Happy New Year

again...

The 7th of February was the official beginning of Chinese New Year celebrations. It is the first day of the “new” year which contains the new moon. What a great way to start! The new year “begins” this day, because celebrations go on for fourteen days!! (Like our Mardi Gras, but shorter) They celebrate during the time when “winter blues” are at greatest height. The Chinese are genius! They surround themselves with light, bright colors, and family. Three things which help dissolve winter sadness that tends to occur during the shortest and coldest days of the year. Again, I say Genius.

So I officially bid you Welcome... to the Year of the Rat.

I love Chinese astrology. Much more than I like the known “signs” associated with our birth months. Chinese astrology is annually based. It simply astounds me to think that ALL those born the same year as I, all who are currently in their 28th year of life, are akin to me in some astrological attributes. Now I understand that, as with many astrological predictions and associations, the definitions are so vast that you are sure to find some similiarities to your “sign.” But I am not going to burst bubbles or blow secrets on Santa Claus. The stars make complete sense and are to be trusted; we should all live by astrological expectations.
Or, better yet, let us just have fun reading the zodiac’s characterization of personalities.

I am a sheep.
I am the “most artistic or creative sign of the zodiac.”
The sheep has a great sense of fashion (ok…missed that one…)
Is extremely beautiful (I think they mean inside…)
Tries not to hurt anyone’s feelings (true…)
Very sympathetic and at times can be too sensitive for the real world (again, true…)
Sometimes requires too much attention and impose too much on others (I don’t do that do I?? Hm, hm, tell me now…I need to know…do I impose?!? I’m coming over, I need to know. We need to talk about this!!)
Can be insecure (is this bad? You are still my friend right?)
Shies away from confrontation and pulls back when faced with heavy decisions (I really don’t feel too strongly either way in this matter…)

Are all 28 year olds like this? Again, I think the defining terms are so vast that we can all be sheep in our own funny little bleating way.

What really facinates me though, are the similarities between the different year rotations. There are 12 animal signs which cycle through the Chinese zodiac. So there is animal overlap through the ages.
For example: Both my mother and my older brother are Tigers. Why couldn’t I have been a tiger, how cool is that! My dad shares the Dog sign with my younger brother…hahahaha, dogs!
The fascinating part: In my family my ma and older brother were very similar, as well as my dad and younger brother. I was odd gal out -the “black sheep” if you will (but not in a bad way).

Those Tigers: warm-hearted yet fearsome, courageous yet yielding. They like visiting unusual places, enjoy first-hand experiences, assess situations prior to action, and are generally optimistic. I can see the “tiger” in my ma and bro.
And the Dog: loyal, trustable, duty bound. They can be stubborn and temperamental. Often they need warming up to others and can often be judgmental. Dogs also like hands-on activities. And again, I see this in my dad and younger brother.

So what shoes will the babies born in this year of the Rat have to fill? The Rat, by the way, is the first sign of the cycle. Rats are leaders. Charming, passionate, practical and hardworking. They are energetic and versatile and adapt to various environments easily. (Some of this sounds eerily like the real animal…)

I read this off a Chinese zodiac website: “Behind the smiles and charm, rats can be terribly obstinate and controlling. … These people tend to have immense control of their emotions, which they may use as a tool to manipulate and exploit others.” Sad, the rodent started out well enough.
I will not make assumptions from this sign in regards to the type of year we face. But I did shudder when I realized it is an election year. I wonder what “animal” will be chosen to lead our country by this year’s end.

Oh, and just FYI:
Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul are both Pigs
Barack Obama is an Ox
John McCain is a Rat
Mike Huckabee is a Sheep