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Gifts for Valentine's Day, 2002? 407

Posted by Cliff from the cupid-season! dept.
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?
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Gifts for Valentine's Day, 2002? More

Gifts for Valentine's Day, 2002?

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  • Valentines day gifts? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Lumpy ( 12016 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @10:59AM (#2979075) Homepage
    Mandrake 8.2 Beta 1 burned on red CD's,
    what linux geek wouldn't love getting a beta of a distro burned with love...

  • Best V-day present (Score:5, Insightful)

    by cperciva ( 102828 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @10:59AM (#2979076) Homepage
    Someone to whom presents may reasonably be given on Valentine's day.

  • Hand Lotion (Score:3, Funny)

    by Bender Unit 22 ( 216955 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:00AM (#2979077) Journal
    My gift for Valentine's day must be hand lotion.
    Because my right hand is suffering from dry skin.

  • What do I want? (Score:4, Funny)

    by shaunak ( 304231 ) <shaunak AT gmx DOT net> on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:01AM (#2979083) Homepage
    "Guys, while you are suggesting presents for the ladies, aside from the obvious, what would you like for Cupid Day?"

    Well, I suppose one or two of them ladies you talk about would be nice. Do they run Linux?

    • Re:What do I want? (Score:3, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Can I get a Beowulf cluster of those ladies?

    • Re:What do I want? (Score:5, Funny)

      by spacefem ( 443435 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @01:11PM (#2979438) Homepage
      I'm a lady, I run Linux. But I also think Valentine's day is RETARDED, as any logic-lovin' geek does.

      • *snort* (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Pope ( 17780 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @03:51PM (#2979916)
        There's more to life than logic, mon amie.
  • Unfortunately, they didn't honor the price from their mistake. Can't really blame 'em, though!

    Still, it would have been nice...

  • Books! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Kozz ( 7764 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:03AM (#2979090)
    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 [fatbrain.com] to find a huge collection of technical books, or maybe to ThinkGeek [thinkgeek.com] 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:Books! (Score:5, Funny)

      by Flower ( 31351 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @06:23PM (#2980335) Homepage
      There's always the Kama Sutra. After all it is a book about geometry.

  • How about no tech toys? (Score:5, Informative)

    by _PimpDaddy7_ ( 415866 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:06AM (#2979099)
    How about for V-day, no tech toys, but a nice evening alone with your lady? Dinner, wine, etc...

  • I don't know about you.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by RainbowSix ( 105550 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:07AM (#2979103) Homepage
    but I usually get death threats and restraining orders.

  • get a megabear... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Helix150 ( 177049 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:08AM (#2979105)
    Megatokyo Megabear [cafepress.com]

    gotta love that

  • Get her a nice shirt (Score:5, Interesting)

    by harmonics ( 145499 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:10AM (#2979109)
    ThinkGeek has got a great little baby tee (God why do I love these so much!) It's all black with the words "I love my Geek."

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/apparel/5981.shtml

    Very appropriate.

    What I would love to have? Get me a nice OpenBSD tee shirt.

    • I don't know about you, but personally I find those shirts vaguely insulting. Little tight glittery teeshirt saying "I my geek"...

      I still think it would be funny if my boyfriend wore one, but he refuses. Not that I blame him.

      Lea
      • You still have to give thinkgeek credit for trying! They are trying out items in a market that is pretty much not very targetted on its own.

      • Re:Get her a nice shirt (Score:3, Interesting)

        by rulb ( 136736 )
        That sounds like my husband. He won't let me get the shirt that says 'No I will not fix your computer'. I've been asking for that since before Christmas. I think that would be a cool present though.

        On the other hand I did convince him to get me a the SunBlade 100 for our wedding present; so I think geeky clothing is cool and is ok for presents.

        The best part about it is when your relatives ask you what it's talking about because they don't get it and when you explain they chalk it up as one of those computer things.

        One of the things I think would be neat-o to have is some of the Mindstorm Legos. I could entertain myself for hours with a those.

        He doesn't really give me ideas about what he wants for presents unless I prod him.

  • A sweet note ... (Score:5, Funny)

    by GodWasAnAlien ( 206300 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:12AM (#2979114)
    A sweet note telling how Emperor Claudius beheaded St. Valentine in 270 CE, and compare this to your relationship somehow.

