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When we were on the American Airlines airplane and I saw the flight attendants who were middle age and a little heavy, mostly they did not have a very gentle disposition. I whispered to Steve, “Their flight attendants couldn’t compare with Asian airlines.” Steve agreed and said to me, “I felt rather strange…when I saw the job ads in Malaysia had age requirements! Under the laws here, generally companies can’t specify an employee’s age, race or gender.”

Oh yeah! In Malaysia, if you are over the age requirement mentioned in the job ads, do you dare to interview for the job? You might feel that age is one of your difficulties in job-hopping.

Here, you might see some grandmothers and grandfathers working in stores. Nevertheless, some professional jobs, companies here might discriminate based on age, race, etc., but they will always give a different reason for rejecting someone for a position, like “we found someone with better qualifications.”

Contribute to society

我们在檳城时正好是剛宣佈3月8日为大選期，朋友SC夜晚駕車載我们去某處，一路上看到 '再转变' 的布条，SC说，“再转变，这会是什么党的？” 我猜说，“再转变，听起来应该可能是行动党吧？”
過后我仔細一看，原來我猜錯了！
我與某些朋友亲人談起大選時，我會探问，“你將會選誰？” 他們多数说投…
可惜我这次却无法投選了，而 Steve 卻说幸虧大選日我们已不在马來西亞！听起來他從马來西亞執政及政府處理大集會的新聞等后，他擔心不知會再有何事發生…
我不批評其它，只说一項关於人身安全，马來西亞的治安真的是越來越不堪 – 很差！以前我一個人夜晚出門也不覺得怎樣… 現时我听 BS 週末一人黎明天未亮去Air Itam Dam跑步，我關心她说了一句，“最好别一個人去！”
想起緬甸的昂山舒吉（Aung San Suu Kyi）被軍政軟禁、巴基斯坦的貝娜絲（Benazir Bhutto）被謀殺…
那些參政不是为了個人利益而是為了政治貢獻的人，我都會对他们肅然起敬！

When we were in Penang, it was just announced that the election date will be on March 8. My friend SC was driving us somewhere at night and we saw banners with the Chinese words: 再转变 (“Keep Reinventing”). SC said, “再转变, I wonder which party it is from?” I guessed and said, “再转变, it sounds like maybe it’s from the DAP opposition party?”

After that I looked at them carefully, and found that my guess was wrong!

When I talked to some family members and friends about the election, I tried to understand and asked, “Who will you vote for?” Mostly they said vote for…

I will miss the vote this time, but Steve was glad we won’t be in Malaysia on Election Day! Sounds like he’s not sure what might happen, since he read the Malaysian news about the government and its reaction to the recent rallies, etc…

Just let me criticize only one of the problems: it is about living security. In past years, I could go out alone and wasn’t concerned about safety… Currently, I heard my friend BS went jogging alone at Air Itam Dam on the weekend during the early morning while it was still dark. I was concerned about her safety and said to her, “Better not to go alone!” Malaysia’s public security has become worse!

Thinking about the Myanmar politician, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under detention by her government, and the Pakistani politician, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed recently…

I highly respect those who participate in politics, not for their own personal benefit, but to contribute to society!

Debit & Credit cards

有一次，我们去 grocery store，Steve把我们要買的東西交到櫃台刷卡结賬，然后他跟结賬員說了一些話，结賬員就给他一些鈔票。我好奇的问，“為什么结賬員會给你錢？” 他说，“我用 debit card。” 什么是 debit card 呢？它也如 ATM card，你設立戶口存入足夠的錢於銀行，就可以用此卡於某些店購物或提款，结款就是直接從你銀行戶口内的錢扣減付给那間店。不過大多數店都有限制提款額。而另一种是信用卡（credit card），是月结賬單，你收到單后，付款给信用卡銀行。

马來西亞的銀行很推薦信用卡，最近報導，40% 持信用卡的人只付最低付款額。啊…我在想利上加利，累積几年后，那個數目，不是很驚人嗎？这不是很好的理財！我的作風是每月清很少拖欠，不知道像我这樣的客戶，对銀行來說是利還是弊！

