HAVE AN UNVALENTINES DAY

 Feb. 2, 2009 – This Valentine’s Day is all about creative thinking as lovers choose candy and cards rather than bouquets and bling. According to IBISWorld, the nation’s most respected independent publishers of industry research, spending will fall to $28.6 billion this holiday – a 4.8 percent drop from last year and a 6.8 percent drop since 2007.

Is it just commercial hype so vendors can up their sales for candy, cards, flowers and what not? What a shame that we even think we need a day to tell people we care about them and love them. Why not do something different this year? Break tradition.Instead of "remembering" those you love dearly (like you could forget them?)...Refuse to celebrate them on Valentine's Day any more than you want to celebrate them all year round.

Go ahead and tell your spouses, daughters, sons, mothers and fathers they are the best thing that ever happened to you but why not start a new tradition and each Valentine's day send a special card to someone in a nursing home or rehabilitation center, women's or men's shelter, orphanage or even someone in the military. Or send a valentine thanking the mail carrier, auto repair shop, barber shop, grocery store,day care or neighborhood fire department to let them know they make a difference in your life. No need to be concerned that they won't know who you are...it doesn't matter. They just need to know that you knew about them.

And to all those who have walked into my life and made my world a better place...You're the Best.

                                                   Happy UnValentines Day.