Happy New Year of the Dog!

Check out my new "brother" Miko!

It's a yorkshire terrier that a friend of my mom's no longer has time for, so he's ours now. Apart from pooing on my floor the first day we got him, he's been a good, quiet dog.

Speaking of dogs, January 29 kicked off the Year of the Dog!

The sign of the DOG is known, not surprisingly, for loyalty and generosity. Need to spill a secret? Seek out one of these honest souls and bend that expert listening ear. While Dogs themselves may be reluctant to place their trust in just anyone, once they do, members of this sign can make the best business partners and leaders. And while Dogs might enjoy life more by relaxing their exacting standards from time to time, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better or more faithful friend.

So what can we expect from the upcoming year? The Dog is an ethical and idealistic sign, and the year that bears its name will also bring increased social awareness and interest in society's less powerful members. Any tendencies to take, take, take will be replaced by a widespread sentiment of generosity and selflessness. In general, we will all be imbued with the Dog's keen sense of right and wrong. You can also get a feel for the year to come by checking the compatibility between your Chinese sign and the sign of the dog -- the better your compatibility, the better your year.