Love and Romans

Today is Valentine's Day, the ultimate pink and red Hallmark ™ holiday. First off, I'd have to say it inspires many bitter discussions amongst my New York friends. It is tough enough to be single without everyone rubbing it in your face. As for us couples, we'd like to think that we're more authentic in our love lives. Why should a calendar tell us to exchange silly cards and flowers? And yet, if we miss out on the ritual of this day, then we're deliberately taking the fun out of a harmless and indulgent day.

So, what to do? I might bake something. Nothing says "I love you" like baked goods. Actually saying the words would do it too, but you can't put strawberries on top of words.

The History Channel website gives a remarkably vague explanation for the origins of Valentine's Day. You'd think they would have prepared a reeneactment of some sort. St. Valentine is a mystery, much like the very definition of love. He may have been a Christian martyr who lived and died in Rome during the the 3rd century.

A more entertaining version of the origin of Valentine's day is also described on the site. It could be a Christianized version of the ancient Roman holiday called Lupercalia. The holiday was a fertility festival day dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. Though ancient Roman customs may seem odd to us now, it was once acceptable to slap women and fields of wheat with bloodsoaked strips of goat hide. I am not making this up- but I can't guarantee that someone else didn't invent the story long before me.

So, Happy Valentine's Day!

New Netherland

Sorry for the one week absence. Did I jet to Paris or find myself in India? Nope. Just another family visit. This time to the grand state of New Jersey.

Did you know?

• The first colonies in N.J. were Dutch. "New Netherland" officially encompassed New Jersey along with New York, parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania (after the Dutch took it from the Swedes).
• The Dutch really wanted to keep this region but lost it twice to the English under Charles II.
  

From that brief look at the state's history, is it safe to conclude that that a king with the reputation as a shameless hedonist prevented New York and New Jersey from eventually legalizing pot. Oh the irony. Of course it is a bit of a stretch to qualify as a real academic theory but it makes me wonder.