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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Today finally managed to find some time to update my blog during these hectic Lunar New Year Period!! So far, this Lunar New Year turn out to be better than I expected... why actually I should say I've made the decision to make it better!! Will explain myself on that later...

Anyway, let me start from the Lunar New Year's eve. I think I've mentioned to some of you before that due to size of my family, reunion dinner is always a very big issue for us. There will be large spread of food for at least 20 people each time. This year, we had 21 people with us. First Aunt's, Third Aunt's and First Uncle's families and another cousin of mine wasn't able to make it this time round, making this offically the smallest reunion dinner we had for years!! (Yes, 21 people and its the smallest!! Should it be full strength, it will be 35 people in a 4-room flat!! Madness!!!!!) Well, at least ALL OF US get to sit down together and have our dinner together. Haha!! The photo below may give you slight idea of what its like....

The calm before the storm!! That's four tables full of yummy foods prepared by my uncles and aunts. Of course, as always, there will be someone sponsering something special for the reunion dinner. This time, its Ryan, my cousin, who brought along some really fresh and delicious swordfishes from his company. My favourite dish for that night!! Yummy!!

The tradition Lao Yu Sheng!! As always, it ended up in a mess after "lao-ing"!! Due to size of our family, we can never lao the Yu Sheng together and we will all have to squeeze and go by wave~! Haha!! Madness!! But its definitely a tradition I myself enjoyed a lot!

After the dinner, its the back to another family tradition - Mahjong!! Haha!! We are definitely the Mahjong family as every single one of us, from the kids all the way to our seniors, all knew how to play this game. I can still remembered being taught to play mahjong when I was only 8!! And just as usual (Ok!! Time to be a bit boastful!!), I won!! Haha!! I'm considered the Mahjong King among my generation in the family and I really don't remember myself ever losing during Lunar New Year period, regardless I'm playing with my cousins or my uncles and aunts. (Truth be told, I seldom lose a mahjong game even during normal time...). The only difference this time round is, as we grew up and most of us are drawing some form of salary (NS allowance included), the amount of money at stake is getting bigger by the year. It used to be in cents, but now its half-dollar. I'm pretty sure it won't be long before we start to play in full dollar. (I already started playing that with my relatives at my maternal side anyway...) But the good things is, no matter what is at stake, none of us will lose our temper when we lose. And for me thats the most important thing, because at the end of the day, its just a game and an avenue for us to communicate with each other.

The next day, 1st day of the Lunar New Year, we went back to our sixth uncle's house (the same venue where we had our reunion dinner). All of us are dressed up and looking forward to a day of greetings, celebrations and of course, more mahjong!! First Aunt's and First Uncle's families, who missed the reunion dinner was there this time round. Very noisy and stuffy, the way Lunar New Year should be!! Haha!! Growing up in a big extended family had made me so accustomed to this kind of crowd that without it, I simply cannot feel that its New Year. I also knew that its my fortune to be able to be borne into this large and close-knitted family and I'm always counting my blessing because of it.

Today, the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, is a special day for me personally. Actually for many years already, while my family (meaning my grandma, father, mother and brother) would go visit my Lao-gim's (my grandma's sis-in-law) house, I would find excuses to not tag along. Well, although I considered myself a sociable person, for some strange reasons, I never feel comfortable in the company of my lao-gim's family. (The crowd there is comparable to my paternal side, mind you...) So, similarily, I orginally decided to give it a miss again, siteing revision for my up-coming exams as an excuse. But when I woke up this morning, for some unknown reason, I told my mum to wait for me while I get dress and go with them!! (They were about to leave as they thought I won't be going again and so didn't woke me up earlier). And so togther my Er-jiu and Yi-ma's family, we went to visit Da-jiu home first (he suffered a stroke two years back and since then, he could not go to lao-gim's home to visit) before heading towards to Lao-gim's home. When we reached there, most of our relatives were already there. And almost everybody who saw me when we greet each other was: "Long time never see you le!! Almost cannot recognised you liao!!" Haha!! And then, when I received their hongbaos: "I do not expect to give you this in a few years time ah!! When are you going to give my children hongbaos?!?! Faster get married lah!!" Diaoz!! I guessed I'll be receiving more of this kind of statement from my seniors... Boo!! I old already liao!! Glad that I came though. Those uncomfortable feeling I used to feel was no longer there and I'm able to talk, even joke, freely with most of my relatives there. Guess I've really grow up liao. Able to communicate comfortably with people is the greatest skill I acquired over the years and I think I showed it today. Of course, the highlight of the day was, yup you guessed it, MAHJONG!!! Haha!! Won't reveal how much I've won. I would just say it covered almost half of my spending on New Year clothing just on this single session!! Haha!!

Tomorrow will be another busy day. I'll be joining SD house-hopping, mid-way of it I'll be joining my secondary school mates for our annual practice - visiting our beloved teacher Mr Chia, and then I still have to attend my supervisior's invitation to her house, before finally join up with SD for the house-hopping again. Faintz!! Haha!! Busy man, but I must admit, in a happy sort of way!! Gosh, I just luuuuvvvvrrreeeee Lunar New Year!!

|| The stars shone for me ||
1:56 AM