Monday, February 11, 2013

Happy New Year-新年快樂

In the past, we used to celebrate Chinese New year. In NJ there was a large Chinese community in the town I worked in and I had lots of Chinese friends.  In 1990, I was an exchange student in Beijing for a year. I continued studying Chinese after I returned home, and then returned to China to work on a Yangtze river cruise ship, as a cruise director. Yes, I was the Chinese Julie.

Since we moved to Baltimore, we haven't had many Chinese friends and our celebration of  Chinese New Year fell by the waste side. On Saturday, we made a Chinese meal and told the kids it was Chinese new year. My husband had a talk with #2, the Aspy, about Chinese astrology and told him it was the year of the Snake. It is an auspicious year for my husband since he is a snake.

In Chinese culture, astrology is huge. When I lived there, the first thing people would ask me is what year I was born in. I would tell them, and they would say, "ah, you're a cock." Excuse me?!?!  Now, where I'm from, usually the word, "Sucker" came after it. But, I took a minute and thought about what they were saying. "oh, you mean rooster." It was if that information held the key as to whether they should waste their time getting to know me.  According to Wikipedia,(the information source for any Aspy), "Different people born under each animal sign have different personalities. It is possible to check details and compatibilities to gain guidance in life, for love or for marriage."

I'm folding laundry upstairs and the husband comes in to tell me that #2 taught him all about Chinese astrology from researching it on Wikipedia. "He taught me who I am most compatible with in our family......Your mother." And we both cracked up. #2 researched all the members of our family. #2 is a wood monkey, #1 is a water horse, the girls are earth oxen, #1 is water horse, and #3 is a fire dog. When he told #3 he was a fire dog, he got angry and said,"I'm not a fire dog, I'm not Chinese. No buddy, you're not Chinese.

I looked up our family on Wikipedia to discover the compatibility of our family. I learned that although my mom is a snake like my husband, We cocks are the best match. I learned as a rooster, that I am pretty much compatible with everyone but rats and rabbits. I can live with that. I also learned that #3, the fire dog is incompatible with the earth oxen twins. My suspicions have been confirmed. At four and six years old, they are starting to drive each other nuts. I look forward to when it escalates. 

I am glad that we have #2 in the house. Regardless of his astrological sign, his Aspy quest for knowledge sometimes brings me back to a world I used to know. Happy New year.
Chinese Zodiac

 

A Tribute to Will, my Son's BFF

"Knowing that Isaac had a friend like him was everything to me. Isaac wasn't very social, but Will got him and that was magic."...