  • For guys? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Havokmon ( 89874 ) <rick.havokmon@com> on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:16AM (#2979123) Homepage Journal
    You mean guys actually get stuff for Valentines Day? I thought :

    (Quality(Rose)* totalroses) + Quality(dinner) = total_sex_time

    Where Quality() is a seperate program for each chick, based on past total_sex_time :)

    • Although it can be extremely crash-prone, if you can get a dual-processor implementation of this up and running, the results can be quite spectacular.

      ("Imagine a Beowulf cluster of those!")

      -Mark
      • This reminds me of one of the dumbest Star Trek:TNG episodes - the one where Data tried his hand at romance.

        "Are we no longer a couple?"

        "No, Data, we're not.

        "Then I will delete the appropriate program."

        Best dump line ever on TV!
    • Hrm.. You're missing a variable there. I think you got PART of it right:

      ((Quality(Rose)* totalroses) + Quality(dinner)) -
      (Quantity(StupidThingsDone) + Quantity(StupidThingForgottenAbout)) = total_sex_time

  • The perfect gift... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Jurisenpai ( 261790 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:20AM (#2979132) Homepage
    Well, since I already have this [thinkgeek.com]to match my boyfriend, nothing would be nicer than another [thinkgeek.com] T-shirt to proclaim my geekiness to the world.
    And, boys, don't forget to make it a night she won't forget of champagne, roses, chocolates, and patching your kernels together.

    • Re:The perfect gift... (Score:5, Funny)

      by odaiwai ( 31983 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:46AM (#2979187) Homepage
      Of course, if you're Australian, 'Got Root' means something completely different...

      I guess a lot of chicks would like a good rooting for Valentine's Day...

      dave
    • The problem is that most of us geek guys see geek girls as being incredibly unobtainable. Here's my take on geek girls:

      -Invariably gorgeous, though a lot of them don't realize it
      -Usually very adventurous
      -Generally much more graceful than geek guys
      -always, but always, utterly unobtainable, at least to the average guy geek off the street

      That, and there are many geek girls who are not the least bit technically inclined. I know one who fits very much into that category -- I think she's sort of a Stevie Nicks wannabe but she has the geek nature in spades. And she fits all of the above.

      /Brian

  • A... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Gangis ( 310282 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:21AM (#2979137) Journal
    Hello Kitty sub-notebook computer powered by the Transmeta Crusoe chip!

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/17055.html [theregister.co.uk]

  • I only know what not to give. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Dick Click ( 166230 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:29AM (#2979149)
    Every time the People's Jewellery Ad comes up on the TV with the heart-shaped diamond pendant, she turns to me and says, "Don't get that for me. No REALLY".
    Every year, I look for something that:
    a) Is something she wants,
    b) Is something that will signify my love for her, and
    c) Is something I deem has any value.
    Every year, I don't find it, and get her flowers. This always seems okay in the end.

    • Re:I only know what not to give. (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I bought a 20 foot length of heavy chain earlier this week. I'm an old fashioned guy so I believe in making the valentine personally.

      I am going to cut four thirty inch lengths off that piece of chain, use 'cold shuts' to attach snap ends, and drape two those chains down from the dee-ring in her collar to the dee-rings in her wrist cuffs. Something special and new for valentines day. She loves that kind of stuff.
    • ... sounds like it's time to spring for the big diamond ring, buddy, if you want her to stick around till next V-Day. If you're already married, you're home free. Flowers, chocolates, a couple of steaks on the grill with a bottle of cheap wine, just about anything will do.
    • Lucky you, my wife wants everything she sees!
    • What is a flower?
      It is a kiss from the earth to the sky
      a child of sugar and sunlight
      low brown loam and God's bright and braided dye
      love returned for love and light
      long, warm, and high.

      -- Weston Cann [canncentral.org]

      (yeah, flowers usually work just fine)

    • What's the deal with flowers? (Score:4, Funny)

      by ErikTheRed ( 162431 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @07:41PM (#2980524) Homepage

      What kind of sick fucks are women that they want us to demonstrate affection by ripping the sex organs off of plants and presenting them as gifts? I mean, think about it...

      Of course, in all seriousness, the most of the employees at my local florest know my AmEx number by heart now...

