Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox! People born in the Year of the Ox (1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997) are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people.

We just returned from our apartment building's Chinese New Year party. We arrived just as the Lion Dancers were doing their thing, warding off evil spirits and eating choy cheng vegetables. They danced around our lobby and then threw lettuce all over the place as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for the coming year. It was all lost on Ingrid who was terrified by the drums and the dancing lion, though she did enjoy playing with the little marionette lions.