Earth Rat - Chia Tzu Chinese Year

FEBRUARY 7, 2008 TO JANUARY 25, 2009

Hang on to your hat, here comes the Rat!
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2008 promises to be a whole new Rat Race. This year jump starts the Chinese twelve year cycle all over again. Prepare for twelve months of Monday mornings.

Rat

Your year at last! 2008 begins a whole new cycle of Chinese animal signs and, as usual, you are leading the pack. Directly following the New Year, life will seem suddenly more fluid. Bumps in the road will even out for you and people you thought you could never get along with are all of a happy sudden on your side. Profit from every possible angle you can wangle. But come April watch out for a tendency to let down your guard and go slack when you should be quicker on the draw. Toward June, romance will increase in intensity and want to become engagement. Commitment beckons. Then marriage is nigh. Don't hold off. If you feel you have found "The One", then go ahead and tie the knot. Real estate will doubtless become a preoccupation this year. You current property/ies is/are too costly, meaning that the real estate that you own or rent and inhabit either doesn't suit your lifestyle or work well with your commute or else it simply clashes with your taste. Find a new place to live that is appropriate not only to your needs - but to your pocketbook. Before winter sets in, lay in stores. You will be needing them around Christmas time when shortages loom. Keep in mind that, overall, your main objective this year is to carefully plot out the next dozen years of your life. Where do you want to be in twelve years? With whom will you be living? How much do you want to be earning and will you prefer the city or the country? You have twelve long years to get where you want to go with whom and for how much. Think ahead and be extra calculating. Make major long term decisions in 2008. And don't look back. Life is too short to regret missed opportunities that are probably out of fashion anyway. Stay alert. Leap into new projects with your usual enthusiasm, but hold the reckless abandon.


Ox

Rats covet power and they often get it. Whether in relationships, in government positions or in business dealings, Rats seek dominion and go after it tooth and claw. This coming year fairly reeks of the Rat's powerful influence. But that pungent smell doesn't bother you Oxen too much. You were born with a keen sense of your own strength and haven't had to struggle, as the Rat perpetually does, to gain and maintain control. In your case, control comes with the territory. Because the Rat's drive for supremacy doesn't threaten Ox people, you usually cruise right through Rat years without missing a beat. Beware, early this year, of developing symptoms of emotional stress. Your private life lacks satisfaction and this dearth of sexual or romantic excitement may cause you to doubt your ability to maintain relationships. My advice? Stop listening to detractors. Clamp your front hooves over your ears and refuse to hear anything negative in your regard. Remember (when you can't sleep at night) that you are the one pulling this plow under your own steam. Listen to the force of your inner voice. That's where your self-confidence is lurking. Way deep inside. Snatch it. Gobble it up. And go back to sleep. Rats move quickly. You tend to advance more slowly. But for you, it's constructive to march to the pokey cadence of your own inner drummer. This year, from the outset, you will be encouraged to accumulate wealth, nurture your crops and tend to your family's harmony. In the Autumn, tension may threaten your professional life. It will no doubt come from a person born in a Dragon or Rabbit year. Keep your ears pricked up for signs of nasty backbiting and subterfuge in the wings at the workplace. Someone would like to see you fail. By November, if there is no improvement in the situation, take pains to actively discourage that person's desire to do you in. Even if you must use force, this is one battle you do not want to lose. But be wise. And subtle. Strategize. Prepare. You are not one to enjoy playing games. But this time, the prize will be worth the departure from your usual bulldozer style.


