new year

i guess the new year is a good enough reason to update again.

i guess by most accounts, 2010 was a pretty crummy year.  economic collapse, unending war/joblessness, various disasters (both natural and man-made), and a pervading sense of doom and gloom seemed to rule the news headlines.  it's not that good things didn't happen, it's just that the problems seemed so much bigger.  i don't know; maybe that's just how i tend to perceive these sorts of things.

of course, we tend to dwell on the past.  it's natural.  but fear not, my friends!  God makes things new!  (thanks p. jamie)  i'm not usually one to wax philosophic or even religious in my posts, but this thought really hit me during the message this morning.  what a refreshing (and relieving) idea.  i'm locking this one up in my mind for 2011.

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as far as family activities related to this day goes, not much has changed ever since i was a kid.  church in the morning, dad's family during the day, mom's fam at night.  sae-bae and dduck gook along the way.  while not much changes, i'm glad some family traditions have stood the test of time.

one very important thing was different, however.  since i'm now "a working man" (as my mom likes to say), i no longer get money for doing sae-bae.  while i was just a little bummed about it (not really), it was good to bow to and honor my elders without the financial incentive.  it's almost like not getting presents for christmas. you get to reflect on what's really important without any of the distractions.  it was funny seeing some of the baby cousins learn the ropes though.  bow, mumble something in korean, profit!  a few were reluctant at first, but once they figured it out, the change in their attitude was like night and day.

i guess this is one of those "seasons of life" things.  one period has ended (my poor un-self-sustaining era), and one has begun (not as poor, a little more self-sustaining).  soon, i'll be filling those little bank envelopes with cash and wondering where all the time went.  not until i have kids though.   so hopefully, not too soon. :)

(for my non-asian readers who have no idea what i'm talking about, koreans get together with family on new year's day to pay respect to elders by bowing and saying something along the lines of "may you be blessed in the new year."  it's tradition for the elders to give some cash in exchange.  yeah, we're just a little bit materialistic.  but we don't put as much of an emphasis on christmas, so i guess we're even.)

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resolutions?  i don't have any.  i'm perfect.