That time of year again

Almost half past three in the morning. I am still up reading blogs written by women who share stories about kids.

Hilarious. Kids are naive and smart and talk back alot. Instant entertainment.

ANYWAY. I just wanted to say- I LOVE CHRISTMAS.  Even though I've never had a real christmas present. The last time there was something under the tree was when I was in kindergarten. There was ONE flat box sitting under the plastic branches. I was so excited I opened it (carefully ofc not tearing the wrapping)- and even more excited to find out it was a game. Connect 4. HAHA. I think we still have that game in one of those huge moving boxes- even after living in this place for 2 years (omg already?!), we still haven't managed to unpack.

Last year, I spent Boxing Day with my cousins Joan, Gina and Jessie, their husbands and their 6 (combined) kids Jacinta, Joshua, Vincent, Monique, Laura and Ryan. I've shared this story before- but I feel the need to share it again. :D Christmas is awesome for kids nowadays.

Back when I was younger, K and I were lucky to have a tree up in the living room. M would put it up to make us happy- D never cared. Somehow, the concept of an old man bringing presents was never intorduced to me properly. I knew he was fake from the start. I've sort of been quite practical from the start. Santa was a myth. I don't think my parents knew about Santa until I was halfway through primary school- chatty phase- where I told my mum everything there was to talk about in the universe. But yeah. We never got Christmas presents- but I was fascinated and I LOVED this game even though now, when I think back, it was a totally stupid game- that wasn't even REAL- 'twas from the local dollar shop.

Last year when I walked into my cousin's house, the kids screamed and swarmed around our kneecaps, seeing what presents we had brought for them. Haha. Spoilt little bubs. I turned towards the living room and whispered "holy crap" when I saw presents OVERFLOWING from under the tree. Unbe-freaking-lievable. It was like Santa's workshop- Finished Goods Room/Ready for delivery. OMG immediately felt a pang of jealousy, but was interrupted by Vincent who struck me on the shoulder with another Star Wars toy. Parents should not show Star Wars to kids under 6 years of age. xD He just kept hitting people with that stupid glowing/noise making stick. I wanted to stick it up him- but I'm a nice "yeeyee" or "jiejie"(whatever they feel like calling me).

Present opening time came along and it was such an enjoyable occassion. The kids weren't used to being photographed- and those holidays, I think I documented my life with that camera. They were jittery from the excitement of present receiving and opening time, and also that I was taking funny pictures of them and showing them the funny expressions they had on their face.

But damn. Each present was huge- the size of a full sized guitar- like stuff you see on television! They were really nicely wrapped with ribbons and labels with the child's name.  Ricky dressed up as santa (beer gut- grosssss) in a stupid felt costume :D and the kids pretended it was Santa. They plonked on his knee and said "Thank you Santa" before dragging away their beloved gift.

So yeah. These kids- 6 kids, had 2 aunts and uncles each.  You'd think there would be a maximum of 36 presents under the tree. If you did, then you thought wrong. There was more. THESE KIDS ARE SPOILT ROTTEN. TO THE CORE!  But they're polite and a whole bag of fun. Jacinta and Monique asked me to join them in fingerpainting flowerpots and colouring in their Disney Princess colour books with their 124 pieces art set- while Vincent and Ryan kept poking me in the back with light sabres (DAMN THOSE THINGS) and Ben10 figurines. (Since we got Go!, I've been watching Ben10 almost daily. I think I know how to stop those kids from bothering me now. :D If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. WOOHOO BEN10 FANCLUB)

Joshua and Laura were still babies and cried alot- I don't like babies. They're ugly and either really love you or really hate you. You can't manipulate them like you can manipulate kids. When you pretend you know about Ben10, the boys will love you and give you a figurine to play with.  And with girls, just give alot of compliments- they'll worship you. Oh- they also happen to adore older girls who take an interest in what they do.

J: Beeelllleee
B: Yes?
J: What colour dyu think Cindy's dress should be (Cinderella)?
B: What about green with orange carrots?
J: Green?
B: Orange carrots?
J: I like carrots/
B: Really? I don't. What else do you like? Pink?
J: Yes, I love pink.
B: I know you're wearing  a lovely pink dress today. And I just LOVE your room ^^ so pink (gag), and gosh- you painted your nails too (DOUBLE GAG) in pink lacquer.
J: You noticed?

Kids love it when people pay attention to them.

I think I've perfected my Christmas/Boxing day babysitting skills- however I won't be in Aus during Xmas and I'll miss another party with the extended family.

Digressing slightly,  Christmas decorations are an important part of this festive season. Some people say its capitalism and it's just a scam to suck money out of people- but it really does bring in the festive mood. My neighbours has started putting up Xmas decorations- and it's quite interesting to see what additional features they add to their front yard every year. Santa on the roof, lights in the trees, roof and windows, Santa popping out of an inflatable fabric box, Santa climbing up the side of the house, little reindeer on the front lawn, etc. Bliss. I love it. I love Christmas. I love how people get so into it. I love CANDY canes, decorating trees, wrapping presents and curling ribbon. However, I don't like eggnog, fruitcake or mince pies.

Ahh seeing sparkly cellophane ornaments dangling off the walls at shopping centres and decorated window displays and signs saying "CHRISTMAS CLEAR OUT" or "END OF YEAR SALE" really cheer me up too.

