Coop's Corner

It's that time of year again. Cupid's arrows are flying, as are the data points around this romantic holiday. It's really close to Valentine's Day, but there's still time to have an impact. According to flower retailer, FTD Companies, Inc., Valentine's Day is a very last minute holiday for shopping, whereas Mother's Day and Christmas are typically 3-4 week selling seasons. FTD has indicated that this year is particularly last minute for guys with the holiday falling between two giant sporting events: the Super Bowl and the Olympics… adding that the severe weather in parts of the country is adding to the last minute shopping. If that weren't enough, e-commerce continues to make it easier for guys to wait longer before making a purchase.

The relationship of technology and marriage has a long history. I'm sure at some point during the Stone Age a woman was frustrated because her mate wouldn't step away from the fire and come to bed. More recently, televisions became places of congregation for couples and families. Today, our unions are intertwined with smartphones, tablets, social networks and more. The current tech du jour is Facebook. The question we have to ask is, are these tools good for marriages or bad? The answer: potentially both.