Well, goatness. Here we are about to turn the page to a new year. I don't know. Really and truly I suppose I can't get all that excited about it. I mean way back when, those Cavemen just lived day to day. Maybe even minute to minute. Like Nubians. When they remembered to. And werent' being chased by Saber Tooth Tigers. And then we had all kinds of other calendars like the Egyptians and the Celts and the Gaulish Coligny. And what about those Mayans?
Anyway, then we had the Julian calendar, created by those hairy-legged Romans. But they didn't get things quite right either. No real surprise there since a lot of their mental efforts were likely spent finding ways to keep vegetation from ensnaring their hairy legs during all that pillaging. But according to Wikipedia, "the Julian calendar assumes that the time between vernal equinoxes
is 365.25 days, when in fact it is presently almost 11 minutes shorter.
The discrepancy results in a drift of about three days every 400 years." I don't know about you, but seems to me that three days in 400 years equates to a LOT of missed Peanuts. So maybe it was a good thing Pope Gregory XIII decided we ought to get a new calendar. Come to think of it, perhaps there is an omen there. You know...Pope Gregory the 13th and 2013? Hmmm....
So Wikipedia goes on to say this about the Gregorian calendar: "It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582; the decree, a papal bull, is known by its opening words, Inter gravissimas." First off, February 24th? Now see there? Even Gregory knew that January 1st wasn't anything but a lot of bull. It says so right there in Wikipedia. Papal bull. The whole idea was probably brought on by the desperate thoughts of an unfortunate and unlucky guy who couldn't even be a 1st and got stuck being a 13th. I'm just sayin' ... Gregory should have had a goat. That would have helped a lot. If for no other reason than he would have been the first pope to have a goat, thereby making him Gregory the Goat 1st and avoiding that whole 13th fiasco.
At any rate, January 1st is just a day like any other. Who knows? Maybe somebody else used to have the beginning of the year on some other day. Like maybe, I dunno'... March 10th? Hay, it's certainly possible and a really auspicious date. That's the day I was born. What date could be more auspicious than that, I ask you?
Whatever. If January 1st marks the beginning of a new year full of health and fun, creativity, and caring toward our fellow creatures, then it's all good in my book. Especially that last part, and especially by Alpines. (Disclaimer: this does not include mini Alpines as their temperaments have been, well, tempered by the presence of Nigerian genes and thus they do not fall into the same category as big Alpines ... like Ella. Okay. They're just not as grumpy or persnickety as Ella).
So Happy New Year. And if you don't want to celebrate it on January 1st, then March 10th is open.
"Another fresh new year is here ...
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest ...
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!" - William Arthur Ward
Life goes on amidst change. Finding the laughter one day at a time...
8 comments:
Dear Marigold, We were sooo glad you included that disclaimer.
With friendly head rubs and peanuts,
The Cudzoo Girls.
Dear Goat Girls,
But of course! It had to be said. We wouldn't want anyone misunderstanding. :)
I do think the only thing that might be good about Jan. 1 is that my human is not at work, and we're more likely to get attention and treats. I hope you and your Goatmother and Goatfather have a wonderful 2013!
Dear Millie,
Well, I suppose we do have to go with flow. If we had it on March 10th, your human would undoubtedly be working for sure. Happy 2013 to everyone at Eden Hills too! May it be a healthy, prosperous and Peanuty year for us all!
I kinda think we should celebrate the New Year the day after the Winter Solstice, return of the Sun and all that stuff. ;)
Happy New Year to you Marigold and to the Goatmother and Goatfather too! I hope you get lots and lots of Peanuts in 2013!!
Dear Candy,
What?! You don't like March 10th? :) Well, after the Solstice is a good idea too. Or Halloween. I LOVE Halloween ... thinning of the veils and all that. :)
It does seem like an odd time to choose. Why not make the year start when one of the seasons starts? Like Spring, for instance?
My particular quibble is with the arrangement of seasons and months. They just don't match up neatly. I think September should start with the autumnal equinox; December at the winter solstice, etc. It would make SO much more sense that way.
Can't you get elected to some high post and start a Marigold calendar? (I realize the Stump of Wisdom is a high post, but I think we need to look a little higher than that.)
:)
Dear Mrs. Micawber,
The Stump isn't high enough, eh? Perhaps the Goatmother will accidentally leave the ladder in the lot and I can make it to the top of the barn. Would that be high enough? Of course I'll have to figure out some way to lure Ella out of the way first. But I'm not giving up any Peanuts to accomplish that.
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