Happy Year of the Fire Horse (丙午)!

I would've guessed 火馬 (hwa ma, 화마, fire + horse) as the characters, but it's 丙午 (byeong oh, 병오), a label that's more about the sexagenary cycle.

So it's the year of the Horse (once every 12 years), but more specifically, it's the year of the Fire Horse (once every 60 years). The AI god says this:

The Fire Horse (丙午, Bǐngwǔ) in the Chinese zodiac represents a rare, potent, and 60-year cycle, with the next occurrence running from February 17, 2026, to February 5, 2027. It symbolizes immense energy, independence, passion, and ambition, combining the horse's natural speed with the element of fire.

Key Aspects of the Fire Horse:

Chinese Name: 丙午 (Bǐngwǔ), representing Yang Fire (Bǐng) and the Horse (Wǔ).

Significance: Known for bringing significant change, dramatic transformations, and intense, fast-paced energy.

Cultural View: While viewed as a time for great achievement, it is sometimes considered too intense or volatile in traditional East Asian cultures.

Traits: People born in this year are believed to be independent, charismatic, and adventurous, but potentially impulsive or rebellious.

The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse is regarded as a time to break old patterns and act with confidence.

My dad was born in 1942, which most people would say is the year of the Horse, but Dad was actually born on January 17, which puts him at the end of the previous lunar year—the year of the Metal Snake.

I said "year of the Fire Horse!"

I think this year is going to see some radical changes for me.

If you're not tracking the lunar new year, then Happy Shrove Tuesday (go to confession!) or Happy Mardi Gras! May your Lent be an arduous one.