Expert: Bill Hajdu - 1/6/2006

Question
i was born august 7, 1963 at 7 am central standard time-what does 2006 year of the dog look for me?
also what rituals, foods, and clothes are worn that are different from year of the rooster?
thanks spring

Answer
Hi Spring,

Please excuse the delay; i've been working on my forecasts for the year and each sign to be published on www.firepig.com.

Here is what it looks like for the Rabbit:

RABBIT: 68% (1 unfavorable, 1 neutral and 10 favorable months)

The Dog is in charge and happens to be a friend of the Rabbit. In spite of the hectic activity Fire brings to the mix this has the potential to be a very good year for you. Use Fire's energy to stir you to positive action, while avoiding the tendency to get involved in all the commotion you're likely to encounter.

Career: Your prospects improve this year. Luck is with you, so take bold steps to advance yourself.

Romance: It's a good time to meet that someone special or to deepen an existing relationship. Be careful not to rush into anything, tho, as you need to keep under control to avoid disappointment.

By the way, you were born in the year of the Water Rabbit, month of the Earth Sheep, day of the Water Horse and hour of the Wood Dragon.

Also, here is my general forecast for the year:

The Fire Dog draws our attention to home and family---except….

The Dog is the great protector and provider. There is no time like the present to increase the quality of your family life. The best New Year's resolution you can make is to spend more quality time with your family. And, don't forget the homestead. Make a list of needed repairs and possible improvements to your home, including the outside areas. It's a great time to spruce up your environment.

So, what is that exception? Well another of the Dog's interests is a keen sense of justice. We are likely to see an increase in activism this year. This could include, for example, more and larger protests against the unequal benefits and costs of globalization, the American occupation of Iraq, and, or, the alleged causes of “global warming”. Most of us, however, are not into saving the world. Still each of us can probably identify some injustice in our own backyard that should be addressed. This is the time to speak out and call for resolution.

At this point it should be noted that 2006 is a Fire year. There will thus be plenty of action with lots of fireworks. Some of the demonstrations could get out of hand and include violence. This is not a year for the faint of heart. On the positive side Fire provides each of us the energy we need to initiate action, regardless of whether or not it requires immediate attention. It is not a time to sit on the sidelines and watch.

We can also say the Dog is associated with a keen sense of nostalgia. It's very likely at least one of this year's “new” fads will actually be a comeback of an old one. Most of us will spend a fair amount of time looking back at a previous time in our lives. Veterans visit Vietnam in record numbers. Hockey is back in North America; attendance soars. The World Cup is the greatest ever. As the old song (Raspberries, Strawberries) goes, “an old man returns to Paris, as ev'ry old man must.”

As for the second part of your question, i must admit i am not that knowledgable concerning related, cultural customs.
You might find something of interest at this site:
  http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/chinese-new-year.htm

You can also "Google": Chinese customs year of the dog

If you would like to learn more about your signs, i highly recommend Theodora Lau's The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes. Also, please visit my site, www.firepig.com.

Thank u for your question.