2013 is the Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac calendar. In case you don’t know the order of animals of our zodiac, corresponding to 12 year cycles, here it is:

Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Boar/Pig

Legend has it that the Emperor of China wanted to select 12 animals for the zodiac calendar and a race was set to determine which animals would be selected. The clever Rat came in first on the nose of the mighty Ox, followed by the other 10 animals, including the mythical Dragon. There are many children’s books at the public libraries about this zodiac story.

Many Asians believe that the year of a person’s birth determines that person’s personality traits, degree of success and happiness through their lifetime.

So today February 10 is the start of the Lunar New Year for the Chinese lunar calendar. We Japanese start our zodiac calendar on the 1st of January, so the Year of the snake corresponds to the calendar year for us. There are several “snakes” in my life: two best friends married to each other in Hawaii, a niece, another female friend here in town.

One particular zodiac calendar I refer to says that snake people are “wise & intense with a tendency towards physical beauty. Vain and high tempered.” Hmmn, not exactly flattering characteristics, but then the snake is an enigmatic, slippery creature. Year of the Snake years for those born in: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013.

Don’t miss the fabulous Lunar New Year celebration coming up on Feb. 16 sponsored by Tucson Chinese Cultural Center:

And later this month is a popular yearly event at the Himmel Park Branch library on Feb. 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

Chinese New Year Celebration

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with light refreshments and fun-filled activities such as Chinese Calligraphy, face painting, and crafts. The University of Arizona’s Purple Bamboo Ensemble will perform.

Happy New Year of the Snake.

2013 is the Year of the enigmatic Snake. Enjoy the Taste of China Festival/Celebration on Sat. Feb. 9 at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd.

According to a Chinese zodiac calendar I refer to, snake people are “quiet, wise, stingy, charitable to others, intense, passionate.” Sound like any “snakes” you know in your life? And they’re compatible with those born in the Year of the Ox and Rooster. Year of the Snake years: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013.

Celebrate again on February 16 at the Marriott Star Pass resort:

For more info on both events, call 520-292-6900, website www.tucsonchinese.org.

Happy Lunar New Year on Feb. 10, when the Year of the Snake begins.

It will shortly be the 13th year of the new 2000 millennium, and there’s a lot to celebrate tonight, New Year’s Eve.

I won’t delve into the political realm, so let’s just be grateful for what we have in the United States of America, specifically in Tucson, and Southern Arizona.

Here’s my list of resolutions for the New Year:

– be more patient

– be kind

– be compassionate

I hope I have the patience (Resolution #1) to practice my resolutions beyond tomorrow, but I will try to be kind and compassionate (Resolutions # 2 and 3) to those I encounter in the new year.

And so we end the powerful Year of the Dragon and enter the enigmatic Year of the Snake. I have several “snakes” in my life — three friends and a niece, so it should be an interesting year.

Happy New Year to our readers and fellow bloggers at Tucsoncitizen.com! And if you’re wondering which were my top 5 stories of 2012, four of the five were election news: two on the General Election results (candidates and propositions), the Primary Election results, the list of who was running for 2012 Pima County offices, and only one non-political post about the Powerful Year of the Dragon.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year in Hawaiian)!