The Annual Inevitably Cynical "I Hate Valentine's" Post

Yes folks, it's that time of the year again. I was dreading today actually; not just for the usual reasons but more because I didn't think I'd have anything to write about that I haven't already previously. There's only so much hate one can present in an original manner, after all.

Luckily though news broke on the radio this morning about the launch of yet another website aimed at those wussies who lust after other passengers on their daily Tube commute, and who then choose not to do anything about it (not that I have any idea of what is meant by this, of course).

Today's site in particular is called talkonthetube.com, and claims to be the social network for the London Underground, a death knell if I ever read one (the creators of this site obviously haven't realised that social networking is now officially over). But apart from misguided marketing, they are hardly unique in a place where similar things already exist, and so actually make it more difficult for such people to find each other. Disclaimer: I didn't know about these sites before today. Especially ISawYouToday.com, which I have never visited in my life and will strenuously deny any accusations and reject any evidence of ever having using.

But I digress. There are a few problems with all this.

Firstly, I do wonder what the likelihood is of people actually connecting on such sites. I firmly believe that if a couple of randoms do seriously fancy each other then destiny will put them together in other more direct ways, the implication being that Objects of Desire who ignore you just want to be left alone at 8:30 in the morning. And if they did ignore you on the train, then the chances are that they won't bother looking you up on fifteen different stalker websites as soon as they get to a computer. But hey: perhaps I'm just naive about people being shy or something.

The second applies to all kinds of manufactured or forced match-ups. I mean, sure, I get that people meet one another in a variety of different ways and places and further that there's an alleged thrill in the chase, but there is a danger of totally missing the point and objectifying your victim when pursuing them in this way. And that's something that can only end in disappointment as they become nothing more than a web profile or email address.

So no, unfortunately I really can't see the use of talkonthetube.com. I think growing a pair is a much purer, correct, fulfilling and advantageous strategy.

As for me and my plans for today, well I think I'll carry on last year's tradition and pay the cinema a visit on my own, again in some wild attempt to justify my bachelorhood. Although since I can now access early afternoon showings, perhaps it's not as much of a statement as I want it to be. Hmm. Perhaps I should, I dunno, travel around on the Tube for the afternoon or something...