Commercial angst

I have been meaning to blog about this for the longest time and have never gotten around to it. But now that I am currently procrastinating on doing a dreaded homework assignment, I'm feeling free to blog away!!

There's this commercial (that I was watching while utilizing procrastination time to watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) that really makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck it irks me so much. There's this man and woman whom I am assuming are a somewhat long-term married couple. They're on vacation somewhere that has a "square" -- you know, a big sweeping location with lots of old, historical looking buildings and birds everywhere, like something out of Hitchcock. There are other, ostenstibly uptight foreigners, around. And the man says to the woman, "There's something I have to do..."

She responds with bemused look.

And he sweeps around this square yelling at the top of his voice, "I LOVE THIS WOMAN, I LOVE THIS WOMAN!"

And the woman is mortified. Shushes him. Literally, shushes. And he is placated and he comes up to her and says, "This will just have to say it for me."

Of course, it's this big huge diamond anniversary band (you know, the one with the three stones to symbolize the past, the present and the future). And she hugs him and WHISPERS, "I love this man. I love this man."

This commercial pisses me off each and every time I see it. For new reasons each time. What, you only love him because he gave you diamonds, but not when he has the cajones to yell out IN PUBLIC that he loves you? Love is something to be embarrassed by? It's not something you should shout about? And then after he gives you this whomping gift (which probably cost about as much as my annual salary) all you can do is WHISPER that you love him?!?! Are you friggin' kidding me? Seriously. It's just wrong.

Here are some of life's rules, brought to you by Heather the Self-righteous. If someone loves you enough to yell about it in public, appreciate that. Even if you are not a PDA kinda person, who the fuck cares? That takes a lot of courage of conviction of feeling and it's not to be undermined and never ever EVER to be "shushed." Don't wait til they give you a big hunk of diamonds to tell them you love them back, life's too short and not everyone can afford big hunks of diamonds. There were lots of birds in that scene, Tippi Hedren -- speak up. You never know when you tell someone you love them and it turns out to be for the last time. And then, if someone gives you a big gift, go out of your way to thank them. Loudly. Even if you are in public. Are those ostensibly uptight foreigners going to have you arrested?? I think not. And a big gift does not have to entail big hunks of diamonds -- lots of people can love you and not have big hunk of diamond money and it's just that simple. If you want big hunky diamonds, make sure you fall in love with someone who can provide them. And if you didn't happen to fall in love with someone who can do that for you, then damn it -- remember that too!

It's NOT all about the Benjamins and it sure as shit ain't all about the ::bling:: -- it's about love, baby. Because without it you're standing all alone in Uptight Foreigner Square and how boring would that be??

-HP

PS: Is it just me or was the wife on this episode of Queer Eye a bee-yatch or WHAT??