Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, that time again. For this year, it's grander for me because it's more than just CNY. My grandfather's 80th birthday is today (the 19th), making it that more of my extended family is present for the occasion, meaning those from Australia came along as well (Except for Mel because she has school and didn't apply for leave. Oh well, her loss in terms of angpaos.)

In a way, it really does make you feel alot older. Seeing cousins from Australia being so different in size (And not in personality) over a 3-year period... well, let's say it's like meeting a long-lost friend to a lesser extent, since the earliest I remember Matt and Mel was from 1997, and possibly earlier. Of course, everything's changed from then, and I've stopped pulling little girls' hair. Irregardless, it's... nostalgic seeing a friend whom you last met in secondary school now at university. I wonder what Mel would be like come Christmas, haha.

Beyond that, looking at all the relatives gathered together being more than usual reminds you that your grandfather's 80 this year, and soon it'll be your grandmother's turn (Well, in most cases in S'pore anyway, given how the age of people entering university is different for S'porean males and females. But they're older than that, so this is a moot point. Meh >_>), and next will be your father, and your mother, and onwards. Keeping in mind lessons from Geography about the aging population of Singapore, it just makes it feel more real.

But, I think the most important thing, is to look your age in the face, and throw it off to the side immediately. Who cares about your age? My parents and relatives don't view their being together for grandfather's 80th birthday (can you call it an anniversary? XD) and Chinese New Year as an opportunity to reflect on themselves, they view it as a rare chance to freaking sing karaoke for 7 hours straight from 7 o'clock until freaking 2.30 am, damnit. Just have fun while you're there. I suppose I'm blessed because I have one brother, one brother-in-law, one sister and one cousin (Just enough to have mahjong with an audience) but to those who don't, why not try and join in? If not for mahjong and poker I'd probably find myself singing along with the older folk to 燃烧吧火鸟 and 热情的沙漠, and perhaps for some of you you could just sit back and watch people play mahjong and learn; who knows? Maybe by Wei Hua's birthday party you can take everyone on and win alot.

Ignoring the need for an actual conclusion, I shall just leave it at this. Getting home at 1.30am on Sunday and 3.30am the next day due to immense karaoke sessions on part of your parents takes its toll on your mind and is really tiring.