Once, we went to the grocery store and Steve put the things that we wanted on the counter, then he swept his card. After that, he said something to the cashier. Then the cashier gave some money to him. I was curious, “Why did the cashier give you money?” He said, “I used my debit card.” What is a debit card? Instead of receiving a credit card statement to pay at the end of the month, the money is deducted directly from the bank account. There has to be enough money in the account for the purchase. Since the money is being taken directly from a bank account, you can also get cash from the cashier, like an ATM. Most places have limits on the amount of cash you can get from the cashier.

Most banks in Malaysia try to promote their credit card, and a report said 40% of credit card holders paid only the minimum amount. Ah…I think how the amount will scare you after the interest and balance accumulating for a few years? This is not good financial control! My practice was to try to clear and not keep a monthly balance of more than a few ringgit (dollars). I don’t know, will the bank think a customer like me is an advantage or disadvantage!

Harmony

One weekend evening, the phone rang just after we had gotten home. I guessed it was Steve’s mom.
Steve picked up the call and it was. Steve will talk to mom about daily life…about once a week. Sometimes, if Steve doesn’t call her up, she will call.
Steve sometimes pretends jealousy and says his mom and sister Sue love me more than him… In fact, mom always praises me and I get a strong feeling of love and caring from Steve’s family; we are harmonious.
As I saw from Steve’s mom, generally if she can do something for herself, she rarely bothers others to do it for her… What amazed me is that she is learning to use the computer and playing computer games.
Perhaps, westerners’ thoughts are not so dependent even as they get older.
I have heard that several kinds of conflicts can happen between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. I wonder…if one of them, like Steve’s mom, loved her daughter-in-law the same as her own kids… I think their relationship would be very good!

Jet lag

St. Louis与 Penang下两季时差十四小时，加上廿多小时在飛机上… 身体不由不困扰，它可不知道时空转换，该是晚上睡觉的时间，但却是大白天﹔醒来了但却还是半夜… 我到槟城有这种很倦的感觉，回St. Louis也有！而Steve回St. Louis才有。一般须要两星期左右调整回（大概一天调一小时的时差感）。我不知道…是不是这种疲累感觉掩盖了我回槟城的兴奋？我不得不佩服 Steve 前两年为了见我而飞行的次数。
Steve 说槟城榴槤季节时（大约六月期间），可再回槟城尝吃我最喜爱的榴槤…嗯！我却提不起劲了！

The last two seasons the time difference between St. Louis and Penang has been 14 hours, and added to that was more than 20 hours in the airplane… The body was confused and it didn’t know that time and space was changing; physically, it feels like it is time to sleep, but it is still daylight outside; when we wake up it still isn’t even dawn yet… I had this jet lag feeling when I arrived in Penang and also when I got back to St. Louis! Steve has jet lag only when he gets back to St. Louis. Normally, it takes about two weeks to fully adjust (roughly one day to adjust for every hour of time difference). I don’t know… is this jet lag feeling stronger than my excitement at being back in Penang? I must salute Steve for his frequently flights to see me over the past two years.

Steve said we can go back to Penang to have my favorite durian when it’s in season (around June)… Hmm! I’m already not in the mood!

How much we got!

難得回到檳城，我肯定要辦貨啦… 打開旅行袋，让你看看我的收获！
我買了这些包裝食品。
親人好友给我的新年饼，榴槤糕（我在檳城找榴槤，因不是季節连档都没有，吃不到榴槤loh）及包裝食品等，让我滿載而歸，很感謝你们的爱！
我想这些食物可減輕我对它们想念的一些时日了吧…
Steve 的兴趣是做饼…所有他买了制作年饼的用品，及DVD。你看他也是有收获 oh！
Since I went back to Penang I thought to buy some products… I unpacked my luggage and you can see how much I got!
I bought these packaged food.
My family members, god-mother’s family and my friends gave me some Chinese New Year cookies, durian cake (I couldn’t find durian in Penang because it is not in season, and didn’t even see the stall, so I didn’t have durian) and these packaged foods. I am back, full of love from you all. Thank you so much!
I think these might reduce my missing Penang’s food for a while…
Steve is interested in making cookies…so he bought these CNY cookie moulds, and DVDs. See how much he got!

