Gong Xi Fa Chai ! The Year of the Tiger

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger:
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
To his full height!

William Shakespeare - King Henry V

To all my Chinese and other Asian friends and colleagues out there celebrating the Chinese New Year tonight, Gong Xi Fa Chai
"wishing you enlarge your wealth."

My apartment building has Chinese New Year decorations everywhereand Jakarta is a blaze of colour, awaiting midnight.
It is such an exciting time.

In Chinese Astrology 2010 is The Year of the Tiger. The Year of the Tiger starts on 14 February 2010 and ends on 02 February 2011.

The Chinese Horoscope uses the lunar calendar and the Chinese New Year falls somewhere between late January and mid-February. The Chinese name their years after one of twelve animal signs that follow one another in a specific order, which is repeated over twelve years.

















These Chinese Zodiac signs are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. As with western Astrology, every Chinese Birth Sign has a particular character and qualities and people born in a specific year are believed to take on the character and qualities of the animal after which the year is named.
The Tiger is the third sign in the Chinese Horoscope and signifies bravery. The Tiger was admired by the ancient Chinese as the sign that kept away the three main tragedies of a household, which were fire, thieves and ghosts.

Gong Xi Fa Chai
"wishing you enlarge your wealth."