The monkey year ends today and we welcome the sign of the Rooster as the Lunar New Year festivities begin tomorrow.  Two descriptions on the Chinese zodiac follow.

Rooster (or Chicken) ranks the tenth among the Chinese zodiac animals. In Chinese culture, Rooster represents fidelity and punctuality, for it wakes people up on time. People born in the year of the Rooster are beautiful, kind-hearted, hard-working, courageous, independent, humorous and honest. They like to keep home neat and organized. On the other side, they might be arrogant, self-aggrandizing, persuasive to others and wild as well as admire things or persons blindly. (yourchineseastrology.com)

I don’t know about you, but this Chinese astrologer is exhausted from the shenanigans of this past Monkey year! Surprise after surprise (both fabulous and panic-laden) swung most of our ways. Following 12 months of the wit and hyperactive Monkey, the New Year of the Fire Rooster is going to bring fresh challenges requiring quick wit and practical solutions!  (astrologyclub.org)

 

People born in a rooster year are faithful, punctual, and hardworking, but they can also be arrogant, and self-aggrandizing. The cock’s red comb, habits, profile reflect and fit this animal sign well, and it’s easy to overlook its fidelity and sense of industry.

Style & Substance

With the rooster it’s easy to forget substance for style, especially if you’ve ever slept on a farm or in a place with free range chickens. When I read these descriptions, I couldn’t help but think of the inauguration and President Trump’s first week in office. The timing is uncanny.

Style may be a hard thing to swallow in this case, but substance is measurable.  Whether you like it or not, Trump’s made more executive orders in his first week than Obama, and that’s saying something. Trump is doing what he told his supporters he would do.  He has certainly been called and lived up to many of the cock’s modifiers: petulant, self-aggrandizing, arrogant. And few would argue the real estate tycoon is not hardworking and faithful to his beliefs.  He has achieved incredible success and certainly considers himself beautiful!

This year 2017 bodes to be something different and new.

Happy Lunar New Year

As the astrologer said, let’s hope the Fire Rooster brings us all a quick wit and practical solutions to the challenges of the year.

For now, get your flowers, give out Li Xi ( lucky red envelopes with money) to young  people, and eat lucky cakes. Celebrate your family, visit your friends, remember your ancestors, welcome the hopes of a new year.

Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

The U.S. Post Office issues these fun stamps every year for Tet or the Lunar New Year. They’re available at your P.O.