Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day Special

It’s Valentine’s Day - time for love and lining the pockets of Hallmark stores and chocolate makers around the world.

It’s also a day men demonstrate the power to read between the lines. With a little practice, we’ve learned that “You don’t have to get me anything” really means “If you don’t get me something, you don’t get anything for a week!” See, we’re not so dumb.

Jules at Trying to Get Over the Rainbow created a special button for us to share with one another and I decided to save it for today. You are all awesome people and I appreciate each one of you who visits my site.

I’d like to say a special thanks to Jeffrey Beesler. Last week, after reading a really crappy review of my book, he offered some encouraging words. Thanks Dude, I needed that, and I don’t intend to give up.


The Words Crafter at The Rainy Day Wanderer gave me the Write Hard Award. Thanks, Words Crafter!


I’m passing it on to:
Clarissa Draper at Listen to the Voices
Rayna at Coffee Rings Everywhere.


And wanted to let you know about another cool blogfest coming up soon! DiscConnected is hosting the Super 8 Debut Albums blogfest:


SUPER 8 DEBUT ALBUMS BLOG HOP

Remember that first helping of Meat Loaf?
How about when you "Got the Knack?"
On February 28, we're listing our all time eight favorite debut albums from artists where they hit paydirt the first time!
Visit his SITE to sign up!


And to all you ladies who said you loved the Resident Evil series - that's just too damn cool!
Now, where were all of you when I was a teenager, and the girls thought that stuff was gross and weird?

85 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

Actually, when I say, don't get me anything, I mean it. I hate Valentines day because, really, when you think about it properly, it's useless. Why? Because the media tells the world they should buy something and be romantic. People are bein TOLD to do it. That is not romantic. Romantic is doing such things on any old day for no apparent reason! :o) So um yeah ... that was my rant ;o)

Margo Benson said...

Some fun observations there, Alex! I hope you your lady have a lovely day.

The Super 8 Debut Albums fest sounds good but, as for the A to Z, I'll be a little lurker.

Congrats on the awards!

Gail said...

I agree with Jessica Bell. Where's the romance in performing because you are told...bring me a wild flower on a sunny day or a pretty rock in winter's gloom.

That will show you love more and thinking of me always.

...but just to be on the safe sign, you had better buy something!

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Judging by your comments so far I'd say Monday isn't the best day for remembering romance.
Any way I hope you and you wife are together for many more and they are all happy.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jessica, I don't get her chocolate or anything, because I know she doesn't want that!

Thanks, Margo.

Gail, I did!

Thanks, Mary - and me too!

Alison Pearce Stevens said...

My husband and I don't celebrate either, other than to spend the evening together and not headed off in different directions. Enjoy it!

Jeremy [Retro] said...

very cool stuff going on and the super 8... thing rocks the mic!

jeremy

The Old Silly said...

Hey thanks for the V day button - I'm gonna edit it into my post for today right now!

DEZMOND said...

Ooooh, I love Meatloaf, but mostly his late 90's videos and songs.

It's true that YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ME ANYTHING means exactly the opposite.

Congrats on the awards.

Anne Gallagher said...

I always meant it when I said don't get me anything. But they always did.

Happy Valentine's Day Alex!

Carol Kilgore said...

Congratulations on your awards. And Happy Valentine's Day.

Chris Phillips said...

Don't worry, Alex. You don't have to get me anything...

M.J. Fifield said...

This year for valentine's Day, my significant other gave me the best gift ever. He didn't audibly groan when I ordered more books (including a certain CassaStar novel) from Amazon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Arlee Bird said...

When I was a kid I loved Valentine's Day when you get a party at school and pass around cheap Valentine cards. Now I don't like it so much. I wish I had the money back from all the Valentine's crap I bought for my ex-wives.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Matthew MacNish said...

That is the coolest blog award graphic yet. Love it!

Ciara said...

I won't allow hubby to buy anything for Valentine's Day. I'd rather go for a hike and have a picnic. I guess quality time is my love language. :)

Jules said...

Thanks for spreading the love Alex! Can you teach me that trick about reading between the lines? :) Now I have to go check out the super8 fest.
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

vic caswell said...

yeah, don't buy me anything, actually means don't buy me anything around my house. i'm too miserly for my own good, i think...
i find it hilarious that that boycott american women dude appeared on this post. :)

Michael Di Gesu said...

