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Friday, February 16, 2018

Happy New Year — Chinese New Year that is.


The figurine, who is featured in the image directly above, joins me today in wishing you, dear reader, a very  Happy New Year — Chinese New Year that is. This date of 2-16-2018 marks the beginning of the Lunar Year, which happens to be The Year of the Dog.

This occasion has nothing to do with the calendar year being named The Year of the Bird in honor of the one hundred year anniversary of  The Migratory Bird Act.
According to a web-page (China Highlights), "In Chinese astrology, each year is related to a Chinese zodiac animal according to the 12-year cycle. 2018 is an Earth Dog Year. Years of the Dog include 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030... The Dog occupies the eleventh position in the Chinese zodiac, after the Rooster, and before the Pig."

The aforementioned web page goes on to state, if "one is born in a Dog year, you're a Dog (and) the following are deemed lucky for (those born in this Year of the Dog): Numbers: 3, 4, 9. Colors: red, green, (as well as) purple. Flowers: rose (and) cymbidium orchids.

People born in the following date ranges are believed to be born in a Year of the Dog. Their Chinese zodiac signs are dog.

Dog Year Start End
2018 February 16, 2018 February 4, 2019
2006 January 29, 2006 February 17, 2007
1994 February 10, 1994 January 30, 1995
1982 January 25, 1982 February 12, 1983
1970 February 6, 1970 January 26, 1971
1958 February 18, 1958 February 7, 1959
1946 February 2, 1946 January 21, 1947

1934 February 14, 1934 February 3, 1935

In Chinese element theory, each zodiac sign is associated with one of the five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. For example, a Wood Dog comes once in a 60-year cycle.

It is theorized that a person's characteristics are decided by their birth year's zodiac animal sign and element. So there are five types of Dogs, each with different characteristics:

Type of Dog Year of Birth Characteristics
Wood Dog 1934, 1994 Sincere, reliable, considerate, understanding, and patient
Fire Dog 1946, 2006 Intelligent, hardworking, and sincere
Earth Dog 1958, 2018 Communicative, serious, and responsible in work
Gold Dog 1910, 1970 Conservative, desirable, cautious, and always ready to help others

Water Dog 1922, 1982 Brave and self-centered, even seemingly selfish; well-versed in dealing with financial issues"

Moreover, this page lists some famous dogs as being Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, Elvis Presley, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, George Bush Jr, Steven Spielberg, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Justin Bieber.

In any event, my way of honoring this New Year's Day for The Year of the Dog, is to conclude this post with the next set of photographs that feature the dogs I've met over the years.

Wolfie, a German Shepard, who moved into our house during my first year of college. He eventually relocated to my grandmother's house to keep her company after my grandfather died.


Rufus, who shares an apartment on the UWS of NYC with Marie Buckley, who is the widow of Micheal Buckley, the theatre critic.


Jazz, also an UWS dweller but who is no longer with us (he died recently), was initially rescued in the aftermath of a hurricane (Hurricane Katrina).


Parker and Lola, upper westsiders who enjoy Central Park:



I didn't catch the name of the next dog when I took his picture while he was in a store on the UWS.


Uli (short for Ulysses), a chow chow who lives  in The Bronx but visits me frequently.


And last, but not at all least, a playful pup whom I encountered when I was at Long Beach this past October.




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