Secret Admirers - A Valentine's Day Myth Exposed

Ever watch a romantic comedy where the main character receives an anonymous Valentine's Day gift? You're usually rooting for this protagonist. She's probably a bit quirky, and has struggled with dating throughout the duration of the film. Usually she sniffs the bouquet from her unknown Prince Charming, sappy music plays and she's happy as a clam that someone was thinking about her.

Alright folks, end scene. I'm here to tell you that this doesn't exactly happen that way in real life. This past Friday (Valentine's Day), our receptionist called me at about noon asking me to come to her desk. I desperately tried to get her to say whatever she had to say over the phone. No dice. I made my way over to her area, located in another building, and she pointed to a beautiful bouquet. My mouth dropped. Who would have sent such an elaborate arrangement to me on Valentine's Day? Smiling and skipping happily back to my office, a sick feeling began to form in the pit of my stomach that stopped me in my tracks. No really, who would have sent such an elaborate arrangement to me on Valentine's Day???

My staff immediately oohed & ahhed over the flowers. They could tell, though, that I wasn't so enthusiastic about my "secret admirer". They tried to comfort me by saying it was probably a "special somebody" in my life. I shrugged that notion off, but sent a text to the only person who would have had any remote reason to send me a V-day gift. A few awkward texts later, and it became clear that he was not my suitor.

I then called the florist to see if they could help me out. The man who answered the phone literally said, "We work for the sender, not the receiver." Ugh! That sick feeling stayed in the pit of my stomach for a good portion of the afternoon. This probably sounds weird - single, dating blogger chick searching for "the one"... yet scared of a little romance? It's not that simple, though.

I literally have NO CLUE who sent the flowers. Worst yet, I tend to attract creeps. If you've been reading along then you know I don't come across many "normies". If not, read a few stories then come back to this one. You'll get it. In any event, kicking up my heels in glee and sniffing the roses wasn't exactly my reaction. Nope. Instead I peeked out of my office window every couple of minutes and held my car key between my index and middle finger while walking in the parking lot.

Now I can't really blame this mystery gentleman for his nice gesture. I mean, it's what we're taught right? Women love surprises. They love the anonymity and suspense associated with having a secret admirer. Their perfect mate is waiting in the wings to sweep them off of their feet to live happily ever after! In reality, it's really freaking creepy. I don't want to sound ungrateful...the flowers were beautiful (see picture above). I'm sure this person didn't want to weird me out. However, for the love of Tim Horton's coffee, tread carefully. From the few clues I was able to gather, the person didn't know me very well. He probably should have felt me out a little bit more before going for the gusto. It's also probably a good idea to identify yourself at some point. Jussayin'.

I do appreciate the gesture. I rarely ever get V-day gifts from an admirer. In fact, I decked myself out in grey leggings, combat boots and a black hoodie preparing to fight off an entire day of watching people receive gifts from their significant others. The hopeless romantic in me threw a red shirt on underneath the hoodie. Even on my darkest days, I can never be too hard on love ;-).

Have you ever had a secret admirer surface on V-Day?  How did you respond?

Movie Review - Sucka 4 Luv

Well hello there fellow Frog Smoochers, and Happy Valentine’s Day!  An independent film called “Sucka 4 Luv” is being released for sale today.  I was asked to review it.  And of course I agreed since, well, I’m a sucker for love ;-)

“Sucka 4 Luv” is a romantic comedy starring comedian William “Spank” Horton as Chris, and newbie Xavia Omega as Sharon.  Sharon and Chris are dating.  He wants to propose to her, but he has a bit of an anger management problem.  Sharon, a psychiatrist, decides to conduct a little social experiment on him.  She challenges Chris to remain anger-free for 30 days.  Only then will she consider his proposal.  Let the games begin!

Without giving away too much (in case you decide to see it yourself), there were some funny moments in the film.  Chris’s friend Tommy got a chuckle out of me each time he came on the screen.  His witty banter as the nerdy, virgin friend was well timed.  Omega was definitely the breakout star in this movie.  Her acting was great; not to mention she’s GORGEOUS.  I look forward to seeing more from her in the future. While I found Chris’s other friend, Snap, to be quite vulgar, he had a couple of funny lines too.  “It’s trunk poppin’ season”.  Sir, really?  Sit down.

I took a liking to Sharon’s girlfriend Kourtnee.  She was supportive of Sharon, even when she didn’t agree with Sharon’s actions.  She served as the voice of reason while playing wingwoman on a date with her own ex-fiancé.  Now that’s what I call a true friend!  Kourtnee made me smile because good girlfriends help to build us up and support us no matter what.  They are our rocks and backbones when nothing else in the world makes sense.  Loved it!

