2014 Chinese New Year greetings - Gong Xi Fa Cai

Today is 31 January, 2014.  It is also Chinese New Year or also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, a festival which is celebrated for fifteen whole days and today is the first day of the celebration.

In reality, the Chinese New Year festival starts with the Reunion dinner on the eve of the festival, in which family members from far and wide travel miles to return home to reunite with each other.

This new year is the year of the Wooden Fire Horse and from the many sources that I came across, this year promises to be a good year generally, better than the last. Being of the wood element, good colours to wear or use are green and brown. As for auspicious dates to start work in the new year you can check out an earlier post, 2014 Auspicious/Good Days to Start work in the Chinese New Year.

On this happy occasion of the Spring festival, let me wish you and your family..

Wait, there's more..

Source: Google
Happy Lunar New Year, everyone! May the new year bring you much happiness, good health and prosperity!

What does your Coffee mug say?

I hope the title of this post didn't give you the impression that this is a quiz post. It's not. It's just that our company decided to give everyone a coffee mug to commemorate a corporate event.

When it comes to corporate gifts either to give away or for the employees, there is no shortage of choices. After pens and t-shirts, custom coffee mugs would come in third, I suppose.

Speaking of coffee mugs, I'm sure every office has a good array of them, everyone having a mug with a witty line that's different from the rest.

Mine? The one I use is something like the one in the image although it's not meant for coffee but for good old-fashioned plain water. Sorry to disappoint you..

2014 Auspicious/Good Days to Start work in the Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is this Friday, January 31, just days away.  If you are still wondering as to a good day to start work or open shop for business in the new year of the Horse, here are the options as suggested from two sources.

Geomancy.net provides four options as follows:

OPTION 1:
5 Feb 2014 (Wed) - except for those born in the Ox year
Lunar: 2014, 1st month, 6th day of Chinese New Year

or

OPTION 2:
7 Feb 2014 (Fri) - except for those born in the Rabbit year
Lunar: 2014, 1st month, 8th day of Chinese New Year

or

OPTION 3:
If cannot close for too long; and need to open as early as possible:-
1 Feb 2014 (Sat) - except for those born in the Rooster year
Lunar: 2014, 1st month, 2nd day of Chinese New Year

or

OPTION 4:
Cantonese don't like opening on the 4th. But no issue with Hokkiens & Teochews
03 Feb 2014 (Mon)
Lunar: 2014, 1st month, 4th day of Chinese New Year


More dates from Goodfengshui.com.  This one has more details with auspicious timing provided, i.e., best time to start work; Chinese characters as well as what the day is auspicious for, for some of the dates.


04-2-2013 正月初五日 Tue 定日 Decision Day (except for Rat person 肖鼠忌用) Best date
@ Best Timing： 3pm to 7pm.

05-2-2014 正月初六日 Wed 执日 (except for Ox person 肖牛忌用)
@ Best Timing： 11am to 1pm, 5pm to 7pm.

07-2-2014 正月初八日 Fri 危日 Cautious Day (except for Rabbit person 肖兔忌用)
@ Best Timing： 3pm to 5pm.

08-2-2014 正月初九日 Sat 成日 Success Day (except for Dragon person 肖龍忌用)
@ Best Timing： 1pm to 3pm.

12-2-2014 正月十三日 Wed 建日 Construct Day (except for Monkey person 肖猴忌用)
@ Best Timing： 1pm to 3pm.

13-2-2014 正月十四日 Thu 除日 Release Day (except for Rooster person 肖雞忌用)
@ Best Timing： 3pm to 5pm.

14-2-2014 正月十五日 Fri 满日 Perfect Day (except for Dog person 肖狗忌用)
@ Best Timing： 3pm to 7pm.

--

Not sure which animal sign you were born in?  No worries, Wikipedia has the Chinese calendar that goes back to 1925. Check it out, you won't be guessing again especially if you were born in January or February.


