Unbalanced Vision

At this very moment, somewhere on the other side of the planet, my family and relatives are at Grandpa and Grandma's having the annual Chinese New Year's Eve get-together dinner. Grandpa said that he has saved a seat for me--this made me sniff a little--oh, how sweet. (But on second thoughts, it does look as if I am dead.) Everyone took turns talking to me, and then Dad, in a solemn voice says, "We have to start now, call again tomorrow."
Our style is not to fall into sentimentality, and I love that.