I Am A Horse

Happy New Year!  It’s the Year of the Horse, 4712 on the Chinese calendar. The Horse is a beloved animal in the Chinese zodiac.  Battles are won on the backs of the handsome, strong, and intelligent horse.  If you have a horse in your life (especially working for you), then it’ll be a fortunate year.  Lucky you! I am a Horse.

Buddha named the animal years.  Legend has it that he asked all animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve showed up.  Buddha named a year after each one and announced that people born in a particular animal year would have that animal’s traits and personality.

According to my thorough surface-scratching research of the Chinese zodiac, the Horse is endearing yet frustrating.  In general, they are strong, hard working, and self-reliant.  They are creative and work well with others, but they’re also an independent force.  Socially, they are eloquent and charismatic, however they’re likely to be the first to leave a party.  Horses are free-spirited and always on the move, but they need intimacy and belonging.  They have good manners and pay great attention to their appearance, yet they’re giving and generous to others. Good careers for the Horse include businessperson, poet, travel writer, or politician.   Sandra Day O’Connor and Teddy Roosevelt were born the year of the Horse. I was born the year of the Horse.

Last year’s Snake had me moving from Hong Kong back to New York.  The three-month long international shipping of my belongings and the reverse culture shock made my reentry a bit bumpy, so I kept to my cottage in Garrison.  I got a puppy, resumed restoration of the cottage, and cleared felled trees. I visited with family, saw old friends and made new ones, and met with neighbors.   Lots of time was spent walking my 200-year-old dirt road and researching its history.  I became the secretary of the dirt road advocacy group, the Old Road Society.  As of post time, the New Year, I decided to make it my business to save my old dirt road from the town’s plan to pave it.  Then I read the 2014 Chinese horoscope Horse form:  

For those born in the year of the Horse, you need to stay low profile in 2014 as every aspect of your life can encounter challenges and competition this year. In order to succeed, you need to spend extra effort with your colleagues, friends, supporters and even competitors to solve issue pertaining to the business. You risk losing your reputation if you mishandle the situation properly. Expenses and social activities will increase for the Horse people and there are signs of money going out swiftly. You need to handle your finances prudently. Lending money should be avoided as you risk getting back later and lose the friendship. In 2014, your mental health cause by the challenges is weak, you need to remain positive and stay strong. Get a health check for your heart and urinary system if you are experience issues. [sic]

Hold your horses!  How can I raise the public’s awareness and engage elected officials in road-saving measures if I am to keep a low profile?  I’ll have to rein in some of my mannerism.  Fortunes coming in and going out?  I’ll keep things low stakes. What about the eerily specific urinary system warning?  Forget leading this horse to water, I’ll be drinking cranberry juice! Remaining under wraps for 2014 will be a challenge, but I will not be eased.  I am a Horse.