Personal Blather!

Excellent day... spent most of it in lectures (full day for me). Not like I could've spent it any other way... but I'm tired and feel the itch to post... something...

I think the most important thing that struck me this time around was the conversation I had with a lecturer of mine; Colin Tan. He's 30 (+/-), but acts like a fresh grad and is very friendly, enthusiastic, open and holds a PhD. He insists on being called Colin though, so we indulge him. Anyway, his lecture is really interesting although it's tough. It's one of those subjects which really get you into it and you end up enjoying it even though you suffer like anything trying to understand it. We do cool stuff like simulate processors and other hardware. Really interesting module with a small intake.

Anyway, he was sharing that he and his wife (who happens to be the vp for NETS, a huge company in Singapore) never celebrated Valentine's Day. His reasoning (and I assume his wife agrees with him) is that Valentine's Day is too commercialised, and that it's a waste of money to actually celebrate on that day. Instead, they always do it a week early... (so in essence, they DO celebrate Vday, just not on the actual day). While it may seem like a practical course, (one which ordinarily I'd agree with), I think that in this instance I'd deviate and say that if you are attached, perhaps it is better to celebrate on the day itself.

Ludicrous you say? Not quite. If I had someone to spend Valentine's Day with, it would be one of the times I shower her with my time and money... whithin reasonable means of course. I'd think that Vday would be a good opportunity to do that because I'd want to show her just how much she means to me. I could be a bit of a prude and choose another day to celebrate when the prices are lower (for both flowers and dinner and whatever else that people spend on), but then I'd be placing my money before her... I'd be placing more importance on 'value for money' instead of on her, or at least I perceive it that way. More importantly, if I did have someone to love, I'd WANT to. Call me a hopeless romantic (or a dumb, unwise steward of money), but spending on a person I love isn't something I'd shun away from.

I did consider the flip side. "After all, it's not like I'm not willing to spend the money, it's more like I felt that if I spent the same amount of money on another day or occasion, I'd get a lot more out of it. Also, if the other person feels the same way, there's nothing wrong with it is there?" There's nothing wrong I think... but I know and I know that if I chose Vday to celebrate instead of another 'replacement' day, she'd feel a lot more special... and I wouldn't want to substitute that for something less...

This is of course barring the case where money is a problem. We ought to spend whithin our means and be wise when it comes to finances, but I don't think it's wrong to splurge once in a while, particularly if it's for someone you really care for. Guys ought to, I think, because she IS someone you treasure no? Case in point: Colin apparently used to take his girlfriend to the 'Pinnacle', which was a 6 star restaurant in UOB tower, but a week before Vday. He spent a reasonably large amount (which I could never afford now) and was happy about it. I'd settle for doing something less extravagant, yet not 'cheap'...

I don't think what Colin did was wrong... and IF I had a girlfriend and she preferred that I spent it the way he did, I'd probably comply. But I know that given a choice I'd prefer to celebrate on Vday. Perhaps the actual day isn't the important thing, but I DO know that you shouldn't be a 'cheapskate'. Vday is a day for celebrating love. It's commercialized true, but I don't think we should take that as an excuse NOT to make that special someone feel special... I know I wouldn't...