Baby New Year

Welcome 

Melanie, Sara, Kimberly, Allison, Johnanna, 

Michelle, Erica, Kelly, and Molly!  

So much to celebrate, so little time.  This is my kind of Monday!  Today is not only the Chinese New Year, but it is also the first day of our six-day Virtual Highlowaha Baby Shower!  There's gotta be something Feng Shui about that!

For our veteran readers, you know, our virtual parties are a great chance to welcome new members into our community.  So, grab a cup of coffee, wake up, and let's show these women what we've got!

For those who know me at all, you know it would be virtually impossible to bypass the opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year, even if I'm supposed to be at a baby shower.  So the challenge... find the point of intersection.  I didn't have to go far, as the Chinese Zodiac provides the perfect fuel for getting this party started.  

Tradition has it that the Chinese don't talk as much about age as they do the animal sign under which they were born.  In other words, rather than sharing that I am 43 and a Libra, I would simply say I was born under the sign of the Snake.  If I really wanted to self disclose, I might say I was a Wood Snake (as opposed to metal, water, fire, or earth).  Apparently that's all the Chinese need to know in order to, "have your number."

Skeptical?  Look at what my Chinese Astrology book (published in 2003) generally had to say about the year of the Ox.

"The year of the Ox will be an exciting one in which there will be major changes in the world leadership.  Political upheavals will be on the agenda.  In the first month of the first Ox year this century, Queen Victoria died.  There will certainly be struggles at the top of the political ladder where only the toughest survive.  Apart from instability on the political stage, the year of the Ox will pass without great floods or famines.  The Ox will spend most of his time in the fields, and the harvest will again be bountiful and the promise of an honest day's work means that there will be many willing to reap the benefits.  If you have serious plans of having children, the year of the Ox is a good time. "

Here are a few features of the Ox babies coming in 2009:

Qualities:  You are diligent, positive, and helpful.  However, you tend to run your own show and can be rather stubborn and authoritarian.  Some will find it difficult to work with you because you are tough and not always cooperative.

Luck: You appreciate the small things in life and you are extremly proud when you see the results of your work.  You work hard and are destined to succeed.

Money: You take care of what you have and build on your resources.  You may become very rich and famous in what you do - even something you learned as a child can bear fruit.

Social Life: You get on well with the people you choose to deal with.  When you find yourself among people you do not know well, you can be shy and introverted.  

Siblings: You enjoy relatively good relationships with brothers and sisters as long as they learn to give you space and try not to be too dominating.

Health: You are strong and extremely robust, like an Ox.  You won't suffer illness as you lead a healthy life and can look forward to prosperous later years.

Party-goers, if there is one thing you should know about this community that you will be hanging out with for the week, it is that we are fun and engaged (engaging too, but definitely engaged)!  It means we find reason to interact and share ideas just about every day.  As for today?  When in China, do as the Chinese do.

Apparently red envelopes are a big deal during the Chinese New Year.  They are given year round like greeting cards are given in the Western tradition, but never more than at the Chinese New Year.  The envelopes usually contain crisp, new money.  Sounds good, huh?

Here's how we'll play.  I have thirty red Chinese envelopes... yes, filled with money.  There are four envelopes with .25 cents inside; 20 envelopes with $1.00; three envelopes with $3.00; two with $5.00; and 1 with $20.00 inside.  Each envelope has one of 2009's most popular kids names on it.  You take a chance, pick an envelope/name, and see how much you've won.

Got it?  If you know your Chinese Zodiac sign then share that too!  

Here are the names corresponding with each of the envelopes.

Boys

Jacob

Michael

Joshua

Matthew

Ethan

Andrew

Daniel

Anthony

Christopher

Joseph

William

Alexander

Ryan

David

Nicholas

Girls

Emily

Madison

Hannah

Emma

Ashley

Abigail

Alexis

Olivia

Samantha

Sarah

Elizabeth

Alyssa

Grace

Isabella

Lauren

If I don't already have your mailing address, send me an email at cbeeny@lslog.com, so I can send you your winnings!

Announcements:

• Speaking of Red:  You might have heard.  There's a red carpet event happening on Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00 CST, right here at highlowaha.  Today at midnight is the deadline for submitting your nominations for the nine award categories (see Saturday's post for detailed list of the nine awards).  If you don't want to nominate someone for all nine, but only feel strongly about one or two, then please just submit those.  It's only the People's Choice Awards if you, the people, actually vote!!!!!  Newcomers, we hope you will join us!
  

Signing off until tomorrow...