I love making Golden happy and flowers make her happy, so you'd think that I would love buying flowers. I do love giving Golden flowers, but the whole purchasing process leaves much to be desired. I can think of few other stores where I feel more out of place than at a florist. There are several reasons for this.
First, I have never really liked the smell of flowers. Many varieties actually induce me to sneeze just from the smell (it happens too quickly to be due to pollen). I think I psychologically associate nearly all flowery smells with sneezing because of that, so I don't think that most flowers smell pleasant.
Second, half of picking flowers is color coordination and the other half is flower species identification. Neither of these are things that I excel at. I always end up asking some employee what color half the ribbons, vases, and balloons are in the store.
Third, even after years of marriage and purchasing different arrangements through the years, I still don't know what arrangement is good and what isn't. Golden says she doesn't always want the $50 dozen roses arrangement, but does that mean she wants the $30 half-dozen, the $25 three roses and other flowers arrangement, the $15 three roses in a vase, or something that has a stuffed animal thrown into the mix? (The prices have been changed to protect the frugal.)
Fourth, I think that florists naturally talk down to me. When I visited the florist earlier this week I felt like I was back in the third grade and the person assisting me was my teacher. When I asked for a purple ribbon, she specifically used the phrase "pretty purple ribbon" in a childish tone probably five times in the next three minutes.
Fifth, flowers cannot be purchased very far ahead of time, so you can't express your love by buying the plant a few weeks in advance at your leisure and storing it somewhere. No, you have to purchase it on the day of (or maybe the day before) the event. I understand that this can be worked around by having the flowers delivered, but keep in mind that I rarely can predict whether Golden will be at work or at home at a given time on a given day. Also, remember that I am a tightwad.
Sixth, have you ever tried to transport a vase of flowers and an inflated balloon or two? February 14 is a dangerous day to be on the road because of the number of people driving under the influence of roses.
Seventh, I view florists as predatory creatures that feed on fear. If you don't believe me, look into the eyes of most of the men visiting a florist in the middle of February. Most of the guys there are way out of their element to the point that I even feel somewhat knowledgeable by comparison. Judging from the way I hear many talk the goal is to figure out how to go home with a cheaper arrangement and not end up sleeping on the porch for the night. I am sure that some of the guys I have witnessed at the florist did not succeed.
This seventh reason is also one thing that I do enjoy about buying flowers. Very few places will you see so many men so timidly requesting advice from twenty-something sales assistants that they are not hitting on. As much as I am never really sure what I am doing at the florist, I get some confidence that I am not the most clueless guy there.
For all my whining, getting flowers for Golden is completely worth it to see a smile on her face. Nothing lights up my day more.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Is someone just a tad pessimistic?
I love my flowers and ballons. You always do a good job. My love language is gifts, so I just like receiving anything.
Actually, that is interesting. I think I can be pessismistic about flowers because my love language is not gifts. I tend to have a hard time connecting the flowers to an expression of love when I am at the florist. I do connect the process of getting the flowers as an expression of love, though.
You think too much.
There is no way Vernal is getting roses on Valentines day. Its like what seminole said - it may be cool when you are dating but now it comes out of the same checkbook.
I don't mean this in a bad way on those who give roses, but more of a reflection on my rebellious nature, BUT roses on Valentines day are totally UNORIGINAL.
The radio commercials for the past week have been advertising to clueless, forgetful men who will be sleeping on the couch unless they get roses. They are creating a holiday of fear rather than celebrating love.
I hear those commericals and I drive past the florist and I see semi-trucks with trailer gearing up for these stupid men who will becoming in droves so that they don't end up on the couch - and I am like "I am not going to fall for this - the motivation is all wrong - flowers are nice any day of the year - i am not going to be a SUCKER who has been brainwashed by years of marketing.
Roses are a cop out to really taking time to consider your lover. Roses are done out of duty than pleasure. Like I said, totally unoriginal, when there are more meaningful and creative ways to express love.
Sorry Dust, for ranting and raining on your parade, but I have been sickened by the commericials that I have heard all week. And remember, I am being rebellious - so it's Vernal's loss and I am the jerk.
I responded to your comments on Seminole's site.
