I saw a clever piece this morning- no, it wasn’t on Brietbart, hahaha- that quite captivated me. It re-cast the year we are about to discard as wild “black swan’ predictions, taking the reality we have come to accept as being just as crazy as it actually was. Charlie Manson getting married? China’s actions in the South China Sea? A UN Security Council member invading their neighbor and shooting down airliners? That doesn’t even include some of our more surprising domestic swans.

I can’t tell if it is true or not, but there was a report this morning that an enterprising South Korean was planning on sending balloons carrying copies of the satiric film “The Interview” over North Korea. I imagine they would have to be VHS format for use in the Hermit Kingdom.

I mean, think about what went on this year. In the Chinese Zodiac, 2014 was The Year of the Horse, and it wound up galloping right over us. I think there is something to all this.

The increasingly adversarial relationship between China and the Japanese plays into this. A pal in Dai Nippon sent a note to remind us that that people who are “born in the same animal year share similar personality and character. “The coming year of the Sheep- Hitsuji doshi is what the Japanese call it- seems really appropriate.

By way of contrast, I was born in the year of the Rabbit, and our characteristics include creativity, compassion, and sensitivity. Not to mention modesty. We Rabbits are friendly, outgoing and prefer the company of others, while preferring to avoid conflict. Our serene nature keeps Rabbits from becoming visibly upset. Because we are naturally calm, serene animals, we are easily taken advantage of. Our sensitive and retiring nature makes us shy away from aggressive or competitive situations.

Hahaha. Just kidding

The Japanese word for sheep is “hitsuji.” The kanji character that tops this essay represents the shape of a sheep’s head with two horns, four legs and a tail. Sheep are rare in Japan since the humidity is not conducive to the wool-bearing beast, and thus wool and mutton are imported from Australia, New Zealand or Taiwan. The sheep’s bleat is characterized by the Japanese as “meh meh,” which reflects our use of the term for nonchalance, or outright boredom.

People born in the year of the sheep are said to be elegant, highly accomplished in the arts and passionate about nature. People born under the sign of the sheep are tender, polite, filial, clever, and kind-hearted. They have special sensitivity to art and beauty, faith in a certain religion and a special fondness for quiet living. They are wise, gentle and compassionate and can cope with business cautiously and circumspectly. In their daily life, they try to be economical. Women born in this year are willing to take good care of others, but they should avoid pessimism and hesitation. They are kind in heart and commonly have symmetrical figures and features.

Compared to the other zodiac animals such as the snake (hebi) or horse (uma), there are not many Japanese expressions that include the word sheep.

羊のよう, “Hitsuji no yo” (like sheep), means “docile, sheepish.”

羊雲 , “Hitsuji-gumo” (sheep cloud), is “a fluffy cloud.”

My personal favorite is:

羊頭狗肉 , “Yo-to Ku-niku” (sheep’s head, dog’s meat), which means “using a better name to sell inferior goods, or, “crying wine and selling vinegar.”

There are weaknesses associated with being born in the year of the Sheep , but I am shy and retiring and don’t want to provoke controversy. 2015 would thus be a most excellent year to pick to be born, and I also suggest selecting rich (and good looking) parents.

Happy New Year!

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303