Mocking Valentine's Day: Wii Dating 101

This post is a bit late but I have an excuse; I've been out of commission since Sunday. So give me some slack and enjoy.

History
Ahhhh, Valentine's Day. What a joyous crock of crap-o-la. Let's reminisce on how this crazy day got started. According to www.History.com who recently did a report on this very subject; there are a few different stories that are still recognized by the catholic faith today.

One story told is that of a Priest named Valentine who served during the third century in Rome. While serving he realized that unmarried men made better soldiers so he demanded that no young soldiers marry while serving. Somehow that doesn't really coincide with the point of Valentine's Day so I will continue with the one that makes the most sense to me.

The story that seems to match up is that of the Priest Valentine, however this one is a bit different. The Priest was imprisoned for reasons not disclosed in this version and sent the first "valentine" to a young girl he was in love with while locked away. Although this makes more sense, you can't tell me that countless other love sick men in the Roman era didn't send love notes via servants or messengers. Why was this guy special enough to have an entire holiday named after him?

My Sentiments
There are a few issues that I have with Valentine's Day. Now all of you out there that are FOR the holiday; that is your opinion and I won't judge. According to a recent post by a fellow blogger, Created for Success; Amazon did a poll and found that 56% of those polled are not fans of the Big V-Day. Guess I'm not alone. I also hear that Behind Enemy Minds got blasted for her V-Day sentiments. Pobresita. Well, here's my view; sit back while I break it down.

1. Money-Why are so many people convinced that in order to show someone how much you care, you have to spend some serious dollars? What happened to hand written letters and fresh picked flowers? Being romantic has become too commercialized.
2. Stress & Pressure- I can't count how many people; men AND women, get so worked up over this holiday. It never seems to land on a weekend so that you can actually make detailed plans. Most people work for a living and can't get home until late. Once your home from work you've got to rush around the house to get ready and then race to an overbooked and over priced restaurant. Why not relax, do something at home or at least something creative so that your not stuck trying to talk over everyone around you. I don't know about you; but that's definitely not what I call romantic!
3. Forced Expression - The holiday forces couples to do what they should be doing everyday that they're together; celebrating their love for one another. Why do we let the media tell us when we have to love our partners? I would think that an Anniversary is a better time to plan something romantic and better yet; any day for no reason at all. It's not forced and that's when you know it's genuine. And what about those poor couples that are just getting started? Don't you think it truly 'makes' or 'breaks' a relationship? The girl is expecting a gift because of the holiday but the guy is probably freaking out because it's a new beginning and if he goes overboard it may be misleading. It shouldn't be expected. It causes too much stress, resentment, and dissapointment. If you're a new couple and still testing the waters, my suggestion is to avoid the holiday and come up with a fun date instead.

My Valentine's Day Alternative

Thanks to a co-worker of mine, SnoopBloggyBlawg, I have been recently introduced to this new craze called Wii Parties. Being a sporty girl that's not into fine dining my dating life away, I thought these parties could evolve into a new dating craze for couples far and wide that have a competitive side. Wii Dates. Do it! You know you want to. But wait! There are some simple rules I suggest you follow in order to gaurantee success. Attention guys: YOU will most likely plan these Wii dates; so be prepared!

• Food: Begin the evening with her favorite meal. Make sure it's healthy; remember you WILL be working up a sweat! For some healthy and natural options check out DIYNaturally's latest post about Wii snacking. Food=First Base. Hungry girlfriends are grumpy girlfriends. Believe.
• Proper Attire: Tell your girl that she CANNOT wear stilettos on your Wii Date. The Wii games get pretty intense as it is, and you're not going to get any if you're rushing her to the hospital with a sprained ankle. I don't care how tough she is; hours at the hospital are an instant mood killer. Tell her about how much you care about her safety and throw in a complement on her on her legs. Second Base for sure.
• Let Her Win: It's just the two of you. Who's going to know if you let her win one one round of Wii Sports Boxing? It's not like she can take you out in real life. Trust me; letting her win is HOT! And I've heard a lot of guys say that seeing a woman sweat is sexy. I gaurantee at least third base.
• Feed Her Ego: Tell her how good she is and how you are SOO glad to be sharing this time with her. Okay, so it's a little mushy; who cares? Let her hit a homerun off of you in Wii Sports Baseball and then you hit a homerun later for showing her a good time.

I really think this is one of my best ideas yet. It's definitely a win-win. How many girls have the patience to sit around and watch you play 9 hours straight of Halo? Few...and even that's questionable. You can flirt, be competitive, and even pause the game for a "break". You can't do that at the bowling alley. Be safe, be responsible, Wii Date. It's the new rage. And please give respect to Nintendo; saving relationships one Wii game at a time.