Today is Valentine's Day.

I hate Valentine's Day.

I've never really had a good Valentine's Day, regardless of whether I was single or dating somebody.

Some people's way around this ridiculous and completely commercial holiday is to make it about all their loved ones, but that doesn't do it for me. I have Christmas and Thanksgiving and Easter and my birthday and Mother's Day and Father's Day and every other holiday for that.

I think Valentine's Day is living proof that marketing controls our country. Like cattle herded into a pasture, we flock to the Hallmark and chocolate stores just like the ads tell us to. The forces that be control how we spend our money, time, and thoughts on this dreadful day. Single women feel awful. Single men just want to get through the day. People in relationships are under this terrible (and completely commercial) pressure to make it the most romantic day of the year. Forget your anniversary, or each other's birthdays, or something else to celebrate. Without unsurpassed romance, you're somehow a failure on Valentine's day. I mean what do we expect on Valentine's day, really? It's just another day of the year. How stupid are we to be convinced by advertising that this day is so drastically different that we ought to expect Hollywood romance and more in order for it to live up to some invisible commercial standard?

Today, I am wearing black.