Editor:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times-it was Valentine’s. Some people see Valentine’s Day as just another “Hallmark holiday” designed to profit off the na’ve. Others see it as a chance to show someone special in their lives just how much they care. Usually, people’s perspectives depend on whether they happen to be dating someone during the second week of February. If you’re in a relationship, Valentine’s Day is great; otherwise, it’s awful.

The real problem with Valentine’s Day is that there are no alternatives. If you don’t have a date, the only thing you can do is pull your hat down low, put your collar up and ride out the storm of rock-hard candy hearts. However, escaping the Valentine’s Day marketing machine is no easy task. What we need is a holiday we can all embrace, a Valentine’s Day version of Festivus.

I suggest a new holiday. Call it “You Day.” I think you deserve it. After all, you are the Time magazine person of the year.

How do you celebrate this new holiday? You do whatever you want, whenever you want and however you want (legal disclaimer: Whatever you want must follow all state and federal laws). Of course, we can’t forget the food. All holidays have their food. What do you eat on You Day? That’s right, whatever you want. Now you’re getting it. And if you happen to have a video camera, you can post the day’s festivities on YouTube. Now if we could only get the day off.

Whatever you decide to celebrate this Feb. 14, I hope you have a good one. As for me, I’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day-hopefully. Katie W., will you go out with me?

Jeremy Goeckeritz

Graduate Student, Electrical Engineeering