  • Perfect place for that new digital camera. (Score:3, Funny)

    by satanami69 ( 209636 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @11:33AM (#2979160) Homepage

    A Nice musuem tour [surprise.com] would be romantic enough, and still give me a place to make a short movie on the new DV camcorder [dvcentral.org] that she can get me.

    I'm not going into details about the other movie I'll make that day, though.

  • Roll your own (Score:2, Insightful)

    by nmnilsson ( 549442 )
    (Hmm, wasn't the first question what to give for Valentine's...? :-)
    Based on our (me+SO) previous 8 V-days, I recommend to make your own present.
    You're really good at something, aren't you? Then give it your best shot! It is the though that counts, you know.
    E.g, a homegrown PC with all your SO's favourite apps, connected to your home network - that can never be wrong...
  • As a geek, everyone gets me stuff on every holiday for my computer, but never anything I need. ("Oh, wow, another computer tool set, thanks, I can never have too many of these!" Incidentally, I'm up to 9 sets now). But as a drummer, no one ever thinks of things to buy me, even though I ALWAYS need things! Sticks are always breaking, drum heads always need changing, cymbals always need polishing, wingnut threading eventually wears down...

    The best gifts I have ever received have all been drum-related items. Just about anything from Sabian [sabian.com], Tama [tama.com], and Vic Firth [vicfirth.com] are always welcome gifts to me! Plus, it makes me happy when the significant other in my life actually takes an interest enough in my playing to know what I need and/or want as a drummer.

    • Re:Nothing beats musical instruments! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Peyna ( 14792 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:04PM (#2979253) Homepage
      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?

    • Oy...

      Christmas time. Since I don't have a girlfriend I have to rely on my parents for a gift. I wanted a bass (I play guitar but want to learn bass) and got a scanner. The scanner still doesn't work and I think I fried my USB port in the process of installing it. The bass is still sitting in a guitar shop, and I can't afford it.

      /Brian

  • I want... (Score:2, Funny)

    by jasamaman ( 221350 )
    ...a Router shaped like a heart!

  • Just one Frickin' Good Date... (Score:4, Funny)

    by dbretton ( 242493 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:09PM (#2979265) Homepage
    The ultimate geek Valentine's Day gift:

    A date with the Frick-meister! [frickell.com]

    • One problem, from the looks of her site she never leaves her webcam!

      I dunno, she is damn fine and no beating about the bush, but isn't being immobile in front of a computer supposed to be our job?

      Nah, I'm kidding, like I'd so no or something. Anyway, geek women are kinky, in a strange sort of way. So flame me!

  • 5$ cap (Score:2, Insightful)

    by jeffehobbs ( 419930 )
    My girlfriend proposed a 5$ cap on all (total) items purchased this valentines day -- partly to save money, party to spur creativity. Gotta love that. There's no reason whatsoever to blow hundreds of dollars on a Hallmark Holiday.

    ~jeff

  • Something fer your hunk (Score:3, Insightful)

    by MrIcee ( 550834 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:15PM (#2979285) Homepage
    Considering that quite a number of *geeks* are gay... shouldn't the question have asked what your getting your *lover* instead of your *lady*?

    I suggest the QueerAsFolk first season DVD set. If it's too late to get it.... order up showtime :)

    But beyond that... you can also consider gifts that are not just for valentines day... such as a trip to Hawaii (buy your lover the airplane tickets and present them)... or a cruise... or learning how to scuba... etc.

  • What not to get. (Score:5, Funny)

    by saintlupus ( 227599 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:24PM (#2979295)
    What's Geeky and Good for St. Val's this year?

    I'm not sure what my girlfriend is getting this year, but after her last birthday I can assure you that it won't be any sort of kitchen appliance.

    You know, you'd think that if she said so many times she wanted a toaster over, she'd appreciate it more.

    I'm such a lummox.

    --saint
    • I can assure you that it won't be any sort of kitchen appliance.

      I disagree! Or, perhaps, my wife is not quite normal. The first year that we lived together, she kept telling me that she wanted a blender... so for Valentine's I got her a blender. Of course, I'm not a complete idiot - the blender had 6 roses in it. She loved it.

      And NO, I didn't blend the roses! Although I must admit, it was tempting...

