Monday, January 30, 2006
I believe that after 21 years, I have grown jaded about Chinese New Year. I've never been this stoned during the festive season before.
For little runt lionel, CNY used to involve dressing up in bright red clothes, screaming with other kiddy cousins as we raced each other around the house, making a mess with yusheng as our poor parents tried to get us to eat. After which, happily indulging in the feeling of holding more than $50 all at once for the first time in ang pao money. Oh yes, and getting to stuff my face in pineapple tarts without fear of getting fat.
Today, cny is really different. Perhaps its the forced conversations and polite laughter that did it for me. I dunno when I stopped playing with the kids and joined the adult table, but that was a real big mistake. I'm forced to find topics to carry on the awkward conversations with people I barely know, punctuated with the swigging of F&N Blazt and wondering when the hell I'm gonna get out of there. I've answered all the usual questions about army and studying abroad (refer: 5 posts ago) about a hundred times. Polite laughter (the kind you make when you dont really give a damn about the conversation) is so ubiquitous in each household I visit that Carlsberg could've saved money by filming us. (yes, the adverts still give me the creeps)
Shit. Are we meant to be trapped in this cycle for ever and ever? Where year after year after year we subject each other to the same mutual torture, discussing topics long overused, watching our kids have the time of their lives, while we sip fizzy drinks and smile politely?
Oh yes, and for the first time, I'm feeling fat from all the pineapple tarts. I hardly touched bakkwa this year. Ughh.. disgusted with myself.
he rocked the party at 6:39 PM |
