My weekends are usually boring
Unlike many people, my weekends are usually boring. I dread cooking during weekdays, and on weekends... forget about entering the kitchen. I only have a kitchen because it came with the house (another one from funny signs for women). This is the internal conversation I have with myself ......
"But it's a weekend! Most people don't cook on weekends."
"But, but, but..... you don't cook during weekdays either!!!"
"People go and eat out on weekends! They have picnics, they have BBQs, they eat at parents, they have lunch with friends...."
"Yah... only if you can be bothered MAKING SOMETHING to go out for a picnic! Or if you don't mind the crappy food my vision impaired father-in-law cooks! Or if you actually have friends! "
I'm a pathetic sad case, aren't I?
Most weekends, if we are invited to a kid's birthday party, that will be the only 'event' of the week. See, I don't have family here. So no mum's to go to for lunch/dinner, no aunties or uncles to visit, no cousins' to visit and therefore, no 376 birthday celebrations to go to. My husband is Greek. You'd think that Greeks love their gatherings so I'd have lots to go to. They do. Everything you see in the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is TRUE!! But my husband has a very small family AND extended family. It's just him, his brother, his father, and a very close maternal Aunty Julie whom we adore, but she's a Jehovah's Witness, so no Christmas or birthday celebrations for them, and a few cousins. All our friends are married, so no engagements or weddings. We don't have young friends who still celebrate their 21st or 30th, so no big birthday bashes either. We are always calling people on weekends to see if they are home so we can go visit, but never had any luck. Everyone has something happening.
So really, we are just 'not happening' people with 'not happening' lives!
My friend, Ruey on the other hand, has a busy family diary - week in week out. Every other weekend, she has some uncle or aunty's place to go to. And they have BIG gatherings. Her husband is Philipino and Philipinos know how to have BIG parties. They usually do pot luck dinners and they go on till dawn. I usually know not to buzz her on msn on Sundays cos chances are she didn't go to bed till 4am or 6am. And this is not just special occasions like Christmas or New Year's or birthdays. And almost everyone turns up - EVERYTIME!! There's always in excess of 40 people at any given gathering, 20 odd dishes on the table, booze to last, and enough game tables for everyone to play card games or gambling. They just love to gather for food, for company, for drinks, for games, even if it's for no one's birthday, it's still a celebration. You can celebrate anytime, so long as you are happy.
Isn't that nice? See, I wouldn't mind 'family social obligations' very much if we are doing it because we feel like it. Just come for dinner, or come for a party because we just feel like it today. Doesn't that mean more? It's like I like your company therefore I'd like you to come. I don't like to go to these 'gatherings' when it's for a purpose. I know, I'm really anti-social. I don't like going to family gatherings... PERIOD. From young, we always have to visit our grandparents weekly because it's like an obligation for my mum and dad to be there to visit them, we kids had to go along as well. As we grew older, we had to be at so-and-so's house for a party cos it's so-and-so's birthday, or so-and-so has struck lottery so they are happy and therefore they threw a party. Other days, no party, no gathering, no celebration.
I love meeting up friends because I want to, I enjoy their company. How nice if we can always casually organise lunch for no apparent reason. Just because! Some people like to ask "Sure, what's the occasion?" ........ Can't we just get together even if there is no 'occasion'?
"Oh! No occasion, really. Just because we are friends? Is that a good enough occasion?"
Are we losing it? We don't celebrate friendships or relations anymore? Am I just being melancholy because I have no life? Everyone is always so busy and there's always some place they have to be for a 'purpose'; and if there is no purpose, you are scheduled for later.
I must be miserable because of PMS. Oh another funny one from the funny signs for women ....
I have PMS and ESP.... that makes me a bitch who knows everything.
All right, signing off now. Better go do something around the house so I still qualify as a housewife.
"But it's a weekend! Most people don't cook on weekends."
"But, but, but..... you don't cook during weekdays either!!!"
"People go and eat out on weekends! They have picnics, they have BBQs, they eat at parents, they have lunch with friends...."
"Yah... only if you can be bothered MAKING SOMETHING to go out for a picnic! Or if you don't mind the crappy food my vision impaired father-in-law cooks! Or if you actually have friends! "
I'm a pathetic sad case, aren't I?
