Bitter Sweet Symphony* - The Verve

This time of the year has been described as the biggest human migration! It is the time of the year when Chinese people from all over the world return to their homes for the "reunion dinner" and celebrate the Chinese New Year (or the Spring Festival if you are in the northern hemisphere)!

Many are on their way back home now. Others, like yours truly, have made the journey weeks ago. It is indeed nice to be able to be back home this year after spending it without me family in Colchester last year - that being only the second time in me life i have done that.

Yet, there's this feeling of bittersweet to this year's celebration. I was looking forward to it for so long - and now, it's not at all like how i imagined it to be, nor how i remembered it used to be.

Because of me dad's health problem, this year's celebration has been greatly affected. While we are thankful that his health has improved a lot, the rest of us are sick or weakened in one way or another - the stress of the past weeks and months taking its toll. In fact, ushering the new year was the last thing on our minds - and at times, it seemed more like an annoyance. We've just been so busy running to and fro the hospital, in addition to our usual daily chores and responsibilities.

So, the decorations are still not up yet. There'll be none of me sis' famous anual choc chips cookies nor her moist choc cake (we'll have to make do with the cakes i've baked). Me mom and i had to go shopping at 11 pm when the daily chores have been completed - thank God that Giant extended its shopping hours. Tonite's reunion meal - while is quite lavish on a certain level, pales in comparison to the ones we use to have. Other than meself, i wonder if anyone else managed to buy new clothes...

In addition to all that, what makes it bitter is also me missing my "extended family" - the people whom were my fathers, my mothers, my brothers, my sisters, my mates, when i was over in the UK.

Yet, in some ways, this is all good - it's like an "unplugged" version of Chinese New Year, stripped of all its glitz and fanfare, reminding us of things which really matter - family and frens.

And i'm so blessed to be able to celebrate with them here - some physically, some in spirit. And i'm so blessed to be able to call 2 places my home.

过年好
恭喜发财
歲歲平安
年年有餘

Have a wonderful year of the PIG!!!!!!

Here are some pics taken in KL the other day:-

*A wonderful song which unfortunately is remembered more now for the legal controversy of using "too much" of a sample. This song was also featured in the final scene of Cruel Intentions.