Amy Lu's View

Happy Chinese New Year!

It’s the Year of the Ox, so I celebrated by finishing my latch hook of a…llama? 

Um, yeah. Okay, it was just a coincidence that I finished this llama on the day that Chinese New Year’s Festival began. I really only know that Chinese New Year started because Garmin gave me a badge for doing a workout. 

And I mean no disrespect to Chinese New Year, or Oxes, (I’m woefully ignorant of both–well, I don’t know anything about llamas, either, come to think of it) but right now I’m willing to grasp at any chance to celebrate anything (and to have a blog post topic). 

• 

• 

• 

I also learned from my mother, an elementary school teacher, to “celebrate” (or at least put up tacky decorations for) whatever holiday was at hand. Now, I’m pretty sure she was unaware of Chinese New Year (at least for most of her life–we’re talking rural Wisconsin many years ago) but I think she would still appreciate seizing the opportunity. 

Although…I’m actually a little annoyed with February for going overboard with the holiday action: Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day, AND Mardis Gras all in one week…slow down there February! Don’t be such a festive overachiever! Ration those holidays a bit so they last a little longer.

Okay, I wasn’t actually likely to celebrate Presidents Day (besides being happy to have a day off and thrilled that Trump is no longer president–hmmm, maybe I SHOULD celebrate! Well, I did wear my Wonder Woman sweater which looks very patriotic) or Mardis Gras/Fat Tuesday (another holiday that I didn’t know about until my 20’s and although it’s a cliche, every day feels like “Fat Whatever” day in lockdown), but still. 

I also want to give a little love to the much maligned Valentine’s Day. Yeah, I get it’s super commercial, and the emphasis on romantic love and heteronormative coupling can be pretty damaging (or at least annoying). Sending nothing but peace and love to single folks and those who just aren’t interested in the whole Valentine’s Day paradigm, but it will always hold a fond, sentimental place in my heart way beyond its “romantic” connotations. I remember loving Valentine’s Day, and finding it a hopeful sign that winter was actually winding down, way before I was praying for a boyfriend. I do certainly like a little “romance” but I also just love the whole Valentine’s Day aesthetic–hearts and pink and purple and all that. And I love getting and sending Valentines. 

But back to Chinese New Year (which I appreciate for lasting 12 days so I have more or a window to get a more or less timely post in). 

When I think of what an ox represents, the first thing that comes to mind for me is “strength”–as in, “strong as an ox.” 

Strength seems like a good thing to pause and appreciate–the strength I get from friends, and Chad, and the podpets. Strength I get from online socializing and entertainment and church, and latch hook. The strength to keep going through these strange days and and the strength to NOT drink the whole bottle of wine (okay, that’s a bit symbolic because I am usually drinking wine out of a box right now and/or drinking bourbon) and/or eat the whole box of crackers (#lowbar). 

One of my favorite tank tops that I frequently work out in is a Women Run the Cities shirt that sports the motto, “Where strong is beautiful.” I am far from embodying this sentiment (I’m physically not very strong and I usually hope for thinness rather than strength) but I still aspire to strength–physically and symbolically. (MAYBE by this summer I will have a bicep or two to show off when I wear a tank top).

AND of course, being vulnerable and admitting you’re grumpy, cranky, or just in general a bit of a mess, can be strength (OR just self absorption–it’s a fine line that I struggle with).  

AND if there is ever a cute colorful latch hook kit of an ox I am all over it. Or a latch hook kit of Joe Biden, as long as the colors are purple and pink.

AND if there ever is a Year of the Llama, I am all for a year of extreme adorableness (although, again, being totally ignorant of llamas other than seeing them at the Minnesota State Fair they could actually be total bastards). But I’m also all in for a Year of the Cute Bastards. Cute Strong Sentimental Bastards. 

Send me a card for that.  

Oh, and in case you are wondering…according to the Chinese Zodiac, my sign is the Year of the Dog. I’m not sure how closely I fit the traits of someone born in The Year of the Dog, but 2020 was definitely “The Year of StanLee.”