The portrayal of black men in the film left me disheartened.  If they weren’t the stereotypical “angry black male”, they were unable to keep a job, didn’t want a job, had a prison record, etc…  I was conflicted because hey, I know men (of all races really) who fit the mold of these caricatures.  That doesn’t mean we need to continue to glorify them or perpetuate the myth that this is all we have in our culture.  However, I also understand that this is supposed to be a comedy.  And some people like and appreciate this particular brand of comedy.  Perhaps I’m becoming more sensitized in my old age (30’s a comin’).

Some of the editing seemed a bit choppy as well.  There were certain parts where the audio cut in and out as the camera angles changed.  There were also scenes that were clearly shot in multiple takes without a smooth transition. I get it – we’re not talking Academy Award/Golden Globes here, but it is a point of feedback to be taken into consideration for the future.

Overall, I believe anyone that has been in a serious relationship can relate to the overall theme that this movie depicts.  At one point or another, you will come to an impasse with your partner.  Recognizing their positive attributes (and the negative ones) helps to put things into perspective.  I don’t think any of us would realistically put a loved one through a social experiment to receive our hand in marriage.  There are times, though, when taking a break allows you to reflect on your relationship with a clear head.  Keep in mind that no one is perfect.  Only we can decide if we are able to deal with a mate’s imperfections.  If a person shows willingness to change/adjust, then that’s the first step. 

Want to know if Chris and Sharon make it?  Visit www.pierrefilms.com to find out.

Love, Licking & Betrayal

Picture from the411shopaholicsanonymous.blogspot.com.

Last night, my friend *Jen was hanging out at a club after an event we attended pondering whether she should stay.  A guy, who contained many of the qualities she appreciated in an initial encounter, approached her.  He was smart, witty, personable and not bad on the eyes.  He had her at hello.  Needless to say, her decision was made.

At the top of their conversation he requested complete candidness.  He told her, “You just be you, I’ll be me and we’ll get to know each other.  No pretenses.”  She was thrilled!  It’s not every day that you meet someone who fits your prototype of a picture-perfect guy and values transparency.  She found it refreshing.

Throughout the night, shots upon shots of top shelf liquor allowed for more free flowing conversation.  She basked in the glow of his swagger.  He entertained her with funny anecdotes and lighthearted teasing.  His charm and quick wittedness continued to intrigue her as he flashed her award-winning smiles. 

It came time for him to leave.  They exchanged phone numbers.   Jen departed shortly thereafter.  As she was driving in the parking lot, she almost ran him over with her car!  Dressed in all black, she didn’t see him at first.  His close encounter with the pearly gates seemed not to faze him.  He knocked on her window.  She rolled it down.  Their flirtatious banter continued…then it happened. 

Our gentleman caller leaned in for a kiss.  She turned her head, so the end result was a kiss on the side of her mouth leading to an aggressive tongue rolling up the middle of her cheek.  Gross!  Licks on the side of the face should have a three date minimum.

Jen texted him when she got home.  The licking might have been weird, but she decided not to write him off so easily.  He responded to her text with a phone call.  He stated that he rode with a friend who was dropping him off home.  Once there, he agreed to call her back so they could arrange a perfect ending to their almost perfect evening…with more conversation.

Now, remember that part where I said there were shots involved?  We-ell, they took their toll on Jen.  She fell asleep on top of her phone.  She woke up this morning to a flashing voicemail light.  A bit dazed and confused, she groggily picked up her phone and punched in the voicemail code.  He called – just like he said he would!

Perfect-club guy:  “It was so great talking to you.  I had a really fun time this evening.  I just wanted to tell you, don’t call this number back.  I’m in the process of changing it.  I can’t wait until we connect again!”

Jen thought to herself, “How odd?  I lost a phone number within a few hours of getting it.  That’s a first.”  During the course of their conversation, they had also exchanged Instagram handles.  She transitioned into PI mode.  The explanation for his abrupt message became clear.  Mr. Lick-your-face was actually in a relationship – a serious one.

There are several adjectives that come to mind.  Creep tends to stand out more than the rest.  So through all of that “candid” conversation, it never occurred to him to mention he had a girlfriend.   And how would she feel about his “tongue & cheek” act?  Shenanigans.  I won’t get all preachy on why he was wrong because it’s pretty obvious. The whole debacle does leave me with one crucial question though: I wonder if he licks his girlfriend’s face too?