Dear WiseCat,

Today just happens to be Valentine’s Day, and guess who forgot to pick out a gift for his girlfriend? Oh wait, that would be me! What can I purchase last minute and on a medium budget?

Sincerely,

Careless Cupid

Dear Careless Cupid,

Okay. Damage control central. Listen up. Just think really hard. What does every girl really want? Ha! I mean, who really knows? Secret 101: we don’t know what we want either. On the other hand, just go with exactly what we say. Hollywood tends to emphasize the story that what we say is not really what we mean. Girls these days are a little swifter than the movies let on. It’s like that time where we tell the boy that we really don’t want any gift for a special occasion, and we actually mean it. News flash: sometimes just being there is all it takes, and yes, that is OK.

Therefore, think of something from the heart. It’s OK that you have not purchased your gift yet; some people locate their inner creativity at the last hours. Here is what you should do. Go back to when you first started dating. Did she ever mention any specifics? Like her favorite movie? What about a vacation spot where she always liked to go? Think about it. Where is her favorite spot to just sit and chat with you? Rehash conversations in your mind that you might have had with her.

I’m not telling you to go purchase tickets to her favorite destination; I’m saying recreate it. If she said that she liked picnics when she was a kid, then plan one. Get a blanket and make or buy some fun picnic food. You get the idea. Recreate the romance. You can also go sign up for the Singers to romance her during history class. She will love the attention. The thought is what will make her smile.

Let’s face it – the best months of the relationship come at the beginning. It’s supposed to be a time of “can’t eat, can’t sleep without you” kind of fun. Yeah, that’s a little awk. I mean, I personally don’t like the idea of not eating or sleeping; it makes me grumpy. But that’s not the point of the quote. The point is, she is going to love (or whatever you’re calling it at this stage in your relationship) you no matter what. It won’t matter a week from now what you bought her on this Valentine’s Day. What matters is that you were there. You thought about what she really wanted. And in “girl world,” that is all that matters. You listened to what she told you she liked, and that is what all girls want. Happy Valentine’s Day!