I guess that the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day happen almost adjacent to each other every year. I guess that was more apparent to me this year, 2022, since they are actually just a day apart.
I realized that these are two things I don’t care much about, have never cared about or celebrated in any meaningful way.
My father always told me that I was a contrarian and I suppose that’s largely true. Yet I’ve long since stopped wondering why it is I don’t seem to like these things that everybody else does. Or try to suss out the pathology inherent there.
What is wrong with you, blogger?
As it turns out, nothing! I’m just a sensible person with non-mainstream tastes, which is something to celebrate and admire.
Why I’m Not a Super Bowl Fan
It’s really that I’m just not a football fan, but the Super Bowl is the appropriate focus since it’s like the Yearly High Mass for this particular endeavor.
In December, I was visiting relatives in Wisconsin and stayed with my brother and sister-in-law. During that time, there was a Green Bay Packers (the Wisconsin State Religion) game on television, and I watched it with my brother. I enjoyed this because it was quality time with my brother, not because of the game, which even after all these years, I cannot figure out how they score. Or the rules.
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Also, the quarterback Aaron Rodgers is quite easy on the eyes. It’s true and I enjoyed that part quite a bit.
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But overall football is too violent and headache-inducing (for me, as the viewer). I can’t decouple it from stale cigar smoke which was my father’s habit when I was a kid, so to me football = unexpected, loud yelling and foul smelling air and the subtle creeping angst of having to go to school the next morning (likely in the cold and dark).
It’s complicated.
Why I’m Not a Valentine’s Day Fan
First of all, the colors — red, hot pink– not my faves at all, though I do have a red car and love that because it’s so easy to find in a parking lot. But I digress.
I think we’re all good at certain things. I have talents like rollerblading/ice skating (backwards, even), piano playing (sometimes, highly subjective), book writing (again, subjective) and my recipe for deviled eggs is not to be fooled with.
But romantic love has never been something I’ve excelled in. For everyone who seems never to be without a partner or a crush, this may seem unfortunate, even sad. Truthfully though, it’s just a way of being.
Valentine’s Day (to me) seems to be a way to force all of us to think “wouldn’t it be better to be part of a couple?”
Especially as I get older and care less about what people think (a gift) the more comfortable I am with myself and being single. If that changes, great. If it doesn’t ever change, that’s great, too.
It’s now really hard for me to imagine my life intertwined with another man’s. But it could happen.
Truth is, I’m more likely to get a dog. That will probably happen sooner than I fall in love with the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day.
But not to rain on anyone’s parade. If you love these things, then you do you.
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