According to tradition, the OX is the second of the 12 Chinese Zodiac signs and on February 12, 2021 (by the Chinese calendar year 4719) we begin a new 12-year cycle.
We offer you some fodder for ruminating on what you might expect.
The year of the Ox will be a very intense year for businesses and world economies. World Leaders, Government Officials, CEOs, and Community Organizers all carry a heavy burden to correct society's ills. However, for those who seek a quick-fix, the Ox's slow, plodding, nose-to-the-grindstone approach can be exasperating. Nevertheless, drawing on its characteristics of being stable, dependable, and disciplined, it will plow a well-planned, even path, preparing the ground for solid future growth. Once yoked, the Ox can only move forward, thereby assuring steady, perhaps imperceptibly slow, firm progress.
The Ox's fortitude and strength, combined with diligence and a single-minded goal-focus, power an unstoppable determination to fulfill duty. In order to survive and not fall by the wayside, businesses will re-define the meaning of "customer service," and a new appreciation of existing clientele will emerge. Innovative marketing campaigns will mark a departure from the previous "taken-for-granted" attitude.
Organizations involved in improving and strengthening traditional foundations are sure to profit in this Year of the OX. Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Farmers, Nurses, Dentists, and Doctors, will be much sought after for the long-term investment their services offer. Better education, better physical living conditions, and better health and diet will define the Ox Year progress. Home improvement projects will abound generating much satisfaction from the newly acquired hands-on skills through do-it-yourself activities. Even so, practical tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and mechanics) will do especially well as sensible adaptation and reparation will prevail.
In keeping with the solemn, serious energy of the Ox, this is a time for fiscal restraint and tightening of belts. A focus on saving more than spending and a tendency toward "modest but neat" fashions will be seen in more somber colors, and well-made, durable merchandise. Substance is always favored over style in the Year of the OX.
A herd animal at heart, the Ox fares best in wide-open spaces, and this Year will bring forth a revived interest in local nature walks and hiking trails, presenting an ideal time for bonding with family and friends. A preference for vacation travel to beautiful nature spots with panoramic views of mountains, lakes, and woods, will supplant that of crowded urban areas that may suffer neglect.
PEOPLE BORN IN THE YEAR OF THE OX (1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) have a gift to inspire confidence in others and are known to be a stabilizing force in times of adversity. Their dependable, calm, and unpretentious demeanor, their steadfast and law-abiding principles, allow them to be granted positions of authority and trust forming the backbone of society. Their generosity, kindness, helpfulness, and belief that everyone is as capable as the next and that all should pull their own weight, inspires loyalty in subordinates. Rational decisions and well-planned efforts motivate those around them to band together to accomplish great things.
Ox people can be stubborn and even obstinate. Once they"ve made up their minds, they're likely to follow that course no matter what. With head held high, Ox people are inclined to plot their own destiny. They refuse to be swayed or cowed by public opinion and plow ahead with tenacity and dedication. Over-concern with detail and punctuality produces an extreme dislike for loose ends and failure. They can easily become absorbed in their responsibilities which can take preference over attending social gatherings. Their desire to be "true to their word" brings out a workaholic tendency, and can drive them more toward introversion. Ox people speak little and make great listeners. But do not doubt their mental alertness as their concise eloquence in expressing ideas or recommendations is exceptional. Known to suffer quietly and bear problems without complaint, only when faced with an unendurable situation, brought about by what appears to be irrational opposition, will a bull-like temper emerge. It is best to sidestep the charge by appealing to reason with relevant and credible data describing the pros and cons of the dilemma. In a worst-case scenario, steer clear of the situation altogether until the rage subsides and the beast becomes docile again -- for the Ox is known to nurture grievances for a very long time.
FAMOUS OX PEOPLE: Politicians: Robert F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Margaret Thatcher, Saddam Hussien, Barack Obama
Film industry: Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Shirley Bassey, George Clooney, Bill Cosby, Walt Disney, Jane Fonda, Richard Gere, Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Rock Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, Meg Ryan, Peter Sellers, Bruce Springsteen, Meryl Streep, Keira Knightly
Composers: George Frideric Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach
Painters: Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh
Sports Figures: Nomar Garciaparra, Oscar De La Hoya
Others: Charles Lindberg, Princess Diana
Best Wishes for a healthy, measured, and sure-footed successful Ox Year!
