I think I prefer extreme heat and *dong dong dong chiang music* instead.

YEAH. For Chinese New Year here in Ohio, we have heavy snow fall today instead. I think I prefer the crazy day heat and heavy evening rain of Taiping to walking in the snow to and from class with my head bent trying to look through the snow fall and hoping that I won't slip and fall on my butt. Yeah, definitely prefer the heat of Taiping to this! I guess at least, it's a half snow day today. Classes are cancelled after 2.15pm and campus only opens at 10am tomorrow! That means I get paid more for my 4pm shift this evening and my 7am shift tomorrow! Yay!

Ah, Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year together for the first time this year. Kind of weird. Valentine's Day is different this year. Feels good. But I never realized how commercialized Valentine's Day is. Even in a small town like Oxford, restaurants require reservations. There are special 6 course dinners just for couples. What happens if you go with a group of more than 2 friends? Would the 6 course dinner still apply? Tables in restaurants are all set up for two people, everything is decorated in red and pink. Bagel and Deli uptown, that sells college student bagels even had a Valentine's Day promotion of 2 bagels, 2 drinks and a condom! The American culture seriously makes me laugh sometimes. Yagoot the frozen yoghurt store that we went to on Saturday had special Valentine's Day pink pomegranate frozen yoghurt with Valentine's Day toppings of chocolate bits and strawberry chocolate shavings. Clothing stores in the mall had promotions for women 'boyfriend' jeans. The Godiva chocolate store had heart shaped chocolates and chocolate coated strawberries. Everywhere was just oozing with commercialized 'heart'/'love' products. Crazy! Crazy! Yeah, for the first time I was a part of this whole crazy scenario this year. Had dinner but not with the 6 course partner meal (funny how they never tell you the price of it when they read it out to you!). Instead of flowers and fattening chocolate, I got a great necklace! ;D

Chinese New Year... Got invited to Chinese New Year lunch at my Chinese teacher's house on Saturday and brought Dong and Jin with me. 饺子！年糕！粽子！真得好吃极了！Not only that.. I had cempedak! That I had a fun time convincing the angmohs and Dong to try! They all found it kinda stinky and squishy. I thought it was delicious - a little bit of home. Then I had those preserved plum sweet things that mummy always gave me when I was younger after taking a spoonful of gross tapeworm/digestion medicine- another little bit of home. And then Karaoke, of course! With Jin and I doing a duet of 童话... It was a great time！

This new year made me realize how grateful and lucky I am to have such amazing people by my side. People whom I regard as my home away from home. Sometimes, things get in the way of friendships, and that sucks. It's so hard to juggle things and maintain friendships the way they were. Somewhere along the way, I guess I forgot that supporting a friend's happiness is most important. Why is it that when circumstances change, it's hard to keep a friendship. I guess it takes more effort, understanding and patience than I thought. Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Especially to mummy and daddy! 恭喜发财！Don't worry about me, Love you!