Origin of New Year

Extracted
The most popular legend surrounding the origin of Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, revolves around a great beast called Nian. In Mandarin Chinese, nian means year.
On the eve of Lunar New Year, Nian — whose mouth was so huge it could swallow people en masse — would prey on human beings. Everyone was terrified, until one day an elderly man appeared and offered to subdue the monster.
The old man then challenged Nian: I've heard you are very capable, but instead of people, can you swallow other beasts of prey that are more worthy opponents? Rising to the occasion, Nian swallowed man other predators, simultaneously ridding people of dangers to themselves and their livestock.
The old man was then revealed to be a god. Before disappearing, he advised the people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors, light torches and set off firecrackers at the end of each year. This would frighten Nian away should he try to return, for he was afraid of the colour red, fire-light and loud noises. With Nian gone and other predators frightened off, people resumed lives of peace.
Nowadays, Chinese hold red to be a colour of happiness and good fortune, while firecrackers are lit to ward off evil spirits.

It's all in a day.

The time is now 11.42pm. I’m listening to Gold 90.5 FM. Great Jazz from Charles! Oldie but simply great! The kind of music that suits the mood in such a cold weather. Life feels good at this time of the day, perhaps it is the fact that you have basically unwind and you feel clean, relax and in the mood.
Life is really quite a mystic. Each day is like a cycle, the mood changes so often that you something have the feeling that you abnormal.
However, it is quite elementary, my dear friend.
For example, we shall look at a typical cycle of a working man/woman (least people say I’m sexist)

0700hrs-0800hrs- You feel drowsy everything is blurred, you can’t differentiate the reality from dream.

0800hrs plus- Awoken by the clock, your dream bubble immediately explode and you woke up with a grunt. You curse in your thoughts, Damm! Nabeh! Boring! Sian! Must go to work liao!

0900hrs: Reach work place. You look around. Piles of work. Your enthusiasm whatever that is left is immediately dissipated among the thick chunk of file.

0900hrs-1000hrs: You try to act busy. You really can’t work. Your mood is lousy. Everybody looks dead.

1000hrs-1100hrs: You managed to squeeze an hour work. Phew! Your brain is fried. So many brain cell died think of solutions for the company, which you can better well spend on analyzing the TOTO sequence of the week.

1100hrs-1200hrs: If you are Girl: Being to be nosy, start a small talk with your colleague on what to eat, your sex life, that guy from that department you hate. Blah! Blah! Blah!
If you are a guy, you are wondering why those ladies are whispering and then laugh loudly! Curse! Distraction! Wish you are born without your banana and have two water melon instead. You can probably understand them and join in the fun!

Pause at this moment. I’m hearing a disturbing sound coming out of the radio. Hey when did GOLD 90.5 played erotic music? The girl in the background is like having an orgasm. Wrong man! DJ! You are spoiling my writing mood.

1200hrs-1400hrs: Your mood indicator shows that the rain has just stopped and the sunlight is coming through. You see light! It’s lunch time! Horray! Finally! Half day gone! Here’s the reward!

1400hrs-1800hrs: You try your very best to squeeze in another hour of work. However, you are feeling worse ever minute passes by. You shout in agony! Why! Must change job! Curse again!

1800hrs: Ordeal immediately lifted. You throw your work one side. Bochap! There is always tomorrow, you said out in your thoughts as you tried to lessen the guilt that you have basically done nothing at all the whole day.

1800hrs to 1900hrs: You curse again! Stupid JAM! Stupid people! Why must you guys go home at this time! You selfishly declared. Mood turns foul as you wind your way out of the Maze.

1900hrs onwards: You try to unwind. Yeah relax. You took a paper to read or you stone at the Sofa watching the TV show, your mind wonder to your little own fantasy world. You feel calm and can almost feel the sea breeze at your face. You hit Zen!

2300hrs: You decided to do something meaningful before you go and see your Z monster. You do not want to waste such a beautiful moment. You called your love mate. You engaged a small talk. You laugh! You smile. A sense of warmth immediately surrounds you. You felt bliss, blessed….

2345hrs: You went to the Z land. The phone is still smudge tightly at your ears. Your dream begins once again!


So this is life of a Singaporean. In fact, this is probably the lives of many city workers throughout the world!

Cheers!
Wishing everybody a very happy, well deserved dream!

Reflections

It has been more than 7 days since I posted my last blog. Many things happened during this period. The obvious being the transition from year 2005 to 2006! Yup! It's the New Year and everybody would have the usual New Year Resolutions!
I'm always feel that New Year Reso is so lame. It has always been something that nobody is able to acheive. Like for example, to lose weight. This has been an almost holy grail for girls throughout the world and sad to say prehaps only 10% acheive that resolution.
This year hopefully I would acheive my resolution.
1) Acheive a more balanced life
2) Less drinking
3) Find a girl that loves me, and
4) Lose that weight

So how much can I achieve?
Prehaps none... but then what the heck! At least I didn't wish for World Peace!

What else happened during the last 7 days?
1) My birthday! Thanks for all the friends and well wishes.. Thanks for that wonderful steamboat dinner (felt so blessed that I was constantly being fed-there goes my New Year Reso), thanks for the beer (another reso gone done the drain..)
plus all those SMSes from everybody....the band of brothers.. etc.. etc..

2) Reservist- strange that I really enjoy my reservist. Prehaps that bond we shared among the bros is so strong that we dun mind marching in the hot sun for a particular division commander that is a complete stranger to us.

3) Warcraft! Damm! Celebrated 2006 playing warcraft!!! Siao!

Ok that's all for blog!
Will start positng foodie stuff soon.