Kung Hei Fat Choi!

This year I have a sweetheart and of course I'm glad to, but whilst everyone seems to be swept up in waves of 'Happy Valentines Day!' (or even 'Happy Singles Awareness Day!'), I'm battling the tides, screaming, 'Kung Hei Fat Choi!!'.

When I first found out that CNY fell on February 14th, I admit I was a little put out. Not Valentines Day! Not my first, proper Valentines Day. Now, I'm almost glad. It's helped to keep me grounded and not cross over to the commercialised mess. Call me a cynic, but it's almost like mind-control — even worse, as corporations tell us how to feel. "Show affection now," they tell us (because I can't rightly bring myself to even type 'love' in the same sentence — whoops, I just did). Child's play. Painting by numbers. We're just following instructions. 'Money can't buy happiness', used to be one saying, whilst The Beatles crooned, 'Can't buy me love'. Have times changed? Or was it always this way on this twilight-zone kind of day?

Here's where I quickly become a hypocrite. Past midnight this morning, I wish D Happy CNY. He wishes me the same, and adds a Happy Valentines, plus the remark that I'd thought he'd forgotten. Perhaps... but I tell myself it's more so because I wasn't expecting anything at all on this day so unlike other days, yet I'm secretly elated and so very touched.

I'm sure if he realised as I didn't specify, but on Friday (knowing we wouldn't be together for "Valentines Day"), I gave him this.



Yesterday, I made him this.



Front



Inside - yet to be written in



Back

I had a discussion with a good friend, K, the other day concerning Vday and whether to particpate in gift giving, and if so what to get. We settled on not being extravagant, both feeling it was ridiculous, but to give a small 'fun' gift. The definition of 'fun' in this instance is something thoughtful and personalised, yet in the sense it's more of a light, joking gift — a silly kind of gift that I feel undermines the Seriousness and Importance that Vday has provided under its reign. I'm not sure if anyone else agrees with us, but this is my interpretation (I say 'my', as I can only be accountable for speaking for myself). On another note, D's and I one year is coming up in two days (Tuesday), and I'm planning to go all out — at least as 'all out' as time and money will let me. Too bad I'm still a little stumped in working out the details relating...


CNY Candies shaped like little pretend Fire Crackers

On to Chinese New Year! The Year of the Tiger!

In an unintentional lead up to CNY, I've been reading novels by Xinran (Miss Chopsticks, Sky Burial and The Good Women of China), which have left me feeling even more strongly connected to my heritage, to my homeland, to my soul. I feel so fortunate, so alive, so vibrant. It's a little overwhelming, and hard to put into words. Like being born again and having heightened senses, I know the secrets, pride and sisterhood of being a woman — being a Chinese woman; the power of love; a sense of justice and doing what's right; compassion because I am not blind or heartless... I haven't even begun to scratch the surface. Whilst Xinran has done a much better job of conveying China and its women in her way, she admits that the country is so wide, so diverse that there is so much she hasn't seen or heard, let alone covered. There's no way to encompass it all — there's not one truth.

As Lily Wu states in Going Home "I realize the true meaning of the word 'country' in Chinese. Country + home". In On the Smell of an Oily Rag by Ouyang Yu, he explains 'country' as 'nation family', he goes on to state his theory on how the learning of other languages, in particular English, breaks down the Chinese character, due to the difference in notions associated with meanings of words ie. the Chinese nation family versus the Western nation state. Whilst this makes me more determined to learn Chinese — I'm very interested in learning the individual characters and meanings that shape each word and/or phrase — I have to disagree a little. Although I don't know my mother tongue and have never been to my mother country, I feel that I — I know that I am still Chinese.

In both Lily Wu and Ouyang Yu's definitions (although definitions doesn't seem the most appropriate word to me) I take comfort. China is my mother country, it's my home — regardless of the fact I've yet to set foot there — and it is my family, as it is my family's family and as I am my family's family. These rights and this love that I feel for it, and I feel from it, and the way that it is and always will be a part of me, is unconditional, even if I am regarded as a black sheep by others. One day I will make things right as this is what I want to do — I want to learn, but deep in my heart I know that underneath it all, through and through, I am Chinese, even if I do fall into a tiny black hole of China that is undiscovered or overlooked.

