Where Is The Love?

Reflecting on Valentine's Day, mine was relatively good...my mom and my grandmother each received their rose plants and their balloons, and both were happy. My girlfriend received the tulips I sent her as well as a little friend, so despite the distance between us, I managed to make her smile as well. And I dealt with a variety of clients who seemed downright pleased at my efforts, though I am not exactly sure why.

So why, only one day removed from the national love-fest-cum-commerce-fest, should my daily observation herein question where people's love has gone?

Good question.

First and foremost, in a most notably quiet display of indifference and unhappiness, word leaked from the NHL that first Tuesday, and later Wednesday, would be the NHL's press conference cancelling the balance of the 2004-05 season. As I've observed herein on several occasions, aside from the fact that no one seems to care the NHL isn't and won't be playing games this season, this will be the first sport in North America to lose an entire season to a labor dispute. And assuming this does transpire, despite some last-minute (cosmetic) posturing and bullshit from both sides, there's no guarantees as far as next season commencing on schedule, or at all, and further, there's the possibility that the NHL will hire replacement players, contract (ie eliminate) several teams, or fold completely. The odds-on favorite is that a deal will get worked out, but I've listed the alternate possibilities in order of likelihood; I doubt the NHL will dissolve, but replacement players and/or dissolution of teams are definite possibilities. As if anyone really cares. Amazing that a now-fringe sport would allow itself to be further distanced from the public perception by greed, stupidity and selfishness.

Then again, these are pro athletes we're talking about, so I suppose my suprise is more naivete than anything else.

In other sports-related news, dissatisfied Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia (of Carmella-De- Cesare-kicking-the-shit-out-of-his-ex-girlfriend-in-the-Tramp-Nightclub fame) complained about the coaching and the team's use of his talents after this past regular NFL season ended; now his tenure with that team, after only one season, will, as of February 22nd, be coming to an end as well. The message: play like shit in the NFL and complain, and find yourself out of a job. And perhaps, now that he's lost the cushy Cleveland Browns starting QB gig, his Playmate of The Year girlfriend might find someone new as well. Hello, Peyton Manning?

To continue, Michael Jackson's Molestation Trial (which more appropriately fits not in the 'where is the love' but 'With Whom did Mr. Jackson Give The Love' category) rolls on, and a list of possible witnesses in his defense include Kobe Bryant, actress Elizabeth Taylor and perhaps even Macauley Culkin. Hmmm...a man who raped a hotel clerk, a woman who's been married once for each finger on each of her hands, and a child-actor who has more problems than Danny Bonaducci...couldn't he get a day-pass for Rodney King and fly OJ Simpson in from Florida as well? Okay...so this doesn't fit the "where is the love" mold...perhaps it should be filed under "Where Is The Common Sense?"

Or even "Where is the hush money?"

Not all the news these days is bad, especially considering that yesterday was Valentine's Day. For example, there is good news out of Seattle, Washington, where Mary Kay LeTourneau, the 43-year-old former teacher who, at 34, began a sexual relationship with her then-12-year-old student, Vili Fualaau, announced that she and Fualaau will be married April 16th. She's now 43, he's now 22, and they have two children, the second of which she gave birth to while serving a seven-plus year term for child rape. Okay, so the news isn't all good -- and this story has far too much in common with Michael Jackson's impending incarceration -- but at least there is a happy ending for the most laughable married couple-to-be in the country (unless Flava Flav and Briggite Nielson know something we at the House of Boogie do not).

Kudos to Vili and Mary Kay, and congratulations to 22-year-old, father of two, Vili Fualaau, for making an honest woman of Mary Kay once and for all.

In the CNN article (URL http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/14/teacher.sex.ap/index.html) describing these aforementioned events, a friend of the bizarre couple, Neil Soriano, offered his thoughts thusly: "It's been long overdue. It's going to be fabulous, seeing them get hitched finally."

Absolutely fabulous.

Incidentally, it's merely rumor that they are registered at The Gap, Macy's, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Nick's Leather Dungeon of Pleasure.

But where there's smoke, there's fire.