Pisces

Pisces

February 19 - March 20

Pisces personality
Pisces is the twelfth zodiac sign and is represented by The Fishes. Pisces is a mutable Water sign. Pisces people are intuitive, sensitive, compassionate, creative, adaptable and sympathetic. Pisces is the zodiac's spiritual sign. They are dreamers, givers and mergers, which can sometimes get them into trouble if they get involved with the wrong people or if they are not satisfied spiritually and indulge in certain forms of escapism. They tend to give away money easily. Pisces people are passionate and kind and are always looking for their soul mate. They get along well with other water signs like Cancer and Scorpio and with the earth signs Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.

Aquarius

Aquarius

January 20 - February 18

Aquarius personality
Aquarius is the eleventh zodiac sign and is represented by The Water Bearer. Aquarius is a fixed Air sign. Aquarius people are the zodiac's humanitarians, innovators, inventors, advanced thinkers and intellectuals. They are progressive, independent, eccentric, altruistic and enjoy helping humanity. They tend to be idealistic and have a strong human connection. They are generous with their money, sometimes to a fault. They are good speculators. In love, Aquarius people tend to get along best with other Air signs including Gemini and Libra and Fire signs like Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

Capricorn

Capricorn

December 22 - January 19

Capricorn personality
Capricorn is the tenth zodiac sign and is represented by the Goat. Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign. Capricorn people tend to be ambitious, focused, organized, responsible, loyal, stubborn, practical and very goal oriented. They possess strong self control and tremendous patience. They take their time to achieve their goals to ensure success. They tend to be proud and often seek approval from others. They enjoy stability. They can sometimes seem cold and calculating but below this often lies a warm, loyal and loving interior. Capricorns get along well with other earth and water signs like Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius

November 22 - December 21

Sagittarius personality
Sagittarius is the ninth zodiac sign and is represented by The Archer. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. Sagittarius people are seekers of the truth and the meaning behind things. They are enthusiastic, generous, optimistic, confident, honest and direct. They love freedom and enjoy changing surroundings and new experiences. They enjoy journeys, adventures and having a good time. They may overspend their money in their pursuit of having fun. They sometimes have problems with commitment, because of their free spirit. They get along very well with other Fire signs like Aries and Leo.

Scorpio

Scorpio

October 23 - November 21

Scorpio personality
Scorpio is the eighth zodiac sign and is represented by The Scorpion. Scorpio is a fixed Water sign. Scorpios are powerful, intense, mysterious, loyal, tenacious and magnetic. They can easily see through others. Scorpio is the most powerful sign of the zodiac. They use what some call Scorpionic power, the power of transformation, to achieve what they want. They are conservative with money and save it well. Scorpios are very passionate and get along well with other water signs like Pisces and Cancer and the earth signs like Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.

Libra

Libra

September 23 - October 22

Libra personality
Libra is the seventh zodiac sign and is represented by The Scales. Libra is the cardinal Air sign. Libra people prefer and seek out harmony and balance. They have an ability to see things from both sides. Libras are social, friendly, idealistic, charming and appreciate art and beauty. They may sometimes have trouble making decisions, because they tend to consider each choice too much. Libras like to spend money on art and things of beauty. Often flirtatious and romantic, Libras get along well with other Air signs like Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.

Virgo

Virgo
August 23 - September 22

Virgo personality
Virgo is the sixth zodiac sign and is represented by The Virgin. Virgo is a mutable Earth sign. Virgos are very analytical, very responsible people who tend to be perfectionists. They love improving and fixing things, solving problems and have a natural ability to vividly see parts and their relationship to the whole. They are practical, resourceful, very organized and careful with money. They are hardworking and always consider others. They enjoy intimacy and get along well with other earth signs like Capricorn, Virgo and Taurus. They may also do well with Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer.

Leo

Leo

July 23 - August 22

Leo personality
Leo is the fifth zodiac sign and is represented by the Lion. Leo is a fixed Fire sign. Leos are very self confident, enjoy being in the spotlight and are born leaders. They can be strong, dramatic, willful and relentless in pursuing what they want. They are very creative and usually the life of the party. Leos are proud, loyal, generous and enjoy adoration. They can sometimes be too trusting. Leo people enjoy being in love and are loyal to their partners and expect it back. They find great partners with the other Fire signs like Sagittarius, Aries as well as Scorpio, Libra, Gemini and Aquarius people.

