Happy "Out-of-line's" Day! (courtesy of Carolyn)

Valentine's Day is here which, along with Christmas and wedding season, seems to be for advice columnists what tax season is to accountants. (Hm...I thought it was a clever analogy but I didn't express it very efficiently. Alas.) Today's post will feature a selection of Valentine's Day questions and concerns published in the last couple of days. The issues vary...it's a real hodgepodge.

Before we begin, I'd like to lay out my Valentine's Day perspective (even though most people reading this blog have already heard it 100 times...). I really like that Valentine's Day exists, and choose to celebrate it mostly like second grader: giving out lots of cards and consuming lots of candy. My favorite part of Valentine's Day each year is when I get a Valentine from my grandma with $1 in it. It's completely inexplicable, the amount has never been adjusted for age or inflation, and I love love love it every year. This year my $1 will support the purchase of a pitcher of beer at "Bad Decision Thursday" happy hour. The picture is me celebrating uber-classy Valentine's Day 2007 at the Pub II in Bloomington Illinois. With my friend's husband, Adam. Which isn't as sketchy as it sounds.

I've spent Valentine's Days with SOs and without and like the platonic, widespread cards'n'candy part the best no matter my status (more on this later from an Abby contributor). That being said, I have nothing against people who choose to do hearts and flowers and jewelry (although I admit escalating it to a day of "hard" gifts--metal and jewels--is a bit excessive). If that's what you like, do it.

What drives me NUTS around V-Day are the aggressive, bitter folk who 1) "don't know how they're supposed to get through ANOTHER Valentine's Day in this state of lonely singleness" and 2) Bitch and moan that they hate Valentine's Day and think it's a stupid overcommercialized holiday in which they're pressured to spend too much money and express their love in artificial ways. Because really? You're not. If you want to do it, do it. If not--don't, and enjoy the half-off candy the next day (more on this attitude later from Carolyn's live chat).

So that's the view from where I'm standing...on to the remaining perspectives! Hm, this post got a little long, so maybe I'll post the contributors separately. Yes, I will.