Year Of The Dragon
January 23 rings in the Chinese new year, the year of the dragon. The holiday is based on the lunisolar calendar that has an average of 29 and a 1/2 days per month. The celebration actually comes from ancient lore and the legend tells of a beast that descends on the first day of the new year to eat crops, people and livestock.
A long time ago, a village would be terrorized by a monster called Nian on the first day of the new year. Villagers would offer up food to get it to go away. A child wearing red scared the monster away, so the Chinese started hanging red lanterns and decorations outside their homes. They also started beating on pots and pans to scare the monster away with the noise they made.
The Dragon
They eventually made a costume resembling the dragon. The dragon was able to scare away their monster with the help of the ruckus they made beating the pots and pans. This is why the Chinese use the dragon and fireworks to bring in their new year, which is a 15 day celebration. Scaring away the Nian, which symblizes bad luck and or a demon, they scare away the bad luck and let the good luck come in the new year. The Chinese new year is just like Christmas in Western culture and is a 15 day celebration of gifts, food, dragons, fireworks, red decorations and family.
The Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese Zodiac uses animals and the year of your birth to associate certain attributes much like the Western astrology system uses what day of a month you were born in to determine your sign and characteristics for each. Find your year of birth below and see what animal and attributes the Chinese Zodiac says about you.
Born In: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Rat – 鼠 Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming.
Born In: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Ox – 牛 Dependable, ambitious, calm, methodical, born leader, patient, hardworking, conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, tenacious. Can be stubborn, dogmatic, hot-tempered, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, demanding.
Born In: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Tiger – 虎Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, generous. Can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish, aggressive, moody.
Born In: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Rabbit – 兔Gracious, good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amiable, elegant, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute, compassionate, lucky, flexible. Can be moody, detached, superficial, self-indulgent, opportunistic, stubborn.
Born In: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Dragon – 龍Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, generous, loyal. Can be tactless, arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, brash.
Born In: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
Snake – 蛇Deep thinker, wise, mystic, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, responsible, calm, strong, constant, purposeful. Can be loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, cold.
Born In: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
Horse – 馬Cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, open-minded. Can be fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, stubborn.
Born In: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
Sheep – 羊Righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, observant, artistic, intellectual, ingenious, innovative, creative, mothering, peaceful, generous. Can be indecisive, over-passive, worrier, pessimistic, sensitive, shy, weak-willed.
Born In: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
Monkey – 猴Inventor, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible, innovative, problem solver, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite, dignified, competitive, objective, factual. Can be egotistical, vain, arrogant, selfish, reckless, snobbish, deceptive, manipulative, cunning, jealous, suspicious, stubborn.
Born In: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
Rooster – 雞Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, responsible. Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud, opinionated, given to empty bravado.
Born In: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
Dog – 狗Honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play, attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic, moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, easy going. Can be cynical, lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, quarrelsome.
Born In: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
Pig – 豬Honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working, trusting, sincere, calm, understanding, thoughtful, scrupulous, passionate, intelligent. Can be naïve, over-reliant, self-indulgent, gullible, fatalistic, materialistic.
I surprisingly realized while writing this article that I am a dragon according to the Chinese Zodiac, now maybe that is why I love dragons and everything to do with them so much!
Have Fun,
Rhonda
Eldest – The Second Book
is the second book in The Inheritance Cycle written by Christopher Paolini. This book is about the continued adventures of 
Farthen Dur is in the southeastern part of the city, Ellesmera, the elven capital city is in the forest of Du Weldenvarden, in the north. The small town of Carvahall is in the northwestern part of Alagaesia in Palancar Valley. Aberon the capital of Surda, is in the southern part of Alagaesia. That sets up where most of the action takes place in Eldest.
to find out what happens. And be on the lookout for my review in the next few days on the third book in the Inheritance Series called 
yone who loves adventure, fantasy and dragons of course. I still suggest getting the movie after you have read the books, but my son says it doesn’t matter, because everybody knows the books are more in depth and give all the little details that complete the story.
Eragon
series of 4 books written by Christopher Paolini. He started writing this book at the age of 14, extraordinary, for someone so young to have wrote something that would later turn into a series of 4 books and later into an awesome, must see movie. My son has read the books and watched the movie several times and he has never tired of them. He was looking over my shoulder as I wrote this post, he said, “To make sure I got it right”. I was able to get him to leave me alone by telling him he could proofread it before I published it…haha…cute, but also, it should convince you of how great these books and the movie are.
and Saphira narrowly escape, but his Uncle is killed and the house and farm are burnt to the ground. Eragon then seeks vengeance for his uncle, and is accompanied by Brom, who insist on helping Eragon and Saphira. Through the special bond that Eragon and Saphira have, Eragon becomes a dragon rider. King Galbatorix is the only known dragon rider and wants Saphira and Eragon dead. Brom gives Eragon the sword of Zar’roc and teaches him sword fighting, magic and the ancient language and ways of the dragon rider.
by the time we seen the movie 
, but he read it anyway, because he said the books give you so much more than a movie ever can. The amazing thing is, my son, isn’t much of a bookworm so when I see him with a book I know it’s got to be good.
and says it is also just as awesome as the rest. He received the whole series of books for Christmas and has just told me he wishes he’d had 
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