Happy Valentine's Day!

Yes, I know that Valentine's Day represents a conspiracy of the greeting card companies, chocolate manufacturers and florists. But even so, can there ever be too many holidays celebrating love and friendship? No, we need all that we can get! And the true spirit of Valentine's Day is so easy to express in a positive and meaningful way without spending a fortune on conspicuous consumption -- a hand-crafted card, a home-baked treat, an email or a phone call to far-off family and friends, a hug and a kiss to those who are near. That's all it takes. There's no real need to feed the ravenous maw of the consumer society beast. Valentine's Day shines brightest as a do-it-yourself, personal expression of sentiment.