Have a Goat year ahead!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

There is much controversy surrounding the correct English translation for "yang" but since I always know one of the 12 Chinese zodiacs is goat (in Indonesian), I will always consider goat as a zodiac rather than sheep.

I am quite a superstitious person so I am quite interested in horoscope and feng shui stuff. Goat is rabbit's ally so in the year of the goat, rabbit is expected to have quite a good luck. With that, I should actually be excited for this new year. In reality, I am not as excited. Last year, rabbit was also expected to have quite a smooth sailing and healthy year. Guess what, I had to do surgery. So yeah, because of that, I no longer believe in this kind of thing. I don't want to have high expectations and be disappointed in the end. That is why usually I am not so bothered about the good things and I only pay attention to the bad things that may happen and I will try to avoid. But if you are expected to be healthy and you end up with a surgery, what will happen when the year is expected to be bad?? Jeez...

Of course the superstitious me will try to do things that may enhance my luck and avoid things that may reduce my luck. One of the feng shui masters recommend rabbits to consider donating blood during CNY period this year to enhance the luck. I deliberately delay my blood donation and this morning I got a call from Red Cross. As expected, I am not eligible for a donation because of my surgery. I need to wait at least 6 months! Bleah...

This year I learn a few more superstitious things surrounding CNY. From the advertisement in MRT stations, one of CNY traditions is actually staying overnight to welcome the new year. It seems that my dad has been teaching me the wrong thing. He usually asks us to sleep early on CNY eve and wake up early on the first day of CNY. At my aunt's place, I read a newspaper article about 15 taboos to avoid on first day of CNY. As expected, sweeping and throwing rubbish are to be avoided as it may mean getting read of good luck from the house. I know that washing clothes are also not recommended but I don't know that the reason is water god's birthday on the second day of CNY (if I am not wrong). So it is best to wait until water god's birthday before washing clothes. One thing that I just come to know is that people should not take any sort of medicine on CNY because it symbolises poor health and the need to take medicines for the coming year. Okay, I shall skip my supplements just for today. Lol.

Thank goodness I believe in God and thus I am not too bothered with most of these things. People usually wear new clothes but I hate buying clothes. Haha.. My home clothes are even torn and tattered which are not good according to Chinese superstition. To make things worse, all my home clothes are white. Black and white are to be avoided. I sort of know this but I consciously don't follow. Hmm... perhaps my luck has not been as good as it should be because I never follow all of these? I don't know.. Okay, I sound quite contradictory here: claim to believe in God but still am bothered about these superstitions after all.

Talking about God, this year's CNY eve coincides with Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun and I have yet to decide on what things I should fast and abstain from. Food is definitely out of the question as nowadays I only eat proper meal for lunch. My breakfast and dinner are very minimal that it is not even possible to halve them. I have given up the food I love such as potato chips and bubble tea for the past 1.5 months so there is no point of giving them up. Perhaps I should try to avoid Starbucks. The thing is I don't drink Starbucks when I have nothing. Recently I go to Starbucks rather frequently because of my studying. I have to force myself to read outside as I will end up sleeping if I study in my room.

Luckily the archdiocese of Singapore has decided that we can change the fast and abstinence for Ash Wednesday to another day of our choice because it coincides with reunion dinner. I will still have a little bit of time to think about this year's fast and abstinence.

Hoo... it is almost 3 A.M. now so I hope that is considered staying awake long enough for a good luck in the coming year. Haha...