Keong Hee Huat Chye

In a few hours, I'll be flying back to my hometown for Chinese New Year. I've missed two previous family reunion dinners and I must not missed this year's for personal reasons. It will be a different CNY this time around.

It has been brought up by others that the meaning of CNY and family reunion dinners have become less important for the younger generations. Some would not be able to make it back due to studies, financial constraints and work whereby CNY is not recognised as a public holiday in some countries.

I grew up playing plenty fireworks before they were officially banned and have some wonderful memories of them. Almost every year back then as a kid, we the cousins will have a "war" with neighbours which lit up the sky. However, there was one incident where one of the fireworks which I lit came back at me, hitting one of my eyes!

I do miss my grandma's dishes prepared for the reunion dinners. The past 7 reunion dinners and this year's are held in a hotel restaurant that caters CNY dishes that are so different from my grandma's. Speaking of which, I can still taste some of those dishes now.

Anyway, I can't wait for this short trip back where I'll be catching up with my wonderful family, beloved coach and some close friends.

Wishing everyone a prosperous Ox year ahead.

KEONG HEE HUAT CHYE

Counting Down Once More

After Christmas and New Year, it's only 3 weeks away from Chinese New Year of which I'll be heading back home for a week. My last CNY home was in 2006. Certainly, the CNY atmosphere here in Melbourne (or even in Perth) differs from what I have experienced. However, the atmosphere back home is not what it used to be. Anyway, CNY this year coincides with Australia Day which means it's a public holiday (long weekend).

On another matter, I have been to my first ever plasma donation on 2 Jan 2009. The main difference between whole blood donation and plasma donation is it involves filtering the whole blood for plasma only. The whole blood goes through a machine that separates the blood and pumps it back to the body. This may cycle through 3-4 times to obtain about 600ml of plasma and may take up to an hour in total while subsequent donation can be done with a fortnight interval. Plasma can be frozen up to 12 months but more often they are used up way before the 12 month period expired.

Let the count down begin......

Happy New Year

Goodbye 2008; Welcome 2009. This is the very 1st post for 2009 albeit very short!

Have a great and healthy 2009!