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The Monkey Sign
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Hours ruled by the
Monkey : 3 p.m.
to 5 p.m. |
THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY
Everything will be workable this year. At least the agile Monkey will not give
up before trying every angle. There will be success even in impossible ventures,
there will be inventions and improvisations galore. Politics, diplomacy, high
finance and business will be engaged in one big poker game with everyone trying
to outbluff each other. A rather amusing and exciting time in which everyone
will be given the opportunity to try his hand at the game. No direct
confrontation here, as the Monkey is one who can laugh off his mistakes and
improve his bargaining prowess in the next round.
This is a year that will find us all trying to get a better deal by
outsmarting the other man. It is hard to keep track of who is winning, as the
right hand has no idea what the left hand is up to. One thing is for sure, this
will be an extremely progressive time. We will all steam ahead, and even if we
do not apply ourselves to the utmost, we will be carried forward by the surging
tide of the Monkey's natural talent for learning and advancement.
The lucky imp of a Monkey who rules this year will urge us to gamble,
speculate and exploit risky but ingenious options. If you are quick on the draw,
this year will yield huge dividends. It is definitely not a year for the
faint-hearted or slow-witted. The Monkey gives no concessions and asks none in
return. If there is a recession, the year of the Monkey will quickly put an end
to it. Business will skyrocket under his optimistic and shrewd influence. The
Monkey's resourcefulness will amaze and confound everyone.
It is said that the Monkey's year will bring many new and unconventional
ways of doing things. The motto of this year should be: "Don't take no for an
answer!"
THE MONKEY PERSONALITY
Of all
the animals in the lunar cycle, the Monkey bears the closest resemblance to the
Naked Ape himself, Man. It is therefore no wonder that it should be he who will
inherit most of man's intelligence as well as his capacity for deceit.
The Monkey is the sign of the inventor, the improvisor, and the
motivator in the Chinese zodiac; a charlatan capable of drawing everyone to him
with his inimitable guile and charm. Being the quick-witted genius of the cycle,
he is clever, flexible and innovative. The Monkey can solve intricate problems
with ease and will be a very fast learner. He can master anything under the sun
and usually has the aptitude for being a good linguist. A person born during
this year will be successful at whatever he chooses to do. No challenge will be
too great for him.
On the negative side, the Monkey person has an inborn superiority
complex. He doesn't have enough respect for others. Or rather, from his point of
view, he has too much for himself. He can be extremely selfish, egoistic and
vain. There is also a jealous streak in him that surfaces every time someone
gets a promotion or something that he does not have. He is extremely
competitive, but good at concealing his feelings and planning his cunning moves.
In his pursuit for money, success of power, the Monkey's prowess is unbeatable.
With his innate versatility, the Monkey-born can be a good actor,
writer, diplomat, lawyer, sportsman, teacher, etc. He is an immensely sociable
character who can get on the good side of everyone. He has the rare gift of
making you like him even after he has tricked you.
In the Monkey's many-sided personality the one quality that isn't
missing is confidence, no matter how shy or docile he may look. He will take
care to display a good bearing, well-rehearsed politeness and a calm dignity. He
has an intense and unshakable belief in himself. But it would be inaccurate to
dub the Monkey as a completely selfish person. No, he is more like a child in
his delightful preoccupation with himself. He can be totally oblivious of others
if they are not directly involved in what he is doing at the moment. He views
himself with the same fascination and ecstatic joy that a baby exhibits the
first time he learns how to play with his fingers and toes. Observe how the
infant reacts when he discovers how to clap his hands. He will squeal with glee
and proceed to do the same thing over and over until he masters the act. Totally
occupied with his marvelous discovery, he is unaware of anything else.
So you will find the Monkey showing the self-same unabashed joy at his
own cleverness and brilliant accomplishments. He won't masquerade his pride but
neither will he be artificial about it. He honestly believes there isn't anyone
else around who can top his act.
If you really know the Monkey well, you will always find it hard to
begrudge this wonderful joie de
vivre. It's what makes him so different from others, so enviable at
times.
Even in the Holy Bible one can spot a Monkey. Methinks that Mary
Magdalene could well have been a she-Monkey, while the Prodigal Son was
definitely a he-Monkey. If you recall, they both got to eat their cake and keep
it, too. How unfair that they get to slide back into everyone's good graces like
that. But there you have it. The Monkey's not only lucky and clever, but also
unsinkable.
Throwing insults, accusations and reprimands at him will prove
ineffective - even frustrating. They will just bounce off him harmlessly. It's
simply unthinkable for him to believe all those nasty things you call him. It
can't be true. He will find your admonitions baseless, maybe even hysterically
funny. He has such an accurate picture of himself, his talents and his
well-deserved good fortune, that you must be insanely jealous to make such
ridiculous statements.
