I have mixed feelings about Halloween, and I’m pretty apathetic about the “holiday” in general. I like the free candy aspect of it, but I dislike the need to come up with a witty and creative costume every year, as well as the fact that most girls use the holiday as an excuse to parade around in next to nothing in the name of wearing a “costume”.

Last year, my friend and I dressed up as Sarah and Bristol Palin and went trick-or-treating at international embassies. While that was fun and definitely something I will remember forever, embassy trick-or-treating wasn’t really something I wanted to do this year. And since I worked all during the day at my new job, by the time the evening rolled around I was exhausted and didn’t have the energy to go out anywhere.

I ended up staying in for Halloween with a friend. We watched Shaun of the Dead (my compromise on a scary movie, as I can’t watch horror films without having nightmares for weeks) and passed out candy to anyone that stopped by. It was a very nice, very low-key Halloween, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have if I had gone out partying instead. Some days, a night in with friends is so much nicer than going out with strangers!

Question of the Week: How did you spend Halloween this year?

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

Today is my 19th birthday.

I’ve had a very enjoyable birthday weekend so far. Last night I went out to a lovely birthday dinner with my friends, followed by some wild and crazy shenanigans. The theme for my party was “Gossip Girl” and although most of us interpreted the theme loosely, there were some great outfits. I personally was Blair Waldorf and I rocked the most kickass dress with the highest heels I’ve ever owned. I looked fantastic, and my friends who were Chuck and Serena also complimented my outfit for Blair very well!

I will be spending today with my family, showing them all the great places there are to see in my city as well as taking them to one of my favorite restaurants for my birthday dinner. I’m not really one to celebrate birthdays (or any holiday really, with the exception of Chinese New Year) but I decided to make an exception this year and I’m glad I did. 19 should be a great year!

Question of the Week: What has been your favorite birthday celebration?

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

Today is Mother’s Day, a day dedicated to all the mothers of the world when really, every day should be a mother’s day. Whether it be with flowers, breakfast in bed, presents, a nice dinner, or some other form of celebration, mothers today are experiencing a lovely day dedicated to thanking them for just being a mom.

My plans for today aren’t all that special, I’m afraid, as my family really isn’t into the whole celebrating of holidays, with the exception of Chinese New Year. My brother and I bought my mother two presents, one from each of us, and then later today we are taking her out to dinner at her favorite restaurant, and then I am baking her favorite cake for her later tonight. It’ll be simple, but a nice day, especially since it’s been a while since the whole family has been together as I’ve been away at school. I’m looking forward to spending time together as a family today, and I’m sure my mom is too!

To all the mothers in the world, Happy Mother’s Day!

Question of the Week: What do your Mother’s Day plans include this year?

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

Originally published at blog@excuses-untold.org. Please leave any comments there.

This Saturday is February 14, which means that it’s Valentine’s Day. In the commercial world, it’s hard to miss this holiday, even if you really try to ignore it. As soon as Christmas is over, stores start ushering in the Valentine’s decorations, and commercials for Hallmark, Godiva, and other companies that make huge profits around Valentine’s Day are aired constantly on television. It’s suffocating, really; everyone knows when Valentine’s Day is already and the holiday generates a mixed reaction from people. Some people love Valentine’s Day, while others hate it. I happen to fall in the latter category.

It’s not a matter of being depressed over Valentine’s Day because I’m single. Even when I was in a relationship during Valentine’s Day, I still thought the holiday was a load of crap. Yes, in theory it should be all lovely and romantic with flowers, chocolates, romantic gestures, and a wonderful day with your significant other. Except in reality, Valentine’s Day is never what it’s made out to be in all of the commercials and advertisement campaigns. If you’re in a relationship, it creates unrealistic expectations that can never be met of an incredibly romantic day with your partner. If you’re not in a relationship, then, well, you may as well buy yourself a box of chocolates¹ and stuff your face with them because everyone else in the world has someone that loves them and by being single, you are evidently all alone in the world.

Valentine’s Day has become nothing but a holiday exploited by Hallmark, Godiva, and other related companies to rake in the big bucks selling this perception of a day where the “perfect romance” can occur, where you can be swept off your feet and fall head over heels in love with someone. If you happen to want to tell someone you love them the day before or the day after Valentine’s² , it won’t be as romantic. Nope, save any and every romantic gesture you’ve ever wanted to show towards your partner for Valentine’s Day. It’s the only day where your partner will really appreciate it, after all.

Some say that Valentine’s Day gives them a chance to express their feelings towards their significant other. Again, what a load of crap! Honestly, if you’re with someone, then it shouldn’t be hard to tell them how you feel, because being with them is a pretty big indicator as to what your feelings are! And if you need that extra push to tell someone how you feel about them, then how about following the saying “Live every day as if it were your last” rather than “Well, it’s Valentine’s Day, so I guess now is as good a time as ever…” Allowing Valentine’s Day to manipulate and dictate when and how you can express your feelings towards another is ridiculous, and is an indicator of how society has given into the marketing tactics of the commercial world.

Personally, I think it would be far more romantic for your partner to randomly surprise you with a gesture of their love for you any day of the year. It would carry more meaning and thought if it was done simply so that they could show you how much you meant to them because they wanted to show you, not because an over-marketed holiday dictated that it was required for them to do so on a particular day. I would love a romantic surprise given to me “just because” rather than “I did it cause it’s Valentine’s Day.”

1. The Valentine’s Day kind, of course, since obviously those are reserved for people in a relationship but hey, you don’t need to worry about that since you’re single! [↩]
2. Or, heaven forbid, a random day in a month like May or November! [↩]

Originally published at blog@excuses-untold.org. Please leave any comments there.

Today, January 25, is Chinese New Year Eve. This means that I need to run around in preparation for the New Year today, getting everything ready before the Year of the Ox arrives. I need to clean my room and do all my laundry so that all of the bad spirits of the previous year are washed away with the arrival of the new year, and tonight I have to wash my hair as well as shower because washing hair on the first day of the New Year is bad luck. It is traditional for the entire family to get together and have a Chinese New Year Eve dinner, but as the majority of my family is in Hong Kong and I’m in the States, that’s not really an option for me this year.

Tomorrow, I have to call my family and wish them a happy new year (新年快乐) and prosperity for the new year (恭喜发财), among many other well-wishes. My personal favorite is 心想事成, which translates to “May all of your wishes come true.” Then comes the distribution of red packets (红包), which is one of the many perks of Chinese New Year! Additionally, I will abstain from eating meat for the first day of the new year, for it is believed that doing so will increase one’s longevity. It is also customary for people to visit their elders such as their grandparents, but due to geographical distance, again, that’s not an option for me. Altogether there are fifteen days of Chinese New Year (much like how there are twelve days of Christmas), and while I really only observe the traditional customs on the eve of the new year as well as the first day, it’s my favorite holiday.

I just love the feeling of a fresh start for a new year - cleaning, cooking, the well-wishes… I love how families get together and wish each other prosperity for the new year, how people visit their elders to pay their respects, and how everyone is always happy, giving out red packets and enjoying the delicious food that is served around New Year. There’s so much culture and tradition that is steeped into the customs of Chinese New Year, and I love the festive atmosphere and excitement that is part of the holiday. This is my first Chinese New Year without my family, and as it is my favorite holiday I am a little scared to spend it on my own - but I’m confident that my friends and I will make it a Chinese New Year to remember. Happy Year of the Ox, everyone!

Question of the Week: What is your favorite holiday, and why?