Hello, Can You Hear Us?

The feeling of solitary echoes back over and over. The family unit is nowhere to be found. Ma and Ah boy, my brother, are in Ipoh. Pa is in Jakarta with his sister. Sonny, my sister, is staying at Pa’s house and where am I? At Ma’s crib. Two words to describe this: Divorce Aftermath. Chinese New Year has always been a huge celebration in our household ever since we were born. Ma would really bring out the festive mood with tons of food, karaoke, black jacks, poker, fireworks and we would get big plumy angpows from both our parents. However, Sonny and I knew that this was going to be the very first year that we would be celebrating it together without the family. The biggest thing about CNY is the eve, family members would return home for a reunion dinner. I suggested to have a little dinner with Sonny, at least one member of my family is in town. If she was still in Denver, I’d be all alone! We decided to eat out, bought some clothes, you know just spending time together and we played some fireworks! I think we really lived it up making sure we weren’t feeling lonely this occasion. Although we didn’t have a proper reunion dinner with all the must have food, the night ended with us decorating Pa’s house with some Ox décor we bought from Hua Ho. Lol. It’s funny cos Pa is Indian, guess we decorated the wrong house.

Officially, the year of the rat departs today, January 26 and with that the Ox arrives. Here is the prediction for those born in the year of the Rat.

Yearly Prediction for the Rat
Jan. 26, 2009 - Feb. 13, 2010
Beware of burnout this year, dear Rat. You're such a hard worker, and this year you may feel even more pressured to put your nose to the grindstone. Keep in mind that you're naturally resourceful, which means you can stretch resources further than most people. By drawing on this talent, you can avoid exhaustion. Your social life may take a back seat to work responsibilities and it's possible you will be lonely for friends. When you do get together with your nearest and dearest, let it be casual and inexpensive. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have fun. In fact, you'll enjoy yourself much more at informal gatherings, when you can let your hair down and put your feet up. Fortunately, this trend sits well with your frugal nature.

This isn't a good year to splurge on fads; sensible, durable items will bring the best value. One thing you will have to guard against is idle chatter. In 2009, actions speak louder than words. The Year of the Earth Ox poses a wonderful opportunity to expand your family. Get married, have a child or invite an older relative to come live with you. "The more, the merrier" should be your motto as far as your home life is concerned. What could be nicer for a family-oriented animal like you?

Money for the Rat
Your best bet for making money this year is to acquire valuable skills. The more you know, the more attractive you will be to prospective employers. If you've been thinking of going back to school to get an advanced degree, this is the year to do so. An ambitious animal like you won't need much prompting to go back to school.

The Earth Ox year favors long-term ventures of all kinds. It may be necessary for you to take a thankless part-time job as a means to work your way through school or up the career ladder, but don't let that get you down. Although you may not have an impressive position with a huge salary, you will be paying your bills. You can even put some money into savings with a little thought and planning. Keep the big picture in mind at all times in 2009.

Love for the Rat
If you want to make a good impression on somebody, you need to demonstrate your worth. Bragging will get you nowhere. When you want to strike up a conversation with someone, talk about substantive issues like religion, politics, books and movies. Making a serious commitment is highly favored for Rats this year; getting engaged or married could be in the cards. If you do decide to take the plunge, do it soberly and reverently. Eloping at a Las Vegas chapel could have disastrous results in an Earth Ox year, so opt for a traditional ceremony instead.

In the event you are single, you could meet someone special at work or at a professional gathering. Take things slow, as the Ox frowns on impulsive behavior. If you're in a relationship, you may decide to start a business with your beloved. That may greatly appeal to you, as Rats enjoy spending every spare moment with the one they love.