The Hallmark holiday they call it. I’m undecided on Valentines day as a whole. I’ll be honest, i’ve had some pretty ROUGH luck on the 14th of February the past couple of years so don’t rate it with hmm lets say halloween. But society says i should be all romantic so i try my best.

So flowers? Violin Quartet? Oversized Musical Card? Large Fluffy Toy?

See your damned if you do and pretty much damned and burned if you don’t!

Some things you may not have known about the “holiday” that is St Valentines and by association:

• The first Valentine gift was sent by Duke of Orleans to his wife, after he was captured in 1415. (The bollocks – Ben
• Around 3% of pet owners prefer to give Valentine gifts to their pets, as they are more grateful than humans!
• The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The color red stands for strong romantic feelings making the red rose the flower of love.
• In the Middle Ages young men and women drew the names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned on their sleeves for one week. This was done so that it becomes easy for other people to know your true feelings. This was known as “to wear your heart on your sleeve”. (Also how swinging was born – Ben)

Gone is the day when a kiss and a cuddle used to cut the mustard and you’d write a card with your left hand so they wouldn’t recognise the handwriting! I’m still at 6′s and 7′s over to what extent i’m going to take Valentines day and still undecided on what to get Mrs. Ben but if i don’t post anything on Friday, safe to assume i’m either dead or well probably dead.

For the Girls

Tips on pressies over on beaut.ie

Kama Sutra Dice

La Senza

Flowers

For the Boys

Beer

rough n’ tumble

Sorted.

Roy Scheider
10/11/1932 – 11/02/2008

Link

One of the best campiagns i have seen in a long time is the ‘Will Mr Tayto Find Love’ that Tayto have launched this year. I’ve only seen the adverts at bush shelters in the past 4 or 5 days or so but I just think it’s brilliant.

When you think about it, Mr Tayto has been in our lives for years but i guess now i feeling the pinch and getting lonely! I wouldn’t be lying when i say this actually pulled at my heart strings!

Over on the Mr Tayto site they have all the press releases from youtube virals to flickr photosets to a blog!
Will it make me want to buy a bag of cheese n’ onion?? pfft I’m a King man myself!

Link

The internet is full of gems! How to tie a neck tie, simple enough yeah? Last year, heading to both my sisters weddings i would always spend the most time getting the perfect knot in my tie and only for my brother to ruin it with ‘state of the knot in that’ but his always looked suspiciously like my dads one. Off point. This site is the wet dream of any neck tie enthusiast, and you can quote me on that!

I’m pretty confident that I look great in ties. Having to rock a tie each morning can build some expertise when it comes to executing a precise knot.

Perfection is in the subtle details. For example, a simple touch such as a dimple in a tie can add both sophistication and depth to one man’s outfit, while another’s childish knot can add the look of a clip-on from the fifth grade.

So I’m putting on my tie this morning and wondering just how many men are completely unaware of this subtle and absolutely necessary art.

You thought it was just the simple school boy knot and away ya go! Ample youtube instruction videos so you can rock your next wedding / funeral / job interview!

 Link

Not that i like to use the words ‘Chinese’ and ‘Rat’ in the same sentence but it’s official – it’s the year of the rat!

The Rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities.

Apparantly Chinese expecting women have been forcefully delaying birth as it’s considered very good luck to have a baby in the year of the rat. Funny how different cultures work things…

A flash mob is a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief period of time, then quickly disperse.

Very funny clip.