Songs without Words

Shrimp Linguine

Ingredients:

3/4 box linguine
1/2 lb. large or jumbo shrimp, peeled
1/2 lb. asparagus sprigs
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 zucchini squash, sliced
1 summer (yellow) squash, sliced
1 ripe tomato or 2 roma tomatoes
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lemon
4-5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 oz. butter
olive oil
1/2-1 c. white wine or white cooking wine
freshly ground black pepper
fresh basil
salt to taste
parmesan cheese to taste

Preparation

1. Melt butter in frying pan, add olive oil.  Saute’e garlic.
2. In separate pot, boil water and cook linguine al dente.
3. While water is heating, cook vegetables (all but cherry tomatoes and asparagus) in the pan, along with wine, until mostly soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and asparagus. Cook until ready.
5. Garnish with basil and squeeze in lemon juice as desired.

Serves 3-4

Heavenly Cauliflower

Ingredients:

Cauliflower
Garlic (3-4 cloves)
Cherry/Grape Tomatoes
Shrimp (opt.)
Pine nuts (opt.)
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
Butter (~1/2 oz.)
White Wine
Balsamic Vinegar (opt.)
Kalamata Olives (opt.)

Preparation

1. Cut cauliflower into reasonably sized florets, slice garlic, cut tomatoes in half
2. Melt butter in pan and saute’e the garlic lightly
3. Add olive oil, wine, vinegar, and cauliflower; cook until cauliflower is halfway done
4. Add in shrimp and tomatoes, cook until shrimp is ready. Shrimp can then be used in another dish or left in.
5. Add olives and remove from heat
6. Garnish with basil and serve chilled

Thanks to Chensi for helping to invent these recipes!

If you’re on the MIT campus and you haven’t seen this already, hop over to the Stata Center during sunlight hours and visit the far end, where there is the gigantic metal piece that reads “MIT” in bubble letters. Walk up very close to the upper crevice of the M and peer inside – you have to be rather close for this to work. If you don’t like what you see, clear out the debris in the crevice, pluck a few objects off of the ground, and drop them in (I recommend the clovers, and I’m sure flowers would be beautiful, too, but don’t kill too many of the garden plants =P). If you make new art, take photos of it and show me!

To see my picture: http://www.aquamarinestardust.net/images/photos/stata_kaleidoscopes.jpg

My favorite activity in the haircutting salon as a kid was looking into the mirror, which reflected the opposite mirror, which reflected my mirror, which reflected the opposite mirror …

I spent an hour with Melike, one of my best friends who’s sadly leaving tomorrow … I really fear that I might never see her again, so this is a really heartfelt goodbye. We talked variously about diplomas (x2!! ah, they’re so pretty …) and plush frogs and Magic cards and, of course, pigeons. Not just any pigeons, but specially-bred fancy pigeons, ranging from the sleek and elegant to ones that looked like their head just exploded. I’ve always took for granted that I could just pop over to her room and talk music/art/fashion any time I needed a break, or test out her cooking experiments. Although I know we’ll keep in touch, it’s always sad to say goodbye.

Then, I commenced what I planned to be a jog to Super 88. However, after a bit, I started slowing down, and slowing down, and slowing down … until I came to a complete stop. And from then on, I was just taking photographs like crazy. What do I mean by “like crazy?” I took 53 photos of various plants, flowers, critters, and more. No wonder it took so long to get to Super 88 … (well, it took about an hour, haha). I’ll pick my favorites and upload them right below here!

There was a beautiful mud puddle … it had a certain intentionality to its crackled design …

And then I discovered that, amidst the “weeds” and “invasive species,” there were also gorgeous flowers sprouting out … like this one … and this one … and this one.  And  more!
There was this sad scene … but magically, I transformed it into this scene … by bending over and picking up the cup. “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Baby geese are kind of cute … don’t you think their wings are the lamest thing ever? And then the mob boss said “let’s get outta here.”

Mob headquarters, baby.

Parting shot.

Stay tuned for part 2..

If only I didn’t have to transfer, resize, and upload my photos, I’d probably photo-blog every day …

Part I. On the Nature of Utilitarianism

In order that man be spared the brunt of Nature’s torrential tears, he creates an instrument to shield himself. But Nature, in her wrath, cares not who is peltered by her tantrum and takes out whoever is below her. If Nature is a cruel and unforgiving creator, what kind of creator does that make man?

( Above: Kresge Oval: April 16 )

( Above: April 15, McCormick Hall (it’s a different umbrella) )

Part II. On the Tragedy of Unthinking Obeisance

up

down

Up and down goes the little motor, doing its job as it was told, never thinking about its purpose or its dreams, just the orders it was given long, long ago. The futility of it all … just to think, it does not realize that it no longer even has an arm. The cars whiz by, and with them leaves the last hope of being truly alive.

I went to see Cats tonight with David and a bunch of people from my dorm. I can write about the outstanding show itself later, but here are some piccies of the gorgeous interior of the Opera House (but not the theater itself .. photography prohibited in there =/).

Continue reading ‘[414] ~The (Boston) Opera House~’ »