A belated Happy Chinese New Year to all - how lucky we are to have a brand new start yet again! This is what I like about Shanghai, the chance to re-invent yourself if you want (or need) to. If you didn’t like how you stumbled, vomited or blacked out into started your Gregorian year, you can truly make a fresh new start and wipe the slate of the past six weeks clean. Or, you can just carry on as from February 8th, we have license to monkey around anyway.
I kid you not - the forecasts this year seem to point in the direction of fun given the exuberant creature. Internet astrology (very reliable) indicates that finances, politics and real estate are picked for the upturn. Taking risks and being rebellious are traits that will yield results whilst daring to be different will pan out. It is also a good year for inventions, courage and action are valued virtues as the wildest of schemes are able to succeed under the monkey’s influence. (Trump campaign aside, maybe its time to invest in the sinking Maldives and ‘sea’ what comes up?).
Yet, I am wary of the monkey. This is especially as retailers appear to be (over) capitalising on its image. Perhaps I’m not used to the annual zodiac portrayed ad nauseum, but I have seen the motif on everything from designer threads in high-end malls to door knobs in a grubby pop up shop. It was this that tipped me over the edge - a monkey doorknob? Thus ended my good monkey feelings and I became officially annoyed.
I told this to a friend after we passed one inanely grinning hanging by one arm in a mall. She reckoned being grumpy with a friendly, furry animal this soon into the year wouldn’t bode well, and perhaps this was because I was a dragon? I choked into my drink (which was in a monkey cup). Dragons apparently are regarded as the most vital and powerful of Chinese zodiac signs are driven, ambitious and natural leaders. Emperors deemed themselves dragon descendants given their fine traits. (Dragons might also be egotistical but I really can’t say). They are also stubborn and strong-willed and these characteristics clash with the monkey who playfully and charmingly achieves its goals with chicanery and wit. The dragon gets there with fiery drive, rage and arrogance and has no time for the monkey’s tomfoolery. Strangely, they pair well in love, being both passionate and lovers of travel. So, it seems I am destined to be annoyed with the monkey but I could fall in love with a travelling one. Okay.
Therein lies the fault with the stars - they are inconsistent! Although the zodiac isn’t based on them but on wuxing (the five elements of earth, fire, water, metal, wood), this doesn’t affect my confidence in forecasts. I am grumpy not because “I am dragon, hear me roar” but because my zodiac/star/birthday shouldn’t determine my life/outcome/year. I am responsible for my own course, not the monkey. (Though if the Maldives does sink, I will totally blame him). Hence I get agitated when I see him hanging around trying to steal my thunder. (Hmm…maybe I am more dragonish than I’d like to think and there is absolutely no fault with the stars).
I found the solution though (if you are also annoyed by monkeys everywhere). Capitalize on its undeniably positive vibe and go forth and give it all you’ve got with your goals this year! There’s no better time to do it. Just make sure you do it in a dragonish way so that monkey won’t know what’s coming.
