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The Year Of The Ox

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APPY NEW YEAR! In case you missed the celebration, yesterday was the first day of the Chinese New Year, and 2009 is the year of the Ox.

Chinese astrology follows Jupiter's orbit around the sun in a 12 year cycle, and is based on legend that 4,500 years ago the Emperor of Heaven invited animals to his birthday party. The lucky beasts who got to attend included a rat, an ox, a tiger, a rabbit, a dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that "the animal of our birth year is thought to define and influence us as, according to a Chinese saying, it "hides in our heart."

According to Chiff.com, those born in the year of the Ox are "are the supremely self-assured, and as a result are noted for inspiring confidence in others. Generally patient and thoughtful, they measure their words, and will speak clearly and concisely often when it matters most."

Oxen are also supposed to be "obstinate, pouty, truthful, motivated, friendly, apathetic, genuine, [and] quick-tempered."

Coincidentally (or not?) the man of the moment President Barack Obama was born under the sign of the Ox. And Chinese astrologers are having their moment in the sun predicting what the new year will bring for the new President.

According to USA Today, Obama "is taking office in a particularly bad year for his Chinese astrological sign. The ox sign is in direct conflict this year with a traditional Chinese divinity called the "God of Year," considered a bad omen." And being the U.S.'s 44th president does not bode well for him "because "four" is pronounced the same as "death" in Chinese."

Astrologer Alion Yeo even went so far as to say that Obama will not have "good luck this year. His honeymoon will only be short-lived."

But like everything in life, there are two sides to the story. And Dora Nipp, who heads up the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, sees the Chief Ox "sowing the economic seeds this year so that next year, the year of the tiger will show growth."

"Obama was born a metal ox, so he's very confident and strong-willed and he's not afraid to speak his mind. He's honest, dependable and doesn't promise more than he can deliver and sets about objectives with dogged determination," Nipp told Canada's Edmunton Sun.

It will be interesting to watch.