The purpose of the gift giving varies by culture. In Russia the Jewelry and fur on the wife is the equivalent of rims and an Escalade, it's an outward sign of wealth. It's like Pimp My Ride but would be seen in a different context using that euphemism.

I think VD should be (as is for me) a time to do more than you would normally do. Like if your the one that normally cooks and you enjoy it the go fucking hog wild and bust out an extravagant 6 course meal. If you willing to do the more frowned upon fun bedroom antics then do them wearing black Lycra body glove, 6" stilettos with whip cream. It's not a reason to do something but a reason to do more.

You slept on the floor of a hospital??? That's not safe, not to mention uncomfortable.

Amy you're looking more comfortable in front of the camera. Not to be too rude but Helen's accent/speech affect is kind of annoying.
And sign me up for steak+bj day.

You slept on the floor of a hospital??? That's not safe, not to mention uncomfortable.

I wasn't about to leave him there alone! It was the floor at Cedars Sinai. They have a better class of bacteria-laden hospital floor, I'm sure. I put a sheet down on the floor, but it was still pretty cold and uncomfortable! But, you do what you need to do to protect the person you love. Plus, I'm genuinely appreciative of what nurses do, and they get that I respect them and I'm grateful, and I think that helps get the person in the hospital bed better care and attention. (Not that they slack off if you're a shithead, but everybody likes to know that what they're doing matters.)

Thanks - re: camera comfort. It's easiest on a show when you're sitting next to the person. This is on a remote, and it took some getting used to. Plus, last time, there were monitors all over the place and I could see myself, which was distracting, and it was hard to remember to look at the camera instead of at Dr. Helen in the monitor. This time, they shut the monitors off and I just had an earpiece and looked into the camera (most of the time, I hope! -- I find it hard to watch myself on TV, so I haven't looked at the segment!)

Amy- c'mon. A chicken over a diamond?

PS- Lookin good! And you seemed really easy and relaxed on camera.

PPS- They're selling Nina Hartley's Guide to Better Fellatio on Amazon?

I just searched -- all I found was this:

Nina Hartley's Guide to Total Sex

Will look further.

And thanks! I had fun, and I think getting used to the rig and not having the person there helped.

Whoops - it's a DVD: Sex / How to: Nina Hartley's Guide to Better Fellatio DVD. P.S. If you buy it from my link, I get a tiny kickback (6% of the purchase price), which I could use now, with all the newspapers these days dropping like cows at Bhopal.

"But, you do what you need to do to protect the person you love." Yes that is why while I would have done what you did in your position I would have been unflinchingly instant that my wife not do that were I in Greg's position. By the same token knowing what gets spilled on a hospital floor and where. Plus she has Renods (sp) so sleeping on a cold hospital floor would be the equivalent of you holding you hands in ice water for an extended period of time so I guess my circumstances are different.

Gregg insisted over and over that I leave, even when they told me they'd give me a cot. I finally told him, "You wouldn't ditch me, would you?" And then he either had to admit I was right or just gave in because I'm a stubborn broad.

I think you are over analyzing valentine's day.

The whole FUN of holidays is the kitch! I'm going to make heart-shaped linzer cookies with rose jelly. I'm putting little cut out paper hearts with love messages all over the house for hubby to find! It is going to be so fun.

The point of V-day is to be silly and cute. It's frilly! Not to spend tons of cash.

My dad always brought us a heart-shaped pastry for breakfast on V-day. He'd buy a little something for mum. One year they both unwittingly got each other the membership to NPR that comes with roses.

Of course you love your SO all year round! But when else can you buy a cheap, heart-shaped lacy box without looking like an idiot?

It's like easter... which is all about painting the eggs and decorating a basket. Or halloween, all about a crazy costume!

Let loose, have fun!

Love those frills!

The point of V-day is to be silly and cute. It's frilly! Not to spend tons of cash.

The point for you. I think a lot of people feel under a lot of pressure. You clearly don't need advice on this topic. But, I also feel for single people on this holiday.

And with the economy the way it is, a lot of people are under a lot of pressure financially.

Gregg and I were talking about it before the show and he says he sees it two ways: simular to how I see it and also as just another day to show your love and appreciation for a person. An excuse to do a little something special. But, he's always surprising me with little things, like a little tin of monkey mints (I have a thing for chimps/monkeys, especially when they're wearing little outfits) and then there are all those roast chickens! Nothing says "I love you" to a girl (like me) like "I hate to think of you going hungry."

Seriously, do you really know anybody who is mean to their partner year round and then nice on Valentine's day?

When I was single, of course it was a bit sad, but I'd go out with friends or wear all red or something. Ham it up!

Monkey mints seems like an excellent V-day gift if you are obsessed with monkeys.

Many of the people who write to me are mean to their partner year round and then go along on Valentine's Day. I don't invent what I think out of thin air, you know!

Monkey mints were a typical Gregg thing -- a gift on any old day. If your partner isn't thinking about pleasing you on non-appointed days, you should think about replacing your partner or trying to jumpstart your relationship, if that's possible.

As you get older and more entrenched, being mean is half the personality of being together.

PS- My wife is faaaaaaar better at it than I. She takes it to an art form.

PPS- Which is why a hot skinny chick in knickers slugging a guy doesn't bother me in the least!

(I haven't watched the clip. Like Amy & like Helen, but hate TV, and it's a solo holiday this year, so it's kind of like having a note from the doctor.)

> The whole FUN of holidays
> is the kitch!

There's something to that. The clumsy, rote, expressions are partly a recognition that this stuff never goes perfectly....

Well, I went out and bought my friend a card and some flowers, because her BF is a shit. MY BF bought me potted daisies, because he won't buy cut flowers, says "they're already dead, and I don't buy dead flowers." So that was fine. I let Daughter #1 sleep over at a girlfriend's house last night, she's trying to avoid a boy who likes her, because, "mom, he's, like, a total bullshit artist!" (The card I got for my friend is hysterical. Handsome man and beautiful woman on the cover, like a on romance novel, only the background is a bathroom. The title: "He Knew How to Put the Seat Down" The author: Flushing Meadows. The synopsis: He came to check her "fixtures". She flushed; so did her toilet.

I guess you had to see it. o.O )

For dinner tonight, I'm making venison stroganoff, with broccoli on the side. Served with a nice merlot. (Milk for the kids, of course.) Heart-shaped brownies with strawberry ice cream for dessert. BF gets the full treatment later tonight (nudge nudge, wink wink!), and then tomorrow we're going to the Hunting and Fishing Expo. Pretty much what we'd do anyway, so it's not a big deal.

I love stroganoff, If you dont mind what is your recipe?

Hi looj! I just cut the venison into large, bite-size chunks, and sautee them in a little butter, with garlic powder and cracked black pepper, over medium high heat. Once they're browned on both sides, I turn the heat down to medium, then I add a packet of McCormick's herb gravy mix for steak and a cup of water. I put the gravy mix and water in a jar and shake it up reall good before I add it to the venison. Then, I add some sliced mushrooms. Then I let it all simmer for about 20 minutes or so, while I cook the noodles. Once the noodles are done, I had about 1/2 cup of sour cream to the venison and mushrooms, stir it all up until all the lumps are gone, and pour it over the drained noodles. Very rarely are there any leftovers. o.O

Oooops! Add, not Had!

I didn't know when valentines day was until my stepdad brought me some food and said "Happy Valentines Day!"

Now that's my kinda holiday!