08 FEBRUARY 2008. FRIDAY. 05:22PM.

It appears to be a rather low-key new year in the city. The streets seemed less chaotic from the holiday cab hailing frenzy. I even managed to go raw fish salad shopping yesterday in an empty expatriate-filled supermarket on a public holiday. I spent the night at a friend's pad watching Tokyo Drift, painting nails and reading fashion magazines while her token male busied himself in the World of Warcraft. Today's celebrations is a sharp contrast. Old traditions holds deep with my only living grandma cooking up a big feast for all her extended family converging in one apartment. Like clockwork she whispers to me to find a significant other soon, preferably before she (in her own words)kicks the bucket . Then she proceeds to offer me another red packet which i politely remind her she has already given me one earlier. And then she does it a couple more times again before lunch is over.