Counting down

It's the last day of 2008 and we have nothing planned for today except the obligatory fish-shop-hopping stint with the kids in the afternoon. They're now eating the last bit of curry I made yesterday.

I'm thinking of cooking curry again tomorrow as it is my best friend's favourite food. I can hear the boys groaning already! I'll also be making ngoh hiang (minced meat rolls) and pasta vongole. For dessert, it will be cold cheng tng (sweet soup with dried longans, dates, ginkgo nuts and white fungus). These are the kind of food that will go down well with her hubby, kids and everyone at home.

It certainly doesn't feel like a new year's eve today. Since most companies are working half-day, we decided to make it an off-day. I don't see the point in getting everyone to the office just for a few hours. We can easily check emails and attend to phone calls from home these days.

I don't do the count-down bash anymore. There were some unforgettable ones like the year we entered the new millenium which was spent in a friend's newly built bungalow by the sea in the sunshine coast of Australia. While the house was amazing and in a posh neighbourhood, I wasn't exactly feeling too celebrative or comfortable. I realised that you could be in the most fantastic place but if you're not amongst people you enjoy very much, it means nothing at all.

There was another year when I just got divorced and best friend did her best to cheer me up during that difficult period. She and hubby dragged me to the club for a countdown party. The folks at the club were all retirees, we felt like a bunch of gate crashers at the wrong party.

I'm glad I'm so at ease with myself now and don't feel the need to be somewhere for the sake of being there. Being comfortable with myself is most important. Of course, being with loved ones is the icing on the cake.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!