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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2017 3 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Greg Rainier, General Manager 951.652.5766, Ext. 224 • greg.rainier@associa.us Richard Booth, Lifestyle Director 951.652.5766, Ext. 223 • richard.booth@associa.us Diana Floyd, Executive Assistant 951.652.5766, Ext. 222 • diana.floyd@associa.us Gabriel Stearns, Facility Maintenance Coordinator Europe Harge, Luis Lara, Sunshine Baker Facility Monitors Christina Juelch, Receptionist COMMUNITY WEBSITE www.soleradiamondvalley.com PULTE WARRANTY SERVICE socalservice@pulte.com • 949.255.1650 PCM BILLING INQUIRIES 800.808.4882 GUARD SYSTEMS INC. On-Site Community Patrol 951.388.4049 • (800) 606.6711 (secondary) BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian Rubin, President 951.925.3918, rubinbl@earthlink.net Lorraine Brealey, Vice-President 951.658.1781, lbrealey.board@gmail.com Tom Carpenter, Secretary 951.663.4432, tommydcarpenter@hotmail.com Larry Braidic, Treasurer 951.392.3451, sdvboard.larry.braidic@gmail.com Leeanne Brock, Member-at-Large 760.772.5400, leeanne.brock@pultegroup.com HOURS OF OPERATION MOUNTAIN VIEW LODGE 1645 Paseo Diamante, Hemet, CA 92545 Lodge Hours: Sunday: 7 am - 8 pm; Monday - Saturday: 7 am - 9 pm Pool Hours: Sunday: 7 am - 8 pm; Monday - Saturday: 7 am - 9 pm PUBLICATION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard Booth COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Alan Siegel, Chairperson Theresa Rossetti, Secretary Dick Roppe, Berkie Harris, Andrea Jeric PRODUCTION Image Up Advertising & Design and Kevin Walker, Arrow Printing ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS All submissions must be emailed to sdv@associa.us no later than the 10th of the month. Articles should not exceed 500 words, 250 words for club news and 100 words for groups. The View is published monthly by the Solera Diamond Valley Community Association (SDVCA). This publication is copyrighted and may not be reproduced or reprinted without the written permission of SDVCA. Advertising inquiries, Stacey Parr (909) 435-5042 or email staceyimageup@yahoo.com. The View Magazine SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY By Alan Siegel, Resident Valentine's Day ushers in the first "Hallmark Holiday" of the year. A holiday that exists almost exclusively for commercial purposes without any traditional or historically significant meaning. Oh, I'm such a cynic. OK, I'll wait until Mother's Day or Father's Day to tell you how I really feel. Valentine's Day, a day of romance and terror. Boys, young men, and men of all ages, the entire human male sex on this planet, hates picking out presents for the females in our lives. Our male egos can't stand rejection. It's in our DNA. Buying presents for the female human just opens up a whole other avenue for rejection. We know you hate whatever we buy you, although you are generally gracious in acceptance, leaving us with a scrap of hope that we have pleased you. But then we see our gift sitting around for years, untouched. And whenever we mention that you never wear our gifts, you smile and LIE. You say, "Oh, I wear that all the time." And what can we say, because we never notice what you wear anyway! Merchants probably coined the phrase "it's the thought that counts" to prepare people for the fact that they won't like their gifts, but that people should keep buying gifts and giving gifts even though few people will really like the gifts they receive. Because, "it's the thought that counts." The whole "gift buying" thing is a bad idea. You have to buy gifts for your wife on her birthday, your anniversary, Mother's Day, Christmas and Valentine's Day. Five times a year, minimum. How much thought can you put into the Valentine's Day gift when it's just six weeks after Christmas? What do you buy? What human male can think about five romantic, meaningful gifts every single year. Very simply, we can't. I'm sorry, we just can't. The whole gift thing is a sham. You only use and like the things you buy for yourself. The stuff other people choose for you, you generally don't like, re-gift if possible or bury in the back of your closet. Except for cash or diamonds, gifts are generally disappointing. Michelle started buying me presents for herself on our first anniversary. She got me an antique soup tureen. Even that, we've used about three times in more than 30 years. Michelle has always wanted to dress me. As gifts, over the years, she's gotten me ties, shirts, sweaters, etc. I've hated them all. We have different tastes, so the whole gift thing, which is supposed to be a heartwarming event, really forces everybody to either "act like they like it" or, in other words, lie, or be honest, and say "Do you still have the receipt?" It's sad that human males are stressed out like this. That's why wise men will tell you, fuhgeddaboudit. Candy and flowers. Mindless for the oblivious male, and always appreciated by the female who likes sweet things and things that smell good. Just like you. Remember, it's the thought that counts. February: My Favorite Month

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