Thursday, January 26, 2006

CNY Festivities

There's a lot of buzzing around because today it's CNY celebrations at school. It's nothing like working in Chinatown like Tym does and the irritants are contained within the school compound. Theres a carnival of sorts going on tonight and I've gamely volunteered my hair to be sprayed red, for prosperity. I am also up to get dunked later so I suspect the dunking pool's going to turn an interesting shade of red.

Generally, I dread CNY now. There're too many obligations. 2 CNYs ago, I wrote about feeling homesick. Reading the post now, I realise not much has changed. I still feel the same way. I haven't come any closer to finding any sort of peace about not being home for the reunion dinner. And this year, it was worse because both families wanted to hold it on the same evening and my father, particular about face, took me aside and told me that I had to go to dinner with my Packrat's family and it was what I had to do as a daughter-in-law. At that point, I was ready to burst into tears, not because I wasn't willing to honour my husband's family, but because I was overcome by this irrational and child like horror that my parents didn't love me anymore!
I knew it wasn't true, but like I said, it was irrational.

Of course, my sister-in-law chides me for feeling that way. She insisted that I cleave to my husband, because the Bible tells us so. Once again, not the point.

CNY means trying to break our necks crossing the island to see both families and partake in the festivities of both families and bear with the numerous people asking when we were having kids, especially when Packrat's younger brother is about to become a dad.

CNY means putting up with relatives that are particular about how you address them but end up calling you Sharon.

CNY means a copious amount of unhealthy eating and no opportunity to detox.

Sigh. I woke up pretty peppy this morning. Being able to wear jeans to work does that to you. Now, I'm all depressed again. See, that's what CNY means to me.

If only we were able to sneak off some where. I'm so desperate for another holiday, I dreamt that Packrat was in Iowa (God forbid!), the land of nothing but corn and pork and I dropped everything to go. Yup, even Iowa sounds like a better alternative than being here. At least, there's Gap. Or at least I hope there's Gap.

I'm from Des Moines. Someone had to be.

Bill Bryson, The Lost Continent- Travels in Small Town America

Ondine tossed this thought in at 09:20

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