Have a great day with the wife, Alex!

Share the love....


Michael

Paul Joseph said...

Congrats on your award, sir! You DEFINITELY embody what it stands for!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Alison, sometimes we need to do just that.

Dezz, that's what I thought it meant!

Chris, you're a dude - so no lines to read between!

MJ, thanks!!! I try not to grumble much.

Not a good investment, huh, Lee?

Ciara, we do small gifts, but it's the quality time that matters.

Aspiring, that was odd, but it's gone now.

Thanks everyone and have a great Valentine's!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Alex! And congratulations on the awards. :)

Luna said...

Last year we totally forgot! Sometimes we do exchange cards. One year we were at a store and just picked out cards and handed them to each other to read and then put them back.

Congrats on all the awards!!! Happy Valentine's Day....:)

Bossy Betty said...

I've got roses and chocolates. The man did well.

Nate Wilson said...

If they say "don't get me anything," don't get them anything. Make them something. With your own two hands. (Or with your own one hand, if you only have one.)

A homemade card and/or dinner will be appreciated much more than a store-bought anything. That is, unless you can't cook. In that case, choose your chocolates well, and book your table well in advance.

Old Kitty said...

You don't have to get me anything, Captain Alex, really you don't.

:-)

HAPPY VALENTINES!!! Yay for some blog loving!! Take care
x

ali cross said...

LOL on your awesome reading-between-the-lines power! And sorry about the sucky review. :(

And I'm a Resident Evil fan, too! And Alien, and Preditor, and Terminator ..... Gotta love the 80's!

Colene Murphy said...

Resident Evil rocks!! Supposed to get the last movie in that series in a few days from Netflix. Can't wait! Also, I would like to vouch for the few women like myself who say their man's don't have to get them anything and mean it!! We exist! And it is totally legit! Don't need a thing. Happy Valentines Day Alex!

Nicki Elson said...

Hey Alex, I still have a hangover from the top 10 music countdown blogfest, so I'm going cold turkey for a while (at least until I've finally caught up w/ my commenting...sheesh, try to take one measly vacation...)

Congrats on the awards! And by the way, I'm always suspicious of girls who claim to like gross and weird video games...I just didn't think our DNA allowed for it.

Charles Gramlich said...

My wife gets gifts all through the year so she knows I love her even if I don't bring her candy or flowers on valentines.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Alex so much for the award. I'm horrible with them. I often forget to thank people on my blog. If I haven't thanked you before the end of the week, yell at me.
Also, who would give you a bad review!?

Wendy Tyler Ryan said...

I don't like Valentines Day. All it does is make Hallmark richer. Love and appreciation is not about a single day in the year and now, like every other holiday, people do it because they "have to". Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.

Summer Ross said...

Alex-

I just watched the new Resident Evil over the weekend- thats what me and manly man basically did for Vday. I thought it was alot better than the third.

Thanks for passing on the Love, I know Jules is so heartfelt at seeing all the buttons everywhere. Jules rocks!

Have a wonderful day!

Angela said...

Happy Valentines day!

Lindsay said...

Thanks for spreading the love. :)

Lindsay said...

Thanks for spreading the love. :)

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Alex. Psst, you do know that chocolate - while it MUST accompany the gift and must be of the finest variety in a pretty package - is not considered the gift itself. (Just looking out for you.)
xoRobyn

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Elizabeth!

Karen, it is nice to remember.

Jamie, I like that card idea!

Nate, I could write her a song, but I'm not that good, so doubt she'd like it!

Kitty, I can only handle that kind of pressure from one woman at a time!

Ali, you're a cool chick then!

Colene, I'd still feel guilty...

Nicki, you haven't met my wife...

Clarissa, I would never yell at you.

Wendy, that's why we don't go nuts for this holiday.

Summer, sounds romantic to me!

Taking notes, Robyn - thanks.

DiscConnected said...

At least most of the posts were honest...

Women seem to agree that Valentine's Day flowers/gifts, etc are NOT romantic, but a Pavlovian response to television commercials, and they'd rather see romance on a truly spontaneous basis.

But GOD HELP YA, MEN if you miss Valentine's Day!

Larry

DiscConnected said...

Alex-

I almost forgot...

Thanks for the plug on the Super 8 Debut Albums blog hop.

