Happy Year of the Dog!

Today is Chinese New Year and I stopped by the meditation temple (formerly an Elks Lodge) on Foothill. They had just finished their ceremonies and a nice man showed me around the rooms. The main prayer room is gorgeous and has a giant golden buddha on the far wall, and you are bathed in golden light with red accents. In addition, everything smells wonderful, as they have incense burning in abundance. I found the offerings of fruit to be quite pretty.

Apparently, people born in the Year of the Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) have specific traits:

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.