Happy Year of the Dragon

(Image from X/Year of the Dragon)

Today is the first day of the Lunar Year. Each year is assigned to one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac; yesterday the Year of the Rabbit ended and today the Year of the Dragon begins.

In Chinese culture there's a belief that an individual takes on the characteristics of the animal of his or her birth year. Dragon babies--like your humble blogger--have an auspicious future.[bold added]

Arriving fifth in the sequence, the dragon is the most potent—and most desired—zodiac symbol. It “catalyzes all the powers of nine animals and is therefore considered very supreme,” says Richard E. Strassberg, an expert on Chinese culture and the author of A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures From the Guideways Through Mountains and Seas. “There [is] an overwhelming mixture of respect and hope in invoking the dragon’s powers.”

When the Year of the Dragon arrives, birth rates in China tend to boom. Many parents believe that a child born during this year, a lucky dragon baby, will be destined for success. Though this perception is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, with parents investing greater resources in their dragon child, the extraordinary expectations surrounding the zodiac creature speak to its deep associations with intelligence, authority and good fortune.

Sharing our good fortune this year

Like everyone else, your humble blogger has had a life of ups and downs, but in all the important ways a life filled with good fortune.

Maybe there was something to this zodiac thing.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Happy New Year

BashGaming graphic

The recently completed Year of the Dragon was not an annus horribilis, but it wasn't a great year either, especially given the high expectations of those born during a dragon year like your humble observer.

A number of our personal and business plans didn't bear fruit; others met delays. However, we can try again during the Year of the Snake, and we count ourselves lucky to have the opportunity. (The snake is sometimes known as the little dragon.) Here's hoping that we--and you, dear reader---slither to success.

Productivity vs. Reproductivity

Time is running out if a couple wants to have a dragon baby:

Couples have until about mid-May to conceive in time for a birth before the Dragon year ends, and many are sure to ask doctors to induce labor as Feb. 10 nears.

Asians comprise 23% of the Bay Area population, and it's a fair bet that the Asian percentage is at least that high in the electronics industry.

Silicon Valley companies may see declining productivity during the next three months because workers are preoccupied with other matters. At least we'll know why.

Rabbit, Rabbit Reprise

Only a few word changes are necessary to update the post from one year ago:

I remembered the only thing that my 11th-grade math teacher taught me and said “Rabbit, Rabbit” when I rolled out of bed this morning.

a person should say "rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit", "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit", "rabbit, rabbit" or simply "white rabbits" upon waking on the first day of each new month, and on doing so will receive good luck for the duration of that month.

The lucky Year of the Rabbit Dragon commences on Thursday d on January 23rd, which should double the good luck. Time to throw caution to the winds and buy some stocks that I’ve been eyeing. Already the market has had its best January in 14 15 years, and I'm thinking (hoping) that it’s got more room to run.

Well, you know what they say about a fool and his money…..

January was good last year, but this year it's been outstanding, especially the NASDAQ (in red):

[Update - 2/2: January's Stock Performance is the Best in 15 Years. ]

January 1 -31,  2012

January 1 - 31, 2011

Good Start to the Year

There were 80 of us in the Jury Assembly Room yesterday morning. 55 names, none of them mine, were called; they shuffled upstairs to be interviewed by the judge. We had to wait another hour to see if the remaining 25 were needed for another case. No, we were dismissed before 11 a.m. Yes, I was willing to do my civic duty but didn't need to, reviving a distant memory of the happy feelings from receiving a high draft number.

This week two of the stocks that I own (and recommended on January 7th) reported much better-than-expected earnings. The share prices of both Apple and Netflix have risen, along with my mood.

The Year of the Dragon has gotten off to a good start. I suppose that it could have been even better had the Niners beaten the Giants and made it to the Super Bowl. But let's be honest--San Francisco over-achieved this year and was not as balanced as New York. Incidentally, the Chinese zodiacal magic evened out at the game: both 49er Kyle Williams, who made the critical fumble, and Giant Jacquian Williams, who caused it, were born in the Year of the Dragon.

Happy New Year

Per the Associated Press:

The Year of the Dragon begins Monday [today], and the Chinese believe that babies born in this iteration of the 12-year Zodiac cycle are gifted with prodigious quantities of luck and strength. In ancient times the dragon was a symbol reserved for the Chinese emperor, and it is considered to be an extremely auspicious sign.

Chinese couples are freezing and unfreezing ova or undergoing other fertility treatments just so they can have a dragon baby.

"Prodigious quantities of luck and strength"?! I'm a dragon baby...so what happened?

Happy New Year!