I like because it is Chinese New Year:
- The minimum guarantee of 2 days off work. This year, a long weekend of 4 days is here!
- Mandarin Oranges are in season! My favourite fruit... Lukan, Swatou, Pakistani... fibre!
- The shops are closed for celebration. I get my Wifey back with me!
- Family outings and activities... camping at the beach, visit the zoo, short trip overseas?!
- Good shows on TV and Cable... armed with new DVDs for indoors.
I hate just because it is Chinese New Year:
- Most shops, shopping malls & coffee shops are closed for days at a stretch.
- Virtually no green vegetables left on the supermarket shelves.
- The tough time to get cabs and longer bus waits.
- The incessant clacking of Mahjong's gambling-neighbours late into the night, days on end.
- The extra work to cover for Chinese friends during their celebrations, only for them to take medical leaves after the celebrations. Sigh.
You just cannot help it since 60% of Singaporeans are Chinese, the prime movers of the economy... life slows down to a crawl when most take a break for about a week. Well, they deserve the break anyway.
When you cannot fight them, you just have to join them... time to execute my extra-curricular activities and have fun!
Mmmmm- Mandarin Oranges. I've never had a truly fresh mandarin orange- I bet they're divine.
ReplyDeleteHappy New year. I know what you mean. I am not Catholic, but we get out of school for Mardi Gras. To be honest in the Louisian no matter if you are catholic or not Mardi Gras is apart of your culture. I grew up with the holiday and am very fond of it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great time with your family Imran. Keep a close eye on the hamsters too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment over at my blog!
Sounds like a good idea. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Imran!
ReplyDeleteGotto say, the good things seem to weigh more than the bad - manadrin oranges and celebrating with the families => fab combination! :)
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and leaving your nice messages.
LP | I used to love apples, but Mandarin oranges are my favourite now... orange that can be hand-peeled unlike Sunkist, etc. They taste great!
They give me fibre and regulate my digestive system very well. I look for different types of them in supermarkets during off-season just because of it.
In Singapore, practically everything is imported, so like you... we don't get as fresh a product as we would like it to be.
C-Dell | Yes, you are right. We Malays make up only about 30% the total population here, even though we were once one of Malaysia's island.
Since the Chinese are the majority and the government is mainly Chinese and a little Chinese orientated, we just have to "get with the program" in this multiracial country.
Barbara | Thank you. I intend to have a good family outing since Wifey is with us for these few days.
Yes, HamsterVille is now protected against unwanted nuisance with the Kitchen glass-door closed from "unauthorised family members".
Carol | Oh yes we will. Thank you. So many places, so many fun things to do... so little time, but we'll do it anyway.
Crashy | Thank you. I don't celebrate the Chinese New Year because I'm not Chinese, but I love this holiday all the same.
Yes, the good things outweigh the bad, thus the numerous activities planned for the family... while savouring on Mandarin oranges.
Have a great weekend you all!
At least you have a good attitude about the holiday...LOL.
ReplyDeleteThe green veggie thing would truly suck, though! I like my veggies!
Interesting post, Imran.
Happy New Year to you!
I'm sure you can dig deep and muster up the energy to join in the fun Imran...young spring chick that you are...smiles.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 2000s, again, Cube and Dre have had periods of promoting an association, before bouts apart.
ReplyDeleteIt will vary, usually by how much energy many of
us it seems like taking the plunge into eating a whole foods-based diet is the equivalent to traveling to some distant land.
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