Is
It Another
Year
Yet?Observations
on
the comings
&
goings of
new years
by
David L Lewis
It
does appear selection of January
1st
as ‘first
day of the year’ was done
arbitrarily by some forgotten person with dubious
motivations.
In fact, in the earth’s annual orbit around the sun, any random
day would work as well…
According
to tradition, during his reign (c. 715–673
BCE) Numa revised the Roman republican calendar so that
January replaced March as the first month. It was a fitting choice,
since January was named after Janus, the Roman god of all
beginnings. March celebrated Mars, the god of war, and
Spring is ‘when kings to forth to war’.
[Wikipedia]
Chinese
calendar is based on the changes in the moon and is only sometimes
changed to fit the seasons of the year based on how the Earth moves
around the sun. Because of this, Chinese New Year is never on
January 1. It moves around between January 21 and February 20.
[Wikipedia]
Coming of this randomly imposed new year thing supposedly brings with it hopes of a new season, of a new opportunity, of a new beginning. The past was past, the future all brand-new! Such hope is a delusion. Whenever it begins, no year starts brand new, divorced from the past. Earth continues to revolve around the sun, today picking up where yesterday left off, ignorant of what we call a new year.
Turns out there is nothing much this old man can do to change the past nor modify the future. So, this is what I intend to do as the earth circles the sun; and humanity recklessly goes on without seeking my wise counsel, nor giving me authority to solve anything:
Stay out of hospital! This should be easier than it sounds, unless I’m unlucky enough to get one of them diseases touted in TV ads. Turns out in-home hospice gives you just enough really kool meds and loving care to keep a fellow at home.
Reach 3,000 Solitaire matches on my computer! This, of course, is solely because we old folk have to keep our brain alert. It is definitely Not because I am some kind of Obsessive Compulsive Player. I mean, you know, I only paused writing this here diatribe three times while I completed important Solitaire games. Besides, will need something to do if not going to hospital multiple times a year.
Hope to continue writing my inane ramblings; although less often -- I’m running out of anything to say, Only started writing to find out what I think; now it’s more a matter of finding out if I’m still thinking at all. As youngest son Benjamin put it, am I still me? Hopefully enough people who love me will read what I write and realize if I’m no longer me and tell me so. Who knows? I might even listen.
So, have lots of important stuff to do in the 365¼ days they’ll name 2024, whenever it starts. Is it another year yet?
theDayOlderDaddy!
No comments:
Post a Comment