Akimashite Omedetoo

Happy Very Late New Year. Although people in Japan say their version of "Happy New Year" all throughout January ... kinda like we say Merry Christmas for weeks before Christmas. This year is the "Year of the Boar", and the Japanese have done a great job making wild pigs into cute, cuddly little cartoon characters you would be gladly invite to come to tea with Peter Rabbit and Winnie-the-Pooh. According to one I-Ching forecast for this year of the boar...

4 yins to 2 yangs mean “woman” power will continue to overshadow “man”. It is especially in favour of middle-aged women. This I-Ching symbol indicates fire on top of earth. The world may have to suffer from many wild fires, arguments, battles and wars as well as internal confrontations. Many countries will have to go through huge revelations which in turn lead to political changes. This I-Ching conflict is the result of a “Yang” at the top with many “Yin’s” at the bottom. Such foundation becomes very shaky. Hence there would be a lot of accidents involving height, such as outer space adventures, satellites malfunctioning, bridges collapsing, high-rises becoming unstable and airplane problems. Volcanoes and earthquakes would join in the rack.

So it should be a good year for me, as long as I don't watch the news or go into space. The picture at the top shows the Boar Bell I bought (wow, serious alliteration), and the New Year's post cards I sent out. If you haven't recieved one, don't get your feelings hurt...I only sent them out about an hour ago. In all the holiday hullaballoo, they got forgotten. But better late than never...which could describe my whole adventure in Japan.

Enough rambling, but let me wish you all a very Happy "Boar"ing Year.