The post Chinese New Year’s Eve – Jan 27, 2017 appeared first on The Scribbling Geek.

It’s Chinese New Year’s Eve and I’m looking at what to do over the next few days of idle peace.

Yes. Magnificent idle time. Now, now, I know what you’re thinking. Aren’t you Chinese? Aren’t you Singaporean? Don’t you have plenty of festive visits to do and host?

Are you, ahem, one of those, ahem …

Well, there are two reasons behind this. Firstly, for over ten years, I’ve been working alone and mostly for Western companies. Thus I’m spared obligatory business and colleague visits. Secondly, while my extended family isn’t small, positively a horde if I include gramps’ other side of the family, there’s truly no relative I’m interested to meet or even hear from.

Pathetic? Tragic? No cousin or uncle or aunt you’d love to see? Well, let me say I’m certain I’m not alone with this sentiment. If not, why would the media run articles like this, and this, and this, each year in the days leading up to Chinese New Year’s Eve?

Why would the dear enterprising brothers and sisters over at China make a business out from services like this?

But I should clarify. My issue doesn’t revolve around marriage, although I am single at an “awkward” age. It’s really the gossips and politics that always blossom from such Chinese New Year visits. Unkind questions in the name of “concern,” but which are in truth mockery or bragging. Perhaps I read too much into such typical human behaviour, but isn’t it just lamentable that a festival of renewal brings with it a renewal of strife too? My extended family probably had it a little worse than most others, but already there are several cases of lifelong grudges and departures over such questions of “concern.” Cousins and aunts who broke away from the family because of such things.

Why aren’t you married? Why is your house so messy? Why are you doing that to your kids? Why are you …

Concern.

But it is Chinese New Year’s Eve. So I shouldn’t dwell on negative thoughts, should I? Let me ramble about what I’m looking at doing over the festive weekend.

Tatakau! Kiryu-san!

I’d probably be spending the bulk of the weekend rampaging across Kamurocho and Onomichi. I’m there about a third, I think, into Ryu ga Gotoku 6: Inochi no Uta, or Yakuza 6. So far. Sega’s latest episode of this gangland series has been addictive. The graphics are outstanding, the voiceovers great as usual, and compared to Yakuza 0 and Ishin, the battle system is really way more manageable. (Eight styles to remember in Yakuza 0! Nanja?!)

I’m a little undecided, however, with the cut scenes. I can’t exactly pinpoint the reason, but somehow the cut scenes in Yakuza 6 feels unnatural. The characters talk without expression or movement, and there is always this extended pause between sentences. A case of my PS4 running too slowly? Lower polygon models used for too many of those scenes?

Update patch, Sega. Please. If it’s a technical issue.

Electone Practice

Time flies, as they say. Since my last YouTube upload, I haven’t switched on my Electone.

And I made a resolution to upload a new song every fortnight in 2017.

Bleah. Shame on me.

I’d have to force myself to practice. No festive songs, though. The one I picked for my next upload is an Electone classic, Disney’s Someday My Prince Will Come. To be honest, I’m a little hesitant about “doing” this one, given there are already so many Electone uploads of it. But it’s a compulsory piece for a certain playlist I have in mind. I just have to … stop procrastinating and get down to it.

Chinese New Year’s Eve Photo Shoot

Before gangland bloodshed, before dreamy dreams of princes, I need to venture down to River Hongbao 2017 for some photos. These would complete my article on Chinese New Year in Singapore over at HubPages. To date, I have uploaded thirty pictures there and the ones to take will replace the pics I used from River Hongbao’s official page. I keeping fingers crossed that I wouldn’t be swarmed by crowds when there. Oh what the hell. I’d just treat it as part of being festive.

For those of you who are celebrating, Happy Year of the Rooster 2017!

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