If a woman indicates that she would like flowers on Valentines Day, even if she says it isn't necessary, it is not bright to withhold those flowers. :)
Regarding originality, I do believe that I and many guys who purchase flowers are original. I am not the artist that you are, though, so I am a little more limited in what I can do other than flowers.
Oh yeah, Golden's birthday is coming up in eleven days. Perhaps I should not give her any gifts on that day because doing so is overplayed and unoriginal. :)
about the birthday present...I guess that is up to you if you feel it is unoriginal, although there are many different gifts to buy that are not the 'standard' birthday gift. Nice try, but that arguement doesn't float. :)
about originality...if you and many guys believe that getting roses is original, that is fine. I was just stating the reasons why I can't do it. I feel that it is unoriginal to me. I am rebellious, someone (radio) tells me to buy roses - I am not going to do it for their prophet. Someone tells me to lift my hands to worship - I am not going to do it.
I didn't say anything about being an artist;I said there are many ways to be creative without having to get roses. Creativity comes in many forms, so I am not going to spell it out for you. I know you have many talents and skills that I don't have that you can be creative with.
Sorry again, I didn't mean this as a critique on the other guys, but more of an excuse I make for myself as to why I boycott roses on V-day.
It did read like a critique on anyone who might decide to buy roses on Valentine's Day. It definitely came across like you got this whole Valentine's thing figured out and the guys with roses are clueless dolts. :) I understood the context, but do think the issue needs addressed.
I completely agree that just going out and getting roses in and of itself is unoriginal. I think that most gifts are unoriginal, though, and don't understand the purpose of flowers as gifts anyway. However, a person can be original in other areas and still get flowers. If they are important to the woman who is receiving them, flowers are almost a necessity.
Also, there is a point where a person can burn out if he is expected to come up with something new every couple of months, especially on a limited budget. I don't tend to be as creative for Valentine's Day as I am for our anniversary for example because I have to come up with ideas for V Day and Golden's birthday within two weeks.
One more thing. Remember that I don't like to take on too much responsibility mostly because I am responsible. Responsibility means that I have to meet some other person's expectations.
I don't like most holidays for that reason. To me what is most relaxing is kicking back without having to worry about meeting someone else's expectations. That means I am not a huge fan of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Valentine's Day because there is too strong a possibility of disappointing.
Again, I am sorry for venting. I too have been taking a hard look at the holidays wanting to enjoy them for their original purposes and their simplicity. (Mainly Christmas.) I want the present to mean something and not "how much did you spend."
I am not anti-presents, I just want to be thoughtful. Although, I love gift certificates, you have to ask yourself "what is the point?" when your gift to someone is a $25 dollar GC and theirs to you is a $25 dollar GC. What was exchanged? That is why I am really starting to explore homespun gifts.
As you can tell by my comments, I am trying to figure out this holiday and don't have it figured out - just thinking outloud -not a good thing! I should have made this as it's own post.
One thought though - I understand the limited budget and I think creativity works best within the limited budget. That is why I don't spend $75 on flowers.
One rose and an original poem that you labored over seems more thoughtful than "give me yer valentine's day special." You can do that every year and it will always be original, becaus it is coming from you.
"As you can tell by my comments, I am trying to figure out this holiday and don't have it figured out - just thinking outloud -not a good thing!"
I figured as much. My initial perception was wrong, but I only had that perception for two or three seconds. :)
Sometimes I write poems for Golden for special days (vdays, bdays, anniversaries). It is very difficult to be original if you write so many poems with the same main topic, though.
N found the place that C-man and I had hidden the girl's V-day presents last Sunday. This meant that we had to "give" them immediately as there was now no way I was going to get away with trying to surprise T with her gift.
Since I hadn't wraped it yet, it was still in the little velvet box. Much to my embarrassment ... it still also had the price tag inside the little box.
The price tag was the inflated price that the 75% off sale had been deducted from. This caused T to nearly faint (and begin planning how she could kill me for the insurance money). When I responded that I had only charged X to the checking account, I had her momentarily thinking that I had secretly saved up all this money to buy her a V-day gift (presumebly from my lunch money or by returning bottles from along the highway).
By the way ... T bought her own flowers this year.
Post a Comment