26. Making new resolutions a hundred times

[pompous_today]

吉慶有餘. I am glad to see the decorations for the new year around the castle, though I am wise enough by now to not touch them. They may seem harmless, but the castle has a way to make mundane things seem dangerous.

I hope that perhaps this year will be better than the last one has been for many of us, and that the victims of last week's attack make a speedy recovery.

[吉慶有餘 = Jíqìngyǒuyú = "May your happiness be without limit", which according to my thorough research at Wikipedia is a common New Year greeting. I figured that since the Firefly world is a mashup of Chinese and American culture, Simon would probably celebrate Chinese New Year to some extent.]

Comments

Dictated

[the_effect_she_has]

You're a sweet man, brother mine.

[pompous_today]

You're kind to say so.

[the_effect_she_has]

It's not kind. It's the truth.

[pompous_today]

You flatter me. I did enjoy seeing something else that felt familiar, though... it has been a rough week.

[the_effect_she_has]

I can't argue with that. So ... what does it all mean? [She's never seen anything like it.]

[pompous_today]

Another way of measuring and celebrating the new year- this one according to both the phases of the moon and the planet's rotation around the sun. The language is called Chinese; I am fluent in it myself, as it is part of the combined cultures that developed when humans left Earth in my time.

[the_effect_she_has]

Oh .... so ... it's like another party, to celebrate having a new year. [Well that doesn't sound so bad.] Maybe I'll go.

voice;

[peacockherald]

You are familiar with this particular celebration, Simon?

voice;

[pompous_today]

It is similar to celebrations for the lunar new year where I am from, yes.

Re: voice;

[peacockherald]

So, there are two types of new year?

_{[ Confused! Help a Herald out, Simon. ]}

[pompous_today]

Some cultures do celebrate the new year at different times, yes. Different groups of humans developed different ways of measuring time- some according to the seasons, some according to the sun or the phases of the moon, and sometimes they do not all match up. This particular calendar is based on the cycles of the moon.

[peacockherald]

I see. Ours does something like that, using the moon. It seems easier, doesn't it, following something with a visible cycle rather than the sun?

[pompous_today]

It does to me- but then again, by my time, everything can be precisely calculated, so we do not have to rely on such signs any more.

[peacockherald]

I suppose that does make it easier. The moon is fairly accurate though, don't you think? It keeps its own time well enough.

[delincuente]

So that's what those are for.

[A small, bored hum.]

We should probably all just stop touching things in general. Never ends well. Were you here when crap started coming out of the library books? Those are the most boring things in the castle and even they've tried to kill us.

[pompous_today]

... No, no I was not. ... what sorts of things were they?

[delincuente]

I don't really know, because I was pretty busy with the hundred-and-something dogs that came out of mine and swarmed me.

[pompous_today]

... did they actually hurt you?

[delincuente]

They were Pomeranians, they couldn't have hurt me if they tried. Came out of 102 Pomeranians. You know, that kid's book?

[pompous_today]

I can't say that I have heard of the book, but I do know what a pomeranian is. Were you, perhaps, smothered in affection?

[delincuente]

More like smothered in annoyance. I'm not really a dog person, unless they're, like, cool and fire-breathing or something.

[godmakemeastone]

Happy here, Simon. This year will be best.

[pompous_today]

I enjoy any year I get to spend with you, River. I am glad you are happy, too.

[godmakemeastone]

Happy together. Paradisa is good for us. Miss the crew, though.

[pompous_today]

... I do, too. Kaylee especially... I just want to be able to tell her that I love her.