chelsea headingCould it bee assumed you are in the proper Christmas spirit? If not, you better hurry as time will not wait on you, no matter what you thought as a teen, and New Year is about to begin. Why in the everluvin’ blue eyed world a new year starts halfway through winter has always been a mystery to me and I thought it was silly. This will be hard for you to believe but long ago politics were involved.
Julius Caesar enlisted the aid of an Alexandrian astronomer, who advised him to do away with the lunar cycle entirely and follow the solar year, as did the Egyptians. The year was calculated to be 365 and 1/4 days, and Caesar added 67 days to 45 B.C., making 46 B.C. begin on January 1, rather than in March. He also decreed that every four years a day be added to February, thus theoretically keeping his calendar from falling out of step. Shortly before his assassination in 44 B.C., he changed the name of the month Quintilis to Julius (July) after himself. Later, the month of Sextilis was renamed Augustus (August) after his successor.
You realize there will be a test on this after the lecture?
Before J C screwed around with it, March was a better idea. Things start to grow and animals start to migrate to spring and summer grounds and the geese all come home. The beginning of so many things that we humans like start about the first of March so I think he should have fixed the day problem and left the date alone. When I get to be dictator i shall look at this seriously. Right now I am thinking of someone to have the calendar concession.
But, we were speaking of Christmas and someone got me off topic. Having finished my latest session at the airport information desk, it seems that people are more friendly now. Almost everyone who walked by spoke a friendly greeting. Very few actually stopped for help but they made eye contact as they walked briskly to the check-in or the security line. Today was a pleasant experience and I liked it. Next time I may wear my Santa suit to see if that helps.
No, no wait! My next time is just before the New Year starts and I do not think the airport authorities would appreciate me dressing in the traditional New Year Baby outfit. Yessir, even I will admit that perhaps I would not be too attractive in a diaper. Since I am not a major newsman or a member of Congress or the administration, I doubt I could get away with it. (insert sigh here)
Wherever you are or wherever you are going to be, I sincerely wish you could be with your family if that is a good thing. We were separated from immediate family once and it made Christmas seem strange.
Fortunately, we had surrogate family to be with but I missed all the yammering of my brothers and sisters. I can still see Mom just shaking her head and my dad, who had the family quick wit, adding some of his “wisdom.”
Our family get-togethers were always interesting.
The internet is wonderful and email is sometimes a blessing, instant messenger is great for keeping in touch. However, a telephone call to hear someone’s actual voice is even better. Yes, I know that a real, live telephone call is so 2010ish but I had rather hear someone, if I can, than read from them. But! Even an email is great when people are very far off and in a very different time zone.
Back in the dark ages, I used to call my brother in Australia. Now that took some figuring out as the time was so different and, I don’t know why they started this, but the Aussie Christmas is in their summer. The year we were there Christmas Day was the hottest day of the year. I nearly fainted when I wore my Santa su… nevermind.
Very soon we are going across the state to hear the world’s cutest tuba player lead her band in a Christmas concert. Again, back in the dark ages when I was a band director, the Christmas concert was the absolute best of the first school semester. By doing real music we got most of the marching band sound out of the horns and were ready for real music. I was very lucky to have kids who could be trained to appreciate very good music. It has been a long time since i did a Christmas concert but I still miss it.