I didn't celebrate it this year, mostly because my mum and bro have been in Hong Kong for it. I don't envy having to put up with trebled prices for new clothes or haircuts; nor do I miss getting sucked into an engulfing tide of shoppers every time I leave the apartment. But it would've been fun to enjoy yum char with the family. Still, many red packets of lucky money are headed our way - ostensibly for TLM, but which might get diverted to pay a household bill or two.
Despite the rat's bad reputation in Western culture, being a Rat in Chinese culture actually sounds okay. According to the Chinese Centre of San Francisco:
People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox.
I'm a Dragon. If I'd hooked up with a Rat, I might be a heck of a lot richer. But he'd have been too stingy to buy us a plasma tv. He'd be annoying me mightily with his perfectionism and scaring me with his temper. And he'd probably be blogging about my own shortcomings.
Probably, I'm better off with the boy Rooster.
9 comments:
I'm a boar, not a bore, and I've had a short sharp relationship with a dragon and a long not-so-healthy one with a wrabbit.
Don't know what that has to do with anything later in life that hasn't happened yet.
I'm a tiger as is Little Miss 9 and I married a rat, just like Little Miss 11. So, tigers and rats for us.
I can vouch that they are charming, hard-working, successful perfectionists but mine aren't thrifty with money or gossipy. Almost right.
I love this time of year because the Lantern Festival in Auckland's Albert Park is such a treat to go to - I can't wait.
nigel: then I guess you'd better try dating a sheep. So last year was your year - it's should have been a good one. What do you think?
leo: The lantern festival sounds really fun. The only stuff we get here is a parade, Chinese food stalls and I think some ethnic dancing - all of which is scheduled during TLM's naptime.
It was an interesting one.
There are sheeps?
nigel: yup. Try this link - http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Zodiac/zodiac-sheep-pic.html
I'm a rat. I've always been quite proud of it.
martha: and so you should be :-)
Me: Snake. Him Indoors: Rooster
Apparently we're 90% compatible!
Sunday was my birthday so we went to Yum Char at Dragons Restaurant - food was disappointing but highlight was a performance of the Lion Dance in the restaurant - the kids (including me) loved it.
And then at 3.00am Mother Nature put on one helluva fireworks display! The lightning knocked out our power, killed our phone line and fried our fax machine. So Chinese New Year was pretty spectacular for us this year!
desiree: I always knew you must be soulmates :-) Sounds like you had a pretty exciting time on your birthday - me, I was dead to the world at 3am.
Oh, and a belated happy birthday to you too!
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