It is just me or

This is an offbeat poster no? 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Why did I use a picture of my feet shod in polka-dotted room slippers as background for a V-day greeting? I'd say, "WHY NOT?". Seriously, why not? Should V-day only signify red, hearts, pink, flowers and everything nausea-inducing? The polka dots on my slippers are totes adorbs! Why shouldn't my V-day greeting feature a stylised graphic swashbuckling sword? No reason not to. Most of all, don't you just love the fonts? Doesn't it remind you of letters carefully snipped out from old crumpled magazines/brochures/newspapers and pieced together to form the ubiquitous ransom note/death threat? It is just so... I Know What You Did Last V-Day. Very slasher flick-like. I must say that I am pretty impressed with my Photoshopping skills to produce this C-grade poster.

Now you think that I am a bitter, decrepit-before-my-time and left on the shelf, cat-lovin' woman. You are so wrong. On all three counts. I am not bitter (that's one count) and I am definitely not cat-lovin' (two count). Please don't stereotype all women who happen to be alone, and by no means lonely, into cat lovers. There are many other things that women, who are alone, loves (funny naturally the word vibrator chocolates came to mind somehow). On the third and last count, I am not decrepit. That is for sure. According to Dictionary.com, decrepit is defined as weakened by old age and worn out by long use. NOT ME. I am not old, not yet anyway. Talk to me about old age fifty years from now (hello?! I am only on the older side of the twenties). I am without doubt not worn out by long use. OMG. That description sounds so wrong. You mean when people use the term decrepit to describe the elders do they also use it to mean worn out by long use? I am definitely not used (in that sense, if you know what I mean). So no chances of me being worn out by long use. If anything, I am untarnished and unspoiled.

Anyway, back to the post proper.

Is it just me or does V-day raises the significance of the colour RED?
It might just be me.

Today I have a lunch appointment with my cousin. I was doing my work when I realised that I am late for the appointment. So I locked my computer, grabbed my lunch purse, my staff pass and my mobile phone and scooted off. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. I forgotten that I am supposed to pass her a belated birthday gift, which is lying somewhere in my bottom drawer, unwrapped. I rushed back to my desk, grabbed the gift, took out a generic birthday card and scribbled my wishes. I looked frantically around for a presentable bag to place the gift in and spotted an unmarked RED bag. Perfect. I stuffed the gift and card inside and scooted off (again).

While walking, I began to be conscious that the RED of the bag could send out the wrong signals. Made all the more wrong by V-day. I began to realise (or probably imagine) that people were looking at me with knowing looks in their eyes. It felt like some sort of affirmation, like "Yeah baby. RED bag. Very V-day appropriate!". I made a mistake. I should have grabbed the uglier brown paper bag instead.

Actually it should be no big deal. Walking around with a RED bag any other day would have been fine. But on V-day, it denotes me being committed to someone. I could have been carrying a toilet seat cover I bought for my mom. But because the carrier is significantly RED, it must mean that it contains something precious, well-thought out and expensive, for my significant other. I could have been carrying the common RED plastic bag that shops pack stuff in, and it would still be misunderstood on V-day.

Honestly, it should be no big deal. Let people think what they want. But what if I pass by someone with whom I have the minutest crush (on the older side of twenties and still using the word crush) on? My chances, however tiny (practically non-existent), of getting together with him will be crushed (pun fully intended) by a RED bag! I felt like informing everyone I passed that this is a belated birthday gift to my cousin, accompanied with a tight big million-dollar smile.

Now that I reflect back on the minor social situation I was in this afternoon, it is really no big deal. I made a molehill out of a blade of fallen grass. Yes, you may have noticed that there is no link, molehill and grass?? That is my point exactly. No link between the colour RED and V-day. Absolutely none at all. A RED bag is a RED bag, whenever you carry it.

It is all in my head.

(Update: Made a small update with the added caption for the poster.)