I have met people who follow astrological instructions to the letter, and met people who dismiss astrology as a hoax. Personally, I like astrology and horoscopes. They make me think where I am in my life at the moment and help to define what I want from the future.
The Chinese measure their years with the help of 12 animals (one of them - Dragon - is an imaginary beast). A year ago we celebrated the start of the year of the Monkey. We were promised a year that rewarded wit and opportunism. "An auspicious time to start new projects"! - one of the horoscopes advised. So I made the following greeting card to celebrate the year of the Monkey:
Opportunism, I thought, is my second skin. I love opportunities. And I started a new project, as advised.
But before long, in March, my landlords informed that they are not extending my lease. I was too small a fish for their liking.
- Move out so we can make more money! - they said.
After a frantic 7 week search we found a space that suited the needs of my operation of building and filming sets. But it was more expensive and needed some serious work before moving the studio in. To save money, we laid the floors and build the walls ourselves nearly breaking our backs, and in June moved the studio.
In August the elections started shaping up and to help my candidate who was running against a person with a short attention span, I went every weekend to Pennsylvania to canvass for her. It is not possible for her to lose, I thought. She is too good and her opponent is too loose.
But to a great shock of at least 66 million people who rooted for her, she lost.
- What is this? - I demanded to know from the Astrology books. - What kind of Monkey is this? - I yelled.
Then I saw in the small print under the predictions: due to Monkey's short attention span, the year will be full of unexpected turns and twists. Things could turn on a dime.
Which they surely did.
Opportunities, I realized, in 2016 were for the monkeys sitting on higher branches. My brand of opportunism didn't get to score in a year of this Monkey.
So I turned my hopeful eyes to the next year - which is starting today- to the year of the Rooster. What does it promise and what is in the small print that I should know about?
The Rooster loves intense drama, the horoscope says. Organize and persist. The year will reward commitment and hard work.
- Oh well, - I said. - That means I have to start a Kickstarter campaign.
Because I can't imagine harder and more intense work than running a Kickstarter campaign.
So made a card to welcome you to the Year of the Rooster:
And I started a Kickstarter campaign for my new animated feature film "My Love Affair With Marriage". Because, you know, peck by peck I can collect a few thousand grains. I organize, I commit, I persist and work hard. What can go wrong?
