Last night, besides listening to Oakland’s typical street noise creep through my window – The usual scraper drudging down the street, the AC transit, or the occasional gun shot – I instead heard the lovely crackling of firecrackers. It took me a minute, but I soon realized the clock struck 12 and the lunar new year had begun.

Holding true to this blog’s message that not all Asians are simply Chinese or Japanese, Happy lunar new years to everyone who celebrates it! Happy Chinese New Years! Happy Vietnamese New Years! Happy Korean New Years! Happy Tibetan New Years! And Happy New Years to anyone I may have missed.

It’s the year of the Ox!

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.

Yeah Yeah, I know, it wasn’t really necessary to post that, but it’s my zodiac year, let me enjoy the moment.