Part of my CNY



Sunflower Seeds and Various CNY Candies



My efforts last night at channeling Hamtaro mastering Sunflower Seeds



Our CNY Eve Feast: Fish, Prawns, Duck, Two Soups, Chinese Vegetables and Roast Pork... and of course, Rice!

Note: This was for five people @_@ and this was my second feast of the day (feast, not meal). Are you starting to see how food is important to the Chinese? I had my third feast today (CNY lunch) and have yet to eat CNY cake... what's the bet another feast is on the cards? This is also only Day One of Fifteen?! Not that we take celebrating that far...

Kung Hei Fat Choi (congratulations and be prosperous), everyone!
Happy New Year!

Where to start? No more procrastinating, as I need to prepare myself (as well as my home) for CNY, which begins tomorrow! Today is already very special, as it's NYE, and the excitement is building up! The special NY candies are already set out, and my dad has been preparing a feast for tomorrow. I wish I'd taken photos to show the anticipation — last Sunday I was in China Town with my family and there were already lion dancers out and about!

Before I get ahead of myself, let me wrap up the rest of this year.

Awhile ago, D and I went to the Powerhouse Museum. There's an 80s exhibition on, which was pretty cool. In my opinion the best part was the party room, where you'd choose which 80s NYE countdown party you wanted to attend and the room would light up with flashing party lights and music. Too bad D was busy listening to the history of Hip Hop in the 80s, and no one but babies seemed to want to dance...

Part of the 80s exhibition was a gaming section, which of course included Pacman!





D beat me of course, being a gamer, and me being... well, unco. There was also a giant Pacman layout on the carpet, but they were taking it down before we got to take a photo D: Oh well, D did say it wasn't an accurate layout since the entrances/exits didn't line up...



D trying to see how much power he could generate in a fire engine by pedaling... This shot was meant to feature me instead, but the bike was very uncomfortable. It had no seat? and I was wearing a skirt...

We also found out, at a different exhibit, that we generate a lot of electricity together ;D



D removing the background from our photo to be turned into an animation, featuring us!



Done!

[I'm trying to upload the two videos I took of our animation films... but photobucket is still being an ass.]



And here's what I thought of the day! d^^b

Actually, that was me in the library — I was trying to master geek chic, but I'm really a nerd as my being in the uni library during the holidays points out... After the Powerhouse Museum, we had our first encounter with 'Hot Pot' at Haymarket Hot Pot as I'd just read a review on grabyourfork the night before. I initially protested as it was menat to be a hot day, but it turned horrible and rainy on us, so D got his way. The staff were lovely, especially considering we both didn't speak Chinese, and the usual attitudes upon hearing that I don't are usually unfavourable to say the least.

Last Thursday, I went on a picnic with my G Family. We hadn't had a proper reunion with everyone together for perhaps over a year? The G Family, for those of you who don't know, are my lovely Communications girls. I adore them so much! Anyway, in my excitement I decided to make something special for the picnic...



Left: Mini Pizza Rolls (really more like bacon and cheese), Right: Mini Cinnamon Buns



Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

Apologies for the crappy photos, but I'd only have these as I'd snapped them quickly with my phone to send off to D. I don't even have any photos from the picnic! I was enjoying myself way too much and forgot! The other girls did take photos though, so as soon as they're up on facebook or whatever I'll steal myself some.

Note to G Family: Thank you, my lovelies!! Am totally missing Kat's gourmet sandwiches, Joey's mini croissants and Mandy's snickerdoodles (which I still maintain should be renamed Cinnamon Cloud Cookies!), as well as our Epic Jenga Battles! P.S. I'd totally love to see photos!

That's enough for now. Hoping to update on my thoughts and feelings on CNY and Valentines Day tomorrow. To all of you, I wish you and your families all the best in the Year of the Tiger, and that Valentines Day reminds you to treasure your loved ones instead of buying into the hype. Lots of love and smiles!