Happy New Year!! 恭喜发财!!

And yes, here we are as we usher in the Year of the Dog, 2006. Somehow, it always feels different celebrating the Chinese New Year in a foreign land. However hard you try to mimic the festivity back home with decorations, steamboat gatherings, and even passionate new year greetings, it still lacks that special something - a homely touch. I believe you just have to celebrate New Year with your family around you.

Even so, after spending 4 years of New Year half a globe away from family, this year’s New Year feels different. I really like it this time. Maybe I wasn’t bogged down by any homework at all (unlike the previous work-drowning years)… Maybe this is my last year in Pittsburgh… Maybe it’s all the new friends I’ve made over here… I don’t know. Looking back at the CNY weekend, it’s really the most amazing fun-packed CNY I’ve had over here.

除夕 － Sat, Jan 28

This is the first ski trip of the season, and the first one on a CNY eve! Having skiied only one year ago, I was naturally excited! I wonder if I could still remember how to stop. At Seven Springs, the weather was amazing! A good 2 degrees celsius with sun blasting down on you on the slopes. We were all over-dressed. Usually when you ski, you get wet outside in from all the falls and the snow. This time, I was wet inside out, thoroughly drenched in my sweat after the first trail.

The ski resort had a couple of new attractions, the slalom trail and the half-pipes. Having spent the year 2002’s New Year in clutches before (it was another long story), I decided I had better keep my daredevil stunts for a day other than this New Year season. I really hope to try those before I graduate!

S and W were very good. Before I even realized it, we started sliding down the blacks. Adrenaline rush!! The thing about the black slopes is you have to keep the last 1/4 leg a full straight rush-down. Feel the wind in the face as everything starts to blur. Wooooooah. If you don’t fall that is.

My top 3 favorite trails:

1. Gunner (pure adrenaline rush, longest black slope)
2. Giant Boulder (a blue slope after the black, it has to feel good!!)
3. Boomerang (best view for a green slope)

2 hours after our last trail, we were back in Pittsburgh at the SSA CNY dinner. This dinner was interesting with a new item - the SSA Idol. I got the chance to represent my table to sing. E, our pianist was really good. Nothing less from an ex-民歌餐厅 pianist. “Start singing whenever you want, and I’ll follow…” he said. He really did! It’s been a while since I last sang on a stage. I’m glad I didn’t go out of tune.

To end the evening, we had a mahjong session at our place. We can never celebrate CNY without mahjong. M was the usual winner again! We have to find a way around his luck one day!! And, I was the big loser this time. Thank god we had a max cap of $10 on losses! I think it’s good to lose money for mahjong. Since the total level of luck we have may be a constant, I’ll be better off with my good luck somewhere else.

A fine start to a New Year!