Jen's Journey: CILF

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Rat on!

After a long afternoon of shuffling kids between Girl Scouts, soccer practice and basketball practice, I finally came home with my Taco Bueno and sat down to eat and read the paper. Instead of pouring over the headlines and editorials as I usually do (wink! wink!) I flipped straight to the Your Life section of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. On the cover was an article about the Chinese New Year. 2008 is the year of the rat. The rat is the first animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.

What I learned is that I, too was born in the year of the rat (1972). According to Chinese lore this means I am "intelligent (check), outgoing (check), inquisitive (check), clever (check) and a good leader (check, although my mother always called it instigator, but I prefer leader)." That's the only time in my life that I agreed to being called a rat!

What was even more thrilling and exciting was that Olivia Newton-John (1948), Bono (1960), Antonio Banderas (also 1960, and can I just add a schwing!) and Ben Affleck (1972) were also born in rat years! These are some of my favorite people, as well as some of the people I fantasize about most (minus ONJ)!

Another coincidence: my first concert ever (without my parents) was Ratt! BTW...first concert with my parents when I was very young was Donny & Marie, but I digress!

Let me just go back to the Bono/Antonio Banderas connection for a moment.....I just knew, knew, knew we had a connection. I finally have my "in" when I meet those hot, sexy, talented, gorgeous men! Both are on my "pre-approved even though I'm married" list! Until then, I bask in our rat-tastic bond and hope that when I do get that opportunity to jump, I mean meet them that the "outgoing, inquisitive, clever" part of the Chinese lore is true!