      -Mike

  • Ultimate geek lovers' gift - not invented yet (Score:4, Interesting)

    by heretic108 ( 454817 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:30PM (#2979314)
    I look forward to reading of someone making millions off this idea.

    Something for romantic geeks whose work causes them to spend long nights hacking separately.

    Perfect especially if one or both are putting in late nights apart slaving over hot workstations...

    2 x wireless linux PDAs
    Each PDA has a harness and can be worn inconspicuously under clothing.
    Eash PDA is connected to several unique peripherals.
    Each such peripheral is thin, flat, about 4-9 square inches, consisting of pressure pads on the top, and vibrating pads on the bottom, and can also be worn inconspicuously under clothing.

    When one geek touches one of the peripherals, the pressure pad senses the touch, and sends a message to other geek's PDA, which triggers the vibrating function of corresponding peripheral on their own body, and vice versa.

    For instance, male geek can stroke just below his navel, and in response, female geek feels caressing vibrating sensation just below her navel. Female geek then rubs below her left armpit, and male geek feels vibrating sensation under his left armpit.

    Advanced software configuration could cause random mappings between geeks, even sending telemetry about blood pressure, body temp etc.

  • I've decided that I'm giving out these [despair.com]. Maybe I'll get lucky and won't have to worry about spending a load of money for an ounce of sex. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

  • If you have the skills... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    And your SO is geeky enough to accept and appreciate it...

    Make an electronic heart - get a piece of perfboard, a bunch of red LEDs (and other assorted electronic parts - bias resistors, etc) - and wire up a electronic heart.

    Use red-flashing LEDs for a trippy effect (might be expensive, but so is a diamond ring). If you are really good set it up to make a rotating pattern with the LEDs (like a marquee). If you want to try something even better, get a 16x1 HD44780 based LCD, a PIC stamp - have the PIC drive everything, put the LCD in the center, and put a scrolling message ("I Love You!" or similar) on it. Or put a picture of you in the middle of it...

    One thing I did for Valentines day - because my GF isn't as geeky - was I built an automaton - a box with wheels and belts, pulleys, etc - and waving hearts on the top - powered by a little motor. I made it so you could remove the panels - it was all built out of balsa wood, painted - the whole thing - took about a month to construct and tune. She loves it to this very day (that was a few years back).

    Really - anything you take time on, given with your heart - is what you want to give. Something that really says "I love you" - it could be as simple as a card you made - or a piece of jewelry, or a romantic evening out. Take the time and thought - and you will have a day to remember...

  • Roses HOWTO (Score:5, Informative)

    by dschl ( 57168 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:37PM (#2979332) Homepage
    1. Buy them fresh. Many smaller florists only get them in once a week, you may want to call in advance (today) to find out what day they get delivered. Of course, if you are waiting until the 14th to give them away, they are better off stored at the florists.
    2. Plan ahead. Valentines is peak season for florists - your best bet is to order a bouquet today for pickup on the 13th or 14th.
    3. Get Floritech or a similar preservative to get the longest life from the roses - they should last a week at least. For bonus points, get the florist to place a water-filled vial on each stem (called waterpicks, IIRC), to give you a little more flexibility in transporting the roses home / to your significant other's (SO) place. Rose [silkflowerarranging.com] care [meijer.com] instructions [hartfloral.com].
    4. Buy a really nice vase which matches your SO's decor, and bring help your SO place the roses into it. Alternatively, you can get a florist to place a bouquet into a vase of your choice, as long as you can transport a vase full of water.
    5. Buy one, three, six, or multiples of a dozen roses - two or four roses look too symmetrical in a vase. Also, ask for some greens (fern-like green stuff that helps to fill in the bare rose stems) and baby's breath [swallowtai...nseeds.com]. Of course, colour [jroses.com] matters [timelessroses.com]
    6. Look into rose preservation - you can dry roses easily at home, and make a decent arrangement. Do a google search, but even hanging them upside down beside a window should work.

    • Re:Roses HOWTO (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ozbird ( 127571 )
      This is good advice, but to my way of thinking, red roses are probably a bad thing to buy on Valentine's Day.

