A lot of people at work brought up Valentine’s Day this week. When they asked what I was planning I told them that we already had our Valentine’s Day outing last Sunday. Some people seemed to think that celebrating V-day at the opera was a perfectly appropriate thing, but others didn’t seem to get the concept. I know art in general and opera specifically is not for everyone but how could lovers not be touched by great singers, a fabulous orchestra, and luscious set-design telling a timeless story of tragic love? On top of all that, the audience was much younger than I expected. There were loads of twenty-something college students and hipster couples in attendance challenging any assumptions about the appeal of opera to the younger generation.

When I was getting blank stares at this point I segued briefly into the more material gifts like the lovely Merkur double-edge safety razor, badger hair brush and shave soap Julie got me.

It’s hard to believe that from roughly the turn of the century until 1971 everyone used these razors and now there’s not a single US manufacturer. It’s too bad, because all the marketing and downstream revenue lock-in is costing everyone the chance to enjoy a closer, more comfortable, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly shave.

Today Alex came home with a Valentine’s Day magnetic dart set given by a classmate to each of the kids in his second-grade class. We were *greatly* amused to see that it had items such as “clean the kitchen” and “breakfast in bed” printed in the various sections. Amused doesn’t even begin to describe the reaction he got from us when he told us that two of the other items were “shave” and “wear a dress.”

Categories: art, kids and parenting, toys
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This is how my new year is going so far. Friday after work I staggered home and collapsed on the couch. I didn’t move again until bedtime, when I took massive doses of Sudafed, Robitussin DM, and Tylenol, then zonked out. I don’t remember eating anything for dinner.

Saturday morning I woke up and still had no appetite. I forced myself to eat a piece of toast with peanut butter then lay on the couch until it was time to collect ourselves and go over to my parents’ house for Chinese New Year dinner.

We took the combination hot pot/grill that my parents had given us for Christmas over to their house so we could use the grill feature alongside their hot pot. Unfortunately I couldn’t eat anything, but I did drink a bowl of soup.

This morning I had another piece of toast with peanut butter. After dropping off the kids at my parents’ house, we headed downtown for a matinee showing of Tristan und Isolde, Wagner’s 5-hour operatic masterpiece. The tickets were part of our Valentine’s Day gift to each other. It was the first time either of us had seen an opera live, and we both loved it. The music was complex and demanding, and the set, designed by David Hockney, was gorgeous. Unfortunately we had to leave before the final act because I was still feeling ill.

Since Thursday I’ve been waking up every night around 2 or 3 am when the drugs wear off, at which time I have to take another dose of everything or not be able to fall back asleep. I doubt it will be different tonight. Sigh. I just hope this time my cold doesn’t turn into a sinus infection and also that Alex, as the lone healthy member of the family, doesn’t catch it.

Needless to say I didn’t have a chance to go buy 年糕 (nian gao / new year cake) from 99 Ranch this weekend. But I swear I WILL go sometime this week before they stop selling it, even if I’m still sick, just because I am that obsessive dedicated to celebrating my Chinese heritage.

Categories: art, chinese, food
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