Larry

Pat Tillett said...

We always have flowers.
We always have chocolate.
No sense buying gifts!
My wife and I agreed a long time ago that we'd not buy each other presents on VD. We also agreed that it's a prefect excuse to go out and have a great dinner!
Have a great week Alex...

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I'm with Jessica Bell : we should carry love's gifts with us to others in our hearts each day of the year. Surprise is the spice of any good gift. Roland

Cpt Pownzor said...

i am lovin the button just lovin it

Donea Lee said...

Oh, did I miss something? Where's the Resident Evil love posted? (I'll look...) I need to see the latest one - I think it's coming up on my Netflix list... :) Happy V-day to you!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Larry, you got that right! And you're welcome - hope a bunch sign up for the fest.

Pat, we'd go out, but I hate waiting for a table. We just agree not to do food stuffs.

Donea, I reviewed it this weekend - think you'll enjoy it.

Ellie Garratt said...

Thanks for passing on the love!

I'm so pleased Jeffrey offered you support. You must NEVER give up.

I tried visiting the Super 8 blog site but nothing happened. I'll try again later.

p.s. Resident Evil rocks!

Emily White said...

"Don't get me anything" in my house usually means, "we're too poor to buy stuff, but I'd still like you to help me with the dishes." :)

Jai Joshi said...

Congrats on the award! And I'm also glad Jeffrey was there to give you a boost when you needed it. Good friends are a wonderful thing.

I adore Meatloaf (the band not the food).

Jai

Kelly Polark said...

Ohhh, another music blogfest.... Cool!
I'm not the least bit romantic but we are having heart shaped pizza tonight for dinner!

N. R. Williams said...

Congratulations on the awards. Sorry to hear about the bad review. I have one of those. Then the guy wrote a private apology two days later. Umm...no I don't intend to forgive, I mean forget what you said.
Nancy

Hart Johnson said...

teehee--see, when I say I don't need anything, I mean it. But then again, I am the only wage earner at the moment. I will probably get a card and a nice dinner, which will be just right. (though I have been eyeing the box of chocolates my daughter got from her boyfriend with a bit of envy)

Lydia Kang said...

Congrats on the awards!

Yeah, "Don't get me anything" is a secret code for "But it doesn't mean you can't treat me special, okay?"

FYI.

Ella said...

Congrats on your award! Super 8 sounds really fun; I might check this one out.

I, too mentioned Jules today, great button, by the way!

I'm with Jessica, it does take the romance out, a bit, but I won't turn down chocolate, no matter what ;-D

Beth Zimmerman said...

A crappy review? How dare they! Just sic your 500+ followers on them and see how fast they can backpedal! Happy Valentines Day ... Alex and his mysterious wife! :)

M Pax said...

You're awesome, too.

Happy Valentines! :D

Golden Eagle said...

I'm sorry to hear about the bad
review!

Congratulations on the awards!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Southpaw said...

I always mean what I say. And I always say, "And don't forget the chocolate." j/k really. I go get it myself that way I know it’s the right kind. But I share.

Regarding the RE series. We were all several states away.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

every day is valentines day with my hubby so we don't need a special celebration :)

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

According to your comments, I’m not the only woman in the world who means it when I say don’t get me anything! We do something together that we both enjoy. This year it’s fixing lobster tails for dinner and that beats any gift in my book. Happy Valentine's Day!

Jennie Bailey said...

I just want a word about crappy reviews - you know not everyone is going to get or love it. The important thing - look at all of us who do! I have heard other writers say that all it takes is one bad review to get you down, but there are so many more good reviews out there! Don't even give that one any credence!

And as for high school - I was a cheerleader that knew more about football than most guys. I love hearing men say "where were you?" I was RIGHT there and guys were totally annoyed by me. You think that's what you want, but it's NEVER what you want. You're a teenage boy. I'm sure there were plenty of girls who were into that stuff in high school, but you thought they were 'weird' or didn't even notice them.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I enjoy Valentine's Day. It was fun when my kids were little and used to make me cards and gifts. They were so proud of them and I still have them all.
Now as a high school teacher I always have a few students who make me goofy Valentines. I love teenagers.

Ricky said...

Glad to hear the crappy review didn't keep you down for long.

The Words Crafter said...