      Apart from the obvious problems of supply and demand (and therefore cost), red roses are a no-brainer - it may be "traditional", but it's also predictable and boring! While geeks may lack in the "personality" department, they usually have "individuality" in spades, so go against the flow and do something original! Instead of red roses, try a bunch of mixed pastel colours (apricot, pink, cream etc.) or better still, a bunch of orchids (e.g. "Singapore orchids" - Dendrobium hybrids, I think.) These aren't the only options, of course, but they are pretty safe ones.

      And why stick to Valentine's Day, anyway? Again, it's a no-brainer to buy flowers because it's Valentine's Day, but there are 364 other days to choose from! Buy her flowers on a day because it isn't Valentine's Day, and you're likely to have a greater impact (and usually for all the right reasons.)

  • The PERFECT gift for the special geek in your life (Score:5, Funny)

    by icejai ( 214906 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @12:44PM (#2979353)
    Her: "Happy valentine's day!"
    You: "Happy valentine's day!"

    You: "Here's your valentine's day present!"

    (hand her big wide, long, flat box)

    Her: (looks at the wrapping) "Oh wow... you got me a pizza

    You: "nonono! take off the wrapping!"

    (rip rip rip)

    Her: (looks at the box) "Oh wow... you got me a big box of chocolates

    You: "nonono! open the box!"

    (rip rip rip)

    Her: (looks inside the box) "Oh WOW!!! YOU GOT ME A RACKMOUNT SERVER!! Let's have sex!!"

    You: (air guitar)

  • Like, say, dot-com stock certificate wallpaper.

  • My wife is majorly into gardening. My most successful Valentine's Day present ever was a dump trailer for her garden tractor.

    Her most successful present ever, for me, was a weekend rental of a New Holland front-end loader [newholland.com].

    There's romance in that there back yard, I tell ya....

  • What I Want (Score:5, Insightful)

    by PRickard ( 16563 ) <pr&ms-bc,com> on Saturday February 09, 2002 @01:25PM (#2979482) Homepage
    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.)

    • Interesting thought...

      Actually, I briefly (and not all that well) knew a woman in college who may just be the perfect geek girl... unbelievably beautiful, fun to hang out with, insanely tech-inclined, probably reads /. regularly as well and will likely see this...

      Believe it or not, her name is Window.

      /Brian
    • Choose to devote your life to creating new things, not tearing down other peoples' creations. That will make you much more attractive in the eyes of women, friends, and colleagues alike.

      Whatever you may think of Bill Gates, he's not the second coming of Genghis Khan, and his company doesn't warrant the degree of emotional and intellectual commitment that you, and countless other unloved, unlaid Slashdotters, devote to its destruction. Instead, consider the possibility that you'll look back forty or fifty years from now and wonder why you have so little to show for the passions of your youth.
  • how about the best chocolates in the world? swiss chocolatier spruengli has the absolute best! check out www.spruengli.ch [spruengli.ch]. you can also place online orders or via email. they ship worldwide via fedex, and believe me, their chocolates beat any belgian crap! that's what i usually get for my (geeky) girlfriend.

  • Instead of chocolates (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Ellen Spertus ( 31819 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @01:28PM (#2979489) Homepage
    Freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, available from NASA [nasa.gov], science museums [thetech.org], or camping goods store [rei.com]. You could even include a note about wanting to travel to the stars with her/him.

  • Think, just think. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Klowner ( 145731 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @01:58PM (#2979572) Homepage
    Did the poster of this story even stop to think, for a moment, that this article would probably plunge 50% of the slashdot community, including myself, into a deep deep depression by reminding them how single they are?

    ..At least my grandma sends me valentines cards

    *runs off crying*
    Klowner

  • A show of spine is a nice gift (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ColGraff ( 454761 ) <maron1@LAPLACEmi ... m minus math_god> on Saturday February 09, 2002 @02:19PM (#2979625) Homepage Journal
    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.
    • Oatmeal sqares? Are you out of your mind? Unless you know for a fact she really prefers them, it's chocolate, baby, chocolate. The flower and Valey-gram are nice in a non-commital, anonymous kind of way, but she won't know it's from you, and besides, she might receive several. The Furby would show off your hacking skills. "Happy Valentine's Day" is not exactly a declaration of undying love, so even if she hates you she would probably think it's cute and keep it. Maybe she's even shyer than you are and waiting for you to make the first move. Actually, for your sake, I hope she does read /.