The Monkey does not lack credibility. His main problem lies in yielding
to temptation, because he finds it amazingly easy to devise ways to justify his
actions or to solve dilemmas without too much expense. Consequently, he finds it
difficult to instill in others a total sense of trust. With such an innately
clever personality, others are always tempted to suspect his motives. Often,
Monkey people are judged harshly or accused erroneously by others below his
scope. His popularity ratings could go up or down like a yo-yo. Yet, he never
seems overly concerned about your present opinion of him, no matter how contrite
he appears. Perhaps it's because he knows that he can always get around to
changing it.
This does not mean that the Monkey is callous or refuses to accept
criticism. Not in the least - when you get to know him, that is. It is just that
he realizes ahead of everyone else that nothing is ever permanent or
irreparable. Don't sulk, despair or cry "Doomsday". Let him put his gray matter
to work and soon things will be right side up again. Remember, to him, records
were made to be broken; standards to be upgraded by higher specifications;
inventions to be rendered obsolete by more sophisticated designs. He is the
impresario, the perpetual improver. Rarely discouraged by his failures or
impressed by the success of others, the Monkey strives constantly to do better
and often astonishes even himself.
When dealing with a Monkey - be factual. Objectivity is something he
lives by. But ultimately, you might as well know, it doesn't matter to him
whether or not you approve of his methods. He needs but one sanction - his own.
The Monkey-born can clinch any bargain with flourish. You will find him
conscientious about wheedling the little extras that go along with the deal,
too. He may not pounce on you like the Tiger or immobilize you with the power
gaze of a Dragon; he will just take one teeny-weeny inch at a time, which may
seem quite harmless, but do your arithmetic quickly and you will find that
twelve inches make a foot and three feet a yard. But by the time you have
finished your calculations you may be surprised at how far he has crept up on
you.
His coups de grace have a lethal whiplash all of their own. But then,
after you regain consciousness, you must admit that never before have you been
KO'd with more charm and ingenuity.
But don't worry, you will live. And just as soon as you have recovered
sufficiently from the first shock, he'll be back with an even nicer package, a
brand-new failproof scheme, and sure enough you will fall neatly under his spell
again. See what I mean? What has he got - witchcraft, sorcery? Nevermind, it's
too late now; you are a Monkey addict and you are hooked on him or her.
The Monkey is an intellectual and will possess a fine memory. With his
superb intelligence and proficiency, he cannot help but be a winner. His genius
is fueled by insatiable curiosity. He must try anything at least once. If he is
stumped by a problem, he will nonchalantly go on to invent a solution. What
else? Besides being bright and crafty, the Monkey is practical; he counts his
dollars and cents. You won't find him wasting time on losing enterprises.
A realist, adroit in self-preservation, the Monkey will not hesitate to
take the easiest way out of a trap. When he is concerned, he can be unscrupulous
in his means of escape. But the Monkey does have a conscience and when it
bothers him too much he will be hit by bouts of charity and may be
overwhelmingly generous all of a sudden. Make hay while the sun shines, for
these bouts will not last long.
The Monkey girl is Miss Sparkle herself. A natural show woman, she
brings excitement and stimulation wherever she goes. Few people will be left
unstirred by her liveliness and provocative beauty.
She has a good head for figures and will adapt easily to change. She
will work with any group, given enough incentive and sound reasons to do so. A
great party-goer, entertaining speaker, gracious hostess and tactful confidant,
the lady Monkey must never never be underestimated. She is ultracompetitive,
observant and calculating. Ms. Monkey will also be attracted to the stagelight
and could be a gifted performer. Cheerful and resourceful, she can take
disappointment in stride and will be able to fend by her own initiative from the
word "Go". This efficient female will not be needing you to lead her by the hand
and point put every step of the way. Independent and self-assured, she knows
exactly where she wants to go and may be able to teach you a few handy shortcuts
of her own. She may be nosy, but she won't be giving away any of her secrets in
exchange for your well-guarded information.
The Monkey girl will be guided by incentives. She won't work for free!
Good at choosing her words, she will say the right thing at the right time. She
rarely blunders on important matters or makes silly, unfounded remarks. She's as
adept at getting her own way as she is an excellent judge of character, and she
will never exceed her limits. You won't find her doling out money either. One
has to perform if one expects her to pay for something - and perform well,
because she can be very critical and snobbish.
Every Monkey will be an original; they don't make molds of this
character and stamp them out by he dozen. Yet in spite of his many individual
flaws, people will rally around him simply because they cannot do without the
Monkey's expertise and skills.