In China, they aren't too big on Xmas, but the decorations are still there. Present giving is a definite (wth my cousin, Jack in SH is a spoilt as brat who got his first MP3 player when he was 6. WHAT THE HECK), giant displays of trees, or a fat santa, a sleigh full of presents exist in the shopping centres, but outside that- nothing. No home displays of lights, moving santas and reindeer. No carols or Chrismas food. But I love it all the same.

I loveLOVElove Christmas- I know it's still November, but I'm so full of holiday cheer I can't help but talk about Christmas (which was probably triggered by the lack of any good Christmases when I was a child- nof to M & D lol. they sucked at holidays).

HURRY UP CHRISTMAS. COME NOW!  lalalalalaaaaaa

Babbled for far too long today. 4am. yikes!

laters alligators

PS. WINTER CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR- Booyah

Stuck into it

PS (I know this shouldn't be at the top- but it's important)- LEONA ZHANG WAS IN DOLLY MAG. ULTIMATE LULZ. ;D;D;D;D

HELLO EVERYONE.

For once, I don't think I have anything in particular to blog about. I have nothing really important to say (not that anything I say is ever important)- but all day I've just been thinking about economics... food... economics... biology.. food.. japanese... mm japanese food...

My internet was supposed to be uncapped this morning, but I had trouble accessing it in the afternoon so I spent most of that time studying.  I realise it's actually not that hard to focus on the big desk in my room (the one D normally takes up) because the area is so big and I can just sort everything into piles.

I am a space hog.

I love nothing more than a BIG, WIDE, CLEAN area for me to work in.  There was a time when I used to take the table cloth from the dining table and work on the clean wooden plank- but M forbade me. She said I took too much time putting everything together again when it was time for dinner.  Honestly, I think a work table without a computer and annoying wires/cables is the optimum place for study- which is why the dining room is my favourite location.

Today M, D & K went to Bankstown.. or Blacktown.. or some place like that to get a haircut (apparently there is a good stylist there.. I just get mine cut at Ewood- Medusa. lol) and I had the whole house to myself for several hours. It was great. Well, it would have been better if my back yard neighbours (you know what I mean right? The people who share the same backyard fence as you..) didn't hold a party today that started at 12pm and ended at 9pm. FAR OUT. Who the hell holds outdoor parties that last 9 hours. :( 

Normally, I love kids. But during HSC, I'd love nothing more than to shove a sock in each kid's mouth. It's so disrupting and piercing and euughh.

Oh - actually I have something to discuss now :) Brainwave.  (btw, anyone tried Grainwaves? Are they any good?)

Loss... Death.. Grief. Whatever you want to call it.  Do kids know it?

I remember my Aunt passed away eons ago when I was nothing but a hyperactive midget.  I knew what happened to her. She wasn't playing hide and seek, she wasn't going away on a trip, I knew she had gone to a crematorium in a box and had been turned into ashes.  I thought every kids knew... but apparently not.

I witnessed a sort of naivety I had NEVER imagined before. It was humourous at the time- no doubt; but in reality, I guess it was a bit sad.  A little kid passed away, and the funeral soon came up.  The kid used to live with his group of cousins (seriously- ALL THE SAME AGE) and they had grown up practically brothers and sisters.  When the rest of the kids noticed he wasn't around anymore- there were questions, "mum, where is he?" "Dad, where's Ryan?" but pretty soon afterwards, they stopped asking and I thought they had forgotten about him already.

At the funeral, Ryan was carried in a white coffin, and like alot of traditional funerals, the lid was left off to let other people see his face one last time.  Vincent was playing outside, but was watching through the windows and suddenly he started making a huge racket.

"RYAN! RYAN! MUM! MUM LOOK! RYAN IS IN THE WHITE BOX! WHY IS RYAN IN THE WHITE BOX!"

The other kids started joining in, asking similar questions until Vincent's mum went outside to hush them up.  Later on, when they carried the coffin into the hearse, Vincent asked "Mum! Why are they taking him away?" no one answered him. I hate it when adults do that. TT__TT; seriously- for once, this kid asks a very valid question (he always gives me Ben10 pop quizzes) and no one replies.

After that he starts crying quietly which is unlike him. Vincent can be very sweet, but he's usually LOUD and obnoxious and very rude for a little kid (lol), and when he cries- he bawls loudly. D was worried by this, and asks him what's wrong.  Everything thinks he realises Ryan won't come back and has gone to a possibly better place.. but what he said shocked everyone and I think made everyone laugh.

He said, "Ryan won't come out of the box to play with me."

Maybe it's just me, but .. eugh. it's so hard to find the right words to convey what I'm trying to say.  Normally I'd believe NEVER to underestimate how much children understand- but I guess you shouldn't forget how naive they can be. It's cute, but sad. In this case- slightly morbid.

Children do forget though. I think Laura, Ryan's little sister, has sort of forgotten about him now.

Hm. I don't know how to end this post now. I don't normally write about this stuff I think- just found it a tad interesting.

Mmm. But a day of malfunctioning net, economics, bio and jap, left me lots of spare time to think about stuff I haven't thought about in a long while.

I can probably conclude that I was the smartest kid around. Unfortunately, I can't say the same now. XD

Hope you're all studying well! Hopefully I'll be able to visit KURA again this coming Monday :)  Have a lovely Sunday everyone! (PHO TOMORROW!)