Valentine's Day Baby

That heart-shaped box? It's mine. I was born on February 14, which means what most people call Valentine's Day I call my birthday. And, frankly, I think it's much better that way. Holiday birthday's can be rough (ask First-Time Mommy about having one the day after Christmas) but not mine. Because who really likes Valentine's Day anyway? Sure, kids do - after all, there's candy involved - but for adults it's awful. First, if you aren't in a romantic relationship, you are reminded of how horrible that allegedly is all day long. Second, if do have a sweetie of some sort, you are pressured into doing something to show your beloved how much you adore them, by, say, taking them to a ridiculously crowded restaurant that is charging double for the same old serving of salmon. Or you can send flowers, which are also exponentially more expensive on this "special" day than they were just the day before. Don't get me wrong, I'm a lover not a fighter, and I'll welcome any day that encourages people to be kind and affectionate. But does it have to also be so darn cliché, with all the red roses, sparkling wines and lovey dovey restaurant dinners? Give me a break.

For some of us, romance looks more like, well, True Romance than Love, Actually, and I, for one, would much prefer some Chinese takeout with my man than all the blood-orange sorbet those prix-fix places are selling.

Which is why I love having my birthday on Valentine's Day. Because the birthday triumphs every time and I get to pick something fun (bowling, karaoke, dancing!) over something supposedly romantic. And really, what could be more romantic than 50 of your drunken friends singing Journey songs really badly or throwing gutter balls all night? There's nothing Hallmark's got to compete with that. So the pressure is off this Valentine's Day: Do something stupid and fun instead of sophisticated and starry-eyed. Happy my birthday to you.

If you're feeling like singing along to Journey right now, here you go! For the whole rockin' lullaby collection, check out our Lullaby Renditions of Journey.

And don't forget . . .