Well, we made it. It’s 2021. I know it’s a bit late, but Happy New Year, everyone! I was hoping to get this posted last week, but then things got a bit crazy. How about you? How has 2021 been for you so far?
If it’s still feeling like 2020, take heart. We have another opportunity for a fresh start on February 12th with the Lunar New Year when we finally leave behind the Year of the Metal Rat. Yep, 2020 was a rat. It seems almost too perfect with some of the things associated with rats. And when I was looking up the “metal” part, I found this. It’s not dated, so I can’t be sure it was written before 2020, but if it was, the predictions about health and “free time” are somewhere between creepy and painfully funny. Now, before you go cursing rats and all Years of the Rat, I do want to point out that these creatures are also associated with prosperity and intelligence in Chinese astrology. Anyway, whichever New Year you’re celebrating, I’m hopeful that things are going to start looking up.
Now onto some quick updates. It’s time for another Quarterly Bestiary, and this will be my first one based on a suggestion! If you’d like to suggest a creature for my feature, feel free to comment now or any time through the year. I’ve got some award posts to catch up on too, and I’m planning another Red Thread Reblog! Details are still in the works, though I hope it will pair nicely with an astronomically-inspired topic I’ll be covering in a month or two.
Best wishes to all of you in this New Year!
Illuminating the Fool's Mirror 
Happy new year! Looking forward to more mind-expanding posts from you! Also excited for another Quarterly Bestiary! It’s hard for me to pick a suggestion because I feel like you always brainstorm the most unique creatures to cover. Hmm, maybe something along the lines of mermaids or fairies? …Although that almost feels cliché! Hehe, anyway, can’t wait to hear more from you. 🙂
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Thank you! Oh, there are definitely possibilities with mermaids and fairies. It would be interesting to find out where specifically the mermaids we know of today originated. And I’d like to cover some kind of fairy in the future since the previous suggestion also mentions them! 😊🧜♀️🧚♀️
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Happy new year to you too! Not sure which creature to suggest… I will have to think about it.
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Thank you! 😊
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I know what you mean about life being crazy! Thankfully I think I’ve caught up with work and life and sleep for the next week or so! Heh.
The Year of the Rat? Yeah, it does strike me as ominous, but a little prosperity and intelligence is totally welcome.
I can’t wait for the Quarterly Bestiary! Speaking of Lunar New Years, I have a suggestion: lost astrological signs. I know in Classical Astrology there is the “snake handler” that’s not recognized as a valid sign anymore, maybe there are more in Asian cultures…?
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Yeah, I’m hoping the craziness will finally start to ease up a bit! 😂
I’d almost forgotten 2020 was a Rat year until I was writing this up and then it hit me how that kind of fit. Next up is the Year of the Ox, which is associated with hard work, but hey, I don’t mind if the work pays off!
Oh, that’s an intriguing idea. I believe I’ve also read that Cetus was almost a sign, though I’ll have to double check. With Chinese astrology, the zodiacal story explains how the cat almost became a sign, so I’m sure there are more. It might take some digging, but it sounds fun! Thank you!
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Absolutely love this. Happy New Year, buddy!
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Thank you! 😊
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Happy New Year, Ceridwen. 2021 so far has been busy – working and the like during the last fortnight and making more of our evenings. It was like Christmas and New Year were eons ago. However, we are off to a psychic dinner tonight! They are always great fun.
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A psychic dinner sounds fun! Hopefully that will be a nice break in the busyness. 😄
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So as we get to the tail of the rat and we start to seethe points of the ox horns, I think the creature I’d like to hear from is trolls. I see them in various books but never have seen their origins. Just a thought
Spread laughter with all you do
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Ooo! I was thinking of doing trolls sometime. I’m glad to see there’s someone interested in the topic! Thanks!
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Looking forward to it
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Happy new apocalypse. 😂 How are you? Going to read this in the morning as I’ve been chiselling my sculpture all day and am exhausted!!!!
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Ha, it does feel like that some days, doesn’t it? 😅 I’m doing well enough. What kind of sculpture are you working on?
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Limestone head with male on oneside and female other
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Cool!
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Ill post it !
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Great! I’d love to see it. 😊
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She’s coming along he’s finished. Doing the brutal male was a lot easier than this bloody’soft’ woman!
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It’s going to be a quiet Chinese New Year over my side of town due to the new lockdowns (yet we’re still hitting 5,000 cases per day in Malaysia). Wishing you a prosperous New Year in advance!
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Thank you! I hope this New Year will see conditions improve worldwide. I’m not expecting miracles, but hey, we can hope.
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