Chinese New Year 2010: Tigerrrrrrrrrrrr

In case you haven't heard yet, 2010 is the year of the tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. The year I was born also happens to be Tiger (rarrrrrrr), so I hope for great things this year! The world wide web can't seem to make its mind up about whether being a tiger is good or bad. In Taiwan they think it's bad, and the government is urging its citizens to keep procreating amid fears that no one will want to have Tiger babies. In China, on the other hand, high birth rates are predicted for 2010 because everyone wants to have babies who are strong and brave like a tiger! (But I suppose this isn't the only thing that Taiwan and China can't seem to agree on. Now, who's right?)

I'm not a huge believer in horoscopes and similar things, but still they're fun to read sometimes. My mum often goes to see people who read the future from cards or from Turkish coffee and sometimes the things she comes back with are hilarious. (One of these women insisted I am going to marry a sugar daddy and have a good life squandering his fortunes. Me who takes such pride in paying my own bills and being independent no matter what!) So, without further blah blah blah, here are a few more things the Internet has to say about Tigers:

• born leaders
• men and women of action
• daring fighters who stand up for what they think is right
• selfish from time to time in little things but capable of great generosity
• unpredictable, always in a hurry
• usually choose to operate alone
• love adventures, addicted to excitement
• the Tiger needs not worry about money: just when s/he fears the money is gone, more seems to show up
• sensitive, emotional, capable of great love but they become too intense about it
• passionate and romantic

... Bored yet? Bear with me for a little longer. One thing I learnt this Chinese New Year is that in addition to the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac, each year also has an element assigned. There are five: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The year I was born is Fire Tiger which sounds pretty scary! How much more grounded would I be as an Earth Rooster or a Wood Dog, hmm?

Oh, and before I forget, here are some photos I took at the Chinese New Year celebrations this weekend. I had to stand on the edge of a fountain in Trafalgar Square to take these, risking a fall forwards onto concrete (and broken limbs + camera lens) or backwards into the freezing cold water (and wet ass + embarrassment). Neither of those happened; I'm just hypothesizing and trying to make you appreciate my effort a little more. Next time I will wear high heels to these gigs so I can just stand in the middle of the crowd and be taller than everybody else.