Most weekends, if we are invited to a kid's birthday party, that will be the only 'event' of the week. See, I don't have family here. So no mum's to go to for lunch/dinner, no aunties or uncles to visit, no cousins' to visit and therefore, no 376 birthday celebrations to go to. My husband is Greek. You'd think that Greeks love their gatherings so I'd have lots to go to. They do. Everything you see in the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is TRUE!! But my husband has a very small family AND extended family. It's just him, his brother, his father, and a very close maternal Aunty Julie whom we adore, but she's a Jehovah's Witness, so no Christmas or birthday celebrations for them, and a few cousins. All our friends are married, so no engagements or weddings. We don't have young friends who still celebrate their 21st or 30th, so no big birthday bashes either. We are always calling people on weekends to see if they are home so we can go visit, but never had any luck. Everyone has something happening.
So really, we are just 'not happening' people with 'not happening' lives!
My friend, Ruey on the other hand, has a busy family diary - week in week out. Every other weekend, she has some uncle or aunty's place to go to. And they have BIG gatherings. Her husband is Philipino and Philipinos know how to have BIG parties. They usually do pot luck dinners and they go on till dawn. I usually know not to buzz her on msn on Sundays cos chances are she didn't go to bed till 4am or 6am. And this is not just special occasions like Christmas or New Year's or birthdays. And almost everyone turns up - EVERYTIME!! There's always in excess of 40 people at any given gathering, 20 odd dishes on the table, booze to last, and enough game tables for everyone to play card games or gambling. They just love to gather for food, for company, for drinks, for games, even if it's for no one's birthday, it's still a celebration. You can celebrate anytime, so long as you are happy.
Isn't that nice? See, I wouldn't mind 'family social obligations' very much if we are doing it because we feel like it. Just come for dinner, or come for a party because we just feel like it today. Doesn't that mean more? It's like I like your company therefore I'd like you to come. I don't like to go to these 'gatherings' when it's for a purpose. I know, I'm really anti-social. I don't like going to family gatherings... PERIOD. From young, we always have to visit our grandparents weekly because it's like an obligation for my mum and dad to be there to visit them, we kids had to go along as well. As we grew older, we had to be at so-and-so's house for a party cos it's so-and-so's birthday, or so-and-so has struck lottery so they are happy and therefore they threw a party. Other days, no party, no gathering, no celebration.
I love meeting up friends because I want to, I enjoy their company. How nice if we can always casually organise lunch for no apparent reason. Just because! Some people like to ask "Sure, what's the occasion?" ........ Can't we just get together even if there is no 'occasion'?
"Oh! No occasion, really. Just because we are friends? Is that a good enough occasion?"
Are we losing it? We don't celebrate friendships or relations anymore? Am I just being melancholy because I have no life? Everyone is always so busy and there's always some place they have to be for a 'purpose'; and if there is no purpose, you are scheduled for later.
I must be miserable because of PMS. Oh another funny one from the funny signs for women ....
I have PMS and ESP.... that makes me a bitch who knows everything.
All right, signing off now. Better go do something around the house so I still qualify as a housewife.
posted by mich at
08:56
3 Comments:
*Hugs* Mich.....invite yourself over anytime!! Lately...we have had quieter weekends...especially now that basketball season has started again. Tee hee...and you over exaggerated lah....about 20 people at my place when the family gets together.....and while sometimes we make an effort to cook..sometimes...it's all takeaway because I don't like to cook weekends either. I actually stress about cooking when entertaining...so happier to go out with friends or just order takeaway....ribs on the run, kfc...finger licking food to have with rice.
Sometimes these family gatherings are fun....sometimes they're a chore and feel like such a chore to get to....but the kids to enjoy it and I 'm always very aware that it's only a matter of time before my teens will choose not to go to those 'non occasion' gatherings...but I hope to instill in them a need to connect with family for celebrations and so far so good.
Take care and call me if you're bored and want to come over!!!
*hugz*
I actually love to stay at home lately. hee maybe bcos of SB. Wheneve i need to go back to msia im like "not again" but of cos when im back im glad cos Sarah get to meet her grand parents. I used to plan lots of weekend activities for Sarah. but nowaday im so lazy :P
Hi Mich. Got the link here from Ruey's blog. Thanks for putting the link to my blog from here too:) My weekends are usually quiet too. We seem to have lots of grocery to do in the weekends and end up eating out. My dh and I has no family here too.
Shirls
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