BORN IN JANUARY

Aunty Linda's birthday cake from Secret Recipe
Simon, Aunt Linda, Li Mei and Uncle Jimmy
Ben, Jeremy, Cheng Mun and Simon
Julie, Linda, Jimmy and Li Na

Li Mei, Li Na and Julie

The Cheahs

Tossing Yee Sang

My Aunt Linda, Simon (her son), my sister, Li Mei and Benjamin (Li Mei's son), were all born in the month of January. According to the lunar calendar, my sister was born on the first day the first month while my aunt was born on the seventh day. However, they do not belong to the Animal Zodiac of that year since they were born in January and not on or after February 4.

Both Simon and Ben were born before the lunar new year and were certain what Zodiac they belong to. Unfortunately, both my aunt and sister had thought that they belonged to other Zodiacs until I started to seriously read up on Feng Shui.

A couple of days ago, we had an early celebration of Aunt Linda's birthday at a restaurant in Ipoh. We also tossed Yee Sang during the celebration.

AUSPICIOUS LIME PLANTS

Every lunar new year, the Chinese like to buy the auspicious lime plant to decorate their houses. It is believed that these plants symbolise gold and auspice. Thus to have two plants flanking the left and right of the main door would mean ushering gold and auspice into the house.

2007 AND 2008

Pictures taken in Decmber 2007

Pictures taken in December 2008

In December 2007, I took pictures of a row of potted plants that had been fashioned in the number 8. Then in December last year, I happened to pass by that place again with my friends. Again, I got down from the car and snap pictures of the plants. They are still well taken care of. I had thought that the gardener might have added some "9" plants to the collection in anticipation of the year 2009. But I guess '8' is the favoured number.

RED TO SCARE AWAY EVIL AND BAD FORTUNE

When my Aunt May and her family visited my mum and I on the second day of the Chinese New Year, I noticed that most of us were decked in shades of red. Even their maid wore red. Red clothing is commonly worn throughout the Chinese New Year because it is believed that red will scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. The Chinese will also wear new clothes from head to toe to symbolize a new beginning for the new year. Wearing new clothes also symbolizes having more than enough things to use and wear in the year ahead.

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU

A few months after I bought my Toyota Vios, I found that someone had used a sharp object to make a very long scratch from the left back fender to the left front fender. I had tried to use wax to get rid of the scratch but it did not really work and so today I brought my 'boyfriend' to the professional car polishers. Unfortunately, they too could not do much as the scratch mark was too deep. Now, the other alternative is to get the part repainted.
Those who own cars would understand how I felt when my new car was scratched. The person who did it will most probably one day feel the same as I did when his/her new car get the same treatment. There is this belief that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think the Malay version is something like "Buat baik dibalas baik, buat jahat dibalas jahat" or something to that effect.

LOOKING FOR A PARTNER

Calvin Chen Yi Ru

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, I would go visit the temples with my mum and aunt to pray to the deities to be blessed with a happy, healthy and harmonious year ahead. Besides praying, we'd also take time to look at the scenery and the images of the deities there. I am pictured with the deity in charge of marriages in the above picture. He is Yuet Loe 月老 or the Old Man in the Moon.
Read the article that I have posted below about Calvin Chen of Fahrenheit going to the temple to pray to Yuet Loe to speed up his marriage prospects.

Calvin Chen Can't Bear Abstinance for Three Years: Goes to Temple to Find Ideal Girl

Source: Liberty Times Taiwan / Reporter: Chen Hui Zhen
Translated by: englishrose85 @ http://asianfanatics.net/

Fahrenheit's Calvin Chen has been abstaining for three years. He took the opportunity to wander down the New Year streets and went to the temple to pray to the gods. It was the first time he had prayed for marriage fate. In this public place where people go to meditate, Calvin called out to his ideal lover. [Long haired beautiful girl with rosy white skin who is tall and elegant with class]. Ideal factors said out loud.

For the big New Year celebrations Calvin wore a red T Shirt and a pair of jeans to the temple to seek marriage. He was very nervous and frequently asked the person in charge: "Doing it like this will fate happen?!"When people go to worship they are very sincere and Calvin has a similar feeling. He prayed to the god Yue Lao and burnt incense to show his sincerity. He then concentrated on his ideal characteristics of a girl and said them out loud. [Long hair, white rosy skin, tall and elegant with class]. The manager jokingly said: "Calvin! You don't need to say it so loud!"

After praying he then had to walk around the centre of the temple three times and joined others as they walked around. "My Canadian friends would walk three circles and I laughed all night!"Get married and have a family before 30.

Three years ago Calvin painfully broke up with his ex girlfriend to join Fahrenheit. He has now just turned 28 years old and says: "I hope that I can get married between 28 and 30 years old with no surprise marriage."In fact, these three years there have been a couple of interesting girls, but only as friends. Instead I let them go. Love didn't start and didn't finish. Afterwards, Calvin was full of confidence with destiny to bring women into his sight. He couldn't help but smile and say: "Today I feel that I can definitely get married."

AUSPICIOUS DATES TO START WORK

After taking a break to usher in the lunar New Year, the Chinese would choose auspicious dates to start work again. There are some who would go until the length of taking a day's leave if the date for them to start work clashes with their Chinese Zodiac sign as they wish to have a smooth year ahead.
Here are the auspicious dates (with reference to the T'ung Shu) to start work or commence business for the the new year.

