Chinese Zodiac Signs

Each Chinese New Year begins on the day of first new moon. In the western year 2005, the new moon began on February 9. It was the Chinese year 4702. In actuality, most Chinese began using the western, or solar, calendar in the early twentieth century, except on important holidays. Many of the calendars in China show both the solar dates of the western calendar and the lunar dates of the Chinese calendar. Chinese astrology is based on the twelve cycles of the moon.

The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals, rather than the solar signs used in the west. In the Chinese calendar each period lasts for a full cycle of the moon, from new to full. There are twelve complete lunar cycles in a Chinese zodiac year, but one animal symbolizes the entire year. According to their calendar, the Chinese complete a cycle every twelve years. So if you were born in the year of the rat, you would celebrate your zodiac birthday every twelve years, and your Chinese zodiac sign would be the rat. In the west your astrological sign appears once each year.

The calendar and its animals were created from an ancient legend. It tells us that the animals were all fighting about who was going to be in the prime (first) position on the Chinese calendar. The gods devised a test in which the animals would compete for their position by swimming across a river. Another version says that the Buddha requested visits by the animals before he left earth. He named the moon cycles after the animals in order of appearance. So the Chinese zodiac symbol is a circle divided into twelve equal sections; think of it as if you were marking off slices of a pie. There is a picture of the animal representing that Chinese zodiac sign in each section. The calendars use dates clear back to 2600 BC.

The animals used in Chinese astrology are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and boar (pig). Persons born during their cycle are said to take on their animal traits:

• Rat- Perfectionist, charming, aggressive, secretive, party-loving, quick-witted, stubborn, good at politics and business, can be mean
• Ox- Quiet, quick to anger, excellent memories, hard-working, family loyalty, creative, skilful hands, responsible, self-confident
• Tiger- Leaders, courageous, territorial, possessive, fighters, generous and selfish, magnetic, passionate, works solo, dynamic
• Rabbit- Sweet-natured, conservative, artistic, tasteful, sentimental, emotional, shy, faithful to partners, romantic, avoid fighting
• Dragon- Regal, leader, centre of attention, powerful, lucky, aggressive, dynamic, big ego, snobbish, tyrannical
• Snake- Charming, popular, lies easily, possessive, hates rejection, deep thinker, well-mannered, lazy, romantic, insecure
• Horse- Crowd lover, rebellious, energetic, selfish, self-centered, good with money, cunning, lacks self-confidence
• Sheep or goat- Artistic, creative, lazy, disorganized, charming, well-mannered, dreamy, pessimistic, romantic, worrier, not good in business
• Monkey- Charming, witty, clever, emotional, unscrupulous, love food but not gluttons, deceptive, funny, lucky
• Rooster- Straight-forward, honest, flashy dresser, loyal, honest, dreamer, psychic, busy, loves a bargain, observers
• Dog- Traditional, loyal, sincere, intelligent, private, judgmental, serious, anxious, likes solitude, champions causes
• Pig or boar- Loving, caring, chivalrous, sincere, honourable, easy to take advantage of, belief in goodness, love food, romantic, jealous

As you can see the Chinese calendar with its Chinese zodiac symbols is most interesting indeed. If you look up your Chinese zodiac sign, you will enjoy the time learning more about yourself.

Bo Guo is the owner of Char4U.com and OrientaLabels.com. Please include an active link to our sites when reprinting this article.

Spiritual Canoe Trip

Don't Be Afraid To Play Shorthanded - Adversity Builds Character

"Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward."-Henry Ford

World class athlete and cyclist Lance Armstrong is quite possibly the most inspirational sports figure in the world. Just before his twenty-fifth birthday, this Olympic athlete learned he had cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain and that he had less than a 50-percent chance of survival. Despite this devastating news, Armstrong beat the cancer and came back to win the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious cycling event, six times. He never believed in defeat. He believed in the power of law of success. This is one of the key components to beating any adversity you may come across in your life; believe in the power of self!

You are an amazing machine that has within itself the ability to beat anything thrown your way. You control your life, how you think, how you act and how you feel. Choose to feel good despite the circumstances and the endorphins will flood your system to heal the "open wound."

In a world without hurdles, there are no champions. I ask you this; isn't heat necessary to produce gold, pressure and polishing necessary to produce diamonds, and adversity necessary to produce character? These are all TRUE statements. What has to come from within you is the burning desire to want to beat your adversary of adversity. It is up to you to BELIEVE like you have never BELIEVED before!

1. Tips and Drills:

i. It is the victory over our difficulties that makes us heroes.

ii. "Remember, this too shall pass."

iii. Find your support system-call a confidante who can see the bright side of the situation when you can't.

