Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Valentine's Day 2008
A little late to be posting this up, but I was busy last week (more on that in a future post). In fact, I'm also helping the new Monash batch with orientation this week, which once again results in more blogging material but not enough time to write them.
Back on topic. Last year I wrote a poem about Valentine's Day; not that it's not stupid and pointless (despite myself never having celebrated it with a significant other before) but merely a commercialised, hyped-up occasion based on Saint Valentine, a person who may or may not have even existed. An analogy would be comparing Valentine's Day to Christmas; how did the birth of Christ lead to Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman?
But as I've mentioned before, Valentine's Day is not pointless. It gives people an excuse to be nicer to their partners, and to do things that they normally wouldn't do for somebody they love (like putting up a billboard advertisement to propose to a girlfriend). Nevertheless, for personal (and financial) reasons, I refuse to allow "florists and cardmakers" earn money off me on Valentine's Day. Yeah, I'm a cheapskate and will friggin' be one until I start earning a five digit (non-Indonesian rupiah-style currency) income.
Hence, on Valentine's Day eve, the girlfriend and I cooked lemon pasta for dinner. It turned out rather well, except for the fact that we overdid with the lemon as well as the portion; we made enough to feed four!
That's real Norwegian Smoked Salmon we're talking about here!
So, because we did this on the 13th, technically I still have yet to celebrate Valentine's Day. Props to me, huh? Now you can't call me a hypocrite for celebrating it.
Pointless Fact of the Day
Courtesy of Ms Lai Suk Yin, the polymath who usually follows me to choir.
Back on topic. Last year I wrote a poem about Valentine's Day; not that it's not stupid and pointless (despite myself never having celebrated it with a significant other before) but merely a commercialised, hyped-up occasion based on Saint Valentine, a person who may or may not have even existed. An analogy would be comparing Valentine's Day to Christmas; how did the birth of Christ lead to Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman?
This Day Of RemembranceOf course I've already met someone who fits the description in the fifth stanza, and life is good.
And so it arrives, knocking at the door,
The day of remembrance of an overlooked saint
Whose name remained in popular lore,
Yet causes unwarranted stress and strain,
Birthed from tales of sacrificial lambs,
An excuse for birth of affection feigned.
Though love so pure can from normal men stem,
More often than not, the heart does lie,
Catastrophes blamed on bodily phlegm.
Pitiful are flowers that wantonly try
To draw in a bee with petals of flame
When nectar alone will get them by,
For even Venus beat the fly at the game.
So thus I lie in waiting for the one
Who pierces my being by the whisper of her name,
And then I shall make this day of this month
No more or less important than another;
Every moment burns, fiery like the Sun.
The foolish are not mistaken, but rather
Seizing the day for unconditional love.
I too realise the folly of my endeavours,
But never will I let the florists and cardmakers gain
From this day of remembrance of an overlooked saint.
But as I've mentioned before, Valentine's Day is not pointless. It gives people an excuse to be nicer to their partners, and to do things that they normally wouldn't do for somebody they love (like putting up a billboard advertisement to propose to a girlfriend). Nevertheless, for personal (and financial) reasons, I refuse to allow "florists and cardmakers" earn money off me on Valentine's Day. Yeah, I'm a cheapskate and will friggin' be one until I start earning a five digit (non-Indonesian rupiah-style currency) income.
Hence, on Valentine's Day eve, the girlfriend and I cooked lemon pasta for dinner. It turned out rather well, except for the fact that we overdid with the lemon as well as the portion; we made enough to feed four!
That's real Norwegian Smoked Salmon we're talking about here!So, because we did this on the 13th, technically I still have yet to celebrate Valentine's Day. Props to me, huh? Now you can't call me a hypocrite for celebrating it.
Pointless Fact of the Day
Courtesy of Ms Lai Suk Yin, the polymath who usually follows me to choir.
Pasta al Limone
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients:
1/4 cup or a bit more lemon juice - you'll need about 3 or 4 lemons
depending on how big.
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese, however much you like though about 1/4 to half
a cup works fine
Optional ingredients:
A nice big chunk of crab meat, or fake crab sticks cut up (the second is easier)
OR: thin slices of smoked salmon
1) Boil enough pasta for 2 people. Half a box, 3/4 box should do, any
extra, keep it for lunch.
2) Drain the pasta, season with salt and pepper, then toss with the
parsley, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan.
3) If using fake crab sticks, slice them into long thinnish strips,
put a teaspoon or two of butter/margerine into a small frying pan,
wait for butter to melt. Then quickly fry the slices up, just enough
for it to smell good and maybe get just a little brownish, but don't
need to. Just sort of cooking it to make it taste better only. When
done, pour onto pasta and mix it all up.
4) If using smoked salmon, just slice it up and set aside on a plate.
Don't mix with warm pasta or it'll become cooked smoked salmon, unless
that's what you want.
Serve with a nice green salad, with some tomatoes, if desired.