Cancer

Cancer

June 22 - July 22

Cancer personality
Cancer is the fourth zodiac sign and is represented by the Crab. Cancer is the cardinal water sign. Cancer people are very sensitive and loving but may hide their own feelings. They are self sacrificing, empathic, nurturing, adaptable and dependable people. They tend to hoard money. Security is very important to them. They usually are very cautious in love because they are afraid of being hurt. Cancer people often match up well with the earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.

Gemini

Gemini
May 21 - June 21

Gemini personality
Gemini is the third zodiac sign and is represented by The Twins. Gemini is a mutable air sign. Gemini people are witty, flexible, resourceful and have quick minds. They enjoy many interests, tend to be very active and have many friends. They are very adaptable. They can sometimes be too active and can benefit from slowing down and learning how to relax. They can be fickle in relationships but tend to get along well with other Air signs like Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. They also do well with Virgo and the Fire signs.

Taurus

Taurus
April 20 - May 20

Taurus personality
Taurus is the second zodiac sign and is represented by the Bull. Taurus is a fixed Earth sign. Taurus people tend to have a very calm, down to earth personality. They try to seek harmony and prefer quiet. They often dislike change and would rather relax. Taurus people are usually very secure and stable. They have a great love of beauty and may enjoy collecting things. They are practical and often have success with real estate. They tend to be wealthy. They enjoy stable relationships and tend to get along best with Cancer and Pisces people.

ARIES

Aries

March 21 - April 19

Aries personality
Aries is the first zodiac sign and is represented by the Ram. Aries is the cardinal Fire sign. Aries people tend to have a very strong will and are considered the natural leaders, pioneers and adventurers of the zodiac. They are known for being direct and assertive and very single-minded. They enjoy challenges and are excellent at coming up with ideas. They are great at starting things but may have difficulty completing them at times. They tend to spend money quickly. They are quick thinkers, which can work against them sometimes because they may act too fast. Aries people are very passionate and get along best with other Fire signs like Sagittarius, Leo and other Aries.

Foreign Babes in Beijing

Foreign Babes in Beijing

Foreign Babes in Beijing by Rachel DeWoskinIt seems that every year throws up at least one good China memoir by a foreigner. A couple of years ago Peter Hessler gave us his lyrical account of his time as an English teacher -- River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze. Last year we had Tim Clissold's riveting account of his travails in China's business bear pit with Mr. China. Claiming this year's crown for best memoir is RACHEL DEWOSKIN's FOREIGN BABES IN BEIJING. Being the best memoir of China published in a given year is not a foregone conclusion -- there are several each year though most are trivial, repetitious and serve little point (anyone who had to read Ethan Guttman's memoir Losing the New China last year will understand just how painfully bad China memoirs can be).DeWoskin's book deserves to be read as a real contribution to our understanding of what exactly is happening in China now. She needn't worry about lack of readers: 1) it has the word `babes' in the title and 2) it has a stunning pair of fishnetted legs on the cover (legs, the author is quick to point out, that not her own). DeWoskin experienced something unique in China, a point in time before China's big cities became relatively easy places to live; a time when learning the language was important and essential for any meaningful communication and; a time when cross cultural faux pas occurred on an hourly basis as East and West reencountered each other after a 45 year break. DeWoskin experienced all of that and then moved it to a level few, if any, can have experienced by becoming a soap opera star in the hit TV series Yang Niu Zai Beijng (Foreign Babes in Beijing). To understand the relevance of that show to a generation of Chinese viewers you have to have been in Beijing at the time (or read DeWoskin's book). The show was unparalleled in that one character Jiexi (played by DeWoskin), an American in Beijing, chased after, seduced and fell in love with a married Chinese man. The cross-cultural cock-ups in the show were constant and amazing and DeWoskin details some of the wildest moments in the book with wit and insight.However, the meat of the book is her series of case studies of friends she made during her Beijing years: Anna, her Chinese colleague who pursues a disastrous love affair with a foreigner; Kate, her American friend who, while as brazen and upfront as an American is expected to be in China, deeply loved the country and two male friends Zhou Jun and Zhou Wen. In a sense her `Model Babes' portraits and her stories of the on-set progress of Foreign Babes in Beijing are two separate stories but DeWoskin manages to interweave them well. Ultimately both strands of the narrative are about the same thing -- foreign meets Chinese, a clash ensues, an understanding is reached and a sort of harmony, or at least a standoff, between the two is achieved -- which is pretty much what passes for Marxist dialect with Chinese characteristics these days.