Chinese New Year celebration

正月初九是天公誕（道教玉皇大帝），对福建人來说，拜天公的仪式比大年除夕更隆重热鬧。檳島福建人居多，你可見到福建人住家都會于當日前夕（初八晚）设壇，一到子时就燒香祭拜天公。
天公金是祭燒品之一，Steve跟我三嫂學摺着… 虽然我们是潮州人，但从我父母时代就融入檳城福建邻里，也是跟着祭拜，但比较简便及以素食为祭食品。

姓周橋多聚居福建人，他们是聚合在橋前设立長壇，擺上各家的祭品…當晚又有舞獅、煙花，所以前來觀看者也不少。

最近几年，檳州政府及各姓氏宗祠都會在新春舉辦文化廟會… 今年呈獻华人傳統12個節慶。有别開生面的陸地龍舟賽！

有一檳城旅遊局要錄影訪问Steve和我，我樂意但他怕上鏡，所以拒絕了。前來觀看廟會者多到擠得我们無法走完全场！

这是我们的節目…我有倆位 'choh dai di' kaki的朋友，约了他们玩了两次的 'choh dai di'，我们只是乘兴玩玩…

The ninth day of the first lunar month is the festival for the Jade Emperor, a Taoist god. It’s a more important festival and celebration than Chinese New Year (CNY) eve for Hokkien (people descended from a particular region of China) people. On Penang Island there are many Hokkien people so you can see Hokkien families setting up tables with offerings on the night before the festival. They wait until midnight to pray.

Taoist ‘joss paper’ is one the of offerings to burn. Steve learned to fold it with my sister-in-law… My family is Teochew (people descended from a particular region of China), but since my parents time we have lived in a neighborhood in Penang where the majority are Hokkien, so my family’s offerings are a simple style with vegetarian food.

Most of the people living at ‘Chew Jetty’ are Hokkien, and they set up a long table to gather their offerings and pray together… That night is also celebrated with a lion dance and fireworks. It attracts many visitors too.

The past few years, there has been a CNY celebration organized by the Penang State Government and the Penang Chinese Clan Council. They highlighted the 12 traditional Chinese festivals as the main theme this year. Here is a special event - a dragon boat race on the ground!

Someone from the Penang tourism council wanted to interview Steve and me; I had no problem but Steve doesn’t like being on camera so he declined. The celebration was so crowded we couldn’t visit all of the events!

This was our event...I have two friends who like to play ‘choh dai di’, we met and had two ‘choh dai di’ sessions with them, we just wanted have fun…

Hair cut

We went to George Town to visit my god-mother and my family’s old house (my third brother and his family still rent it). When we arrived there, I saw an Indian barber carrying a small case walking to the neighbor’s house. I told Steve before the story of an Indian barber who has been going house to house since the 70s…the men & boys in my family who stay there always get their hair cut by this Indian barber on the porch of the house! I also asked Steve whether he would like to have this experience if we met this Indian barber in Penang. He said he would try. Ah…then we really met him in the George Town area. I wanted Steve to get his hair cut by him. At first, the barber rejected. Because he knew the customer is a westerner, he said a regular barber shop would be better. My brother persuaded him…so he came to cut Steve’s hair after he finished the neighbor’s. He was cutting Steve’s hair and said to my brother in Hokkien, “ang mo eh dao mo bo siang nu lan den lan eh, yi a dao mo ka nue (Westerner’s hair is not like your Chinese hair, his hair is much softer).”

Steve has a new and nice haircut. I also have a new haircut…I went to my familiar hairdressing shop.

