Ellen Goodman
We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives ... not looking for flaws but for potential.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things You Never Knew About New Year'sAncient Babylonians celebrated New Year's in March.
The new year used to coincide with the arrival of spring. A 12-day festival called Akitu marked the occasion, which was more about praying than it was about finding a midnight kiss.
And Ethiopia rings in the new year on September 11.
Their calendar began in the eighth year of the common era (when our year counting started). This solar calendar derived from the Egyptians consists of 13 months.
The French invented a new calendar during the revolution.
The French Republican Calendar was used during the revolution and for 12 years after to reflect the country's "new age of liberty." It was designed using a decimal system and was also briefly resurrected during the Paris Commune in 1871.
You can thank a pope for making our new year start on January 1.
The Gregorian calendar was introduced in October of 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a revised version of the Julian calendar. It took almost 350 years for the world to get on board. Turkey didn't make the switch until 1927.
The reason January is called January is actually kind of deep.
It's been widely reported that the month was named for the Roman god Janus, but it's actually rooted in the Latin word "ianua," which means door. The name was chosen to symbolize the opening of a new door that happens when the new year begins.
AAA offers free rides home.
Don't worry about surge pricing. If you've had too much to drink on New Year's (and other holidays), AAA in most states offer free rides home to people who've had one too many flutes of champagne to drive.
A song that takes 1000 years to play launched on January 1, 2000.
Composer Jem Finer wrote the piece called "Longplayer," which can be heard at London's Trinity Buoy Wharf (or over this live stream). It's being performed by singing bowls and is set to start all over again immediately after it finishes in 2999.
Antarctica hosts an Annual New Year's Music Festival.
Anarctica's annual IceStock music festival may be one of the coolest (pun intended) ways to spend New Year's. The event is held at McMurdo Station, Antarctica when the local population balloons to over 1,200 people during their summer months.
Some New Year's jokesI love when they drop the ball in Times Square ...
... It's a nice reminder of what I did all year.
~~~~~
My friend asked me where I see myself in the new year.
How would I know? I don't have 2020 vision.
~~~~
My resolution was to read more ...
... so I put the subtitles on my TV.
~~~~
Knock knock. Who's there? Abby.
Abby who? Abby New Year!
~~~~
My New Year's resolution is to be more optimistic by keeping my cup half-full ...
... with either rum, vodka, or whiskey.
~~~~
What is a corn’s favorite holiday?
New Ear's Day.
~~~~
I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year ...
... but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.
~~~~
Good morning everyboomie.
It's the weekend, so let's get ready to rock and roll.
I'll probably just sit in my rocking chair and eat rolls.
Actually I have not exercised a lick this week, so I have to try and kick start and get that rolling again.
We are supposed to have thunderstorms all day, so I'm pretty sure we'll be staying inside most of the day.
Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.
joe
acebook
witter