    • You don't regret your losses... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by SatoriMan ( 309446 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @04:41PM (#2980043) Homepage
      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.

    • Obvious, but it needs to be said (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 09, 2002 @06:16PM (#2980323)
      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.
    • i've got to say, just go ahead and ask her out. don't lunge at her drooling "wuh-man!", but in the very least sign your flower/card ... if it's too late to sign the anonymous ones, send her another!! i persoanally went through high school without dating much (read: maybe two weeks total?) ... once i got to college i just went for it a few times, got rejected a few times, got a few girlfriends, got dumped a lot... honestly, it hurt, but i got over it ... and then i just stopped worrying about all that stuff, and watched an amazing romance begin to grow between myself and this very shy friend of mine, whom i'd known for the past year ... it was ten months ago tonight that we met in an au bon pain and decided that we were just going to go for it ... and, well, we're getting married this september :)
      so basically i'm saying, i know what it's like to be the shy guy looking towards that cute girl you've always wanted to talk to ... in retrospect, you only regret what you don't do ...

      go for it, dude!

  • Heart-shaped CDRs? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by ColGraff ( 454761 )
    Just had a thought - would it be possible to make a heart-shaped CD/R that would actually be balanced enough for use? If not, could you build an adaptor like for some odd-shaped CDs, and use that in the drive?
  • My high school has so many old 486s lying around, the school tech regularly begs me to take one (or two or six) home in order to clear some space. Why not install linux on one, slap some sappy love-related program on it to run at startup, and pre-configure the system. In addition, you could use the stuff at robotstore.com to control a servo motor through the serial port. Use the motor to operate some sort of candy dispenser, and you can have a comp that dispenses a candy every time it boots up! Sound good?
  • If there isn't a good geek-inclined pickup bar in the Cambridge/Boston/inside 128 (MA) area, there should be one...

    ...and if there is, I'd like to know about it.

    /Brian

  • WoSaT and reduced stress, that's what (Score:3, Interesting)

    by TrinSF ( 183901 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @04:17PM (#2979977)
    My /. sweetie's [slashdot.org] favorite film of all time is Mike Jittlov's [wizworld.com] Wizard of Speed and Time [imdb.com]. He's got a laser disc copy but no disc player, so I got him a copy on VHS (from skinnyguy.com [skinnyguy.com]) so we can snuggle up and watch it on Valentine's Day. (I've never seen it all the way through.)

    Additionally, I've tried to make the day as simple and stressfree for him; like many geeks I know, he's uncomfortable trying to plan something romantic. I suggested a restaurant I'd enjoy and planned the movie, to ensure he didn't have to worry about what would please me.
  • I want all the people who are so busy trying to convince me I have to give my wife a box of chocolates or a dozen roses for valentines day that they haven't stopped to notice I'm gay and I'm single and I'm damn tired of being reminded of the latter to get dumped by their spouse on the 13th.

    I think that would make a perfect valentines day gift for me.

  • One semi-word, two syllables: (Score:4, Insightful)

    by x136 ( 513282 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @05:35PM (#2980213) Homepage
    iPod.

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

  • Just find the freakin' clitoris! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by LordNimon ( 85072 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @06:52PM (#2980407)
    Trust me, that's what all women REALLY want you to do for Valentine's day.

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

  • I've been asking Santa for a matter transmitter for years...

    I guess I could ignore my disinterest in Valentine's Day if I got one of those...

  • Stuffed animals are great for geeks sometimes... (Score:5, Informative)

    by grammar fascist ( 239789 ) on Saturday February 09, 2002 @08:17PM (#2980615) Homepage
    How about a plush Cthulhu [entertainmentearth.com]?
  • String some resistors, colored wires, LEDs [tgforum.com], etc. on ear wire [firemountaingems.com] to create geek chic jewelry. I've seen some really nice stuff that would even appeal to non-geeks.
  • In my experience, people's reactions don't get much better than when they're caught off guard and totally surprised by a singing valentine. A quartet with a love song has many times brought people (mostly women) to tears.

    You can find Singing Valentine providers [singingvalentines.com] all over the US.

    CNN mentioned singing valentines along with some other creative ideas [cnn.com].

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