Gifts for Valentine's Day, 2002?

Telemakhos asks: "This was asked last year, and though hardware may come and go in the course of a year, the mid-February question is eternal: What's Geeky and Good for St. Val's this year? Moreover, if roses aren't yet too bleeding-edge, whence is it best to order them?" Guys, while you are suggesting presents for the ladies, aside from the obvious, what would you like for Cupid Day?

Comments

Best V-day present

[cperciva]

Someone to whom presents may reasonably be given on Valentine's day.

Books!

[Kozz]

I think it's a gift option that's always overlooked, primarily because the buyer isn't sure what the recipient would want. But I've always believed that books can be a timeless gift, treasured for years. Whether it be fiction, non-fiction, reference, or a little of each, I know that I always appreciate books. Heck, go to FatBrain to find a huge collection of technical books, or maybe to ThinkGeek for options like fiction, non-fiction, programming reference, and so on. And if you're not sure, DO get a gift certificate for your loved one at a bookstore (or even for the aforementioned websites!). Then they can pick out the books themselves, and they can't hardly go wrong.

Re:Nothing beats musical instruments!

[Peyna]

Agreed! If I need something computer related, I'll buy it. I'll be more likely to find the best deal on a product that meets my needs and requirements.

I would much prefer to have a gift that wasn't computer related, but related to something else I enjoy doing. For instance, I skateboard in my freetime, so skateboarding stuff is good too (Although, I'm picky about that as well, bad example!).

Anyway, the point is that computer related items do not always make the best gifts unless you provide them with a full URL to exactly the item you want, but what's the fun in that?

What I Want

[PRickard]

I don't have any problem thinking up gifts for a significant other. I'm creative, I'm financially blessed, and I've had several decades to think of romantic things I would like to do. The problem is that I have nobody to do them with - thus my gift wish for Valentine's day: a Valentine girl of my own to share it with. Instead, I always have to spend all of February avoiding public places and changing the TV channel quickly when some V-day ad comes on. Oh well, I guess we can't all be happily involved... *sigh*

(ThinkGeek would be bigger than Amazon.com if it offered mail-order Geek brides.)

A show of spine is a nice gift

[ColGraff]

As a high school senior, I find I am completely and utterly lacking in anything resembling "nerve", "spine", or "courage". So while a statement to the amazingly attractive, intelligent, insightful girl who sits in front of me in Calculus (hope she doesn't read /.) that she is quite possible the most remarkable person I have ever met would be nice, it's out of the question. So instead I'm sending her an anonymous flower and card through the school "Valey-gram" program, and a box of the Oatmeal Square cereal thingies. Ah well, backbones are for other people, I always say.

Enough with this maudlin Valentine's Day related self-pity - a high-caliber site like slashdot doesn't need the mumblings of a sappy highschooler. I say the best possible gift would be a Furby modded to say "Happy Valentine's Day" in as many different languages as possible.

*snort*

[Pope]

There's more to life than logic, mon amie.

You don't regret your losses...

[SatoriMan]

only the things you never tried. (I'm sure someone famous said it better, but you get the idea).

Take it from a shy geek who is MANY years out of high school. I don't remember the names of any of the women who turned me down, but I do remember the ones I never asked out.

One semi-word, two syllables:

[x136]

iPod.

And I guess that dual-gigahertz G4 that it's attached to will get you laid for at least a year...

Obvious, but it needs to be said

[Anonymous Coward]

A high school senior. God how I envy you.

The path from high-school senior to middle aged man is maddeningly short with plenty of disappointments, triumphs and lots of experience that really kicks you in the nuts.

Make a play for her. Risk embarassment. The truth is that she'll probably blow you off. But at a minimum, you won't look back with regret.

In my sophomore year of college I spent a lot of time with a young lady that I absolutely found the most breathtaking, wonderful girl (woman?). And I didn't ask her out. I spent 9 months with her and didn't have the gonads to just say "Hey, how about you and me go get a pizza tonight". how foolish. Funny how we learn about courage after we don't need it so much.

And understand that marriage, kids, mortgage and career are just as effective prison bars as the keenest steel and thickest walls. You can't go back for so many reasons. You have people who depend on you, from the littlest baby to the people who work for you and depend on you to point them in the right direction every day.

There's every chance I'm the pathetic middle-aged loser you laugh at. There a sure chance you'll be the same thing in 25 years. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt so much. And I suppose the rewards are worth it.

Revel in your time. Have fun. Don't worry so much, you'll do fine. And just ask her out to talk. Movies are a bad first date, unless you think you'll run out of things to say.

Just find the freakin' clitoris!

[LordNimon]

Trust me, that's what all women REALLY want you to do for Valentine's day.

There's even a web site dedicated to it! Hint: click on the link labelled "cunnilingus". And whatever you do, don't complain that it smells!