What Chinese New Year Means To Me

I've had a 2 weeks gap, from my previous post.
Thinking what should I be talking about next. It's been nothing siognificant or concrete for some time now. Not updating it constantly makes me feel guilty, but I do not want my blog to be a chore. It should always be something that I like to do.

Today is the last day of February. 2 months of 2011 has already flashed by me in the blink of an eye. Chinese New Year come and gone. THe time that passes has no meaning, unless we put something of value to it. So this time, I'm gonna write about wha CNY means to me. Every year, CNY comes and goes, but is it really important to me?



1. CNY is about reunion. The highlight of it has to be the reunion meal. In my paternal family, we have reunion lunch, as opposed to the tradition of dinner, on CNY Eve. This has never been emphasised more this year. Both my paternal grandparents have passed away and this is the 3rd year without them. This is also the 1st time there are only 6 people coming back to stay in my paternal grandparent's home in Triang, Pahang. 3 was from my family: me, pop and mom. 2 was an Aunt and her daughter, and 1 more uncle who came back without his wife and kid.

Just so you know, my paternal grandparents have 5 sons (2 deceased) and 6 daughters. At its peak, my grandparent's house would be packed to the brim filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and etc.

This year, there was just silence. And at the end of the 1st day of CNY, I went back to my maternal grandparent's place in Malacca, and the other 3 remanining relatives went back to KL.
Silence.



2. CNY is about every1 getting together for a good meal, with family or friends. And in Malaysia, this dish is gaining more and more importance. Yee Sang.

Tossing this while saying good things/wishes for every1, is sort of a bonding thing.Sweet and sourish, its a great appetizer before the CNY feast begins.



3. Fireworks. never used to liekt hem since i was a kid. Always afraid of them. But as the years go by, I tend to appreciate them more and more. Not buying and lighting them up, but to enjoy and watch them light up the sky. Me, my sis and cousins have this fond attachment of going up to the grandparents rooftop in Triang, and just wait for midnight to strike. THen, all sorts of fireworks will be lighted up by the villagers. We'd just be there staring in awe...

This year, it was just me and my cousin on the rooftop. And Silence before the frenzy.

4. CNY means gatherings. A season of gathering. Its the best reason u have to meet up with ppl you always wanted to meet but never had the time. I had plenty of those, though there are still ppl i iwshed I met, but I should be happy. I caught up with many people that has touched my life int he past and seeing them makes me happy again!

5. And finally, CNY is about love. Why love? Is it because of Chap Goh Mei (Chinese Valentine / 15th day of CNY) or is it because the Feb 14th Valentines Day falls in between? Or is it the same time of year when all your relatives ask you when you are getting married and etc?

Its all of the above, and more... (to those who know the extras, you guys get to laugh at my expense)

But yes, CNY is about the time you celebrate the love of your entire extended family and friends as well. 15 days is long enough for you to get something done. And there should not be any Silence. CNY is all about noise, cause we believe noise is a sign of prosperity, vitality and overall well being for every1!

Boodyboy, out!!!

I wish you enough

Well, CNY is about to be over in 2 more days. Valentine's Day was yesterday. Its been a festive 2 months that we have over here in Malaysia and I hope that many of you would have taken the opportunity to celerate some of the special occassions with people we love and care about.

I know I have. I'm lucky to have many friends and family to celebrate with. I'm lucky that I've been able to keep myself relatively busy catching up with all of them.

And yet, there are people whom I still wish I had the chance to catch up with. it's been a really long time but New Year's are a great excuse to catch up. I guess we always want more, hehehe.

Anyways, I received this very nice email from my friend; who plucked it from Paulo Coelho's blog. Yes it is the same friend that sent me the excerpt from Paulo earlier book from an earlier blog post a month or 2 back.

I'm reproducing an excerpt from that blog below. But read the full contents here.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more..

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting…
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.

********

While the exceprt itself is beautiful, read the story behind it, its truly touching...

To all my family and friends, I wish you enough.



Boodyboy, out!!!

Valentine's Day 2011

Its the year of the Rabbit and just before Chap Goh Mei (the fifteenth day of CHinese New Year where single women cast their oranges into the water with hopes that their soulmate will pick it up) we have Valentines Day.

Enough of the JAKIM trying to ban ppl from using tomoro to celebrate their love for their partners. Some would say you dont need a special day to celebrate and etc...

There are tonnes of argument for and against celebrating this day.

TOday, I'm not advocating nor am I promoting it. I'm just posting this inconjuction of this celebration ;-p (yes, I'm talking in circles already)

1st, I have a song to share, which i feel is almost perfect for the occassion. Valentine by Martina McBride and Jim Brickman.




If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart
Until the end of time...
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
'Cause all I need is you, my Valentine
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine


*******************

2ndly, I have this article to share. It is from today's Star newspaper, off the StarMag pullout.

HEre, it talk about how some people have found love in the unlikeliest of places / circumstances.


"Just like in the movies, couples meet, and click, in the most unlikely places.

B0Y meets girl, they fall in love, end of story. But it’s not always as easy as that, is it?

The movies, however, tell us otherwise. Every year, the film industry churns out truckloads of romantic comedies in a bid to bring ordinary people hope – that love happens when you least expect it. "

COntinue reading the FULL article here...
I find it a refreshing change especially based of what I've expereinced recently, but then again, thats another story for another day, hehehe...


Anyways, thats the end of my post today about Valentines!
=)



Boodyboy, out!!

James Blunt - High

Kinda stumbled upont his song. Its been off the airwaves for a very long time already.

It's not a chart topper but the lyrics are wonderful.

Beautiful dawn - lights up the shore for me.
There is nothing else in the world,
I'd rather wake up and see (with you).
Beautiful dawn - I'm just chasing time again.
Thought I would die a lonely man, in endless night.
But now I'm high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.

Beautiful dawn - melt with the stars again.
Do you remember the day when my journey began?
Will you remember the end (of time)?
Beautiful dawn - You're just blowing my mind again.
Thought I was born to endless night, until you shine.
High; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.

Will you be my shoulder when I'm grey and older?
Promise me tomorrow starts with you,
Getting high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me



Boodyboy, out!!!

Happy Chinese New Year 2011

CNY is a wonderful time to meet up with relatives and friends. Good excuse to catch up, talk up, and drink up. Most importantly, SUIT UP to look your best!

=)




Best wishes from me to all your family & friends.
Have a wonderful weekend ahead, and drive safely!


Xin Nian Kuai Le, Wan Shi Ru Yi!
Zai Jian!!