Sunday, January 29, 2006

First Day

In the midst of watching the much-hyped Hindi movie "Paheli" (great choreography with a love theme like "Ghost" and a happy ending.) and listening to Bliss's Lost Soul (thanks to a fellow blogger)...

The union dinner last evening came with a little surprise. For the first time in a long while (ok, I don't remember when was the last time), we had a guest - a female colleague of my third elder sister. Nice Korean lass she was, all six months into her pregnancy with a generous, booming laugh. Somehow I sensed some envy from my sis, her friend who had so graciously invited her to a warm, cosy family dinner. Mum was as usual playing mum and grandma to the nicety, all busy preparing the food, ensuring her offspring were well fed. Well, as for me? - I was just me carrying the many plates of raw food to the big table in the living room where the steamboat stood boiling. That reflects my philosophy that there is no such thing as a free meal! Although, it is not much work, it is still work right! Well, I guess I would enjoy myself more knowing I am part of it all. It hits me that it does not take much for my own validation. An sumptuous meal followed by some Mahjong - I sat for two game and lost 10 bucks, tough luck - and a soccer match on cable (Everton is a team on form) ended the evening.

Today marks the First day of CNY. As traditional in our household, we visited my grandmother's brother (I have no idea how else to simplify the relation here), Jeigong first. The reasons are that my maternal grandma used to live in that area and we want to avoid the crowd at his house. Jeigong, an old man in his eighties, was an active man full of zeal into his sixties, swimming, jogging and playing pingpong and was the oldest man in Singapore to climb the stairs to the top of Westin Stamford. It was hard and it saddened me to see him having to give up all the strenuous activities he used to excel with passion, due to old age. Jeigong is also eager for a single like me to tie the knot, which was not surprising coming from someone of his generation. But somehow, in our little chat, he got the idea that all is well in my single hood. That is comforting I thought, for him and for me, knowing he understands.

CNY from one point goes beyond the ang paos (yes, I still get them!). For I get to catch up with people I don't see often like Jeigong, my cousins and my maternal grandma. And then, there are my nieces and nephews all dressed up - at times cutie pies and at others, monsters. I love them at both instances though. Before I forget, a very happy CNY to all humans regardless of race, religion or nationality...I love you all too! (I know, I know, this is getting all too cheesy!)

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