Tiger

As you no doubt already know, whether in relationships, in business or government or even in stupid traffic! - the Rat seeks to dominate. For you Tigers, this peculiar Rat character trait is both un-nerving and irritating. You find Rat years tedious. You really hate it when someone who isn't you feels like pushing his or her weight around. But do not allow tedium to get in the way of your survival instinct. Prepare to scrimp a bit and tighten your stripes. You will in any case be on the move. Wherever you go it seems you are being given options: new ways to make a living or chances to join a prestigious group or opportunities to be creative or to enhance your public image. Basic trusts can be broken in these years. You are not usually avid to be the one in control. Being the titular boss, who answers yammering phone calls and e-mails in an office all day long and waits for employees to show up at yawn-filled meetings would send you straight into a coma. But the Rat does not necessarily know this about you. You appear so strong and so sure of yourself that the terminally insecure Rat feels threatened. Hence your life in this coming year may prove to be less than delightful. The Rat could try to thwart even your most innocent of desires for self-governance, belittle your cleverest notions and may even sabotage your plans. There is also the possibility of chronic illness developing in a close friend, associate or member of your family. You will be called upon to deal with it. And you will. Another hint? Don't be tempted to ally yourself with any Rats. The Rat not only wants power. He or she wants to be the sole owner of that power. Rats are hoarders and savers. You are the spendier, devil-may-care guy or woman who believes that money grows on trees and that so long as you keep changing forests, there will always be more ready cash hanging from the branches. Conflict between your splurging spirit and the Rat's desire to stash will arise. Advice? Plan to travel and make changes this year. Don't bother to try to save money. You don't know how.


Cat/Rabbit

Not the most encouraging of years for you Cat/Rabbit people. Why? Because the Rat tends to envy your settled, secure lifestyle and would not in the least mind turning it on its head. Rats love drama and excitement. Like you, they are budget-conscious. But they don't settle down the way you do. They crave (and often create) havoc and excitement. You favor safety over histrionics and will opt for simple jaunts in the countryside instead of choosing excitement for its own sake. Of course, you are the more sagacious of the two signs. You prefer not to have to enter any fray or conflict to get what you want and always seek to avoid belligerence. Rats are forever stalking dominance and are unafraid of confrontation. I advise Cat/Rabbits not to perform any public stunts which will attract attention to them during this sharp-edged year. It's not the moment to run for mayor of your town or even to seek the presidency of your Bridge club. Nor is the Rat year a time for you to splurge on antiques, classic vehicles or mansions in high end neighborhoods. Anxiety may prevail as well because of on and off tensions present in this coming year which will evolve mostly from dissension in some part of your private life. Either you are married and experiencing a classic "rocky" period. Or you are not married and long to be, but can't get along with the intended for more than a week without quarreling. As you despise conflict, you flee. In your absence, she or he meets someone else. Now you are thoroughly upset, so you return on pitty pat paws to reclaim your territory. And what do you discover? A love triangle. More discord. Further controversy. And perhaps even a fight! Hang in there. Rat years are never wonderful for the Cat/Rabbit's love life. To change the subject radically, your finances could come under some scrutiny from the tax authorities. Better to lie low and while away weekends listening to classical music, reading history books or polishing your antique clocks. Around November, you very well might enjoy a fling or two with someone charming and frankly, openly sexy. Take pains to protect your reputation for refinement and good taste. Money, this year, should not be scarce. Most Cat/Rabbits are known for their ability to see around corners in dodgy markets.


Dragon

Here comes a bonanza year for you personally. Nobody admires your dashing self more than the canny Rat. And the feeling is often mutual. You will be awash in propositions for new projects and called upon to direct (the job you love best) everything from the village orchestra to the Neighborhood Watch. You are a rising Star in this Rat year, and what's more, you can feel it. A rush of approval and freewheeling comes over you about mid-March and won't leave until the end of next January. Take wise advantage of the opportunities presented to you because they are almost all excellent chances for the betterment of both your financial and personal life. An enticing love interest appears about halfway through the year. If you are otherwise attached, beware of temptation. The person in question is most seductive and what's more is magnetized by your charisma. If you are not hitched, go for it - give him or her the full Dragon treatment: gifts, rings, trips to exotic venues and cozy nights by the fireside. So much for the positive aspects of the Rat year. On the other side, toward the summer holidays, family members' needs may impinge on your time. Lavish some of that precious Dragon time on those in need of your moral support. But don't be tempted to shower them with funds. Don't let the syrupy sentimental side of your nature take over and drive you to begin any useless squandering. Don't make meaningless sacrifices. You have better things to do with your money in Rat years than bail people out of gambling debt or lend your new BMW to your shiftless brother-in-law who lost his license for drunk driving. You may however have to take charge of everything to do with a flailing member of your clan this year. Somebody in your immediate home life has lost his or her bearings and needs a few Dragon coaching sessions. Encourage and boost. But resist the urge to preach. It's likely the person in question is depressed. If the condition persists, make them seek professional help.


