Here We Go Again

I'm sick. Down with flu and irritating coughs that sounds like my lungs will collapse any minute. Coincidentally, I'm also down with the same sickness for last year's Valentine Day. Seems like it's going to set a tradition for me. Hmm....have to wait for next year to see if I'm really jinx on V Day.

As much as I would like to avoid shopping malls or crowds during the Chinese New Year period, my line of duty at work requires me to visit them as often as I hate to. It's not that I have something against CNY. I really like the atmostphere during this festive season as it symbolise a new beginning (not to mention the new, crisp, dollar bills in my red packets given to me), but what irritates me the most was the music, or songs that are playing everywhere. No offense to all (especially CNY songs makers) but it seems like over the years as I grow older, the Chinese New Year spirits seems to be getting dull as well. At first I couldn't find an answer for this, then over the years I found the answer. It was the CNY songs.

Again I have nothing against anything, except CNY songs. It seems like almost every songs is about getting richer, with lots of food on the diner table, prosperities, getting healthier; and so on. With the Dong, dong, long, dong qiang here and there (What does that means anyway??), it really seems that chinese are only concern about personal gains and materialistic stuffs. What happens to all the 'forgive and forget', 'letting go of old grudges' and 'taking care of the less fortunate' spirits??

Don't believe me, go ask a group of kids and ask them what they are looking forward most in CNY. Chances of them telling you that red packets, tibits and wearing new clothes are top of their list, are quite high. (I know... cause I'm one of them when I'm their age.)

Maybe it's just me. But seems that over the years as the world changes, so did our festive values.