Dear St Valentine

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, February 13th, 2019 - 25 comments
Categories: Deep stuff, Media, Politics, the praiseworthy and the pitiful - Tags:

Deep in the perpetually joyous realm you inhabit, could you pop over and have a chat to St Francis?
 
I am pretty sure that your spirit of spreading love throughout humanity is so necessary that if you did not exist we would have to invent you.
 
But the speed and volume of the GrabOnes and DowntownForTwo specials now pinging me through cyberspace makes me feel that this spirit isn’t quite being fully realized.
 
Up on the side of Assisi’s snowy mountain home, I’m pretty confident that St Francis would have woken up on the 13th and told everyone that he dreamed last night that every dinner was poisoned. A real downer guy, obviously destined to be single, but a necessary corrective.
 
If one happens to be lucky enough to have someone brimming with sustained belovedness in your life, maybe champagne isn’t completely compulsory. We can still signify that they are our sun – and yes it really does usually involve going out to dinner somehow. If you don’t think so, you better have a really good second plan.
 
This year, St Valentine, we are going to put love first, rather than conform to someone else’s idea of how best to prove that love. If we go out, we’re going to choose a restaurant we know and love, and eat the things we know and love. If that means sushi, schnitzel or avo on toast, then so be it.
 
Or we are going to let them know beforehand that we are going to spread the blanket out on the beach under a Pohutukawa, and there will be rich evidence that some thought was put into it.
 
There will be no plastic gas-filled love hearts. There will be none of those scent-eradicated Ecuadorian roses. There will be no lobster. There will be fewer of the trapping gender constraints and St Valentines Day tropes for either male or female. But hey, while it’s too hot for chocolates, it’s not the Day of The Dead, so get to it.
 
There will be time, booked in advance, with all devices turned off. There may well be a physical card with something heartfelt that signifies that the other is always the intended.
 
Patriarchy will not be unwound with a few daily amendments. On the other hand don’t think you can get away with “forgetting” this day. Or they’ll make sure you never forget it afterwards. It’s time to show some actual feeling.
 
I am preparing mentally and logistically already. And I am letting the beloved know that I am in planning for it.
 
St Valentine, help me let them know my intent.

25 comments on “Dear St Valentine ”

  1. Kay 1

    Apologies for being slightly off topic Ad, but this is Valentines related- a bit of trivia not known to many outside of our circle that may be useful in a pub quiz one day: Dear St Valentine is also (one of many) Patron Saints of epilepsy. The background is quite interesting.

    “The Link Between St Valentine and Epilepsy”
    https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/valentine#.XGMcNDMzbIU

  2. patricia bremner 2

    Counting blessings is a good place to start, doing something for the others.. simple but sound. Be happy and spread love around. Ask someone on their own to coffee or make a visit.

  3. greywarshark 3

    Prayer to a saint on help to attain saint-like qualities.
    St Valentine do help us spread love around in a person-friendly-person way. And then may that love linger on for the whole year and survive anger, annoyance, irritation, disappointment, rejection. Give us time spent just relaxing the mind, remembering the difficulties of forming a valid view of the world that includes generosity of spirit is ever more difficult, and help us to work on recognising the small signs from people of attempting these; loving that in others and fostering that in ourselves.

    People can love and do generous, giving things to each other.
    Ayn Rand acolytes, neolib, freemarket devotees are trapped in golden chains, loving the idea of machines, technology, tinkering and turning everything loving people hold dear. Help us to feel understanding and show wisdom but wariness of their depleted level of instinct to love, feel empathy and do kind things for others. And help us be careful of the machine-thinking, technologically saturated people, who may find that they cannot love, be generous and giving to others. They see this as unreasonable, inefficient and ineffective; they are too busy.

  4. Just love people everyday then you won’t worry about a made up day of love. Just say you love people and they will hear it when you’re not there. Good luck.

