Please use this link from now on: http://www.yuch.webhop.net

It'll always be pointing to my current blog, in the event I shift or the blog goes down for whatever reason.

 (from lainie)

Books are very personal choices, I wonder if people really know how much they're giving away when they let people know what they read.

So true. 

my first CNY-related post of the year.

CNY this year, like previous years has mainly involved shutting myself in my room to avoid interaction with relatives (people overload every year). did the mandatory visits to the usual places and ate the mandatory reunion dinner, which was not so bad because of the presence of a new baby sheltie this year, so we (meaning me) were spared uncomfortable silences by making use of the dog as a conversation topic.

shit, CNY each year is becoming a routine exercise in people-avoidance.

supposed to go housevisiting with jay and company tomorrow, that is, today morning, hopefully that'll do something about all that lethargy and restless energy. 

i really should get into the festive mood and everything, but the truth is that CNY is too long a break and I'm supposed to spend most of it seeing people I'm not going to see till the next new year, so why not make more productive use of it and just spend the day sleeping?

god, i wonder if i'm even chinese. 

i got a feeling i pissed off a whole lot of people by suddenly "disappearing" today and skipping dinner (i was supposed to be sleeping. which i mainly was doing). and i haven't even played a single game of mahjong yet. i mean like yah lah, lots of people gripe about CNY but they actually do (whether grudgingly or not) bother to put on their best behaviour and do the whole CNY socialising thing. i gotta pick up a guidebook on this kind of thing.

"Dummies Guide to Surviving Chinese New Year": List of common conversation starters -

1)My, I heard your son's a lawyer isn't he? Mine's a doctor.

2)So, your daughter's entering university next year? (feign humbleness) oh nooo, my son is so-so only lah, he's going to Oxford this year.

3)So, got a boy/girlfriend yet?

3a)IF YES: When going to get married?

3b)IF NO: When going to get boy/girlfriend?

meanwhile, i discovered this totally corny-looking learn-japanese series called the "George and Keiko Show". but then, after i watched a few minutes of it i found that it was actually vaguely informative and entertaining. the next step is to find out where to procure the whole series of videos.

Hey, you there

That girl with the large brown eyes 

And long silky hair

You look so sad when you sigh

 

I feel like hugging you tight to keep you safe

"Everything will be alright", I say

Perhaps that was a tad too brave

I meant every single word I said

 

I'm afraid it'd be all a dream

Didn't want to open my eyes

To let it unravel at its reams

Finding out it's all a lie 

 

I just want to make this rhyme

Sell off to a record company

Milk it for every last dime

Even poets need their money 

 

Dedicated to a sweet, sweet girl who never did notice me.

(Which is why I'm willing to sell it off. Anyone need a songwriter?)

Now and then I like listening to music with no real point. Slow, soothing stuff, (ballads, is that what they call it? i don't think so actually) pianos, guitars, strings. Comfort music.

It's weird how you can be in a very neutral mood. Like no particular feeling. With some comfort music, finding you have absolutely nothing to do, just sitting in front of the computer screen. (I have lots and lots and lots of shows to watch but I just don't get down to them. Very draining, all the arty films. On my sanity.)

Oh give me some purpose in my life. I could start a religion, I guess.