i see red

red really does seem to be the in color right now.

and why not? with 3 holidays back-to-back, each using red as it's main color scheme (okay, so maybe one isn't exactly red-happy, but close enough), you can hardly turn your head without encountering another flash of crimson, an ornament of hearts or roosters, a tribute to one or another or the other celebration.

chinese new year came and went, quick to disappear yet slow enough to leave boxes of sticky delights behind. if only wednesday had been declared a non-working holiday, then maybe the spirit of the rooster could have burned brighter in me. but hardly being of chinese descent (1/8 chinese blood, as far as i can trace) this holiday is definitely of the least impact to me. the least, save for one tasty detail: chinese holiday treats. box upon box of tikoy, hopia, and mooncake usually raid the pantry this time, gifts and giveaways to my dad, a harbinger or the upcoming celebration. this year, the takings have been slow at home, but the building management of the condo gave away a box of tikoy to the tenants. we had a little tikoy party last thursday night, 5 people finishing off a box as fast as we could cook them. and oh yeah, we also finished hamster box on my classmate's samsung phone that night, but that's another story.

and as the rooster landed, so did the ashes turn. ash wednesday, which marked the beginning of the lenten season, arrived the same day as the chinese new year. now, i never really was a big church junkie, but this year i strive to change for the better. i forgot abstinence on ash wednesday itself, a big misgiving, but now i'm aiming for abstinence from meat on all fridays, and along with that, a season-long abstinence from cursing. it's been a 3-day vendetta to train my brain to replace the f-word with "fart", and sh*t with "shoot", the two curse words which most often shoot out of my mouth with nary a thought nor target. however, the going has been tough, since both words have significantly branded and buried themselves in my subconscious vocabulary. the most irritating or surprising of events still elicit a random f**k now and then. but at least now, the word itself is soon followed by strings of "farts" and "shoots", as an expression of my remorse. at least the effort's there.

last, and possibly the least (depending on who you ask), comes valentine's day. the day chocolates, bouquets, and hallmark cards were made for. the day when couples swoon over each other's hand and foot, spewing lines of sweet nothingness, and producing presents of material or immaterial value. when the hopeless romantics wistfully sigh and stare, imagining the day they finally get to taste true love. when the heartbroken lament a little bit more, when the singles party out of bitterness, when the cynics say "that 'love' isn't gonna last forever". a day which could bring out the best and worst in us all.

don't ask where i fall under. i'd have to say a little bit of everything. except the couples part. i'm officially dateless for tomorrow (now that's a surprise *rolls eyes*) so we'll see how it turns out.

happy lent-valentine-new year to all.