YEAR OF THE WATER DRAGON

Hi everyone! Happy New Year (again!)

lt's the Chinese New Year today. Did you know that the Chinese New Year always falls on the first New Moon of the year and therefore falls generally near the end of January and the beginning of February?

As if we needed more incentive for newness, the Dragon is a symbol of luck and ambition!

We are blessed to have the Dragon to guide us in 2012 and give us the extra strength and vigor for the new year.

A little note about the dragon from someone who knows more about it than l do....

** Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful. They’re driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. They’re passionate in all they do and they do things in grand fashion. Unfortunately, this passion and enthusiasm can leave Dragons feeling exhausted and interestingly, unfulfilled. **

l also wanted to post a song that my good friend and composer Melissa Li wrote as part of her musical "Surviving the Nian". This is the title track of the musical and includes a duet by the two of us and the story of the Chinese New Year and why the color red is significant sung by me! Enjoy....

Surviving the Nian by vsoto7 on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

http://soundcloud.com/vsoto7/surviving-the-nian

So Happy New Year! Wear Red and Enjoy the Day :)

Carpe Diem

Everyone l know is going through big things in their lives. Major changes in relationships, (marriage, divorce, children), career (change in businesses, positions, opportunities), or lifestyle (major relocations or big life decisions). l can't help but wonder if this has to do with the Mayan prediction of 2012 being either apocalyptic or a time of major shift and change. Politically, Americans have joined forces to make their voices heard across the nation in the occupy movement and environmentally our planet is experiencing the effects of global warming more and more drastically. Things are definitely changing and these are exciting times to make a shift in our personal lives as well as in the lives of others. lf there was ever a time to live your dream, it's now. Don't hesitate! Make your move, what do you have to lose? lf the Mayans were right about this being the end of the world (l don't know if l believe that but let's just imagine), then what better time do you have than now to seize the day? Do what you've always wanted to do but never done.

This is one of the reasons l am beginning this blog. To reach my friends and fans and stay connected. Because if the apocalypse is coming, l will have wanted to reach as many people as possible in my lifetime. And if its not, then we all have more time with one another :)