2. X's and O's: (Study):

i. Remember your past law of successes - Often when we are dealing with a difficult situation we develop amnesia about our past. Unless you are one of a privileged few, you have law of successfully overcome prior challenges in your life!

ii. On a daily basis, come up with a list of things that are great in your life, things for which you can be grateful for even as you travel this tough road you are on.

3. Go for Pay Dirt (Goals)

i. Choose to focus on the positive rather than the negative.

ii. Lessen your suffering by refusing to linger on past difficulties or expecting future ones.

4. Running the Bases (Actions)

i. Realize that misfortune tells what fortune is.

ii. Recognize misfortune for what it is: an opportunity to lift yourself to a higher level.

iii. Count your blessings. Keep in mind the Persian proverb: "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw someone with no feet."

iv. Determine your personal law of success strategy-Determine what worked for you before and apply those law of successful actions now. You will find it much easier to handle any adversity you may be facing at this time.

To your continued law of success and purpose-driven day!

Coach John

www.chalktalk101.com

John Paul Dumas Sr., better known as "Coach John". He is a motivational speaker promoting his self-growth series "ChalkTalk101"-Visualize Victory in your life! Coach John specializes in providing CEOs and individuals the tools needed to generate and create law of success in their professional and personal lives. Learn more about his guiding principles in life at http://www.chalktalk101.com .

Southern Buddhism

Career Coaching - Making Career Decisions

The perfect age group to discuss career coaching with is high-schoolers heading for college or into the work force. For me this is my most passionate audience.

One "road not taken" in my own life pertained to me often wanting to join the military, as my grandfather who raised me was a retired Army Lt. Colonel and my cousin an Army Ranger & Marine. Yet I felt for some strange reason to be in the "army of God"... in other words be a minister and fight for the good of all humanity.

That being said I traveled to over 50 countries and 6 continents worldwide learning the ins and outs of other cultures, religions, and peoples while visiting many war-torn regions. Today having come full circle after experiencing an attack on our country, working at Ground Zero the fist week of 9/11, and writing a book God vs. Religion, I have just been hired by Homeland Security to begin this month.

The meaning behind he message is when you let go of what you require and follow after what you passionately desire, somehow serendipity has a way of bringing you full circle and connecting all the dots and realigning you fully with all the fragmented pieces to make a beautiful portrait of your life.

Had I succumbed to parental pressure to being a mere money man, I would not be the man that I am. Neither would I have the wealth of wisdom and unprecedented worldly experience positioning me for my present. Having sown in years past in tears, living by faith without a tremendous flow of finances working in impoverished and war-torn lands, there was much pressure to quit and sell my soul for dollars to survive. Yet somehow I miraculously thrived.

Conversely my step-mother yielded to her father's pressure to conform and be a school teacher, a job she did for 30 years and hated.

Nevertheless all things work together for your good if you are a visionary and know how to turn the mess into a message and leverage your life as you enter your next season. Never bury your dreams beneath your disappointments.

Transcend every limitation and let your unique difference delightfully distinguish, differentiate, and propel you forward into your desirable future.

As the author of Breakthrough for a Broken Heart, I always encourage people to overcome their disappointments and blossom into their dreams!

Live fearlessly and unashamedly because the world needs you to become all you can be!

Paul Davis is a highly sought after professional speaker, life purpose coach, worldwide minister, and change master.

Paul is the author of several books including United States of Arrogance, Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul's organization Dream-Maker Ministries is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.

Paul inspires, revives, awakens, impregnates with purpose, imparts the fire of desire, catapults people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitates destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Contact Paul to minister, speak at your event or for life coaching:

RevivingNations@yahoo.com
407-284-1705

http://www.PaulFDavis.com
http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com
http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV

John Ortberg

Life

I was the sunshine that cradled your day
that tried to push the clouds away
I was the sand that ran between your toes
when you were four years old
that soon became the rain you danced in
from seven to eleven
And I watched you grow in the glow
of a moon that beamed
when you turned thirteen
How unfair you thought I'd become
when you turned twenty-one
because you lost a few dreams
But I stayed awake when you were out late
I was the stars 'till you turned twenty-eight
And when you found your love
"the one"
I was glimmer in the eye, the blue sky, the sun
Then you turned thirty-one
I became cloud, thunder and shower
there weren't enough minutes to put in your hour
You forgot how to dance in the rain
'till you turned forty all you did was complain
Then you took off your shoes
and went back to the sand
I was now the warmth of your child's hand
At forty-three
you spent more time with me
You began
to understand
And when you stood fifty years old
you stayed warm to me even though
at times I was cold
How close we grew
when you turned sixty-two
The breeze was I
that hung your grandchild's kite in the sky
And I'm sorry I made you sad
when I took "the one" away
But I was proud
when you pushed aside that cloud
and cradled 'me' in the sun
for the remainder of our day

