entertainment events issues music art art hilltopics the university daily kansan friday ▲ 2.13.98 ▲ eight.a ▲ Roses are red, but what does that mean? A wrong color could make or break you up By Tim Harrington tharrington@kansan.com Associate features editor Let's see now Red roses mean love. Yellow roses mean friendship ... or was that iov? It's so tough to remember. be as expensive? Roses are a staple for the perfect Valentine's Day gift. A rose by any other name might be the same, but most of the time the rose's color is what counts. Photos by Steve Puppe/KANSAN Was it a single pink rose for desire or for lust? What's the difference between desire and lust anyway? Red and white together mean unity. That's a fact. A dozen roses, of any color, means at least $50 worth of love ... Would a rose by any other name not be your question? This is the world of "flower speak," or in this case, "rose rap." It's a limited yet ambiguous and sometimes costly ON MONDAY A tale of commitment, love, togetherness and trust makes its debut on Hilltopics and the UDK! language which, 364 days out of the year, is confined almost entirely to "get well," "my condolences" and "Please don't make me sleep on the couch." However, on St. Valentine's Day, giving different hues of roses reveals the precise nature of an admirer's feelings. At least it is supposed to. Rose rapping is quickly outgrowing its usefulness. Whatever color the rose may be, there are surely two or three and sometimes four or five interpretations of what message is being sent. The inconsistencies that riddle this antiquated form of communication are enough to confuse anyone. For example, a yellow rose can mean joy. It can also mean "try to care." Where's the common ground between "I feel joyous because of you" and "Please try to care about me?" But there's more. Yellow also can mean friendship, decreased love or jealousy. These are differences that could get a person in quite a bit of trouble depending upon the recipient's interpretation. The meaning of some roses are downright idiotic. Take the gift of a withered, white rose. According to a chart on the wall of The Flower Market, 826 Iowa St., this rose conveys that "You made no impression." There's nothing like a $50 bouquet of "You made no impressions" to let someone know on a passionate level that this he or she is a nobody. Flower Market owner Bill Nye's only explanation was, "Flowers have a language all their own." It must be so flowers can talk to other flowers, because trying relate anything more subtle than "I love you" could end in tragedy, or at least the possibility of making no impression at all. Rose color interpretation lists vary a little bit with each printing, said Jan Braman, floral designer at Englewood Florists, 939 Massachusetts St. "A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose," she said. "Whoever gets it will know what it means." Her co-worker, Billie Deshazer, probably has the most healthy outlook on the rose rap confusion. One rose's meaning which both women can agree on is the black rose. "If you get black roses, you're either over the hill or a jerk." Deshazer said. The women said they had not yet received any orders for black roses this Valentine's Day, nor did they expect any. Cheryle Mitchell, floral designer for Owens Flower Shop, 846 Indiana St., said the meaning of particular rose's color was not that important anymore. "It all depends on what book you read," she said. "There was probably a time long ago when certain roses meant certain things but not so much anymore." The University Daily Kansan would like to change that. KU Rose Rap We at the features page have come up with a simpler version of rose rap that is more logical in its construction and more applicable to campus life. In some ways, this new list demands more conviction of feeling than its less-evolved predecessors, while in other ways allows for the varied levels of commitment found in college relationships. This list is for people who have already found that special somebody and people who just want anybody. We determined, though, that the essence of the list should be love — sweet love that is. Study it, learn it, and when it comes time to use it, follow the advice given by Cheryle Mitchell at Owens Flower Shop in determining what color to choose: "Go by your heart." LET'S TALK ABOUT COLOR Charts, lists, books ... they all say something different when it comes to putting a meaning with the color of a rose. If you are looking at one list and the person you are sending roses to is looking at another, things could get messy. Therefore, we have come up with a universal chart to follow, one that is geared toward the lifestyle of the college student. Red Roses Used to mean: Love. respect. lust They actually say: "I love you. I buy the ring right now if I could afford it." These roses signify the giving of one's heart and soul completely. There is no gray area in red roses. "Let's make sweet love on this fine Valentine's Day." Orange Roses Used to mean: Fascination Used to mean: Decreased love, jealousy, try to care, joy, friendship They actually say: "let's throw down a bottle of wine, tequila, Gatorade, etc., and see if we feel like making sweet love on this fine Valentine's Drav." Yellow Roses They actually say: "Let's make sweet love on this fine Valentine's Day. Used to mean: Grace, joy, love, gentility They actually say: "Please don't dump me. At the moment, I'm too stupid to realize that you are the best thing that ever happened to me. I cannot be trusted to not to screw it up." These roses are from an individual who is probably not capable Pink Roses having a mature, nurturing relationship but shows some promise. A more unstable and irresponsible "I love you" red roses. "Let's make sweet love on this fine Valentine's Day." Tea Roses Used to mean: "I'll always remember you" They actually say: "Let's make tea and sweet love on this fine Valentine's Day." White Roses Used to mean: Innocence, purity, I am worthy, endearment, heavenly, secrecy and silence They actually say: "I surrender. I will hold the purse while you try on that blouse. I will let you watch the game. If you've got a ring, you might as well put it on my finger now." These roses signify the surrendering of one's heart and soul completely. "Let's make sweet love on this fine Valentine's Dav." A single rose often delivers the intended message of the meaningful flower. But the cheekpaste image is to be avoided at all costs. And roses are expensive. There's always the theory that if a little will do a lot of good, a lot will be even better. Black Roses erk Used to mean: You're either over the hill or a jerk. They actually say: You're either over the hill or a jerk. (Making sweet love on this fine Valentine's Day is optional.) Roses with no thorns Used to mean: Love at first sight They actually say: "I'm glad to have you around and thought enough of you to deliver roses as is customary on this day. I tolerate the increasing marketization of our nation's holidays and wish to help maintain our robust economy by supporting the flower industry. Your place or mine?" CUPID TAKES AIM "What are your plans for Valentine's Day?" Ward Cook, Mission Hills senior; "I think will spend the entire day with my new found girl-friend, the Sony Playstation. If she's good I'll take her out later to dinner." Billy Thomas, Shreveport, La. senior: "I have no real valentine except for my mother. I'll probably call her first thing in the morning to wish her a happy Valentine's Day." Jason Fizell, Olathe senior: "My girl-friend is gonna drag me out on the dance floor. We're gonna boogie to likes of the sugaradaries and The Band That Saved the World." Kenny Gregory, Columbus, Ohio, freshman: "I'll probably go out with the team, after we win, then go home and sleep." Bill Clinton, president. Plans to spend weekend off at Camp David with his wife, Hillary. Hillary Clinton, first lady: Plans to spend weekend at Camp David with her husband, Bill. Bocca Kelly, Engelwood, Colo. junior, "I'm going to Kansas City for my sorority formal." Robert Hemenway, chancellor: Has narrowed his choices to a nice gift and dinner for his wife. Bonnie Augustine, mayor: "I'm gonna watch the men's tennis team play at Alvamar." Special thanks to Mary Shepard at Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth St. for providing the roses.