Generally has worked...I see the Valentine's bullshit in the stores, and it triggers the response that I need to do something to commemorate the day so as not to violate the "first, do no harm or cause unnecessary pain" part of my ethic. It does not make me happy. This makes me happy... 

I hate Valentine's Day. It is part of the conspiracy of the consumer society that begins in pre-school to make us all ready for a life of disappointment and conspicuous consumption. 

plus they're so cute!

did you know that sex with neanderthals boosts the immune system? you're gonna be ok after all!

well, if the obamas' relationship is anything like mine have been, i wouldn't just take michelle's word for it that barack has stopped smoking. been on both ends of: smoking (etc)? of course not! yo what were you doing down there in the garage, over at her house, driving around in the car? oh, you know, adjusting the belts on the ride-on mower or whatever it may be. but smoking (etc)? i told you i quit! no secrets between you and me, michelle. don't you trust me?! i am deeply deeply offended.

and aside from all that, something tells me that michelle might be someone with whom many people - even the commander-in-chief of the greatest military the world has ever known - might try to avoid conflict at almost any cost. prosecuting the afghan conflict might seem easier, though of course buying time with big fibbing might also not be the best long-term strategy for conflict avoidance. cute and formidable is a hot combination, though, so i'm thinking the whole thing might have its...compensations.