Eating in Penang

“到檳城后，你最想吃什么？” Steve问我。“我還不知道，就看找到什么就吃什么。” 我回复他。
我知道他很想念roti canai，我就選擇到我熟悉又靠近我檳城家的咖啡室。我吃炒粿條，他吃roti canai…他差点就要舐洗乾淨咖哩汁的盤！
回到檳城，吃是少不了的…
新年有一道菜叫 '撈魚生'，我大哥款待我们兄弟姐妹到餐館晚餐及一起 '撈生'。
我们到三哥家及大姐家吃火鍋。誼妈家的家常飯加上Steve喜欢吃的mamak咖哩雞。
我们與二姐到咖啡室，我吃福建麵、Steve吃roti canai早餐。二姐的佛友邀请我们到她家的自由素食晚餐。
我们與朋友BS及GY到極乐寺和Air Itam Dam走走后去咖啡室，我吃asam laksa及豬腸粉、Steve吃roti canai。Christy请我们吃泰国餐…泰式的辣雞肉让Steve連連讚好。
我们到檀香寺的新春大團拜，每人得一包素食餐。爱心福利中心辨義工聯誼素食火鍋、'撈生' 及庆生会，邀请我们同欢分享。 离開檳城的前一晚，我二姐买roti canai来给Steve，看來他吃得比我更滿足…

“What food will you eat first when we arrive in Penang?” Steve asked me. “I don’t know. I will eat whatever if I see the food.” I replied.

I know Steve misses ‘roti canai’ so I brought him to the hawker food near my house in Penang. I ate ‘char kway teow’ (fried rice noodles), he ate ‘roti canai’…he almost wanted to lick the plate clean of ‘kuah ayam’ (chicken curry sauce)!

When we went back to Penang, we couldn’t avoid eating…

Chinese New Year (CNY) has a popular dish called ‘lao yu sheng’. My eldest brother treated the whole family to dinner and ‘lao yu sheng’ at a restaurant.

We ate steam boat (hot pot) in my brother’s house and in my eldest sister’s house. I ate home cooked dishes in my god-mother’s house and Steve ate ‘mamak’ curry chicken.

We had breakfast with my sister, I ate Hokkien mee (prawn noodles) and Steve ate roti canai. We were invited to have a vegetarian buffet at my sister’s Buddhist friend’s house.

We had breakfast with my friends, BS and GY, after we all went for a walk at Air Itam Dam and Kek Lok Si temple. I ate asam laksa (noodles) and chee cheong fun, and Steve ate roti canai. Christy treated us to lunch in a Thai restaurant… Steve praised highly a spicy Thai chicken dish with green beans.

We went to Than Hsiang Temple’s CNY open house, everyone had a pack of vegetarian food. We were invited to a vegetarian steam boat and 'lao sheng' gathering at the welfare center where I served as a volunteer before.

The night before we left Penang, my sister brought roti canai to Steve. Seems he is more satisfied in eating than me…

Airport layover

话说我们9/2清晨出門去機場飛往 Los Angeles（LA），10小时在LA機場要如何打發呢？幸虧Steve 有航空白金卡（因前两年常乘飛機來見我，達到飛行數据），我们可使用侯机室，有食物，小酒吧，洗澡室，又可免費上纲。我们就是这樣吃喝后上纲，上纲后又吃喝，但還是有太多时间，就來一盤象棋吧！时间差不多上機了，才去出口等候。看到附近出口是飛往吉隆坡的，有四人圍坐在地上，在幹嘛？噢！原來是＇choh dai di＇kaki…
LA機場真的比不上香港的，香港機場两端各有一侯机室，很大又很安靜，非常舒服。同樣的我们也是在一端的侯机室吃喝后上纲，上纲后又吃喝。然后去機場商店逛逛，又走到另一端接近飛往檳城出口的侯机室吃喝后上纲。已是11/2，马來西亞时间晚上七点就會抵達檳城了。啊…这就是我们两天的遊记！

