CNY 2008 ('08 is supposed to be a good year! I'm positive! So why is this?)

Chinese New Year is a big deal among the Chinese community, at least that’s what I can see in Penang. I had the intentions of writing about it, tripled with pictures and videos but unfortunately this year’s celebration ain’t so merry at all. For me, that is.

Let’s start with my car breaking down. Now, as some of you might already know, CNY is the time when most businesses shut its doors, especially if it’s a Chinese-run business (again, this refers to Penang). Until now, it has never occurred to me that almost all the mechanics that operate in this little island are Chinese. So do you get what I’m trying to say? Yes, I’m practically stuck in my house until someone can fix the car.

Now, had I been staying in my old place, there wouldn’t be a need to worry about not having transport. Everything used to be 5 minutes walk away; the coffee shop, the market, the convenience store, the abundant mamaks, the police station (!), the mall (if you walk fast enough), even the bus stop itself. You name it, she’s got it; my old place, of course.

But where I’m staying now is a 10 minute run downhill to the nearest coffee shop (and then you’d have to consider the 30 minute climb uphill back home), a 10 minute walk to the what I would call “abandoned” new plaza the community knows little of, and everything else is just in a range of an eternity of walk away. Just.

I think I’ve complained one too many times about my new place to those close to me; their ears are probably bleeding already, but at least now they don’t need to listen. They just need to read. Right? Ok, fine, I’ll shut up already.

Although the car broke down, I was able to visit my aunt’s house, where the family always gathers on the first day of CNY (you see, problems with the car only started after we got there). However, however, there’s always a however, not all the relatives showed up. Stupid cousins who think they can go off elsewhere after getting married. God, CNY is so different this year. Of course with fewer relatives mean fewer ang pau, but things didn’t have to be so quiet! Everyone was like quietly watching TV. Yo, what’s wrong with the noisy people?

And we didn’t even get a single call from my dad’s fussy sister. No call at all! Every year, without fail, she would call my dad on the first day of CNY, reminding him to visit her. But she didn’t call this year! This is like…I don’t know…impossible! It’s like winning a lottery; you know it’ll never happen to you. Maybe she stumbled into my blog about her. Eeek! Think of beautiful thoughts, think of beautiful thoughts…

So this is me, after days of rotting at home and heaps of procrastination, finally putting some efforts into this blog. Even though I’m not able to share the celebration here, not like there’s much in my four-walled room anyway (if it’s five, then something must be wrong with my head), at least there’s still something to talk about. Right?

So let’s hope Chinese New Year 2009 won’t be this bad but instead filled with joy and many words, pictures, and videos. (I was pretty sure there was a couple more things I planned to talk about but I just can’t freaking get it out of my head now. Sheesh!)

What a fantastic end to 2007

On New Year’s Eve, instead of wasting myself with my friends or hibernating at home, I went to a family dinner, alone. It was organized by my dad’s side; I’m never really close to them, I can never be no matter what. It’s not like I never ever mixed with them or played with my cousins. I just can’t remember much about my childhood with them as compared to the times when I was with those from my mom’s side. How should I put this? In short, people from mom’s side are more relaxed whereas those from dad’s are like tensed. At least that’s the feeling they give me.

“How many As did you get? Which course did you get in the university? I’m sure university is an easy cruise for you. (to my dad)How much is your salary? How long have you been driving that car? My son bought a brand new one last month.”

I think you got the idea. Snore.

I thought I was late but it turns out I was one of the first few to reach there. Great. All the more awkward time to pass. Soon more and more people came, half of them which either I have never spoken to before or had already forgotten. Awesome. I sat around while they stood at the lobby chatting away. Why won’t they just go in and eat already? Or they could at least chat inside! One boy about my age, I presume he’s my cousin, was stealing 40 winks on the couch. Hmm. He hates this too. And he was outright showing it by sleeping. And nobody cared. And I can’t possibly do that.

Time passed by slowwwwly and I was turning into the next scariest serial murderer trying to kill off that time. Inside I was cursing. I waited for those that I’m more familiar with, i.e someone who probably shares the same idea about the family to go in. If I go in at the same time as them, I can probably sit with them. I got in behind them and success! I got to sit where I wanted to.

The person next to me was my cousin’s husband and they both are doctors. I took this chance to ask about my blue black nails. He told me that if the bruise covers the white part at the root of my nails, it can never grow back. That was the scenario on my left toe, at least a quarter of it.

“What?! It can never grow back, ever?!”

“Yup.”

And then he was distracted by his daughter and I was left to panic. Just like a Mr. Bean moment where he panics and does something stupid when there really wasn’t anything to panic about at all. I hope there isn’t any in my case. Imagine, no toe nail!

One big difference between mom’s side and dad’s side on the dining table is that, nothing is left behind with my mom’s side. They’re hungry monsters. Whereas dad’s side…they kept telling me that I should eat because I’m skinny. I am NOT skinny. With every dish they kept telling me to eat. I’m eating okay!

Other than meeting a couple of cousins which I had not seen since I was 5, nothing bout the dinner is new. Oh yea, a few people are expecting. Like I care, I hate kids.

Here’s the video.

See, I was eating and the rest on the table was not! I was the only one eating! And they say I don’t eat. Sheesh.