The dates are based on the western or Gregorian calendar.

29/1/09 Thursday (except for Dragons)
30/1/09 Friday (except for Snakes)
2/2/09 Monday (except for Monkey)
3/2/09 Tuesday (except for Rooster)
6/2/09 Friday (except for Rat)

BEAUTY FROM IPOH

Though I appear in the pictures above but the title for the post does not apply to me but rather my student, Ros Ramona. Mona and her family will come to my house during Chinese New Year and each time I see her, she seems to grow more and more beautiful. Likewise, her sister, Ika is also blossoming into a very pretty young lass.

Mona works part-time as a model and she will be appearing in the latest MacDonalds ad which will be start airing in February. She will also be modelling for a Secret Garden advertisement in the near future. So do keep a look out for the ads.

By the way, my girl tells me that she and her family will make it a habit of visiting me during this festival. She says she'll do so even when she gets married and then she'll bring her children along. Ah!!! Just like Syful and Salasiah bringing their little Aisyah to visit me. I'll really look forward to that.

NEW YEAR VISITS ON SECOND DAY

With Jeremy and Benjamin

Group photograph
Group photograph
Nizam aka Ah Chai trying his hand at eating with chopsticks
Sharveen eating the fried chicken with chopsticks

Me with Kak Ros, Ramona and Ika

My mum and I with Mr Zam Zam and Puan Ros

My, my what a pretty young lady Ika has grown to be

With two very pretty Ipoh girls

With Kak Ros and Mr Zam Zam

Nizam and Azifi

With Azifi

With Ah Chai

With Sharveen

My three students enjoying the CNY fare at my house in Ipoh

On the first and second day of the lunar New Year, friends and relatives would go a visiting or pai nien as it is called in Mandarin. It is hoped that these visits will help foster friendship and strengthen family ties.

This year I invited the boys and girls from my class 5JER and the librarians to my house in Ipoh. Initially about 10 said they'd come but last minute some of them could not make it as they had to go outstation with their families. Besides, it is quite difficult for them to come as some are from other states in Malaysia. Azifi and Nizam who came are from Ipoh and Sharveen is from Sitiawan. Mona and her family are also from Ipoh. If I were to hold the gathering in my house in Sitiawan, I think I would not have enough space to accomodate everyone as I'd sure have many, many guests. Besides, I have to keep the celebrations simple since I spent a lot of money after my house was broken into. Even now I am rather worried that the burglars might ransack my place again since I will be back in Ipoh for 9 days. However, I have notified the police and they assured me that they'll be making checks on my house daily.

PITIFUL GIRL

I read this article about an overzealous fan of Wu Chun from the Asian Entertainment News website today. The story is about this fan who has delusions that she was his wife and even became violent as a result. Actually, I feel very sad to read the story as I pity the poor girl. Help must be given to her. Her parents need to be notified and something must be done to help her. Thankfully, Chun is the gentlemanly type who would not take advantage of the young girl, given that she was practically offering herself to him on a platter. Those people who return the passport to her should think of informing her parents or guardians to let them know so that something can be done for her sake. Remember the case of the Andy Lau fan who killed herself because of her idol? Really sad and pitiful. I am sure Andy would have felt bad about her death and also really traumatised by the whole thing. I don't want the same to happen to Chun.

Wu Zun meets fan who went overboard, was shoved passport and forced to elope

Fahrenheit's Wu Zun was harassed by a China fan. Initially, when he came to Mainland China to promote his new album and was preparing to fly to Beijing from Hunan Chang Sha Airport, a female fan hugged him forcefully and was stopped by a male worker. The male worker was hit by her accidentally. This time, when Fahrenheit returned to Chang Sha for promotion, this female fan appeared again. Besides giving him a suggestive love letter, she also called him [my dear husband], and sent Wu Zun her passport and household register, wanting Chun to elope with her, causing Chun to not know whether to laugh or cry.The female fan claimed to be Chun's wife. In the letter given to Chun, she even reported to him that her monthly period came too early and wished that he could spend the holidays with her in GuangZhou, Hong Kong or other places. [You promised you would bring me away. You are my darling], the words are rather incoherent, and full of fantasy of Chun. She even mentioned that she rented a room near the airport, and wanted Chun to distract the workers and spend a night with her, and the next day Chun shall go to the airport and book a ticket for the two of them to fly away.Regarding her behaviour, the workers are worried and at the same time exasperated. However, Chun kept reminding them not to agitate her, in fear that she would do something silly. Chun ended his promotion on the 20th and was preparing to go back to Brunei for Chinese New Year. Before leaving, he reminded the workers to find the fan and return the passport and the household register back to her. In actual fact, this female fan already appeared on the 14th during Fahrenheit's autograph session. She was the last to go up on stage for the autograph. She wore a low-cut top, and a men’s western suit on the outside. However, she did not wear any bra. When she bent down to talk to Chun, her (*ahem) was exposed immediately, causing Chun to be extremely awkward. Moreover, she had beaten up a male worker at the airport, causing his nose to bleed profusely. Workers had no choice but to hand her over to the authorities.

Translated by : missohreally of CEFC

Credits : CEFC and Appledailyoriginal source : http://1-apple.com.tw/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Article&Sec_ID=7&ShowDate=20090124&IssueID=20090124&art_id=31345836&NewsType=1&SubSec=31