Snake

Your health and well-being are in better fettle this year. All the physical ills you were suffering last year will dissipate in the salutary ambiance of the protective Rat. Nevertheless, trouble will be afoot in your financial sector. Hide that checkbook, scissor your credit cards and politely refuse the over draught privilege at the bank. Although you will start the year with a sense of plenty and even continue it in ample sufficiency, you will stumble on some unexpected cracks in the sidewalk toward the end of the year. You should begin putting money away for the future and stop the buying frenzies. Shopping may be tranquilizing for you while it's happening. But when those hair-raising credit card bills and excessive mortgage payments start avalanching into your mailbox, it will be bye bye to serenity and hello to all night nail-biting sessions. In the professional sector, there will be no more obstacles to prevent you from making sudden huge strides. Your talents and abilities will be more in demand than you ever dreamed was possible. You could even become an overnight star or experience a giant breakthrough in an area of expertise that you hitherto imagined was closed to you. As the Pig year was less than clement for most Snake people, the Rat year will come as a grand relief. Little by little you will feel renewed and energetic. With this new dynamic, you will be able to shed many of the preconceived notions you harbored about your entourage. Too much emphasis has been put on your family situation for the past 12 months. Now it's time to attack career goals and make them happen for you and your loved ones' benefit. The Rat is a nervy sort and that sizzling edginess which emanates from inside the very vector of this year, can cause you to occasionally doubt the loyalty of your partner. Not to worry. You are sufficiently loved and admired. This year, make no major purchases. Invest only in what you can actually afford. Otherwise, when next year rolls around, you will be paddling against the current for twelve long, frazzled months


Horse

Don't expect any jolly miracles to come waddling down the trail to greet you this year. Rats and Horses are notorious enemies. Between you, there is usually an initial attraction, a brief honeymoon period and then a swift slide into bickering and eventual schism. Rats like power. You refuse to be told what to do. Get the picture? Rats need to surround themselves with people they can feel protective of, look after and give direction to. In short, Rats need to dominate their friends and family in some way or other: financially, intellectually or with pure authority for its own sake. There is nothing worse for you Horses than to feel smothered by some meddling outsider who sticks his or her nose into everything you get up to. Horses crave freedom and thrive on independence. Should you hanker to buy a new home, build an extension on the one you have or invest in a second residence on a Caribbean island, put it off till next year. Everything to do with visas and passports, building permissions and zoning permits will be fraught with delay. You execrate paperwork. Filling out forms is torture for you. You do not fancy rendering accounts to anyone whatsoever. So in this Rat year, you had better remain in the wings. Don't attempt any great stunts or public displays of your talents. Of course you probably won't follow my advice anymore than you would follow the Rat's instructions. You Horses can be led to water but we cannot make you take even one tiny sip if you don't want to. No amount of coaxing or blackmail or guilt trips will make you ingest a drop. So Horses mine, this coming Rat year will be a bit of a trudge. Low profile time. Take off to the countryside with your main squeeze and spend the time thinking about the heft deals you will pull off when the Goat year rolls around. But as you will not heed my counsel . . . as they say for good luck in the theater "Break a leg."