Born 1965 Montral, Qubec, Canada. Moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1978. Gerry has been writing poetry since 1978. His first major competition in poetry, "Humanitaas International 1994", garnered him "5th Place, World - Free Verse Poetry" for "Yuppie Dragons and Paper Mountains ". Keeping low key, submitting only one piece of work a year, Gerry manages to rank in the top finishers to date. A publishing house in London, England had requested permission to print "Alone", resulting in Gerry's first publication in Europe. In May, 2006 Gerry permitted the publication of "Life" in China. Screenwriting continues to be a pursuit.

Evil Eye Talismans
Legendary Magic Carpet

Home Health Care vs Assisted Living

Home Health Care in Los Angeles

Home health care is health care that is provided to patients inside their home, and usually by either health care professionals or family and friends. The term home care suggests that the care provided is non-medical and more of a custodial nature, whereas home health care may suggest licensed staff members. The differences here are similar to the differences between assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Much like assisted living facilities, home health care lets seniors enjoy a good measure of independence. An elderly individual or couple will appreciate having privacy as well as assistance in daily living needs.

What Home Health Care Provides

What kind of services does home health care provide? Home health care may help seniors with daily living needs such as bathing, dressing, house keeping and cooking and dining preparation. Depending on the needs of the resident, there may be special provisions such as transportation services and errands, volunteer programs, exercise and walking, and toileting assistance. More extensive forms of home health care would also provide rehabilitation programs, including visits from physical therapists and nurses. Other qualified home health care professionals may include respiratory nurses, occupational nurses, social workers, mental health workers and physicians.

Who pays for home health care? This type of outside assisted living program can be paid by private resources from the resident or family, by public payers such as Medicare and Medicaid or by employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Medicare will usually not pay for home health care on a long term basis while Medicaid is more likely to help low-income families with little or no assets. Employer-sponsored home health care is likely to be on a short term basis unless the insurance plan is very generous. Most of the time home health care will be paid for by a family's own resources.

Comparing Home Health Care with Assisted Living

How does home health care compare with in-house stays at nursing homes and assisted living facilities? Most seniors would prefer home health care, of course, as people always do value their privacy. However, there are also circumstances that would necessitate constant supervision boardof the resident at an assisted living facility, and not only occasional visits. Home health care is basically assisted living, but with even more independence. Therefore a resident that cannot be left alone for long periods of time would be better suited in a nursing or board and care type home.

It might appear that home health care would be cheaper than a stay in a nursing home. However, home health care costs can be just as expensive, depending on the number of hours aides work. Some residents have admitted that full time home health care usually costs twice as much as a stay in a board and care or assisted living home. Most home health care agencies will charge about $20.00 an hour or over. If the resident is relatively independent then the fees associated with the service can be controlled. However, don't forget that if your needs are minimal to begin with, you could hire a trusted individual to perform the same tasks and save money from paying an agency fee.

Home health care is ideal for seniors who feel well and can easily get around but who need occasional doctor visits and help with housekeeping. It is also a preferable choice if a senior needs full time care but does not want to become a resident in a public nursing home. Full time home health care provides the most privacy and personal attention possible. If you are looking for this type of senior assistance, you should always be mindful of the qualifications of workers, as opening one's home to a stranger could always be a security risk. The best home health care agencies have screened workers who are well qualified in their field.

How We Can Help You

ElderHomeFinders is a company dedicated to helping seniors locate assistance in the southern California area. We inspect assisted living facilities and retirement communities in the area so that our clients will find the perfect home at a price they can afford. Can ElderHomeFinders also help seniors find home health care? Yes. Our company can put you in touch with the right home health care agency, according to your special needs and budget limitation. We can also advise you on the differences between home health care services and assisted living and board and care facilities and which choice would better work for you. Seniors have worked hard all their life and surely deserve the best health care possible whether in a senior living facility or in their own home.