So now I’ll tell you about the day of Feb 9. We went to the airport in the morning to catch the flight to Los Angeles (LA). How to kill 10 hours in the LA airport? Luckily, Steve has his airline platinum card (he accumulated frequent flyer mileage as he had often flown to see me during the past two years) so we could use the business lounge that serves food, has a little bar, free internet access, and showers. We went in and ate, then checked email. After checking email we ate again. However we still had plenty of time, so we played a game of Chinese chess! Then we waited at the gate until it was time to board. The nearby gate was a flight to Kuala Lumpur and I saw four people sitting on the floor and wondered what they were doing? Oh! They are playing ‘choh dai di’ (a playing card game)…

LA airport cannot compare with Hong Kong airport. The HK airport has two big, quiet and comfortable business lounges, one at each end of the airport. We went in one of them and ate, checked email, then ate again. Then we went out window shopping and walked to the business lounge at the other end of the airport, which was near the gate for our Penang flight. We checked email and ate again. The date was Feb 11, Malaysia time and we would arrive in Penang at 7pm. Ah…this was our two day airport layover!

Trip to Penang

我在一月初花了几小时上綱查尋從 St. Louis到檳城的机票，有一航線須停两個机場轉机，有些航線停三或四個机場，以及不同班机时間連接和机票价。我觉得最理想的是從 St. Louis 傍晚起飛至 Los Angeles（LA），然后 10pm 從 LA 起飛至香港。Steve不理我查尋的报告，他自己上綱看了他觉得最理想的停两個机場的航線選擇，我看他对我查尋的結果没有興趣，也没仔細去看他選了什么班机时间，只大概记得從 St. Louis到檳城共计 37 小时（包括停留香港机場约7小时），回程反而只須共计24小时。他訂了机票后不久，航机票公司就傳 email 给他所訂的航班时間，他印在紙張交给我，我就看了抵達檳城的航机时間，告诉親人接机。
臨离開美国的前一天，我問 Steve 是否要早上去做几小时工作，反正是傍晚的航机，工作回來后去机場還來得及。他说，“是啊！不過我要知道航机是几点？” 我去查看所印的起飛航机，不禁驚叫，“啊...怎么是早上十点的？哇！要停留在 LA 机場10小时啦！” 我的天！那不等於是说去程共计 43小时而非37小时，停留10 + 9小时在LA和香港两個机場...想到就累了！
In early Jan, I spent several hours online searching for flights from St. Louis to Penang . One airline with two stops, other airlines have three or four stops. And I also looked at their connecting flight times and prices. I thought the best one departed in the evening from St. Louis to Los Angeles, then a 10pm flight from LA to Hong Kong. Steve didn't ignore what I had found and reported to him, but he went online searching and he got flights with two stops that he wanted. So, I gave up my plan since he didn't seem interested and I didn't see the details of the flight times that he selected. We roughly remember the total time from St. Louis to Penang is 37 hours (including a stop in Hong Kong airport for about 7 hours). And the return trip total was about 24 hours. After he booked the air tickets, the airline sent him the flight schedule. He printed it out and passed it to me. I looked at the flight arriving time in Penang, then I informed one of family members to meet us at Penang airport.
The day before departing the US, I asked Steve whether he want to go to work on that morning. He should have time since the flight is in the evening. He replied, "Yes, but I'm not sure what time the flight is." I found the printed schedule and it shocked me, "Ah, ­why is the flight at 10am? Huh! We need to stay in LA airport for 10 hours!" Shhh...­ That means the total time for the trip is 43 hours: 10 +9 hours in LA and Hong Kong airports. What a boring and tiring time!

Making jewelry

I broke a tiny ring of my new bracelet and it became an open gap, so I asked Steve whether he had a small pair of pliers. He went down to the basement and came back up with pliers for me. In his hands were several other things. Then I found out that he had taken a class to learn to make jewelry about 15 years ago. He still has some tools and books in the basement for making jewelry. He doesn’t like to wear jewelry but he likes to make it! I tell you, he also learned to make knitted woolen things several years ago!

