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Quote of the Day:

Cash is king; I just wish the king was bigger.The Boston Globe ran a story on the number of people giving cash this holiday season rather than purchasing gifts; notably, a credit union in New Hampshire offered a “Black Friday” 3-month CD with a 10% return and sold 20 times the normal daily amount in about 4 hours.

I always enjoyed the cash/gift culture of Japan, where people give cash in beautifully decorated envelopes for weddings, funerals or for the New Year. I find it interesting that so many people are turning to thrift and saving right now — I wonder if it will last?

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Valentine’s Day

The ubiquitous heart-shaped box

The ubiquitous heart-shaped box

Today is Valentine’s Day, and the world ’round men are out buying cheesy white teddy bears with red hearts for their sweethearts, along with a box of chocolates and a half dozen red roses. It’s a rule.

Honestly.

Actually, today I remembered one of the boons of having a highly-sought-after roommate in college.

LeeAnn and I were opposites; she wore high heels and figure-flattering pantsuits, and I wore t-shirts over henley tops with worn-out jeans and birkenstocks. She liked country music, and I wasn’t sure what I liked but country was low on my list.

Actual Birkenstocks worn from 1991-2007

Actual Birkenstocks worn from 1991-2007

We would go dancing, and she would dance, while I played the role of the audience. Nevertheless, we had a reasonable partnership, particularly on holidays like Valentine’s Day, because of one simple thing: LeeAnn, for whatever reason, does not like chocolate. Men bought her chocolate, usually with roses and a teddy bear, for no apparent reason — it was the summer soltice, perhaps, or possibly because it rained on Thursday? I never knew. more »

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