After All, It's Still the 12 Days of Christmas (Wordless Wednesday) and Words for Wednesday

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.) 

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     

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Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts that encourages us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    

This month, the prompts are being provided by lissa at The Memory of Rain.

This week's prompts are:

1. beginning

2. new year

3. wonder

4. ritual

5. kiss

6. faith

And/or

1. seven

2. remember

3. adventure

4. miles

5. 88

6. heart

“Only 88 minutes to go!”

She yawned and responded, “Reminds of the line in the Frost poem, “MILES to go before I sleep.”

“Well, you can’t go to sleep before midnight, we have to start the NEW YEAR with a KISS!” he said.

“Is a RITUAL kiss still a kiss?” she asked.

“Kissing you is never a ritual and always an ADVENTURE” he answered with a smile.

“Our first kiss certainly was!” she exclaimed.

“I had to take you on SEVEN dates to get to that point!"

"I REMEMBER.  And at the time I had to WONDER why you kept asking me out, and why I kept agreeing to go out again."

"I kept asking because I had FAITH that it would work out.  After all, you'd already won my HEART."

"Well, you won mine when I fell while we were hiking and you caught me, and I was so glad not to be plummeting down the hillside that I kissed you."

"It was a great BEGINNING, wasn't it?"

"And it's been a great continuing, I just wish it wasn't so long until midnight."

"Well, we could start early.  After all, it's midnight somewhere!"

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Today is:

Advent of Inanna -- Ancient Sumerian Calendar (date approximate; equivalent to Ishtar, Assur, Astarte, Isis, and others; a female warrior and fertility goddess)

Berchtoldstag -- Alsace; Liechtenstein; Switzerland (a celebration of the goddess Perchta, or Bertha, guardian of animals and member of the Wild Hunt) related observance

    St. Berchtolds' Day -- Liechtenstein Bank Holiday; Switzerland Regional Holiday (because of the close association of his name with Perchta,  Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen's founding of Bern, Switzerland, is commemorated today; while not an official saint of any church, his day has become a big festival for children)

Blacks and Whites Carnival -- Colombia (through the 7th; manic and messy tradition, includes people painting themselves black one day, white the next, with a Grand Parade at some point during the week)

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Day -- The Andrews Sisters recorded the song this day in 1941 (yes, before the US entered the war; it was for the movie "Buck Private" with Abbot and Costello)

Carnival Day/Last Lap -- Saint Kitts and Nevis

Dainichi-do Bugaku -- Kazuno, Japan (11 traditional bugaku dances at the shrine; dates back as far as 718)

Festival of Sleep Day -- begins this evening; celebrate by sleeping in tomorrow because it is assumed we could all use some extra z's after the holidays

Genshi-sai (First Beginning Ceremony) -- Imperial Palace and various shrines, Japan (a dance and musical art performed to round out the New Year's celebration)

Happy Mew Year for Cats Day -- because felines must have a day to celebrate the New Year, and they cannot share; sponsored on behalf of felines everywhere by Wellcat Holidays

Jour des Aieux -- Haiti (Founder's Day, sometimes translated Ancestry Day)

Kaapse Klopse -- Cape Town, South Africa (Minstrel Carnival; through January and most of February, but the main parade is today)

Kakizome -- Japan ("first writing", a day to do the first calligraphy written at the beginning of the New Year; often a resolution or poetry asking for a good year)

National Cream Puff Day

National Motivation and Inspiration Day -- US

National Science Fiction Day -- Asimov's birth anniversary

Ninth Day of Christmas

Nyilo -- Bhutan (Winter Solstice)

Positive Postcard Day -- some people now say you should fight the post-holiday let-down by sending someone an uplifting postcard; the original project said to send positive postcards to yourself, with instructions here     

Run It Up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes It Day -- try something new today, in the spirit of the new year

Second Day of New Year -- also a holiday in many countries

"Someday We'll Laugh About This" Week begins -- to remind us to keep our perspective; sponsored by The Humor Project

