Chinese New Year

In an attempt to be a good Chinese daughter, I rang the folks this morning and cheerily wished them a Happy Chinese New Year (after mentally deciding against trying to pronounce Gong Xi Fa Chai, Wan Shi Ru Yi).

That was met with silence, followed by "umm, it's not New Year yet..."

I cringe yet again at my un-Chineseness and wonder why I haven't been disowned.

Well we kept chatting anyway and here are some good parts of the convo to help me forget the naggy and disapproving bits heee :)

Me: so what are you both planning to get up to today?
Mum: cleaning and sorting. Just told your father to sort out his wardrobe.
Me: but you've both been sick for weeks, just rest and get better
Dad: [in the background] yah, *indistinct mumbling* *giggles*

Mum: I've been feeling dizzy

Me: oh. hmmm

Mum: yah hmmm

Me: maybe it's due to low sugar levels

Mum: I've always had high sugar

Me: yeah I know, but it could be low sug....

Mum: no no I've always had high sugar

Me: ok

Mum: I think I've been playing too much computer games

This somehow reminded me of some screen shots that my sister took in 2010. This is what we often have to deal with when on Skype with the parents:

no faces

Mum pretending to listen but her eyes are on the TV. Dad forgets we are here

They eventually become fully engrossed in the tv show, discussing the plot and such

Well being Chinese New Year and all, I wanted to get in the spirit and put up some pics from earlier in 2011 when the folks were in Perth. They were showing us kids how to make lanterns using red packets / ang pows :)

Happy Chinese New Year + Year of the Dragon!

♥

Snow dome kit

I received a snow globe kit two Christmases ago and haven't been able to make up my mind on what to put in the dome. 
Here are some highlights:

"Create Your Own Sparkling 3D Wonderland"

"Contents:

• 2 transparent ball domes
• 2 dome bases
• 2 rubber rings
• 1 pack snow piece
• 3 pack glitters
• 6 shaped cutting tools
• 5 colours modeling clay
• 1 pack of salt
• Easy-to-follow instructions"

"CAUTION! For children over 4 years of age only"

It had me at CAUTION.

As there are 2 snow globes, I decided that I'd make WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter - Earth Class) and EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator); they're such a cute couple :)

I found the instructions to be quite wordy and confusing. I was also very disappointed to find that the colours I had differed from those pictured on the box. A 4 year old might not have noticed nor cared but I certainly did. Boo.

I had 2 shades of yellow, red, green and black. 

And so Stewie Griffin came to the rescue...in green shoes.

Imbecile! Release me at once!

 "What is this, a Tommy Lee pool party?"

What's left of the kit

So what shall I make next? I'm thinking it should be something cool for Stewie to swear at.

Stewie: Damn you, vile woman!

♥

Happy

2011 has been quite the challenge, in fact the last few years have been a struggle on many fronts. I admit that I'm lacking direction, I don't know what it is I really want for the future and how to get there. Trouble with me is that I want to do and learn so much, all at the same time, with resources (aka money) I don't have. I want the humanly impossible and it has rendered me immobile.

Yesterday someone said to me, "You seem to have so many burdens in your life. Your house is a burden. Your work is a burden. Your relationships are a burden. Your self is a burden. There is not a single thing that brings you happiness."

Harsh I know, but it was said by someone who genuinely cares about my wellbeing, with the intention of possibly jolting me into some sort of action. Well the skies didn't open up with revelation nor did I get an immediate dose of get-up-and-go. Instead I got defensive and insisted that there were MANY things that I'm VERY happy about (even though I knew that that wasn't at all the point and I'm merely distracting myself from the issue at hand).

I've been feeling teary and down in the dumps since, so I decided to list just a handful of things that make me happy. This is a slice of pretty that I can revisit when I need to remember the painful but necessary conversation last night. 
When I need to get some focus.
When I need motivation.
When I need a kick up the bum.

My happiness:

unconditional love from Miles

my creativity in arts and music

having a coffee a day

this boatshed (yeah, common knowledge)

books and bookshops

Thanks to my parents' sacrifice and hard work, and being born on the cusp of Gen X and Y, I've had a blessed life. I have all my limbs intact and senses complete.
I mustn't let my life go to waste. I have so much potential!

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

-Neil Gaiman

♥