When it comes to choosing lovely libertines or life-time companions, "Roosters" are a rather discerning lot. Not any creature will do thank you. Just keep those fowl-challenged folk (like rambuctious, twitchy-nosed "Rabbit") well away from those ripsnorting Red "Roosters" -- pleeease!!

The best mates for "Roosters" are "Snakes". Just avoid talking about Adam and Eve, or snake in Garden of Eden apple; it spoils Rooster's appetite. And whatever you do, make sure you don't introduce any snake oil sales associates, snake charmers, and snakes in grass ... or there will be hell to pay! If you don't know any venomless serpents, try "Oxes". Every "Rooster" needs to find a beautiful if not brave beast of burden willing to plod along affectionately, and not to complain too loudly about having to share a load of smelly organic material from barnyard of life.

And as a final note, in order to keep your rooster happy, just follow these three things:

1. Let them be Cock of Walk/Wok for one day. (Heck, that’s least you can do; after all, they know how to keep time, do runway thing, and cook stir fried meals for guests -- you don’t)!

2. Listen to their cock and bull stories. (They desperately need an appreciative audience and besides, you don’t really mind being entertained by a Big Bad Rooster do you!)

3. Warm cockles of their hearts like there’s no tomorrow; you’ll have a fabulous feng-shui friend to play with for at least next 365 days, or possibly a lifetime and beyond -- provided you blow sweet nothings softly in his/her ear. (And don’t forget, this advice also works well on February 14th, "Valentine’s Day", another occasion to try out all really neat adult toys, chocolate candy kisses, and little red hearts.)

May Feng-Shui Force Be With You This Year, and before I forget ...

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

WISHING YOU HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY THROUGHOUT 2005!

I was chagrined, and then annoyed, and continued to watch my response to this incident shift over next few minutes.

Had it been funny? Of course. Were we supposed to be concentrating fully on moment? Absolutely. Anything else would be attachment to past regrets or worries about future.

Okay, so we were focusing on watching our thoughts, and this little interruption was not part of what was going on in our heads. But isn't ignoring what's happening around us same kind of thing that gets us into trouble back in Real World?

We go about our lives, obsessing silently, moving mindlessly, getting things done. We fail to notice wonder and joy and beauty all around us because we are in full scowl mode about things in our heads.

Well, I'm all for taking time to laugh. Give me a giggling guru over a dour taskmaster every time. The greatest guides--in business, education, and personal success--are those who encourage us to invite hilarity into our lives whenever it happens to appear.

Open your eyes to silliness around you, and laugh out loud. It's good for your heart in every way.