P.S. I Love You

Where better to do devote a week's worth of loving than on I Love Yinz? We're all about love here, right?!

Remember how on MySpace I overwhelmed you with Christmas posts for a month leading up to the holiday? OK, maybe it was more than a month. And remember how I used a holiday song title or lyric as the title of my daily blog? Yeah, I'm going to do that again. Only this time it is all about love.

As someone who recognizes the cheesy side of this man-made holiday, I cannot completely devote this to romantic love. So during the next week we will talk about the love of all kinds of things. Just as long as we're living and loving. (Imagine that last sentence in the voice of Matthew McConaughey.)

I plan to share lists of my favorite love songs, lists of my favorite romantic movies, love quotes, love poems and love stories. Most importantly, I invite you to share all of yours with me. It's up to you whether or not you want to share that in a comment on here, or if you want to email it or call and chat about it.

While I'm compiling these lists, I'm very aware that a lot of people out there don't enjoy Valentine's Day. Many times it has nothing to do with single or taken as much as it involves people complaining about "a holiday created by Hallmark." I'm not sure anyone should take it out on Hallmark. I enjoy the greeting card chain's ornaments, suncatchers and Yankee Candle specials too much to view it as some evil empire. Instead, I think people loathe it because of the pressure it can create for couples--as if some perfect gift or lack thereof can or will determine the quality of someone's relationship. When, really, I think we all know it's about what goes on during all of the other days of the year.

Or you side with me and think red stuffed bears with pink noses are treacherous little creations that should be banished along with all musical greeting cards playing "Unchained Melody." Don't get me wrong: "Unchained Melody" is a beautiful song but not when it is played by a miniature keyboard the side of an earring clasp.

I encourage all men to look far beyond the discount retailers that offer bad chocolates filled with unidentified pink cream and silk lingerie that is not silk. Those things are not precious. Skinny red roses from the local produce department wrapped with a not-soft bear holding a heart saying, "I wuv you beary much" is not thoughtful.

If you're going for flowers, and you're lady likes roses, get some good ones. I'm a fan of Equadorian roses, and red is my least favorite. But there's nothing wrong with red--it's a classic--if it's good. A good florist will carry so many colors and tones that you will have many options beyond red.

Some women would rather have tulips.

And I would love an orchid.

You can't go wrong with roses, tulips or orchids. But, friends, you can go very wrong with carnations.

Chocolate isn't worth the calories unless it's Godiva. Or those amazing truffles at Sak's. If you're local, Sarris is also acceptable. This would suggest that my tastes are expensive, but that's not true. I'll have you know that I buy the Russell Stover's Weight Watchers candy and am proud of it. I'm just saying that for Valentine's Day, if you're going to buy her food that she will possibly feel guilty for eating, make it good.

Valentine's Day dinners can be disasters. Talk to any local restaurant manager after this weekend to enjoy stories that I like to file under Yinzers Without Reservations. There's so much double-meaning there. If going out to dinner is your thing, that's awesome. I personally find it difficult to find special meaning when every table around me is doing the same thing. (Note: this won't keep me from doing that this weekend, however.)

I recommend cooking at home. Even if you think you can't. Cook together. Involve candles. Good wine. Even better champagne. Strawberries. Chocolate for the strawberries. Conversation.

If you're on a budget, give the gift of time. Have a Scrabble marathon. Have an Xbox marathon. Have a Wii marathon. Massages. Plan a trip together for when you do have money. Share the Sunday paper. Watch a movie. Take a winter walk while wearing cute hats.

If you're not on a budget, give the gift of travel. Go somewhere so that all you can really do is enjoy each other.

If you're a lady wondering what to get your guy, you probably don't know him. Men really aren't that hard to please. Feed them, water them, love them, sport them. No man will ever be unhappy with some form of entertainment. Go from there.

If you're single, this is actually the best time of your life. You won't realize this until you're not single to fully appreciate it. But there's something precious and beautiful about being comfortable in your own skin, on your own, with the ability to celebrate your commitment to yourself. In fact, until you get to that point, you really can't have or succeed in a functional, healthy relationship. Whether it involves watching TV in your underwear, taking a new yoga class, having martinis with your other gal pals, volunteering somewhere, reading a book among a bath full of bubbles or redecorating your space, let your biggest investment be in yourself. You will see the reward for years to come.

If you have children, you should enjoy the chance to be a kid again too. Write those valentines together and make some from scratch. Grandparents love these! Bake homemade, heart-shaped cookies together and let the little ones decorate them. And when you taste them, be sure to say they are the best thing you've ever had!

If you don't really care about the holiday either way, but know someone who does and could use a smile, send them a little surprise, custom to their personality, to remind them that you care.

My favorite suggestion is actually the most perfect and perfectly simple: Write a love letter.