I don't want to buy you expensive candy

Valentine's Day Sucks. Period.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Love. I'm currently engaged to my best friend, things are looking up, but Valentine's Day? More like Over-Commercialized-Pricy-Chocolate Day. Most national 'Gift-Giving' holidays are a social construct designed to manipulate the bourgeoisie into spending too much of their hard earned cash on color-coded, seasonally-flavored junk food, and Valentine's Day is the worst.

We've been conditioned since kindergarten that in order to show our affection, we need to shower them with candy, chocolate, flowers, and more. I've met people that think that one day of adoration a year will keep their relationship alive, and as long as they celebrate this world-wide socially-mandated holiday, then they are free to slack off the rest of the year.

I don't want to be told that in order to prove ‘I love you’, I need to adhere to the concept of commercial holidays. I want to love on my own terms, out from under the foot of Big Business. I don't want to be told how to do things, and I strive to make my own waves, write my own story. Why can't I celebrate the love I feel for my significant other on a Thursday night in April, listening to thunderstorms while we watch 'Criminal Minds' in our blanket fort? Why do I have to wait until December to buy them that new game they've been wanting?

I don't. Simple as that.

See, I'm a baby anarchist. I'm just getting into the 'Rebel Against The Machine' lifestyle, finally pushing away the plate of conformity and unadulterated obedience that I've been fed from since birth, and I guess I apologize that my 'Don't drink the Kool-aid' moment is when writing a story about Valentine's Day.

But, I'm also not sorry.

"Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist"

Don't tell me that I need to write about sappy break-up songs, lost loves, or roses left to die under December moons.

Break away from the concept that you need to mourn on Valentine's Day if you don't have someone to share it with.

Step away from the aisle of Hallmark cards, take a deep breath, and ask yourself Why.

Why:

In a society that cares about who said what on Twitter, who got a facelift last week, and which Kardashians are lying about something today (hint: all of them)

In a world that will let someone make 200 billion dollars, and let more than 533,000 live homeless.

In a Land Of The Free that isn't free, because being alive is the most expensive thing you can do.

Why are you waiting until Valentine's Day to bring a little love back into the world?

This is my reason for being Anti-Valentine’s Day. Not because I’m single, or got my heart broken one too many times, but because we should all be Anti-Valentine’s Day. Anti-Consumerism, Anti-Commercialism, Anti-‘Money-Grubbing’.

Destroy the Construct of 'Valentine's Day' and celebrate whenever. Today, next week, pick up some discount flowers and Chinese takeout, grab a new candle in your favorite scent. Treat yourself to a bubble bath with the chinese food (styrofoam floats), a bottle of wine and then slow dance around your apartment with your cat while listening to Etta James. And after, start a Revolution, so that maybe our children’s children won’t have to feel obligated to drop $40 on heart shaped, pink-tinged, artificially flavored empty promises of Love.

And while your at it, open your eyes, and your ears, and take a listen to my playlist. Consider it your ‘Intro To Rebelling’. But don’t just take my word for it. Listen, then listen again, and then listen again. Listen to the words and the message within them.

Find your own reason to be Anti-Valentine’s Day.

And always, always, wait until the 15th to buy your chocolate.

#NationalHalfPriceChocolateDay