Bobbie T.
Assisted Living Expert Living in Los Angeles

Jimmy Carter
Jim Henson

Life

I was the sunshine that cradled your day
that tried to push the clouds away
I was the sand that ran between your toes
when you were four years old
that soon became the rain you danced in
from seven to eleven
And I watched you grow in the glow
of a moon that beamed
when you turned thirteen
How unfair you thought I'd become
when you turned twenty-one
because you lost a few dreams
But I stayed awake when you were out late
I was the stars 'till you turned twenty-eight
And when you found your love
"the one"
I was glimmer in the eye, the blue sky, the sun
Then you turned thirty-one
I became cloud, thunder and shower
there weren't enough minutes to put in your hour
You forgot how to dance in the rain
'till you turned forty all you did was complain
Then you took off your shoes
and went back to the sand
I was now the warmth of your child's hand
At forty-three
you spent more time with me
You began
to understand
And when you stood fifty years old
you stayed warm to me even though
at times I was cold
How close we grew
when you turned sixty-two
The breeze was I
that hung your grandchild's kite in the sky
And I'm sorry I made you sad
when I took "the one" away
But I was proud
when you pushed aside that cloud
and cradled 'me' in the sun
for the remainder of our day

Born 1965 Montral, Qubec, Canada. Moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1978. Gerry has been writing poetry since 1978. His first major competition in poetry, "Humanitaas International 1994", garnered him "5th Place, World - Free Verse Poetry" for "Yuppie Dragons and Paper Mountains ". Keeping low key, submitting only one piece of work a year, Gerry manages to rank in the top finishers to date. A publishing house in London, England had requested permission to print "Alone", resulting in Gerry's first publication in Europe. In May, 2006 Gerry permitted the publication of "Life" in China. Screenwriting continues to be a pursuit.

Walt Disney

Home Health Care vs Assisted Living

Home Health Care in Los Angeles

Home health care is health care that is provided to patients inside their home, and usually by either health care professionals or family and friends. The term home care suggests that the care provided is non-medical and more of a custodial nature, whereas home health care may suggest licensed staff members. The differences here are similar to the differences between assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Much like assisted living facilities, home health care lets seniors enjoy a good measure of independence. An elderly individual or couple will appreciate having privacy as well as assistance in daily living needs.

What Home Health Care Provides

What kind of services does home health care provide? Home health care may help seniors with daily living needs such as bathing, dressing, house keeping and cooking and dining preparation. Depending on the needs of the resident, there may be special provisions such as transportation services and errands, volunteer programs, exercise and walking, and toileting assistance. More extensive forms of home health care would also provide rehabilitation programs, including visits from physical therapists and nurses. Other qualified home health care professionals may include respiratory nurses, occupational nurses, social workers, mental health workers and physicians.

Who pays for home health care? This type of outside assisted living program can be paid by private resources from the resident or family, by public payers such as Medicare and Medicaid or by employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Medicare will usually not pay for home health care on a long term basis while Medicaid is more likely to help low-income families with little or no assets. Employer-sponsored home health care is likely to be on a short term basis unless the insurance plan is very generous. Most of the time home health care will be paid for by a family's own resources.

Comparing Home Health Care with Assisted Living

How does home health care compare with in-house stays at nursing homes and assisted living facilities? Most seniors would prefer home health care, of course, as people always do value their privacy. However, there are also circumstances that would necessitate constant supervision boardof the resident at an assisted living facility, and not only occasional visits. Home health care is basically assisted living, but with even more independence. Therefore a resident that cannot be left alone for long periods of time would be better suited in a nursing or board and care type home.

It might appear that home health care would be cheaper than a stay in a nursing home. However, home health care costs can be just as expensive, depending on the number of hours aides work. Some residents have admitted that full time home health care usually costs twice as much as a stay in a board and care or assisted living home. Most home health care agencies will charge about $20.00 an hour or over. If the resident is relatively independent then the fees associated with the service can be controlled. However, don't forget that if your needs are minimal to begin with, you could hire a trusted individual to perform the same tasks and save money from paying an agency fee.

Home health care is ideal for seniors who feel well and can easily get around but who need occasional doctor visits and help with housekeeping. It is also a preferable choice if a senior needs full time care but does not want to become a resident in a public nursing home. Full time home health care provides the most privacy and personal attention possible. If you are looking for this type of senior assistance, you should always be mindful of the qualifications of workers, as opening one's home to a stranger could always be a security risk. The best home health care agencies have screened workers who are well qualified in their field.

How We Can Help You

ElderHomeFinders is a company dedicated to helping seniors locate assistance in the southern California area. We inspect assisted living facilities and retirement communities in the area so that our clients will find the perfect home at a price they can afford. Can ElderHomeFinders also help seniors find home health care? Yes. Our company can put you in touch with the right home health care agency, according to your special needs and budget limitation. We can also advise you on the differences between home health care services and assisted living and board and care facilities and which choice would better work for you. Seniors have worked hard all their life and surely deserve the best health care possible whether in a senior living facility or in their own home.

Bobbie T.
Assisted Living Expert Living in Los Angeles

You Inspire Me