Advanced Search  
      Opinion>Ravi S. Narasimhan
             
     

    In the silly season, let's talk silly
    Ravi s. narasimhan China Daily  Updated: 2005-12-30 06:02

    In the silly season, let's talk silly

    Now that the silly season is well and truly upon us and is soon slipping away it might just be the reason to ruminate on what's really silly happening around us.

    We had the great turkey debate to kick off the official season: Whether it was safe to have a piece of stuffed meat dipped, or covered with, cranberry sauce at a time when bird flu was rampant. Since winter had taken hold, the smart ones went for mutton hot pot.

    You know it's the real silly season when the only debate in the United States seems to be about how to greet each other. Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?

    The politically unaware in China were blissfully ignorant: Merry Christmas was the call, generally. Politically-correct me said Happy Holidays. If it's good enough for Wal-Mart, it's fine with me. I wouldn't argue with a company whose turnover is more than most countries' GDP but I would certainly question an employer that tries to ban "lustful glances" in the workplace. Who would want to go to work otherwise?

    Of course, the silliest part of the season is the period from a holiday-high Christmas Eve to a hangover-ridden New Year's Day which is the period in which I set my "silly" column. Here's a sample.

    E-greetings: I love email. It's a wonderful invention (if that's what it's called, and not an application) which has transformed our lives. Not so sure about attachments, though. The simple, text stuff is fine but when you get e-greetings linking you somewhere which get you nowhere, it's real frustrating. They usually begin with: Your friend Andrew invites to look at E-Greet Inc... G-eeks. Hasn't anyone heard of nice, warm Christmassy cards sent by snail mail?

    We wish you ... I dislike mobile phones. Especially others', which ring usually emitting funny sounds when they shouldn't, and are generally a nuisance. But imagine when you sit in a nice, posh (read expensive) restaurant and someone's device goes off with: Jingle Bells or, worse, All I Want for Christmas Is You. Is it a crime to smash an offensive mobile phone when it disturbs public order?

    Santas: This ubiquitous Christmas character, it seems, you cannot escape anywhere in Beijing. At the neighbourhood Korean restaurant, the tall, graceful usher who is dressed in the elegant hanbok looked well, silly with a Santa cap on. Shouldn't we shove her boss up the chimney?

    Cheers ... The occupational hazard of Christmas is raising a toast, or two, or too many. The end-of-year spirit, driven by the year-end bonus, seems to take a life of its own. The parties are more raucous, the inhibitions, well, a little less inhibited, and the flesh weaker. The result, as is well documented, is unintended office romances and loud, indiscreet mutterings to the boss. But it's an annual ritual, so how do you skip it?

    Here's a gift ... Luckily, there aren't many Christmas sales on in Beijing at the moment so you don't feel so guilty not buying a gift. Even better, there are no post-Christmas sales (as shopaficionados know, that's the time for the kill). But still what do you buy for the colleague sitting next to you (she'll sit next to you for another year unless she gets promoted fat chance I will) when it seems de rigueur?

    I originally meant to compile a list of 10 things (like in the Heath Ledger movie) I find grating (I use the word "hate" with deliberation) but since I am running out of space, five seems a nice number.

    But hey, let me tell you what I "hate" most about the silly season.

    The silly aleck who tells you on December 31: See you next year.

    P.S. My New Year resolutions? Surely, there's plenty of time: They start in the Year of the Dog.

    Email: ravi@chinadaily.com.cn

    (China Daily 12/30/2005 page4)

     
      Story Tools  
       
    Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
    Advertisement
             

    | Home | News | Business | Living in China | Forum | E-Papers |Weather |

    |About Us | Contact Us | Site Map | Jobs |
    Copyright 2005 Chinadaily.com.cn All rights reserved. Registered Number: 20100000002731
    永久免费av无码网站yy| 中文字幕亚洲欧美日韩在线不卡| 中文字幕乱码无码人妻系列蜜桃 | 无码囯产精品一区二区免费| 日本乱中文字幕系列| MM1313亚洲精品无码| 亚洲精品无码久久久影院相关影片| 无码精品A∨在线观看中文| 麻豆aⅴ精品无码一区二区| 成人无码AV一区二区| 一区二区中文字幕 | 中文字幕 qvod| 国产精品毛片无码| 免费无遮挡无码永久视频| 国产亚洲精久久久久久无码77777 国产又爽又黄无码无遮挡在线观看 | 日韩精品人妻一区二区中文八零| 久久精品aⅴ无码中文字字幕重口 久久精品国产亚洲AV无码娇色 | 亚洲色偷拍另类无码专区| 日韩精品一区二三区中文 | 天堂在/线中文在线资源官网| 亚洲AV无码一区二三区| 国产羞羞的视频在线观看 国产一级无码视频在线| 一区二区三区人妻无码| 狠狠精品久久久无码中文字幕 | 亚洲中文字幕无码中文字在线 | 无码人妻精品一区二区三区久久 | 欧洲成人午夜精品无码区久久 | 欧日韩国产无码专区| av无码久久久久不卡免费网站| 精品欧洲av无码一区二区三区 | 亚洲成a人在线看天堂无码| 国产无码网页在线观看| 日韩久久无码免费毛片软件| 91嫩草国产在线无码观看| JLZZJLZZ亚洲乱熟无码| 国产日韩AV免费无码一区二区三区| 国产精品无码免费专区午夜| 亚洲中久无码不卡永久在线观看| 无码人妻丰满熟妇啪啪| 亚洲乱码中文字幕综合| 精品999久久久久久中文字幕|