Eat Meat

When I was in Beijing, one day a Chinese friend called me to wish me a happy birthday. As it wasn't my birthday, I thanked her but then corrected her mistake. And she replied, "today is your country's birthday, yes? Don't Americans eat grilled meat today?" And so it was, July 4th.

In Hong Kong, I was getting ready to leave the office one evening when my secretary wished me a Happy Buddha's birthday. I thanked her, and luckily thought to ask: "OK, how does that affect me?"

She replied, "Office is closed tomorrow."

This is supposedly the birth of a new year. But since I have spent several years happily celebrating every holiday I can, I think this year, I will lavishly celebrate Chinese New Year.

Apparently, on the first day of the Chinese new year (which falls on February 7th this year) there is quite the list of dos and don'ts:

Don't cut your hair
Don't sweep the floor
Don't drop your chopsticks
Don't borrow or lend money
Wear something red

And something about chopping meat...

But I could be making up that last one. I'm getting hungry in anticipation of my fast.