Chinese New Year!

Sorry for the lack of updates everyone. It's CNY and I'm in Penang doing what Penangites do on Chinese New Year. CNY is a good time though there are some things that I like and some that I don't.

Things I like:

1) Catching up with family again - I like how Malaysians have the culture of spending one time of the year meeting up with your family again. My family is pretty separated. Some of us in Penang and some overseas so it's one of the few times of the year that we all come back and spend a few days together.

Even the Nuffies take advantage of New Year's to have a meal together.

2) Ang Pow - Although this year I've been getting less because I've seen less relatives this year. My aunty just reminded me that this is probably one of the last few years I'll be getting Ang Pow since I'll probably get married some time in the next few years of my life. You know, getting old already... must settle down. Then I'll be the one giving Ang Pow's instead. Dammit the cost of marriage!

3) Chinese New Year COOKIES - THESE ARE EEEVIL. When I got home and saw all the CNY cookies we had, I went crazy. I can't even remember how many pineapple tarts or peanut cookies I've had in the past 2 days alone but I won't be surprised if it reached 100 of each. It's crazy! Sigh... I'm going to be so fat I know it. My little cousin today poked my stomach and said "Fat...".

I said "Watch when you grow old and your metabolism rate slows down boy!"

And he asked "What's metabolism rate?"

Things I don't quite like about CNY though:

1) How it's SOO JAMMMED IN PENANG! Dammit.. Last night after my CNY dinner, I was driving home at 11.30PM and there was a huge traffic jam from Sunrise roundabout all the way back to Tanjung Bungah. AT 11.30PM ON A SUNDAY NIGHT!!! Then again, it's all caused by people like me... Penangites from outstation that all come home to see family so okayy fine fine, there's a good reason for the jam.

The traffic police also helped quite a bit though. On a CNY long weekend and even at 11.30PM at night, they were directing traffic trying to smoothen out the jam. Well done to the Polis Diraja Malaysia! Thank you for working hard so late at night on a public holiday.

2) How it's always so hot - It's soooo damn hot these few days I can't bear to spend any time outdoors. It's terrible! I wore out my brand new red New Year's shirt and it was drenched in 20 minutes.

3) The Music - I don't quite like the tong tong tong chiang Chinese New Year music. My mum asked me to play it in the house the other day so I started playing a CD. Both my sister and I looked at each other and talked about how we didn't like this kind of music. Just then my uncle and Dad walked past us and said
"WAH I LOVE THIS SONG... *sings* TONG TONG TONG CHIANG ... TONG TONG TONG CHIANG!!!".

Something tells me one day when I'm 50 I'll be dancing to this CNY song too and my kids will be thinking the same way about me.

I guess the good and bad come all as a whole package and the truth is, overall I like Chinese New Year. I remember missing Chinese New Year for 3 years while I was in London studying. Just made me feel more homesick, you know being away from family and all.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone :)