First day yet 'last day'. Just like the diminishing flame of a candle dies down, slowly but graudally, chinese new year has unofficially come to an end. Though one more day of holiday remains and a long weekend ahead, majority of CNY's purpose have been met. There will still be goodies, still that official window period of CNY, but what is lacking is definitely the festive season, which had been vigorously prominent in the air today.
I woke up annoyed and moderately pissed. Nothing makes a better alarm clock than gongs and boom bang whoo huaa outside my gate. My neighbour hired a lion dance team to perform right outside their gates (in other words, outside our houses). CNY is about the festive mood, the atmosphere but certainly waking people up from their deep sleep is certainly NOT the way. I wouldn't rant on about how this is inconsiderate because I figured I might be the only one asleep (or perhaps it is everybody who was rudely awaken by the noise). It's only once a year, and I guess, I can close one eye (and perhaps, one ear too).
But what irritated me to greater lofty heights was the presense of such unwanted noise that refused to die down. it lasted several hours, on and on. the noise was just like spam, but the only thing is you can't delete it. Close the windows and the intensity is approximately halved but the other half is enough to drive the sane into insanity. (especially if you WERE trying to watch a video on the com, or listen to music).
The lion dance performances is meant to bring good luck. But what I see is perhaps an attempt to show people who filthy rich they are to be able to hire such a troupe for such a dramatic, loud performance. It's a free way to show how extravagent they can be, but yet ironically, and sadly, it compromises of the average bypasser's judgement of how obnoxiously traditional these people can be.
Certainly, anyone who is more than an average practitioner of logic would have enough common sense to know that a lion dance performance will never bring good luck if one of it's side effects is to annoy the hell out of one's neighbours.
As what the wise would say, empty vessels make the most noise.
I believe the underlying theme (or motive) behind CNY's festive aura is noise. A healthy level of the element of noise does bring about great enthusiasm associated with the season. But what exceeds the natural human capacity of tolerance is nothing more than a bugging annoyance.
Perhaps I have been overly harsh to these (perhaps) good-willed people who just want to share the joy of CNY. But it certainly drives me to great exaggeration and biasness because I had developed a headache because of all that noise which was perpetually long.
Okay, that was how I woke up.
There was great joy when I realized no one was here yet and thus, I am able to have my own peace to practice the piano. Dismay, disappointment struck when the first vistor arrived after half an hour.
I was cool with it. I burrowed myself into my comfort zone, using the computer (and that was when the noise irritated the hell out of me). the day just passed. With me avoiding people, and only leaving my nest to harvest red packets.
To be honest, I am left, lost thinking about the purpose of CNY. Because it seems that it is simply simplistically ritualistic. It's foundation solely lies on unstable culture which will soon be eroded by changing, evolving societies and a new culture will replace the existing. My dad, my grandpa's generation was whereby parents have lots of children. But now, the trend is to have lesser children, (quality over quantity perhaps?). I believe, there will come to a time where the entire CNY concept will die down due to small extended family size (that would be exponentially smaller?). it will never vanish, but die down. It is already evident that the less traditional families (more revolutionarized ones), are already not visiting much. There has been a huge cut down on my visiting schedule since five years ago and now. I guess it will come to a point (or the point has already been met) when CNY happens just for the sake of happening.
Perhaps, the only reason why I am not in favour of CNY is because of all that underlying negativities of hypocrisy, gossip, gambling. CNY, is also another avenue for comparison. Isn't it human nature to check your red packets and evaluate how this relative is doing financially? I will not go into detail because this will make the number of words on this post tenfold.
On a more positive side (and I do, realise that I have been solely ranting the entire post so far). It's my cute little bro, Tay yong's birthday today. Happy Birthday Tay Yong! We had two cakes which were cut and served at my house and my grandma's house. Both were ice cream, sweet.
Ive always said I would get him a present. But Ive always failed because 1) I'm too lazy, 2) I feel shy giving my brother a present. Maybe I'll get him one, a belated present this year. but damnit, it's all the maybes that causes my plan to crumble into nothingness.
Had dinner at my grandaunt's place. Ive done nothing much but woolgathering and hiding from visitors this CNY. Perhaps I am not sociable enough to go out there and be in the front lines of chinese new year visitation in my house. But I will never be.
Enough of typing.
though I have more to say but those will have to wait because this makeshift computer is not entirely mine to use forever.
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