Happy Chinese New Year!!

Ok ok, I know this comes a little late. But, CNY lasts for 15 days desho?? Dakara, still not too late to wish everyone Happy Chinese New Year! Sorry I havent been blogging for the past few days. Been very busy and tired going out from morning till night house visiting. Taihen desu~~ CNY is a time for visiting all (or most) of your family relatives and friends. It's like there are really just some relatives you see ONCE a year? Yea..and it's during CNY that you see them. I dont even know that they are my relatives till my parents tell me to call someone "auntie" or "uncle". And I will just flash the biggest smile that I can muster up and acknowledge them. And I will just sit awkwardly there and try to join in the ever boring conversation. And you will find this trend in every conversation. The older generation will definitely ask 1) Are you studying/working now? 2) What are you studying/working as? And I will have to repeat my answer whenever I meet another relative. It used to be better when I was just a kid. Well, at least as kids you are not obliged to stay and sit around and try to join in the conversation. You can go run around and play with your other cousins. Now, I cant really sneak off with my cousins anymore. Aunties and uncles start to notice you more as you grow older and ask you more questions. Soon, they will be asking when I am getting married!!!!!!!!!

But ok ok, I shouldnt make CNY sound so scary. It's actually not too bad. Well, at least the whole extended family gather once a year. Everyone goes around with 2 mandarin oranges in their hands and wish each other a happy CNY. (mandarin oranges are considered to be a sign of prosperity as the pronounciation of mandarin oranges in cantonese is 'gum', which means 'gold'.) And this is the time of the year when kids and UNMARRIED singles can get red packets. Well, although the amount collected decreases as you grow older and when the adults know that you have started working already. But, it's better than nothing desho? And it definitely beats giving red packets. Oh and yea, CNY is a time for eating too. Eating and eating all the kinds of food that you dont usually eat except during CNY. Just that, all the food are really heaty and fattening except for perhaps steamboat and "yusheng" (Yusheng is like the Chinese equivalent of salad. It has red carrots, white carrots, green carrots, gounded peanuts, raw salmon, sour plum sauce, oil, grounded pepper etc. Everyone comes together to toss the yusheng in a huge big plate. As everyone tosses, you are supposed to say auspicious words like 'Wishing everyone good health and prosperity' or wish for good results in one's studies, etc. ) Been drinking myself silly, with water that is, but apparently, it still seems insufficient. With the insane heat during the past week as well, I can feel a flu bug coming on already. CNY is also a time for lots and lots of gambling sessions. It is practically the only time of the year when kids can gamble in front of their parents and not get any scoldings. Relatives and friends can gamble throughout the day and night during CNY. It's considered a form of gathering too. More importantly, because it is considered to be good luck/prosperous if you win some money at the beginning of CNY. Personally, I dont gamble and I dont know how to. So, most of the time, I just sit around and watch people gamble.

Well, so basically, CNY is a time for fun and huge gatherings. Oh yea, and the Chinese believe that one has to wear new clothes for CNY. And it's better if you wear bright colours during visiting. Everything you do during CNY has got to do with good luck and prosperity. Even the food you eat during this time of the year has meanings to them. It's actually kinda interesting to know the meanings to all the food and beliefs. It's important to know them too or else, in time to come, the Chinese culture and beliefs will be lost in future generations. (Woah, did I just sound like my mother talking there?? )

Hope everyone had a very happy Chinese New Year! Not too tired I hope. Gyah...it's horrible monday AND tuesday blues for me. After almost a week of sleeping in the wee hours of the morning, I had to drag myself out of bed to wake up early again. My eyes and mind are in a blur.

Oh yea, and was so shocked yesterday when my colleagues OPENLY GAMBLED in the conference room. AND my MD was in the office.

Btw, Happy Belated Valentine's Day to everyone too! Hope everyone enjoyed yourself in one way or another. Hope Tackey and Tsubasa somehow spent the day/night together or sent each other msgs thru ketai.