Culturally Preconditioned

Nothing’s What It Seem To Be

To my English teacher, Miss Lee,

Where do I start? Year in year out, we have Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Though I personally feel that these ‘designated’ holidays are nothing but sell-outs and simply a way of giant corporations of reaping our hard-earned cash for this mockery of a celebration, they’re pretty straightforward. There’s only one father, one mother and (under normal circumstances) only one lover. But I am always at a loss when it comes to celebrating Teacher’s Day. It seems as though I’ve gone through thousands of teachers from pre-school all the way to college (professors, to me, basically are still teachers, only with a fancier title), so how exactly do I pick one single favorite teacher?

Before I get you all hyped up, let me firstly clarify that, Miss Lee, you are not my favorite teacher. Do you remember our first class together in 1992? You entered the class and introduced yourself and began preaching to the class on how English is the one of most difficult language to master. You went on to the topic of pronunciation and mentioned that not everything sounds like we think it should be. Nothing is what they seem to be in the English language. That’s fine, but what you did next was unexpected.

Well that was my original draft of the short story that I submitted to my editor when she enquired if I would like to contribute to the anthology that she was compiling last year.

The book was only recently published last month in the States, and I have yet to see it in our local bookstores (I suspect it will end up in Kinokuniya like my first one did).. and yes, this is a shameless plug for my new published work - not that I get any kinds of royalties from the books sales, mind you.

Anyway, I had rambled on and on for over 2000 words and my editor had to par it down to the required 800 words, so the text that I typed above was severely butchered out. I’m guessing it was because of my views on the celebrated ‘Mother’s/Father’s/Teacher’s Day’.

I still do think that (and I will repeat it again here) these ‘designated’ holidays are nothing but sell-outs and simply a way of giant corporations to reap our hard-earned cash for this mockery of a celebration. (by the way, the published book was not meant for a special occassion such as a Teacher’s Day - I’m not even sure if the rest of the world celebrates it.)

I mean, why do we need a special day to celebrate our mothers, and our fathers, and our teachers? Aren’t we suppose to cherish these individuals every day? Why a single special day? What does it commemorate? I get anniversaries and birthdays cause they are related to a significant date or event. But where does these unnecessary Mother/Father/Teacher’s Day come from? I mean, come on!

And while we’re at it, why don’t we have a Grandparents Day, or a Brother’s Day or a Sister’s Day or a Twin Day or an Uncle Day or an Aunt Day. Are these people not significant in our lives? Dayist much? And why stop there? Shouldn’t there also be a Best Friend Day? Or a Pet Owner’s Day or a Lesbian Lover Day or a Fuck Buddy Day? Oh and don’t you even dare to forget Adopted Child Day.

But that’s just my take on this celebrated special days. Give me a break. The only thing that gets to me are people who EXPECT me to celebrate and even demand congratulatory messages from me for these inane celebrations. (Nope, my parents are not that bad, thank goodness). Self-entitlement issues much? Geez.

And speaking of self-entitlement issues… I thought Rupert from Survivor was bad, but I was wrong. This ego-bloated guy takes the cake

“I’m shocked. Everyone expected me to become the next Idol bla bla bla”. You just have to read his exit interviews to know what I’m talking about. LOL. Good luck to Fuel if they are really getting this guy to be their front man.

And on the bright sides of things… the Survivor : Exile Island finale is on right now (in the States). Yay!