Valentine's Day is a month away.

Men, don't be the kind of chump who thinks flowers, chocolate and a dinner out are a good 2/14. Here's why:

1. Flower shops are a goat rodeo that day. Want to stand in a line with a bunch of other clowns and overpay for a cliche?

Smart guys don't do this.

Dinner out?
COVID closings might prevent this, but if your area isn't locked down this is still a bad day to go out. Crowded and there's pressure to get people in and out.

Chocolate? Eh fine.
But there's a secret to making your woman feel special. That secret is what storytellers and screen writers do to keep our attention. They trigger our emotions with drama and surprises.

So get some flowers today.
Leave some chocolate on the pillow on Sunday night.
Whisk her away on a date next week.
Don't do it all on 2/14. Only chumps do that, and if your woman expects those that day, it's probably because there aren't enough surprises through the year.

True confession - our first Valentines we went out to Cafe Lautrec in DC. It was a disaster - chef didn't show, food took forever, got smashed and ended up blabbing with other diners to pass the time.

But - this review of the now-closed place is epic. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/01/29/cafe-lautrecs-savoir-faire/d0b2647d-fc02-4a70-957f-aef8d2d7fa8d/