Sale PSA: A simple white linen jacket from Vince, now 60% off, caramel day heels from Everlane, now just $80, my go-to ultra light Uniqlo jacket, now just $40, one of my favorite lazy day Patagonia sweaters, now 30% off.
Happy Chinese New Year, to all that are celebrating! Short post today, as I am traveling, but wanted to wish you a wonderful week. And because there are so many things going on right now in the world – a safe, happy, and healthy one too. It’s the year of the rat, which is my year, which is a little frightening because I really remember very clearly the last time it was my zodiac year, and for twelve more to have passed is a scary thing, (and unfortunately I’m not turning twenty four).
I actually really love following zodiac signs and stuff. I don’t read them every day and I couldn’t tell you whether a Scorpio should go with an Aries etc etc but I do believe in following their general advice. Because it’s generally some variation of: take care of yourself, be careful, be kind, be daring, try to foster your luck, believe in yourself, right? What’s not to like?
I think what I like reading about zodiacs the most is just that it makes me nicer to myself. Like, I’ve been reading that I have to be more careful with my health this year. And in fact there have been a few things that have been bothering me, and I went ahead and made doctors appointments for them. I think ordinarily I would have just procrastinated or hoped they went away on their own. But now…because a webpage told me that I need to be more careful….I was like, why not?
Isn’t it sometimes the stupidest and most random things that make us take better care of ourselves?
Another thing I like about zodiacs is how they change how I think about luck. Which I think a lot about. How certain years might be “fated” for us to have more or less luck but either way we should work hard ourselves so that we don’t waste our good luck when it comes and aren’t buried when bad luck arrives. Which is equally important. Anyway, I’m wrangling two children through airports and sanitizing everything in sight so signing off and saying – Happy Chinese New Year, and I wish all of you a wonderful and lucky year!
4 Comments
Anna
January 27, 2020 at 1:40 pmHappy Chinese New Year! My DH was also born in the year of rat. Maybe that’s why I like both of you so much. Clearly there is a connection, haha! Safe travels!
Jen
January 28, 2020 at 4:28 amHappy New Year! I’m a Rat year too (but 12 years older than you!) I love the zodiac and the idea of fortune. The personality traits fit me too (well, perhaps not the thriftiness part…) Safe travels. I remember those little kids years well. Now, my youngest is in high school and towers over me, so he can shove the bags in the overhead bin.
Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life
January 28, 2020 at 3:15 pmHappy Lunar New Year! While we don’t put any stock in the zodiac, I enjoy reading about it anyway. And it always seemed like a party trick that you could tell an elder just your zodiac year, and they’d be able to figure out your age in under 15 seconds.
Ava Lon
January 28, 2020 at 6:58 pmDear Kat,
Happy New Year! I hope you and your family (and extended families) all have a wonderful holiday where you are traveling! Speaking of luck and the New Year, I was curious if you or anyone in your family also does the red envelopes with your children, put the Money Frog Chan Chu in the luck corner of their homes (if they even have them), or follow any Feng Shui rules for bringing in more luck to one’s life?
I was always curious about this as I do believe Feng Shui principles (in homes I have seen) seem to have a far better “flow” and ease of layout – and in this day and age, a little extra luck never hurt anyone, right?! That said, if it’s your year, just be sure to wear some red on you to ward off the bad juju and attract good luck! 😉 I think I may have mentioned this to you years ago when we were talking about rabbits on your wedding tables. I could be completely mistaken here bc it’s been a long day.
In any case, you’re right, there is a bit of the Barnum Effect with horoscopes and zodiacs but it’s still fun and amusing. That is a very nice image you have above of the Chinese Zodiac – truly lovely! Thank you for sharing that!
For the sake of fun – is the type of Rat you are compatible with the type of animal your DH is? E.g. this is the year of the Metal Rat (and each animal is sub-categorized by the elements of Wood, Fire, Metal, Water) – I wonder if you find that the sub-categorization of the animal you are if it is compatible with the various relationships you have in your life?
For me, nope – for both Eastern and Western Zodiacs I find that there is no rhyme or reason regarding those I get on well with, but I do find both enjoyable to read. 🙂 Fun, silly, and not to serious and nice diversion.
Happy Travels!
x
Ava