February 14, 2003
It’s Valentine’s Day. I had a class to teach today but none of the students turned up. I guess I guess the combined celebratory moods of the Chinese New Year, the Eidul Adha and the Valentine’s Day was just too much for them to resist and make their way to the classroom.
It was a blisteringly hot day made harsher by my upset stomach. The Eidul Adha celebration feasts was just too much for my stomach to handle. Hanis did not go the her daycare today because her pre-school is still off and she did not want to be there without her sister who’s school opens today. So she spent the morning at Mama’s place in Kajang. I think it would be more precise to say that Hanis spent the morning with Grandma and the cartoon network.
This Valentine’s Day is the usual fare: hiked flower prices, commoditized “romantic” dinner packages, extra strong sell on love themed miscellaneous knick-knacks and media hype to help sales along. The only prices gong down tonight is the self-worth of some. Sadly they wouldn’t realize it till the next morning.
Tomorrow will be Chap Goh Meh the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year celebration. Traditionally, I’m told, Chinese maidens would throw oranges into the river or ocean as a token or gift or something, as they ask their gods to grant them their prayers. And, this being a traditional event, the prayers are exclusively asking for good husbands. I’m not trying to be insulting or anything but it just occurred to me that this coincidence is just a little too ironic not to note.
From my experience working part-time with the catering services in my university days, I learnt that the condom machines go empty early on Valentine’s Day night. So since condoms are also being sold here, I suspect the condom sales tonight will probably skyrocket too. So to night lots of the wild stuff get done, many for the first time probably a sacrifice to prove their love for each other. The next day these same ladies go to the river or seaside and throw oranges in asking for husbands. One wonders what happened to the choices made the night before. Not up to expectations perhaps. Or worse still, no longer present after the kiss good bye in spite of the vows of devotion the night before.
Ah well. Life goes on. At least, for now.
It’s Valentine’s Day. I had a class to teach today but none of the students turned up. I guess I guess the combined celebratory moods of the Chinese New Year, the Eidul Adha and the Valentine’s Day was just too much for them to resist and make their way to the classroom.
It was a blisteringly hot day made harsher by my upset stomach. The Eidul Adha celebration feasts was just too much for my stomach to handle. Hanis did not go the her daycare today because her pre-school is still off and she did not want to be there without her sister who’s school opens today. So she spent the morning at Mama’s place in Kajang. I think it would be more precise to say that Hanis spent the morning with Grandma and the cartoon network.
This Valentine’s Day is the usual fare: hiked flower prices, commoditized “romantic” dinner packages, extra strong sell on love themed miscellaneous knick-knacks and media hype to help sales along. The only prices gong down tonight is the self-worth of some. Sadly they wouldn’t realize it till the next morning.
Tomorrow will be Chap Goh Meh the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year celebration. Traditionally, I’m told, Chinese maidens would throw oranges into the river or ocean as a token or gift or something, as they ask their gods to grant them their prayers. And, this being a traditional event, the prayers are exclusively asking for good husbands. I’m not trying to be insulting or anything but it just occurred to me that this coincidence is just a little too ironic not to note.
From my experience working part-time with the catering services in my university days, I learnt that the condom machines go empty early on Valentine’s Day night. So since condoms are also being sold here, I suspect the condom sales tonight will probably skyrocket too. So to night lots of the wild stuff get done, many for the first time probably a sacrifice to prove their love for each other. The next day these same ladies go to the river or seaside and throw oranges in asking for husbands. One wonders what happened to the choices made the night before. Not up to expectations perhaps. Or worse still, no longer present after the kiss good bye in spite of the vows of devotion the night before.
Ah well. Life goes on. At least, for now.
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