Affairs Of The Heart

Injury Update

The cast on my hand has been cut down so that just my thumb is encased in plastic. I am healing remarkably well and have had little pain from the original injury.

However, the pain I am experiencing is the most intense pain I think I've ever felt. The doctor told me that the skiing injury stretched out a nerve that leads to my thumb.

After the surgery, parts of my thumb and the back of my hand were numb. No problem. But now the nerve is healing and coming back to life.

I liken it to having acid suddenly poured inside my thumb. It is searing pain, but brief -- and I hope it stays that way.

V-Day

This Valentine's Day was unusual on many fronts. Personally, the love of my life surprised me and it was great.

I heard and read about many people who think Valentine's Day isn't really needed for people who are truly in love. The feeling is that if you show someone you love the proper affection and attention all year long, you don't need one day to overdo it.

I agree, but I still don't think you can neglect your loved one on Feb. 14. You don't need to overdo it, but just a little message to let them know you are thinking about them.

In some ways, it is a Hallmark holiday -- a made-up, over-commercialized holiday. But you can fight that feeling by creating something special.

A nice homemade dinner, a handcrafted item, doing something great out of the ordinary -- these will all be very nice gestures. And you don't have to feed the machine known as the corporate cash register.

If you already do these things, one more is easy. If not, there are plenty of helpful books to give you ideas. Some of them will even give you step-by-step instructions for an evening your partner will never forget.

Although, as I discovered this holiday, nothing beats chocolate -- except maybe chocolate on a tropical island.