Month of the Hungry Ghosts
My life is rolling downhill like swiss cheese. I mess up big time. I wanted to skip class today. So, yesterday night before I went to bed, I took a few spoonfuls of cocoa powder hoping to be feverish the next day. It didn't work. Went to school anyway. Today wasn't that bad because those assholes didn't come. In fact, 8 people didn't turn up. Some teachers didn't want to teach a class of 13 students. Bad omen perhaps.Today marks the first day of the 7th month of the lunar New Year according to the Chinese calendar. The gates of hell are opened to free the hungry ghosts who wander to seek food on Earth. On the first and last day as well as the middle of the 7th month, the Chinese are expected to burn fake money notes, or known as "hell notes" and other items of value which are made of paper. It is believed that the items will reach their ancestors from the other side of the world. I remember when I was little, I used to run over to the field across my grandparents' home where there was usually an opera show in such time of the year. The opera shows are held to please or entertain the wondering ghosts. Now it's hard to come across any opera show. It is slowly being replaced by modern show that bears skimpily clothed ladies who sing and dance to modern upbeat songs. During my childhood times, I was easily fascinated by the opera actors' heavy make-up and their costume. Would love to see that again if there's an opportunity.