He is the top PR man - remarkably original, shrewd with money and, in
fact, such a wizard at manipulating everything that industry, politics and trade
would be lost without him. The Monkey's guile is famous in Chinese history and
his name is synonymous with cleverness. He is certainly a big asset to have on
your team. But first make sure that he is 100 percent on your side. There are
bound to be some mercenary Monkeys in the tribe.
It is difficult to be angry with him for long because the Monkey person
is an expert at making himself likable and indispensable. He will always
maneuver himself into a lucrative position. When he loses, the Monkey is no
stubborn fool; he knows how to give in when the odds are stacked against him.
Master of the art of survival, the Monkey thrives by the "better to run away and
live to fight another day" philosophy.
The Monkey is born a strategist. He never moves without a plan, most
probably several plans. He'll never turn his back on opportunity (which he will
recognize in any disguise) and he'll hitch his wagon to a star, a Cadillac, a
jet plane or anything that moves for that matter. He just loves free rides and
will travel first-class whenever possible.
The Monkey makes a good critic. He can pinpoint the specific area where
something went wrong and suggest workable remedies. Of course, how he goes about
it will depend on what type of Monkey he is. Some lower types can be so smug
about their know-how that you would rather die before accepting their help.
But generally speaking, a Monkey is a warm, natural and spontaneous
person who is prepared to work hard - especially if he gets a piece of the
action. The bigger the piece, the harder the pitches. Pay him with peanuts and
he will turn the tables on you, giving you nothing but peanut shells in return.
Take a good piece of advice: never try to trick a Monkey. Chances are you won't
get away with it. Aside from being an expert at taking revenge, the Monkey-born
will usually have a wry sense of humor. You catch him chuckling wickedly more
often than than laughing heartily.
Since the Monkey gets what he wants without too much effort or struggle,
he will not treasure his conquests. He loses interest. He should learn to be
more constant and more serious. In his life, he will trust only a handful of
people and will not have many real or long friendships because of his
complicated and suspicious personality. He dislikes confiding in others.
Nonetheless, the Monkey is very much in demand. The Rat will be
enchanted by his ingenuity. They will recognize each other by the dollar signs
in their eyes. The Dragon will seek him out for his superior wits. Rabbit,
Sheep, Dog, Horse and Ox will all benefit from the Monkey's versatility and
value his competence. The Boar and Rooster will likewise have need of the
Monkey's genius.
Naturally, the Snake with all his wisdom and similarly doubting mind
will never be completely comfortable with the Monkey. The Tiger should avoid
getting into the Monkey's path, as he will be the prime target of the Monkey's
mischief and pranks. The Monkey cannot but show his prowess when challenged, and
upon discovering that the Tiger is a bad loser, he will revel in annoying him.
THE MONKEY CHILD
The
Monkey child will be captivating. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, he won't keep
still for a moment. Mischievous, jovial and very competitive, he will steal his
way into your heart. Skillful at flattery and extremely good at playing up to
your weaknesses, the incorrigible Monkey will always get what he is after.
Curious, unpredictable and ingenious, this youngster will usually be
found fidgeting with some device. Don't be too upset if he breaks his toys. It
is simply because he is not attracted by the outer decor; he takes things apart
to get inside and see what makes them tick. Intricate or mechanically moving
contraptions never fail to amuse or fascinate him. He will be forever tugging at
your apron strings and stomping after you with brilliant questions about the
universe.
One of these days, when you are about to throw away that unreliable
clock that never worked well, your Monkey child will pick it up and fix it with
a hairpin. He is never content with what he has. The grass always look greener
to him on the other side. The ambitious and conniving little imp will always
have his eye on other people's possessions.
He is constantly goaded to improve himself and he prides himself on his
vast accumulation of knowledge and skills. He will be involved in a myriad of
activities. The remarkable thing is that the Monkey can spread his attention to
several subjects and be able to master them all. He can be snobbish and cocky
and will like to tease others with his versatile wit. Optimistic and forever
hopeful, he will never concede defeat. He will try and try again until he
succeeds.
The Monkey child will have a selfish streak and may refuse to share what
he has while skillfully helping himself to other children's toys. Excitable,
pretentious and crafty, he will be oblivious of any regulation that restricts
him. He should be taught that life is not a one-way street. Even when he does
share, he will carefully consider what he can get in return. Even the smallest
Monkey is adept at weighing the pros and cons. He will cry foul at the slightest
edge others may have over him, but he expects you to close both eyes if the
scales tip in his favor.
Then, just when you have reached the saturation point and become totally
exasperated with him, the Monkey will turn on his sweet saintly smile, apologize
from the bottom of his heart, pour flattery all over your wounds and stand on
his head to make you laugh. You will forget all the harsh measures you were
going to take against him and be his willing captive all over again.