  5. DJ Ward 5

    “Patriarchy will not be unwound with a few daily amendments. On the other hand don’t think you can get away with “forgetting” this day. Or they’ll make sure you never forget it afterwards. It’s time to show some actual feeling.”

    Strange isn’t it that social constructs defined with male privilege terms like patriarchy are actually the opposite. It’s actually the matriarchy as the privilege as described is in the females favour as its the male that gets punishment for non compliance. No flowers, or chocolates, or night out etc from the male and he will never forget it. If the female does nothing for the male, nothing happens.

    While every relationship is different, eg my household doesn’t celebrate this day. Initiated by my partner as she sees it as a commercial con, the steriotype of the male having to get or do something for the female is still subconsciously real. If she had this brainwashed expectation, like other men I would be held hostage to the expectation. Especially my wallet.

    Do we have a day like this with the steriotype of females showing love for there man?
    Even Father’s Day now revolves around adds with kids giving something to a solo mum, saying thanks dad.

    I will be taking the kids around the house etc to pick a bunch of flowers. It’s free.

    • greywarshark 5.1

      Ladle your love out in a measure DJ Ward. Making sure that there is one for you, and one for her, and one for you, and one for them. Even if you have to be careful to see that you don’t give out more than you receive, at least there will be
      an efficient exchange. And love and friendship will be passed around albeit in perhaps parsimonious quantities.

  6. Cinny 6

    The incredible Matthew Silver is a Valentines Day inspiration…..

    Love is the answer, stop buying stuff !

    Grab a rubber chicken, a drum, don your undies, don’t forget to wear socks and shoes and…. Spread the word 🙂

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIiXDfUmfo0

    • rata 6.1

      I would have preferred a female model 🙂

    • greywarshark 6.2

      Stop buying stuff is simplistic of course. Trading with each other is how a community survives. The problem is imports from countries with large poor populations. If they could run their local economies so as to diminish their poverty their wouldn’t be a workforce that sacrifices themselves for such low pay and can be exploited by wealthier people and countries.

      It’s hard to do apparently, many Chinese peasants remained ‘dirt’ poor after the revolution. But perhaps improvement could have been reached if villagers had been given exclusive rights to produce something tradeable to a good standard, which would have given each village, a desirable product for trading with others. Competition would have had to be controlled so that the system couldn’t be undermined.
      That is probably the sustainable way.

      ( I am looking at this on a practical basis. In current economics, competition is good, but with problems that are admitted, reluctantly probably. But is a statement that has been pushed as an absolute, and in the end just another human idea being processed.)

      • Bruce 6.2.1

        There is a system in Thailand, OTOP, One tambon one product.. Each area took an item from the area with potential and developed it and promoted it regionally and cooperatively. Seems to work well.

        • greywarshark 6.2.1.1

          Thanks for that. Knowing somewhere its happening is good. And you say it seems to work well. I will keep that in mind, see what more I can find about their observations of its progress.

        • patricia bremner 6.2.1.2

          Interesting, I looked up OTOP Thailand and up came reams Thanks Bruce.

      • Cinny 6.2.2

        I quite like Michael Tellingers Ubuntu method. He stood for election in South Africa, didn’t make it into Parliament, but it hasn’t stopped him in his quest for change.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXY8Rbx3fwI

        https://michaeltellinger.com/ubuntu/

        Bruce, thanks for sharing, haven’t heard about OTOP before, will check it out.

  7. My favourite IDLES lyrics:

    I fucken love you
    I really love you
    Look at this card I bought
    It says “I love you”

  8. Puckish Rogue 8

    I’ll be sending my love to Mrs Puckish Rogue, she being full of infinite patience and understanding

    And Jude obviously

  9. Brutus Iscariot 9

    This article is an acid trip.

  10. ropata 10

    Little bit of history for those misled by commercialised bullshit:
    https://twitter.com/nickygumbel/status/1095957972881211392?s=21

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-25T13:20:49+00:00