Happy Year of the Ox

Today is Chinese New Year, specifically the year of the ox. So, let me say to you--as we said when I was a kid--"Kong Hee Fatt Choy!" Happy New Year! If you prefer other dialects in Chinese, pick your favorite.

I was born in the year of the Ox, so I suppose the coming year should be auspicious for me. According to Wikipedia, the following is the description of people born in the Year of the Ox. For my own entertainment, as well as yours, I shall annotate.

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. [Still looking for the prosperity part.] This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. [I suppose we'll know the relative truth of this when it's time for my eulogy.] As one might guess, such people are dependable [usually], calm [mostly], and modest [Does it disqualify me if I say I want to be the Queen of Everything?]. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient [Oh, I wish], tireless in their work [yep], and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint [enduring--yes; without complaint?--not a chance].

Ox people need peace and quiet to work through their ideas, and when they have set their mind on something it is hard for them to be convinced otherwise [oh dear, I think I've heard this before]. An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, though they have a tremendous imagination and an unparalleled appreciation for beauty [okay, the second half of that sentence starts to sound a bit more like me]. These people speak little [you've got to be kidding!] but are extremely intelligent [Ahem. Okay.]. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent [I do, after all, keep a blog].

People born under the influence of the Ox are kind, caring souls, logical, positive, filled with common sense and with their feet firmly planted on the ground. [Mostly, I think that's a pretty good list.] Security is their main preoccupation in life, and they are prepared to toil long and hard in order to provide a warm, comfortable and stable nest for themselves and their families [can't say that's why I toil, but if it were threatened, I'd be there]. Strong-minded, stubborn, individualistic, the majority are highly intelligent individuals who don't take kindly to being told what to do [did someone slip in and take my photo as an illustration for this one?].... Behind this tenacious, laboring, and self-sacrificing exterior lies an active mind. [Does an active mind have to hide behind a hard-working exterior? Can't the two show up together?]

The Ox is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes them nervous. [Absolutely! I despise debt.] The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the Ox sleepless nights.

Ox people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them [True. I've always hated bargaining over merchandise, even though I grew up in a land where they do that.]. They are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain [One exception: if I can earn more money to travel more, I'm there, waiting with with bright eyes for the extra job]. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They are reputed to be the most beautiful of face in the zodiac [?!] . They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the Ox people are wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new [Oh, come on! We're not THAT stodgy!]. People born in the year of the Ox make wonderful parents and teachers of children [seems I entered the right profession; you'll have to ask my stepkids about the first part, which I'm still working on].

It is important to remember that the Ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such people and they engage all the trials of the whole world and seek solutions for them [Sigh. How did they know that?].