Valentine's Day is a fake madeup Hallmark holiday

....but since you're going to spend money on random crap anyway, why not spend it at Threadless, where from now 'til February 5, you can get $10 off if you buy two of the same t-shirt (even if its in different sizes). This is roughly equivalent to 50% off of most shirts. C'mon, you know you want to. It's dorky to wear the same t-shirt as your S.O., you say? Well, that might be true, but it's even dorkier to buy Hallmark cards and gross chocolates and roses that will die the next day. And if you don't have an S.O., get one for your BFF instead.

I'm actually not that into Valentine's Day. The stress of the day ends up making all the trouble you go through seem not being worth it. My favorite V-Days have been ones I've shared with friends, making dorky decorated cookies or chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Here are some of my favorite audio tracks on the subject of love. I'm actually not nearly as disillusioned with love as this list might make me seem. In fact, I like it very much. But I definitely think commercialized varieties of love should be experienced with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Operation Cliff Clavin: I'll be my own valentine"

OP:CC is an old PIX band, which eventually morphed into Ghost Mice. This song should be a classic anthem for every single woman on Valentine's Day

Days of War, Nights of Love: Love

This is actually from an anti-authoritarian treatise. It's kind of hokey but I always enjoy reading it. And the dude's voice is kind of hilarious.

The Distillers: Love is Paranoid

One of my favorite Distillers' songs. The throatiness of Brody's voice just makes her sound so independent and in control, but the song is fundementally about losing control ("I'm falling all the way in").

Even in Blackouts: Love Cynical Style

Even In Blackouts is an acoustic punk band mostly consisting of Liz Eldridge and Jughead from Screaching Weasel. Their 2002 album, Myths and Imaginary Magicians, features (in addition to this one) covers of Operation Ivy's "Knowledge" and Screaching Weasel's "Hey Suburbia."

The Magnetic Fields: The Book of Love

This is one of my favorite songs from 69 Love Songs, despite its cynicism. It's such a great testament to Stephin Merritt's ability to fuse traditionally beautiful melodies with tongue-in-cheek commentary about serious subjects like love.