Luxury Or Something Like It

At the time of writing this article, I’ve tossed yu sheng more than 20 times (I lost count after the 20th) by the 15th day of Lunar New Year 2019, a date that signifies the conclusion of the festivities.

- Wendy Long

Simple math will tell you that 20-odd plates of yu sheng over 15 days means I’ve practically been eating salad for lunch and dinner for two weeks, which is about as much salad as I consume over a whole year.

Actually, my yu sheng meals are still ongoing post-lunar New Year celebration. I’ve two more to go on the 16th and 18th days. So, surely this Year of the Pig will be a bountiful and prosperous year! Which is what we believe in, with each symbolic toss, peppered with auspicious sayings and more importantly, loaded with our desires and wishes, like better career prospects, prosperous business endeavors, good grades, healthy dogs (wishes from the pawrents among us), obedient kids (though I’ve also overheard wishes for obedient husbands and thrifty wives… tsk, tsk), and for the ladies, definitely younger, skinnier, sexier and prettier.

The one that really tickled me was what my friend’s parents wished for, earnestly, with each toss, “En-bloc go through”, as their decades old property has finally garnered the minimum 80 per cent consent from owners, after many previous unsuccessful attempts. My friend told me that her mum would remind her dad, before every