!: 'Happy' Chinese New Year 2014

February 03, 2014 (Monday)
Happy chinese new year to all chinese people! Well, if you had asked me, HONESTLY, it is tough for me to feel that festive mood. Well, if we were to compare with the previous new years, this is the ONLY year I had to sacrifice my reunion time with my family just because I have made a wrong choice to work with Pan Pacific as a full-time co-ordinator. Since my new year was not any great or fanciful, I will keep this post short and sweet. With that in mind, I would like to state the three big reasons why it was not-so-good this year.

FIRSTLY, I had to work for the past three days. Who in the right mind would have wished to work during chinese new year, right? I can totally bet my bottom dollar if anyone was in my position, they could have flipped their manager's tables and hurled insulting words like, 'YOU SON OF A BITCH, WANT ME TO WORK ON CHINESE YEAR? GET OVER MY DEAD BODY, YOU WUSS!' at their bosses. *giggle and bang my fist on the table* That is not so typical of my personality! As for me, I would just swear and curse under my breath that WHOEVER could have tailored my schedule shall burn and rot in hell. Not so bad, at least I have chosen to display my displeasure discreetly sans hurting anyone's ego! Thumbs up for that!

Honestly speaking, the management is totally a wreck. Why would they ever hold their chinese employers back during the first three days of chinese new year? They are too overboard. Well, as a kind chap, the last thing on my mind was to argue with my superiors. I told my parents about the manager's bad deeds, they were INCENSED and my dad was like, 'It is in the Ministry Of Manpower's policy that all employers who work during this season should be paid fivefold and that we also have our god-damn rights to say a 'NO' even when our employers could have been persistent. If things cannot work out, we could file a complaint to MOM and sue them for that mistreatment.

Well, it is a brand new year and I would totally detest the idea of making a big fuss over these three days. It seems like I could only have my stupidity and ignorance to be blamed for by choosing a hotel with little benefits and welfare. *stay strong and wait till the day my contract ends*

SECONDLY, It was a mental torture to go for house-visiting after my work as I was already dead tired by the time I was at someone's house. For sure, just think about waking up early at 5am for the next 9 to 10 hours. By the time when I was released from work, the sun was already going down. When I was on the train, my eyes were already drooping - feeling fatigue! During Chinese New Year Eve, I was not able to stay till late night hours after the reunion dinner at my dad's mom place as I felt obliged to hit the hay early for the next morning. *It was like being a wet blanket because I had to go home. More than being just that, I was quite bitter about work on the next day.*

On the first day of new year, I had decided to skip all the house-visiting and dived straight back home for the bed. *First day was gone* On the second day of new year, I had made a decision that going home was never a perfect solution and that I should not miss anymore chance of bonding with my extended family. However, my mind was so drowsy during the gathering to the point where my dad had to send me home at eight o'clock so I could rest early for the night.

THIRDLY, I felt bored because my families were a host of huge gamble addicts. Based on my experiences with both my extended families during the past three days, I have come to a conclusion that gambling is an indispensable part of this festive season and that this custom will never ever go away even after a long time. In all honesty, I have no clue of how gambling has any association with chinese new year.

I envious those families who would spend quality time together out for a walk at Chinatown, or the day could also be ended with a movie, karaoke or a nice dinner! I always go ' Oh no, there they go again!' whenever they start to open up tables at home. Unfortunately, I was not at an advantage to mingle with my relatives well. You know, birds of the same feather flock together. I used to adore gambling just like these people; but then I realize 'gambling' has robbed out of my time to participate in other activities to bond with some family members who do not gamble.

It is all fine and dandy to play on the first day of chinese new year. However, I think it is overboard to just know how to gamble the whole time. Mind you, family gathering should not involve too much exchanging of notes and coins because it will stir unhappiness when one side has lost.. Never-mind, I am not going to continue to write about this whole gambling shit.

In conclusion, I felt so bored to the point that I believe the time spent sleeping at home would be much more worthy than being with these gamblers.

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My outfit of chinese new year eve. Simple and kiddish.