Chinese New Year 2010

Chinese new year is always one of my most anticipated time of the year. I love the preparation, love the cookies baking, love the countdown, love the food, love the long holiday, love the red packets and especially love the family gatherings, but hate the weather (wonder why is it extra hot during this time of the year).

I earn my 10 days festive break by working extra hours every night for a fortnight prior to Chinese new year, so I try to make sure I enjoy every bit of my 10 days break. Year 2010 lunar new year - year of the tiger was celebrated in a smaller scale (I wonder why). There were less gambling, less crapping, less joking, less hanging out and less bingeing (I wonder why). Is it because of the economic downturn? Is it because we (family members and friends) have changed? Or is it because we are so lucky to have all the luxuries in life that it makes no difference whether it's new year or not? Or is it simply because the weather is too hot and that makes us slightly moody? Or maybe my expectation on the celebration was way too high?

Whatever reason it may be, I still enjoyed welcoming the year of the tiger :

The preparation




The reunion dinner






For the deities
1. The altar
2. Welcoming the God of fortune



Mandarin oranges (a must have during Chinese new year)




Yee Sang (another must have during Chinese new year)



At mum's hometown




Indulgence



Ang pow (Unmarried people all time favourite)


Miscellaneous

All About Tiger

Just like the horoscope, Chinese has their zodiac represented by twelve animals. Each Chinese lunar year is represented by an animal from the zodiac on a rotation basis. Year 2010 lunar new year is the year of the tiger which happens to be my Chinese zodiac (because I was born in the year of the tiger two cycles ago).

The tiger year is extra special in my family because my father is born in the year of the tiger and my father's father (my grandpa) is also born under this animal zodiac. Since my year only come once every twelve years, I decided to compile everything tiger-related.

Just to share some fun facts/myth with you. The tiger is a wild and fierce animal by nature. They hunt and kill weaker animals for dinner. Therefore, Chinese parents will try to avoid having babies in the year of the tiger for fear that the child will be fierce and brutal like the tiger. Besides that, couples will also avoid getting hitched during the year of the tiger.

Chinese new year greeting cards



Soft toys (one for myBecky and one for myself)



Mask distributed by a random clown at the mall


Lovely paper-cutting


Edible decoration on cakes



Print on my aunt's t-shirt


Red packets






Happy Tiger Year !!

Home-Made Cookies

I am suppose to post an entry on Chinese New Year cookies much sooner (I initially wanted to post it before new year eve), but as usual I procrastinate. Not true! I had been pretty, I mean super busy with work. As soon as I have some non-work related time, I will be helping mum with the new lunar year preparation. Hence the delay in that entry. Enough of excuses, lets get to the very graphic post.

Almond cookies




Corn flakes cookies



Chocolate chips cookies



Cashew nut cookies



Kuih bangkit (typical traditional cookie)



The end result


Perfect gift for relative and friends

A Matter Of Choice

Last week had been a horrible and really stressful week for me. I was assigned (forced actually) to complete a case which previously took twenty days in ten days time. Half of the budgeted time and mind you, it's not an easy case. The company is a multi-national company and it deals with the USA. I work till 9pm every night and I have got to take home the rest to do till 2am. To further rub salt into the wound, I have not got my bonus!

It makes me start thinking is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life? A nine till five job in an industry that I am not very interested in, meeting serious and boring people everyday. The plus side of a nine till five job is you give people an impression that you are professional and your work place is air-conditioned and it's suppose to be a low work-hazard job.

Recently, an aunt of mine from USA (literally she doesn't have any blood ties with my family but she is my aunt. Complicated! Got to ask my grandmother how the family tree works.) visited Penang. She is a very independent mother of three.

She has three odd jobs and enjoy every single one of them. She does not earn a lot nor lead an extravagant lifestyle. But she is able to travel around the world for two months and she doesn't have to pay for accommodation. Her odd jobs and her personality made her many friends from around the world. She has many tales to tell from her journeys around the world. She is happy with her current financial position and lifestyle.

This makes me ponder.

Is life all about securing a job with stable income, getting paid regularly, buying house and cars, getting married, multiplying the human race and paying off loan?

Or is it about understanding what this world is all about? To see for yourself the colourful cultures and lifestyles of people from all walks of life.

I might not be rich but I am happy.