He took out the silver chains that he made about 15 years ago. I said I wanted one of them to be my bracelet, so we went to buy a sterling silver clasp, and he finally made it into a bracelet after 15 years.

Rice flake with herbs soup

Steve被 '肉干' 吸引后就常買肉碎做 '肉干'。他被 '肉鬆' 吸引后，我们就常買豬肉做 '肉鬆'。通常我將豬肉与藥材湯一起煮，肉軟后就撈起大部份，剩一些留在藥材湯，並放一些其它食物，即成為我们的晚餐。
我煮了 '八珍' 湯，我们吃完所有的料后，但還剩湯，我就放进冰箱。
隔天，我就用这黑湯煮午餐，看來有点像 '粿汁'（檳城的一項食物）。'粿汁' 也是中國的潮州小食之一，但煮法卻不一樣。

Steve is hooked on ‘bak kwa’ (dried meat) so we often buy ground pork to make it. After he was also hooked on ‘bak hu’ (pork floss), so we buy pork chops to make ‘bak hu’ frequently. I usually cook the meat with an herbal soup. After the meat is cooked well, I take the meat out of the soup, leaving a little meat and other things in the soup for our dinner.

I cooked ‘pak cheng’ herbs soup. After we were full, there was still a little soup. I put it in the fridge.

The next day, I cooked rice flake with the soup for my lunch. It looks a little bit like ‘koay chap’ (one of the hawker foods in Penang). ‘Koay chap’ is also a ‘Teochew’ food in China, but their cooking method is different.

Chinese New Year

“正月初一頭一天…” 我放着新年歌娛樂娛樂自己，這里如往常一樣很安靜，根本没有鞭炮聲，不像檳城，即使是犯法，還是到處可听到陣陣‘辟哩吧啦’的。
昨天早上張開眼睛就感觉背部很酸痛，很辛苦坐起來后，右大腿也酸痛不能站起來，慢慢爬去拿電话打给 Steve，跟他说我的情況希望他回家。Steve 回來后，给我吃一点東西，然后服止酸痛藥…我对 Steve 说，“我今晚可要去吃團圓飯哦！” 漸漸藥物發生效用，我已可站起及慢行，我就让 Steve 回去工作，很感動他的細心照護。
很意外的收到 Steve 妈寄來华人賀年卡，傳統的红卡金字！她的字跡更让我感觉溫馨，“心憶，我知道在你的家鄉，这是非常特别的節日，我也很高兴你和 Steve 能回去與你的家人相聚。我爱你。（译自英文）”
我们按时到佛光山寺…素食火鍋已準備好，大家和兩位師父一起吃火鍋團圓飯。
過后，我们辭歲普佛。每人得到星雲大師的墨寶紀念…

“子德芬芳

有德，人必尊之﹔有功，人必崇之﹔有容，人必附之﹔有量，人必從之。

眾緣和諧

團结必須和諧，和諧必須團结﹔分工必須合作，合作必須分工。”

～星雲大師＜佛光菜很譚＞

佛寺有位佛友煮了很好吃的湯圓，吃了湯圓就多一歲了呵！

這是我喜欢的新年歌…“財神到！財神到！財神到我家大門口…”

“正月初一頭一天 (The first day of the first lunar month)…” I am playing Chinese New Year (CNY) songs to entertain myself. Here it’s a normal and quiet day; I can’t hear any firecracker noise. It is not like in Penang where, though it is illegal, you can still hear the ‘pi li pa la’ noise regularly everywhere.

Yesterday morning, when I woke up my back felt very sore and it was hard to sit up. My right thigh was also sore and I couldn’t stand up. I crawled slowly to get the phone to call Steve and told him my situation, and that I wanted him back home. Steve came back home, he brought a little food to me, then a painkiller pill… I talked to Steve, “I want go to have ‘tuan yuan fan’ tonight!” Gradually, the pill took effect, and I could stand up and walk slowly. Then I let Steve go back to work. I appreciate that he takes very good care of me.