Wait, wait, wait! I got tears coming outta my eyes!!! Okay, ahem. *still lauging*

For the record. If I tell my husband I don't need/want anything, I really don't. And I'd rather have the oil in my car changed, the car washed, or taught how to use my ipod than have flowers, jewelry (especially diamonds-everybody loves diamonds-I like being different) or chocolate. Reese's Pieces are better.

I gotta go, I'm off laughing again...this was great!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ellie, LinkyTools is having issues, so keep trying to join the Super Fest. And yeah, that was cool of Jeffrey.

Emily, nothing wrong with that!

Thanks, Jai - and no one likes the food.

Kelly, that sounds romantic to me!

Hart, take one - you know you want to!

Lydia, check - got it!

Thanks, Beth!

Golden, it happens to everyone.

Jane, lobster tails - now that's special!

Jennie, I won't give that review another thought - and wow, I think I just got a beatdown!!!
I noticed my wife right out of college and she likes that stuff...

Susan, that must be fun!

Ricky, obviously I'm not allowed!

Thanks everyone. Okay, back to the Valentine's festivities...

Jemi Fraser said...

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your wife! :)

alexia said...

You're a smart man, Alex! Happy V Day!

Chuck said...

Alex, I don't know how you could have a bad book review unless the reader thought he was reading a different genre. If you like science fiction- Star Wars-Top Gun type stuff you cannot help but like your book. I let my brother read my copy and HE loved it. Now I say get the movie deal done and they will all shut up! Good VD post.

Copyboy said...

Hey congrats on the award. Well deserved. And yes, it's amazing how many hot geek girls there are now.

Saumya said...

Haha, Alex, you must know that you're smarter than the average man. Most of them would listen to, "Don't get me anything." haha. Maybe you should teach classes?

Saumya said...

Or how about write a book about it?!

Sandra said...

Valentines day? Valentines Day? What is this Valentines Day you speak of?...'cause I got nothing! Not even a stinking card!

Jeff Beesler said...

Alex, thanks for the shout-out, and of course you're welcome. I'm always ready to motivate my friends to strive for the stars!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Chuck, thanks, and a movie deal would be great! And the reviewer is a sci-fi/fantasy reviewer, so no idea.

Thanks, Copyboy.

Saumya, might only work with my wife...

Sandra, you have the heart up above!

Jeffrey, be on the ready then!

WritingNut said...

Congrats on your awards! And this Super 8 Blog Hop sounds very cool :)

Karen Lange said...

Congrats on the awards!

Anonymous said...

It's great to have that good review after a bad review. I had a bad review and addressed all of the issues with the re-edited version. I asked the reviewer to give another review but she declined and left the bad review up. Arrggghhh!!!!

Tara said...

I'm far to frugal to ask for unnecessary things. And I'm pathetically unromantic.

Hope you had a good one!

Cheeseboy said...

Nice job on the awards. Can't wait to see your album list.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Writing Nut, hope you can participate!

Stephen, that sucks. This was a tiny review on a book site, so I'll get over it.

Thanks everyone!

Ella said...

Hope your Valentine's Day was special; mine has been postponed till the weekend. I do love that we have a holiday, full of color, sentiment and chocolate in winter.
It brightens most every ones mood~

Susan Fields said...

Congrats on the awards - and on figuring out our Valentine's Day doublespeak!

Actually, my husband never figured that out, so this year I just told him straight out: "I'm accepting chocolate for Valentine's Day." After I said this several times, he got the message and I got my chocolates. :)

Hannah said...

I was in school with my nose in a book. All the boys just wanted to be my "friend." And seriously, what's not to love about Resident Evil??
Action? Violence? Zombies? Weapons? Hot chicks? Sold a million times.
;P

Julie Musil said...

Alex, I laughed out loud when I read this post. You deserve a man of the year award for recognizing that women don't mean what we say. We really do expect you guys to read minds.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Y'know, I agree with Jessica. I feel that all holidays are made for commerce and note necessarily personal. We can always celebrate a day of thanks ANY time as well as Christ's birth and love.

Now birthdays, we don't see commercials screaming out stuff for birthdays, do we? Even though EVERYONE had a birthday. :p

♥.•*¨ Elizabeth ¨*•.♥

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ella, I agree!

Susan, sometimes we need a bop to the head to get it.

Julie, I've learned that!

Elizabeth, very true.