Goat

You inventive Goats are hard put to make much of a personal statement in this year. Being dictated to by a Rat doesn't have a positive effect on you devil-may-care creatures. You are always willing to oblige when asked politely to perform. But when someone literally kicks you in the rump and orders you to get a move on, you either buck or back away in fear and loathing. You may feel misunderstood and sulky this coming year. You definitely don't feel like painting the Mona Lisa or re-inventing pizza. Expect to have to deal with some productive pain. The beginning of the year (until mid July) will be freighted with petty miseries of an emotional nature. Fallout or remnants from a past romance or spent passion want to haunt your aura. Unfinished business. The feelings may manifest in the form of insomnia or nightmares. Or they may simply present as free-floating anxiety. My advice? 1) Build yourself an armor of spiritual awareness thought meditation, yoga or even martial arts. Your soul (not your mind) needs a boost. 2) Actively seek new romantic interests. Mix with people in groups or find them online. Attend parties and functions where you stand a chance of meeting someone new and "possible". Do not sit on your hands and worry or lose sleep over past blunders. What is gone is gone. Better prospects are on the way come September. By that time you should have begun to emerge from all angst. Make an effort to look your best at work. You can expect to be promoted this year. All supplementary professional efforts will be rewarded. You may quietly pursue your pet creative projects at home in a protected environment where you feel safe and cared for. But stay out of the spotlight. Rat years are no time for building a reputation as the genius you often are. Hang in there and love will come trotting along in the Autumn of this year. Someone sweet and strong (a Pig if you're lucky) will be overcome with a stunning admiration for you. This love interest will appear out of nowhere . . . a restaurant, a public beach or even on an escalator going the other direction. Don't miss out. Say "yes" to the urge to take up with this sterling character.


Monkey

For Monkeys in this year, it's all systems go. After wading through a couple of challenging years, you are finally entering a gentler period. All year, you will feel understood and admired. Rats and Monkeys get on like a pair of matched socks. The Rat is an emotional sort who often has problems making decisions. Should I buy a red car or a blue one? Marry a Dragon or a Tiger? Take that new job offer or stay in my current position? How should I configure my life now that my parents are no longer around? What should I wear to the ball? By now, we all know that any time one is in the throes of a dilemma big or small, the solution is to dial-a-Monkey for assistance. Monkeys cannot solve their own problems all that readily, but they are masters at helping others to make quick, workable choices. So in a Rat year, you Monkey people will find yourselves being called upon to give advice, to sort out thorny issues or to untwist the knickers of someone whose temper has him or her in a state of advanced frenzy. You can always figure out how most gracefully to exit a dilemma. Should you have in mind to begin a huge project, build a new home, start a business, write a novel or take a trip around the world, this is the year to undertake that endeavor. Don't keep destiny waiting. Put yourself in gear directly when the year begins in February. Make every day count toward producing something that expresses who you are. You have been waiting long enough. Take advantage of the propitious aspects surrounding you. Strike while the iron is hot. If you need to borrow money or stay with relatives in Beijing or Paris or use someone's garage workshop to invent a better mouse trap, do not hesitate to ask. You will be given a leg up at every turn. Power grabbing is a big part of this year's agenda. As you are the opposite of power hungry and don't even want to risk being in the forefront, you are not in competition with the authority-hungry Rat. You might want to consider taking out a better insurance policy against theft and accidents. There is a chance that while you are building a new flying machine or sailing single-handedly around the world, a robbery, a flood or a fire might take place. Not to worry unduly. Just be sure your insurance premiums are paid up.


Rooster

Protect the savings you have worked so hard to store up. The Rat does not dislike you, but has little time this year to while away in your company. Cut back on extravagances. Stop thinking you can just blithely fly off any old where, spend a few days enjoying yourself in Paris or Marrakech or Bali and still be able to make those car payments. You Roosters are not very flexible and tend to crowd yourselves into a corner. If you're working, then the job becomes the only thing you can think about or do. You obsess, overwork and can burn out very quickly. Then, of course, you feel sorry for yourself and decide that you are owed a break. But once again, instead of just lying down and reading a fat novel for a couple of days at home, you must move about. So you jet off to just the place you fancy with just the right climate and the tastiest food and the best people. Then, as soon as you are there, you start shopping up all the money you earned whilst overworking and burning out. Is this beginning to sound like a pattern? Well, the Rat year is a good year for you Rooster people . . . but only if you break this madcap pattern of yours and espouse rest and relaxation in your own surroundings. Sit still for heaven's sake. Welcome the opportunities that waft your way. Of course, if you are never at home, you won't be there to receive them, will you? There are movements afoot in your career which can set certain things to rights that may have gone awry in the past. You want out of something. You have finished a portion of your existence in a job or a business or even in a relationship and you want to see that engagement come to an end. The currents in the work place are flowing in the direction you need right now. But if you keep fleeing the work place and ignoring those subtle changes, you may miss the boat. The changes may take a few months to hatch. So to distract yourself from the tedium you so fear, take breaks during the day. Go for a big walk. Get thee to the gym or to tai chi or yoga classes. Meditate. Take Pilates classes. And instead of squandering your hard-earned burnout cash on air travel and wine, put a bunch away in the bank and let it earn you some interest. The message? Slow down, kick back and thrive. Keep on racing breakneck willy nilly and you will live to rue the day.
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Dog

