"Happy Valentine's Day" = "Ad Hype Spent Vainly"

In other words, isn't Valentine's Day just another marketing ploy used by businesses to make money out of the "emoness" of the common person? My single friends, who rightfully feel that they have nothing to do with this so-called occasion, are none too pleased that they're still adversely affected, what with sudden increases in prices of various goods and services, the ghastly traffic in select areas around the metro, and the additional pressure to find one's "meaningful other" whenever this dreaded day nears.

Which doesn't mean couples have it any easier: not even the most cynical among us can escape the pressure to do something extra "sweet and thoughtful" for our loved ones; imagine how much more challenging it is for me, with more than 1,000 kilometers between me and my girlfriend. But thanks to the Internet, the help of a friend, and a couple of creative and enterprising young ladies, my girlfriend and I managed to share something special this Valentine's Day: a custom-made "LDR Cake" courtesy of The Cake Shack.

I know it's not the same as actually being there, but it's something that made my girlfriend and I very happy nonetheless. Which brings us back to Valentine's Day being just about the money -- well, come to think of it, maybe there's really nothing wrong with that. Maybe it's good that there's The Cake Shack -- and Hallmark, the flower vendors in Dangwa, all those fancy restaurants, and all other people and business that make money from Valentine's Day -- that we can turn to whenever we have trouble expressing ourselves, or are simply physically unable to be with our loved ones.

In the end, everything's fine because we all know that there's more to "Happy Valentine's Day" than "Ad Hype Spent Vainly." Get it?