Tet everywhere

It’s here.

Year of the Dragon.

Known for swirling around, playfully. But like anything else, it has to stop, for a rest or reward (li xi).

All sensory perceptions come into play: the Dragon dance, the li-xi in mini red envelope, New Year wishes, traditional food and drink, and mostly, the added age: older, but wiser?

I am entering that phase when in our Asian society, one got a bow and a pre-fix “Cu”, for being senior.

Had it been in previous centuries, I probably would have been long dead. Thanks to all the vaccines and vitamins, I am here and healthy still.

Back in the 80’s, we watched Nightline with Ted Koppel, covering the Iranian hostage crisis, and Dr Fauci (younger back then) talking about the AIDs epidemic.

On top of the fear of Third World War (nuclear), the public faced a crisis of confidence. 444 days of hostage crisis (as opposed to one day on Sept 5 at Munich).

Inflation was through the roof and fear in the air. Even Bob Dylan was flirting with religion “You’ve got to serve somebody”….

Back then, I did not have a heart for Tet. I was concentrating on my studies, on my career and making a living (with Mom in tow). My dating life was soured. My hope of ever seeing my dad dashed.

Just coast. Doing the same thing day in and out, hoping for a different result (insanity).

The 80’s was a lost decade. Even the Challenger blew up on live TV. People I admired like Peter Jennings, eventually died right after 9/11.

No one talked about Vietnam. Certainly not the GOP (Nixon’s war).

Then arrived a bunch of movies, all fictionally adapted screenplays. It was painful to be apologetic about the past. Go along and get along. Gyms weren’t even popular, except for Jane Fonda’s aerobics (and Madonna’s underwear worn outside).

Then a Tet here, a Tet there, Tet everywhere. A Vietnamese American community emerged out of nowhere, in Westminster, CA then San Jose (electronic industry) and finally Houston (as oil price recovered).

Pharmacy, doctors and dentists’ office, law office (mostly immigration) and restaurants. The religious groups also got some head start with denominational factions competing for “sheep”. The Buddhist temples struggled to find their foothold in a strange land.

Shaved heads and yellow ca-sa (robe) barefooted in suburban America (unlike the Harikrishna at the airport) did not seem to fit in.

But America has always been a strange place, with strange people. Politicians need votes, public school students and public work tax money.

So a compromise made possible the proliferation of ethnic centers.

From there, the arts among which culinary arts flourished.

Tet festivals at a community college, then Tet festivals at County Fairground, and finally, in Virginia, at an Expo center.

Tet everywhere, all at once. Slowly, then suddenly. Two-way facetime, greetings across the pond and time zones. All paid-for by program sponsored (Loi noi khong mat tien mua). Why not. Our version of Fortune Cookies well wishing.

Back in early 90’s, MCI advertised a future forwarding service: video phone to connect extended families. Now that vision is here. Free. And much more than that, every man woman and child can now podcast, putting the likes of Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson to shame (in-language too).

Tet everywhere. The name no longer held a stigma of previous cease-fire violation (Tet 1968). Even inter-racial marriages saw “white” sons-in-law wearing Vietnamese Ao-Dai at Temple’s Tet.

Welcome to a new Century. Hi tech, low cholesterol. I am talking about my favorite subject here: the intersection of tech, cultures in modern times. At some point, Dylan will be back with an A.I. version: “You’ve got to serve somebody”. “You” here is the machine, always on time, no quarrel and eager to please. (even sweeping the floor in anticipating tons of guest). But first, let’s celebrate these 3 days of Tet. Tet Everywhere, far or near.

With the Dragon, it’s only a matter of time before it shows up at our doorsteps. Just for a drink. Preferably for an envelope (li xi).

Cung Chuc Tan Xuan.

Peace on Earth.