Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Random Valentine's Day Generator

Valentine's Day is an interesting holiday. I feel like no matter where you fall on the relationship spectrum, you probably have some kind of mixed emotions about it. If you're single, you feel reminded about it. If you're taken, you might feel a sense of dread or obligation towards having to do a certain thing on a certain day. However, the point of Valentine's Day - showing someone you care about them - is in the right place. It's just not being done right.

In my opinion - the biggest gripes about Valentine's Day revolve around timing. Maybe you really do want to take someone out to dinner - but hate that you can't get a reservation or that you're forced to shell out extra for a special menu. Maybe you're interested in someone but having the holiday encroach on you is putting extra pressure on things. Maybe you'd rather just do something nice for your significant other on any old normal day instead of feeling forced to do it because you're supposed to....

...which is where the Random Valentine's Day Generator comes in. So let's say we completely remove February 14th as Valentine's Day, and people can just do something nice for their loved ones on any random day they chose.... the idea is in the right place, but let's be honest - most people are kind of lazy. Left to our own devices, we'd find ourselves back at anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas and think "Oh crap, I forgot to just do something loving and kind just for the hell of it."

With the Random Valentine's Day Generator, each person would be assigned a random day every year where they are reminded to do something special for their loved ones. The giver still gets the reminder that there is an extra day a year where they should be doing something sweet but without the other knowing exactly when it might be. You also benefit by the sheer likelihood that the two of you will probably get different days so each one can really do something for the other person that they would enjoy much more.

Think about it - no more crowded restaurants one day a year, no more Facebook griping about being single/obligated-to-do-something, no more corporate consumerism making money off of people's natural tendency to want to be with other people...

I think I'm onto something, who wants to help make it happen?

*Update* No really, I've been thinking about this all day and I think I've figured out a good program with a monetization scheme. Any programmers who know how to create apps want to team up and try to make this happen?