The way I see it, if I have to remind a man to notice me, any real sincerity has to come seriously into question. Cripes, my dog will roll over if I remind him to, but that sure as heck doesn' t mean that he wanted to. A decade ago, we might have snuffed this self-induced slap in the face, but the marketers have gotten hold of it now and there is no turning back. On every storefront, giant pink hearts surround the sale item of the day. In every newspaper ad, Cupids abound.
Every magazine cover offers recipes for intimate dinners for two.
On every sidewalk there are deals on roses. The kids are buying their funny little valentine cards and the candy aisles look like a Lolita film festival. Even the men's department is riddled with clever boxer shorts covered with lipstick kisses, which your husband would sooner leave the planet than wear, anywhere, anytime. Don't even go near the lingerie department of your local department store. That much concentrated nylon and ostrich feathers can cause a serious rash.