I felt surprised when we received a CNY card sent to us by Steve’s mom. It was a traditional red card with a gold design & words, and her words made me feel warm, “I know this is a very special time in your country, SinEe. And I am so happy you and Steve can be there with your family. I love you.”

We went to the temple on time… The vegetarian hot pots are ready, and we are having a hot pot ‘tuan yuan fan’ with two venerables.

After that, we had a Buddhist service, and every one of us received souvenirs from Master Hsing Yun…

“Prosperous Future Generations

With virtue, you will be respected.

With achievements, you will be adored.

With magnanimity, you will be acclaimed.

With tolerance, you will be followed.”

“Harmonious Conditions In All

Unity leads to harmony; harmony requires unity.

Doing your job well requires that you cooperate; the cooperation of others lets you do your job well.”

~Dharma Thoughts of Master Hsing Yun

A Buddhist friend cooked the yummy sweet soup, called ‘tang yuan’, for those who attended the service. We add one more year to our age after eating this ‘tang yuan’, oh oh!

This is my favorite CNY song…“財神到！財神到！財神到我家大門口 (Cai Shen is coming! Cai Shen is coming! Cai Shen is coming to my house)…” Cai Shen is the Chinese god of Prosperity.

Holiday mood

“我要趕著下班了，新年快樂！拜拜！” 早上起來看到 CC 用 Skype 写给我，查看后，那是马來西亞时间﹕2月5日5.59pm。我能体會 CC 下班回家過年的心情，想想去年的我不也是有这樣的心情嗎？那时接近新年，很期待最后一天下班的时刻，享受过四天（一般上）的新年假期。
新年是一家人團聚的大日子，除夕一起吃團圓飯。我的家人傳續年除夕吃火鍋，我通常是在哥哥家或乾妈家吃團圓飯。
今年的除夕，我原本計划在家用飯鍋當火鍋，也跟著傳統，Steve 和我吃團圓飯，但后來被佛光山的佛友们邀请，除夕在佛寺有大團圓吃火鍋。啊！我想今年的團圓飯是不一樣的！
今天收到一封從马來西亞寄來的賀年卡，會是那一位有心人（因現今马來西亞華人都是寄 e-card）？是 YL，謝謝！

“I have the urge to leave work and go home. Happy Chinese New Year! Bye-bye!” This morning, I read this message from a friend, CC, who wrote to me on Skype. I checked the time; it was Feb 5, 5.59pm Malaysia time. I understand CC’s mood, waiting to go home for the New Year holiday. Didn’t I have the same mood last year? When it’s close to the New Year, I waited to leave work the day before the Chinese New Year holiday. Normally, the holiday is four days.

Chinese New Year is a big festival when all family members gather together and have a meal, called ‘tuan yuan fan’ in Chinese, on New Year’s Eve. My family follows custom and has a hot pot meal. On New Year’s Eve, I usually went to my brother’s house or my god-mother’s house.

I want to follow Chinese custom here, too, and I thought to use the rice cooker as a hot pot to have ‘tuan yuan fan’ with Steve. However, we were invited by our ‘Fo Guang Shan’ Buddhist friends to have a gathering with hot pot ‘tuan yuan fan’ at the temple this New Year’s Eve. Ah! I think this year ‘tuan yuan fan’ will be different from those in the past years!

Make Good Vows

心憶祝您及家人﹕

佳言祝賀真心人

好願傳送情憶友

心想事成事事成

意念願善願願善

“好願在人間

許好願‧做好事‧轉好運”

～聖嚴法師

“Good Vows Light Up The World

May all people make good vows.

May all people do good deeds.

May everyone’s fortune take a turn for the better.”

~by Master Sheng Yen

SinE wishing you & your family,

Blessings to people with a sincere heart.

Good wishes to friends with a kind mind.

Every dream will be successful if you dream it with a sincere heart.

Every wish will be virtuous if you wish it with a kind mind.

Have a healthy, wealthy and prosperous Chinese New Year!