Happy Losar

It's the first day of the Tibetan New Year, and frankly, it hasn't come a moment too soon. The last two weeks have have pretty much sucked. Work. Life. Weather. You name it. Apparently the last days of the lunar year are a time for processing negative chi. Boy, was there a lot of it.

Two upsides. I have stumbled upon a fast meal that's excruciatingly tasty: the filet mignon quesedilla. Start by sauteeing green onions, add shitake mushrooms, spray on olive oil. Add red peper, salt, pepper. Plop on small hunk of really expensive beef. Dribble on balsamic. Brown, slice, salt. Grrrrr.

I am knitting a sweater. It's my first. No laughing. It turns out that sleeves, for all their humble ubiquity, are full of mystery. What's big enough? Too big? Lose your grip and you've got leg warmers on your arms -- or a smock. Tricky stuff. Unbeknownst to me, this is exactly what one is supposed to do in the days leading up to Losar -- get or make new clothes. Clean. Make dough balls. Purify yourself.

So now that that part is over, happy male fire dog year to ya. In 2007, I'm going to do more to ward off evil spirits. Might make February go a little more smoothly.