Fifteenth Night

And so the new year as celebrated by us Chinese the world over comes to an end. Even now, as I'm typing this, I'm hearing sporadic bursts of fireworks as people in the valley finish up their stocks of illegal pyrokinetic explosives. Perhaps I'll get another city-wide show come midnight.

Or perhaps everyone will be too busy throwing leftover tangerines into rivers.

As the Chinese say, another year another year older. And here I am, another year older indeed. It says something when blowing out the candles on your cake creates enough smoke to set off smoke alarms. Probably something like, "Those bitches used really cheap candles".

I've joined the league of thirty-somethings now.

-waves hi to Jay-

I suppose one has to stop denying one's old when one starts buying real curtains for one's place.

The Chinese also say, "New year, new prospects". And this new year does hold several promising prospects. I just wonder where they lead to. Whatever it is, I'm pretty content to go with the flow for now.

In any case, I'm not thinking too much about it because I really don't have the time. I've got one night only, one night only... oops... digressed way off there. Way, way off.

I meant to say that I've been kind of busy and will continue being kind of busy for the next few weeks. It is, after all, March. The celebrations don't simply stop after these fifteen days.

In fact, Chinese New Year has ended just in time for me to rip open whatever few red packets I have collected, count the money, and go gift-shopping. March is the month of many birthday boys and girls - including my niece and my cousin's wife and first daughter (second one's due this month as well), as well as a number of friends including the pink pilot. Honestly, I'm having so much trouble keeping track - seems like in every one or two days, I'll remember another someone with a March birthday. Can we all just contra the presents and simply buy something for ourselves?

I'm secretly thankful some of them aren't here. Shhh! Don't tell them.

Anyway, for one last time (this year), Happy New Year! Hope everybody's had a porky great start to the year :)

Happy Chap Goh Meh!