MALIBU WAY OF LIFE | By Jody Stump
Gung Hay Fat Choy! There’s a New Year emerging and the stars suggest you should be cleaning house and shopping for new clothes in preparation for Chinese New Year, commencing at moonrise Jan. 29. As I prepare each year, I collect astrological predictions from around the globe to share with you.
They tell me that this year we will whisk away the shocks and trials of last year’s quarrelsome rooster and welcome in the friendly and faithful dog as our guide and guardian. According to the Chinese, a rooster year is one in which secret misdeeds are broadcast to the world and emotions erupt into brief, bloody battles. There can be no peace in a rooster year, but since dogs are protective shepherds who guard their flocks, a canine season brings calm.
That being said, there’s another factor to consider in Chinese astrology. Asians have been charting the relationship of celestial to earthly bodies for 3,000 years and they noticed that it is not enough to track the 12 constellation animals; one must factor in the five elements: water, fire, earth, metal and wood. This is a fire year: the Year of the Red Dog. Conjure in your mind a glorious, high-strung red setter and you’ll have the concept.
To consider what 2006 might bring, reflect on 1946, the last Red Dog year. There were atomic blasts and an end to an awful war. The world spawned hope for peace along with the first assembly of the United Nations. Science ushered in a computer age and babies boomed.
Expect something similar. Every Red Dog year terminates a three-year cycle of clanging metal, usually with a bang. In 2006, the war in Iraq should end, but with one last convulsive act. Corruption scandals should culminate in convictions but the trials will unveil more dirty deeds. Expect public outcries against military actions abroad and for relief efforts worldwide – the dog always barks warnings about human injustice. And in some countries, separatist demands should result in new nations coming into being, along with sudden shifts in leadership in other seemingly stable lands.
By mid-year, the dog’s friendlier nature will prevail. There will be more marriages than break-ups and babies will be in the news. People seek harmony on both a personal and international level with human rights taking center stage. It was a harbinger of 2006 that Time’s People of the Year were humanitarians, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Bono.
Astrologically, the Red Dog is a digger, so look for a wellspring of academic discoveries that benefit humanity. These may come in the form of cancer cures or perhaps spiritual insights, such as finding the linkage between science and religion as more people seek their personal purpose. On a more down-to-earth level, the dog’s digging is likely to upset the balance of nature itself. Expect earthquakes of awesome proportion, typhoons and landslides, explosions and wildfires. Keep your disaster kit well stocked and make a personal contribution to reducing global warming.
Disasters, natural and manmade, are likely to alter many of the world’s economies in 2006 so the careful dog admonishes you to be thrifty and wise. Do some long-range planning and invest with prudence, especially putting your funds into anything likely to foster the public good.
Astrologers forecast that the industries likely to stumble include health, transportation, entertainment and gambling, with lawsuits and untimely leadership changes affecting bottom-lines. In contrast, the construction industry should flourish along with electronics, oil and anything related to the bettering the lives of women and children, especially babies.
This year, protect your family by buying a dog if you don’t have one. If you do share your life with a dog, be good to it this year. Plant a flowering plum tree in your yard and set a fruited kumquat on your hearth. The purple flowers promise abundance and golden fruit preserves your wealth. And, if you’d like to carry a bit of canine luck in your pocket, invest in a silver coin from Australia. Engraved with a sitting shepherd, this legal tender contains a propitious message in Chinese. You’ll find it at www.iccoin.com/au20yofdo1si.html. Happy New Year!
Steamed Whole Fish
New Year’s Eve in Asia is a time for families to come together and honor their ancestors for laying the foundations of good fortune and glory. The meal features a whole fish since any severing of the parts would cut off some member of the family. This Laotian version is from a gorgeous Southeast Asian cookbook, “Hot Sour Salty Sweet,” by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Diguid.
Serves 4 with rice
Two 1- to 2-pound firm-fleshed fish such as bass or trout, gutted, scaled, washed and patted dry
2 Tbs. peppercorn paste (see below)
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed, in 1-inch chunks
2 limes, halved
1. Preheat over to 400-degrees.
2. Make three diagonal slashes halfway through each fish. Stuff paste in each slit and pat the rest on top. Wrap in foil and/or banana leaves.
3. Bake 30 – 40 minutes. Serve with lime.
Peppercorn Paste
2 tsp. black peppercorns
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbs. coriander roots, chopped
1 tsp. Thai fish sauce
Using a small food processor or a mortar and pestle, grind together the first three ingredients with a pinch of salt. Stir in the fish sauce.