Today is the first day of the Year of the Dog. "People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people¡¦s confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders. They are compatible with those born in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit. " The Omegas are in Big City for the weekend. We've done the zoo, tomorrow is the Chinese Cultural Center. OmegaMom hopes that the gods are appeased by the clean hotel room, as the thought of actually truly cleaning the OmegaHouse makes her shudder. The Discovery Channel is doing the "China Event"--show after show on China. CafePress has a boatload of Year of the Dog goods; I particularly like the "Ancient Chinese Zodiac Dog Stamp" T-shirt and the Chinese papercut design. And Figlet is throwing a CNY party. Darned well better post pics, girl! Gung hay fat choi! Sun nien fai lok! (Yes, it's Cantonese, not Mandarin...OmegaDotter hails from southern China, so it's appropriate for us.)