Kung Hei Fat Choi

Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinoys, Pinoys, everyone. I don't know why but I have a feeling that 2004 will be a good year - knock on (the) wood (en monkey)!

I am 100% Pinoy (ok, as I trace my ancestry, I'm sure I'll find some other nationalities there) but am usually mistaken for other Asian nationalities, particularly when I'm travelling out of the country. Even here in the Philippines, the Chinoys think I'm Chinoy. I've been told I look Chinese and by one of the taipans, at that. The funniest (?) comment I've gotten though went like this:

"Chinese ka?" asked this elderly Chinese male.
"Hindi po." I answered.
"Kala ko Chinese ka. May gold ka, e." (pointing to my gold scapular medal pendant.)

Anyway, Chinese, Pinoy, Chinoy - may we all be blessed by good fortune in 2004. Faith in God, belief in ourselves - how can you not succeed?

And as a Chinoy friend of mine texted me:

"May the year of the monkey bring you gorillas of wealth, gibbons of wisdom, apes of success, and chimpanzees of health. Happy Monkey-scratching New Year to You."

By the way, did I read right in the newspapers today? Chimpanzees are not monkeys?