The Rat year will be absent the idealism necessary to spur Dogs into action. You Dogs find these years superficial and tritely material. This Rat year will not be your most productive. Why? Because you are basically unlike the Rat. Dog people are more high-minded than mercenary. It's just the opposite with Rats. Rats seek power and stash cash. Dogs like to have some power too but for entirely different reasons. And money? Not really a priority for Pooches, except as a means to an end. Dogs only go after authority and loot if it gives them the necessary clout to effect social change. The Dog presidents or leaders of the pack in any organization want to see justice done. They rule to improve the world their way - not just to order people about. Rats rule to rule. So in this Rat year, you Dogs may bark as stridently as you wish, but no matter how fiercely you yap, you won't get much further than the bottom of your garden. The Rat simply doesn't give a damn for what you care about. So be extra careful not to make mistakes or cause them to be made by others. You are borderline paranoid anyway and are normally an overly cautious person. But this year circumstances may crop up that make you feel you have slipped up or blundered. This feeling certainly doesn't help you regain lost self-confidence. But take heart. Next year will turn all of this around. Meanwhile, keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole. We learn from our mistakes. Make sure you have taken stock of those lessons. Your personal life should be carefully monitored in August. Betrayal by a family member lies in wait. As it's a family matter, this fundamental issue is probably either about money or property (or both). It might also concern a young adult child who is threatening to leave school or home. Nip this in the bud by taking the time to talk it through and offering just alternatives. Do not despair. The Rat year is not all bad for Dogs. You may not feel that you are making much progress. But at least you are learning and maintaining the status quo. In Rat years, that's about as much as any Dog can ask for.


Pig

Rat years can be mostly fun for Pig people. Best of all, you are free of last year's responsibilities and have begun your own new 12 year period of self-realization. This year is yours to enjoy. Let the Rat run the show. The Rat is a protector of those he loves. And he really digs Pigs. You Pigs possess a brand of personal power that the power-hungry Rat respects. You are your own person. You depend on nobody and you know what you like and go after it in life. Rats are quite similar in that way. They are go-getters and are unafraid to take the reins and drive their own existence - their way. But Rats do not own the rustic peacefulness of Pigs. Rats are more like urban dwellers than country folk. They live at a frenzied pace, are nervous and chatty and needful of admiration from others. Pigs don't much hurry. Nor do they care who admires them. They just carry on tra la la with their conviviality and their taste for the authentic and comfortable in life. Rats also work at a frenzied speed and if things are not moving quickly enough, they can tantrum out in the twitch of a whisker. Pigs, on the other hand, handle inter personal affairs with great diplomacy, take their time about things and rarely freak out. Aside from minor health issues which tend to crop up in summer, you Pigs can be comfortable this year in the knowledge that you are protected and admired and respected. It is however incumbent upon you to perform economically (which implies putting the brakes on squanderous abandon). The Rat demands you make wise investments or none at all. Control excessive gourmandise and don't forget to invite Rat people to all your country dinner parties. Let your Rat friends chat up the guests and take home the leftovers. That way, you Pigs can lose some weight and gain extra points with King Rat. Do much thinking about your 12 year program. After last year's planning sessions, you ought to have some idea where the next dozen years want to take you. Be certain not to fritter away precious time hunting for treasure in posh antique shops and art galleries. Don't take up with lazy people who want your assistance more than your affection. Don't be distracted by idle flattery. Stay ruthlessly on your own path.

yay! ewww heheh

Well you know how they look at Rats in Indonesia?