Slightly Off the Mark: love

Showing posts with label love. Show all posts

On Valentine's Day, Be Meme

I was going to write a loving Valentine's Day salute to my wife, otherwise known as sucking up. But I hurt my back (it's that or sickness every freaking holiday and anniversary), and the med I'm on has me hearing green, counting room spins, and rhyming "heart" with "barf". Instead, I ~~stole~~ chose some holiday related images.

When I started looking for fun images, the first thing I noticed is that there are a LOT of single people out there who are just a bit, shall we say, bitter.

I've been there, back in the olden days. Still, some are trying.

They're not necessarily doing well, but they're trying.

For we people who are taken, there's still a challenge. Well, not for the women so much, but for the men.

Been there, too. In fact, been there on Valentine's Day morning, every one of the last ten years.

My wife and I spend a lot of time together--she's doing work related to my writing career, while I selfishly just write, so you could say we're coworkers.

But that's cool, because we're both the boss, when that's okay with her.

And the strangest part is that after almost eight years of marriage we still get along, even when I annoy her, which is usually.

Cute. By the way, I'm much older than her, so that image isn't accurate. I looked for one, and let me give you a piece of advice: Don't Google "Older Man With Younger Women" unless you're sure of your safe search settings.

I love Emily lots. I even say it a lot, because I try not to take her for granted, even though I still sometimes do. I told her the other day that in addition to having her, I wouldn't have a writing career if she hadn't come along and started pushing me. I wouldn't have gone outside my comfort zone on some great vacations. I wouldn't have had the dog, who was our furry child.

I also wouldn't have to worry about Valentine's Day. But hey ... you make sacrifices for love.

As always, books make great gifts, and you can find ours in various places:

· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

· Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

· Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

· Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

· Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

· Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

· Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter

· Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

· Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

· Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf

Remember: Sales, reviews, and other encouragement are love letters to authors.

Have a Laugh For Valentine's Day

This has been around for a while now, but I still think it's a good choice for a Valentine's Day gift--assuming you haven't already bought it for a Valentine's Day gift. Flowers annually are accepted; the same book every year would bring you trouble.

Let me run this scenario past you. Your significant other says, "You never use your imagination when you get me gifts."

So Instead of flowers or chocolate, this year you give her flower-shaped chocolates.

Let me know how sleeping on the couch works out.

Or, you can get them a book about Valentine's Day. Now that I think about it, maybe you should have it delivered with flowers ... just in case.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936955040

A bunch of us got together a decade or so ago to write this humor anthology, and it could save your romantic life ... unless you got a copy last year, too. In that case--unless you have a different significant other--you might want to consider lingerie. Or, um ... chocolate flavored lingerie in a flower print.

Or you could gift them one of my romantic comedy novels. They're about romance, after all--but a book that actually has a Valentine on the cover seems appropriate.


			Another good reason to stay home with our books is right there in the weather forecast. · Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO · Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter" · Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter · Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/ · Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/ · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/ · Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914 · Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/ · Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter · Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter · Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter · Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914 · Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914 · Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf Remember: Reading can be a great way to not be outside in January.

Happy Birthday/Christmas!

In the above photo you can see a Christmas decoration that depicts Emily and I kissing. This year we shared not a kiss, but coughing and hacking. (We're much better now, although there are other family members who would use good vibes.) Last year we shared Covid. Basically we didn't feel up to putting up the tree and decorations either time, so we didn't. However, I do have a Gilmore Girls "Luke's Diner" Christmas theme on the TV, so there's that.

Emily's birthday will be about the time you're reading this. She got her present early, but of course I wanted something to give her something that day, which seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I have reason to believe she's going to hate it. If I disappear, check in the big freezer in the garage.

She'll appreciate the effort, though. I hope.

Here's Emily with our house guest from earlier this year, Watson.

Between my Seasonal Affected Disorder and the way my brain naturally freezes when it comes to any kind of present shopping, added to the bronchitis/sinusitis thing, I have no confidence that I'll recover when it comes to the gift giving business, I'll try! Meanwhile, maybe I'll cook something for her. Or maybe that would just make things worse.

In any case, this will probably be the last blog from me until after Christmas, so I hope everyone has a great holiday. Our family get together might not come until after the New Year--but we'll still be together.