Idle Christmas Thoughts
I can't believe it- they've been playing Christmas songs on the radio for the last 2 weeks. The holiday lights and deco are up. Admittedly, if you've followed my blogging trends over the years you know I get nostalgic and perhaps a bit homesick this time of year. Not that I regret the path I took; I think I'm very fortunate and I am blissfully happy. But one is allowed to ponder, no?
- I think about my highschool buddies with whom I'm still very close emotionally, though I wished we got to see each other more. I wish going out would be as simple as a call and a drive to the mamak stalls. Then again, with kids and work and all, even those who remain in Malaysia don't get to hang out the way we used to.
- I miss my family. Though we never really celebrated Christmas, we do put the tree up. And the last couple of Christmases they were around. Not this year though.
- I miss the snowless, hot and humid Christmases back home. With the fake (cotton wool) snow and the very fake Santa. I suppose it's inevitable in Asia; you're not going to find a white man with a big belly and a facefull of white beard to play the role. It's always going to be some Indian or Chinese guy. Not sure which is funnier. But yes, I do miss Malaysia's attempt at trying to be Chrismassy.
- I miss my buddies from our years in Rochester; I miss simpler times when all we cared about were 1) What crazy cases we saw oncall and 2) Which buffet to hit now that we were postcall, pissed and hungry.
- I am happily married, but I have to say Christmas makes me ponder about lost loves too. Girls who came and went, and a lot of what ifs. Most of all I wonder about my first love, Elaine, for whom I developed a huge crush when she performed in that Christmas dance when I was 11. Whose family migrated to New Zealand that following Christmas. Wham's 'Last Christmas' and 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing' tend to remind me of that.
- I miss hearing my dad sing along to the Christmas songs over the radio. Sinatra, Como, Elvis and a host of others. For some reason though, 'The Little Drummer Boy' seems to stick in my head the most.
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