Image Source: Wikipedia

Protecting your dog with Wireless dog fences

If you have a dog or dogs and is looking for a way to keep your dogs within your home compound, here is something to check out - pet-friendly wireless dog fences. You no longer have to worry about your dog(s) chasing service personnel including the mailman or the newspaperman or worse putting themselves in danger dashing out into the street.

Yes, wireless, no need for fences of any sort.  The video below has more information.

Friday Frolics - The Snowman Test

It's sunny outside today but according to the Met department on the front page of the local daily, The Star, it says we are heading towards a chilly Chinese New Year all due to the north-easterly wind blowing from snow-laden China.

And in other parts of the world, people are experiencing weather woes resulting in schools closing early due to high winds creating blizzard-like conditions.

In line with the weather, I thought we'd take a simple Snowman Test this week. Not many choices but can be pretty revealing about you. Take the quiz to find out what your choice says about you.

Happy Friday, everyone! And the same day next week, 31 January, I'll be celebrating Chinese New Year, i.e., the first day of the Wooden Horse. Yay!

You Are Calm and Content

You are calm and relaxed. You seek out serenity and tranquility. You are agreeable... to a point. You know when it's time to do your own thing. Building real and deep relationships matters to you. You are a person of substance looking for others of substance. You are accommodating and peace-seeking. You do your best to make others happy.

The Snowman Test

Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

Last Week's Quiz: Are you an Elitist or an Egalitarian?

Ibanez JEM/UV Steve Vai Signature Electric guitar

If you are in the market for a guitar, a good one, no less, you simply have to check out an ibanez guitar at MusiciansFriend.com

This one is an Ibanez JEM/UV Steve Vai Signature Electric guitar, a cool sea foam green at that.

The Ibanez JEM/UV Series is a spectacular instrument that features a contoured basswood body and a 5-piece maple and walnut bolt-on neck that provides easy access to all registers. A 24-fret rosewood fretboard is adorned with a colorful "Tree of Life" pattern inlay and has the high-speed JEM Prestige profile that gives Steve Vai the playability he needs. The JEM/UV sports chrome hardware and includes Steve's "Monkey Grip" handle cut on the body.

The acclaimed Edge tremolo features knife-edge-like pivot surfaces for virtually friction free operation. Locking studs contribute to tuning stability. The low-profile design of the Edge tremolo includes fine tuners conveniently angled back to prevent right hand touches. Ibanez's Lion's Claw tremolo cavity allows pitches to be radically raised or lowered.

This guitar is currently going for a saving of $500 at the original price of $1999. Hardshell case included.

Friday Frolics - Are you an Elitist or an Egalitarian?

This week's personality quiz makes you think a little, and I like that. So, get ready with your thinking cap and go........

Happy Friday, everyone!

Today is Thaipusam. Happy Thaipusam and happy holiday if you are celebrating just the day-off. :D

You Are an Elitist

You don't think that there is much broken with society. In fact, you think we could use more traditional thinking. You believe that class and economic divisions are a natural part of life. Too much gets messed up when things are fussed with. You are big on social stability. You think change only brings problems unless it's truly warranted. You aren't heartless. You like the idea of a society with a social net, but you generally think people should be able to keep what they earn and inherit.

Are You an Elitist or an Egalitarian?

More Fun, Free Quizzes

Last Week's Quiz: What Kind of Cake Are You?

Today is Thaipusam

This year, Thaipusam is celebrated today, January 17. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on a large scale especially in Penang and in Kuala Lumpur. In Kuala Lumpur, the action is at the Batu Caves.

As in previous years, Batu Caves play host to thousands, mostly devotees although tourists with cameras and camcorders make up a good percentage of the teeming crowd. The weather is great today (as in no rain with mild sunshine) for a visit to this once-a-year event though you would have to put up with the crowd (everywhere you turn), the sights (kavadi-carriers) and smells (of food, flowers and incense) of such a gargantuan event. Frankly, this could be a once-a-lifetime kind of experience.

However, if you are not participating and do not want to be caught in the horrendous traffic jam, stay away from the Gombak/Sentul area or anywhere near Batu Caves.

If you are heading there anyway and need help with its location, this map may be useful.


View Larger Map

Image source: Wikipedia