FILL: Rabbits and Dragons and seahorses?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 31 Dec 2011

The other day, one of the news shows had a fluffy white rabbit and a glass globe full of seahorses as props to talk about the new year. As they reminded us, 2011 is the year of the rabbit. And they showed us the fluffy white rabbit -- a long-haired variety who was quite happy to be on TV.

Then they held up the globe full of seahorses as they told us that 2012 is going to be the year of the dragon. As they gave us close-ups of the seahorses, I turned to Mitsuko and asked what seahorses are called in Japanese. Are they dragons?

She thought for a minute, then said, "Oh! Tatsu no otoshi go." I knew that tatsu meant dragons, so we were getting closer. But what was that other part?  Otoshi -- forgotten -- go? Oh, that's ko, or children, with the sound changed to make it easier to say!

So seahorses are forgotten children of the dragon? I'm almost willing to bet that there is a folktale somewhere behind that name, but in the meantime, I am enjoying that poetic description of seahorses. Forgotten children of the dragon, indeed. So that's why they are being used as representatives for 2012. Along with quite a few painted and drawn dragons, of course.

Do you suppose there are other forgotten children of the dragon around? Something to think about as we go from the year of the rabbit, 2011, to the year of the dragon, 2012.

Happy New Year!

EXERCISE: More Dilemmas!

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 8 Jan 2012

Yeah! Pick a number from one to six, okay?

No, really. Pick that number now. We're waiting.

Got your number? Okay, here's your dilemma:

1. By mistake, a large department store has failed to bill your account for a VCR. Do you notify the store? (feel free to update that expensive piece of electronics -- DVD recorder, maybe?)
2. You are a homeowner. A social agency wants to establish a residence for seven retarded adults next door. Do you sign a petition opposing this step?
3. You want a child but your partner doesn't. Do you stop using contraceptives without your mate's knowledge?
4. A friend offers to hook you into pay-TV for $2.00. He says the risk of being detected is slight. Do you tune in?
5. You owe the bank $4,000 from a student loan. You have moved and the bank has failed to trace you. Do you repay the loan?
6. A co-worker at a large company is stealing from petty cash? Do you warn him to stop?

There you go. Six little problems, from ordinary life. Money, neighbors, secrets, pirate access, loans, and petty theft? Now, your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to add characters, setting, and all that good stuff, and tell us a a story, a tale of how someone faced temptation... and gave in? Or perhaps decided to stand firm for the right? What happened that night?

Go ahead, write it up!