Wow, it seems like just two weeks ago that I celebrated my birthday - and now it's my birthday AGAIN!!! No, really - it's my birthday again today. Would you believe I had such a good time on the last one I wanted to do it all again??
Actually, today is my lunar birthday. As luck would have it, I was a New Year's baby - Chinese New Year, that is. The day I was born, 27 Jan. 1971, it was Chinese New Year's day. That makes it easy for me to track my lunar birthday as it jumps around on the solar calendar, since it's a somewhat famous day. I know, who knew?! I didn't, until I moved to Korea a few years ago, where the majority of people celebrate their lunar birthdays, not solar birthdays. Don't get me started on Korean birthdays, though. That's a whole other, convoluted topic.
The point is, it's my birthday and I'm a pig - a metal pig, I recently learned, but still a pig. That's my sign. I know, it's horrible. I didn't choose it. One day earlier and I could have been a dog. I blame my mum for this.
Actually, it was upon this discovery (the me as pig thing), about 10 years ago, that I realized the possible source of all my problems. I understand that pigs may be somewhat revered in China or wherever, but really. They're undeniably one of the most repulsive animals on the planet. And not only was I born in the year of the pig, but on the big day, the very heralding in of the pig. Me.
Och. Or should I say oink?
But where was I? Oh, my birthday. For my birthday today, I recieved a bracelet from Darcie, assembled by her with lampwork beads her sister made. Kewl. And a huge, funky ring from Sharon, the lady that runs the bead store where we ("we" meaning Darcie) put the bracelet together. It wasn't Ozeki's and laser tag, but it was not bad considering it was my second birthday in as many weeks. I could get used to this - as long as the aging process doesn't keep up. Just keep lavishing me with presents, attention and happy returns of the day.
Oh, yeah, I know what you're thinking - - "you're starting to sound like the pig that you are!" Well, you know, if the hoof fits . . .
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Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't pigs have feet, not hooves? You know, pickled pigs' feet and all that? And no, I don't actually know about pickled pigs' feet myself, just that they get pickled and are referred to as "feet". Not "hooves".
Hope you enjoy the bling!
Hmm... on pickled pigs feet (which are in fact hoofed btw)... why is it you never see pickled Tapirs, Goats, Camels, Warthogs, Turs, Ox, Hippo or Rhino feet? They all share the same hoofed foot as the pig, and some I would have to say, are more repulsive.
Anyway... Belated Happy “Lunar” Birthday L-A! Interesting concept, and a good enough reason as any to prolong one’s birthday celebrations... missed it but will make it up to ya! . . . K.
Ok, this is an interesting topic. Here's how I see it: People have feet. Monkeys have feet. Pigs do not have feet. That would look silly - they have hooves (albeit un-split and therefore unclean). Cats and dogs and rabbits have have paws. Eagles have talons. Chickens have claws. Ducks have feet but they're webbed (ditto some people). All of them have legs, which of course I think we all can agree on. Perhaps they chop the hooves off the pigs before they pickle them. Or perhaps your meant to eat the hooves too? I mean, it's all offal, innit?
They ALL have feet. Even the eagles and chickens. A bird foot is still just a foot. It is the basis of which they perch when not in flight (or stand all the time for those which can’t fly). Their feet have toes, one of which is opposing (or two in the case of parrots), and the toes have claws, rather than nails, or talons in the case of birds of prey. Really stretching it, whales and dolphins could have been included in that list, as their pectoral fins contain a similar bone structure as our hands or feet... well more our hands I suppose.
But back to pigs: they as well DO have feet. However the foot is hoofed at the toe. Both the two large and two small ones up the back of the legs (yeah, that piglet dissection is all coming back now). So really, either statement is true. Pigs have feet and they also have hooves. In the case of pickled pigs feet, I don’t know, do they cut the hooves off first? If so, the toe would go as well then. Still, pickled pigs feet would be the correct term to use. Question to your comment: un-split = unclean. I ‘m not disagreeing they are unclean, just wondering about the un-split part because pigs hooves are cloven are they not? unlike that of a horse for example. . . K.
Ok. This is getting really technical, but I'm still going to stand my ground on the feet issue. Not anatomically, but linguistically. I'm talking off the top of my head, here, so I may be way off base, but I look at it this way: many things assemble, but only badgers cete, only crows murder, only wild boars sounder. Pheasants nye, herons sege, swine drift. Have you ever seen a herd of birds or a flock of horses? No. Thusly, feet should be for one species and hooves for another, and claws and paws and talons for still others - even though we can all acknowledge that we're talking about is the end bit of the leg that keeps the rest of you from hitting the dirt.
Anyway, if the hooves are indeed considered "feet," then what you're eating pickled must be the actual hoof - with or without the rest of the leg. How, umm, tantilizing.
As to the comment that pigs have cloven hooves, that may be correct. But they definately don't chew their cud and they eat garbage so definately unclean. That's off the topic, but then so is this entire conversation. What can you do?
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