St. Adelard's Day (Patron of gardeners; against fever, typhoid)

St. Basil's Day/Basil the Great -- Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches (yes, the Eastern Churches celebrated him yesterday; Patron of hospital administrators, reformers; Cappadocia; Russia)

St. Macarius' Day (Patron of of confectioners, cooks, pastry chefs)

Takai Commision Holiday -- Niue

Anniversaries Today:

Georgia becomes the 4th US State, 1788

Birthdays Today:

Kate Bosworth, 1983

Taye Diggs, 1972

Christy Turlington, 1969

Cuba Gooding, Jr. 1968

Tia Carrera, 1967

Gabrielle Carteris, 1961

Alan Beckwith, 1952

Wendy Phillips, 1952

Christopher Durang, 1949

Dennis Hastert, 1942

Jim Bakker, 1939

Roger Miller, 1936

Isaac Asimov, 1920

Sally Rand, 1904

Barry Goldwater, 1902

Martha Carey Thomas, 1857

James Wolfe, 1727

Today in History:

The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers, invading the Roman Empire, 366

Emperor Joseph II orders Jews of Galicia Austria to adopt family names, 1235

Spain recaptures Granada from the Moors (Granada Day), 1492

The first American revolutionary flag is displayed, 1776

The British Institution of Civil Engineers is founded, 1881

"The Liberator", and abolitionist newspaper, begins publishing in Boston, 1831

The British reestablish rule in the Falklands, 1833

The first US wire suspension bridge for general traffic opens in Pennsylvania, 1842

Because of anti-monopoly laws, Standard Oil is organized as a trust, 1882

Alice Sanger becomes the first female White House staffer, 1890

A record 19'2" alligator is shot in Louisiana by E. A. McIlhenny, 1890

Pres. T Roosevelt shuts down post office in Indianola Miss, for refusing to accept its appointed postmistress because she was black, 1903

The American anarcho-syndicalist union known as the Industrial Workers of the World forms, 1905

The Canadian branch of the Royal Mint opens in Ottawa, 1908

Lithuania gains independence, 1919

The US & Canada agree to preserve Niagara Falls, 1929

Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the U.S.S.R., 1959

Stardust successfully flies past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples that are returned to Earth, 2004

Mauritius bans the use of plastic bags, 2013

Happy Random New Year 2019!

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.)

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It's time once again for a random and happy Tuesday, linking up with Stacy's Random Thoughts at Stacy Uncorked and Sandee at Comedy Plus.  

It’s a New Year!

Add your spark, always!

Unless, of course, Lucy is right:

That comic always made me laugh.

The fireworks didn’t go on for too long after midnight last night, and i am grateful as i have work today.

Because this is a happy, positive day, i’m going to save my Jalopy post for next week and just concentrate on good things.

Sweetie got a sinus infection, and got in to the doctor the day he realized what it was, so the worst of his symptoms were gone within 24 hours of their appearance.  Since his sneezes when he has a cold or sinus infection can rattle windows, this is a very good thing.

His sneezes are the stuff of legend, real window rattlers.

He seriously tested our children’s hearing when they were born by tiptoeing into the hospital room while they were sleeping and then cutting loose with a sneeze.  Every one of them jumped out of their skin and cried, so i knew their ears worked!

The cabbage and ground beef, with lots of tomatoes and onions, is cooking in the crock pot and will be served over rice.  Cabbage is for money, so there will also be cole slaw (vegan, so i can have some).  After all, we could stand to attract all the money possible.

Black-eyed peas, the fresh ones, will be cooked down with salt pork (mine will be separate), as they bring good luck in the new year.

Then there’s the corn bread.

Yum, i made it vegan, too.  

There will be no resolutions this year, just a goal to try to pay off debt and concentrate on my word for the year, lovingkindness.

No matter your tradition, i hope you had a lovely start to the year and that 2019 brings you much joy and many happy days.

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Today is:

Apple Gifting Day

Bad Hangover Day -- but only for some (she says, trying not to look too virtuous)

Birth of Moonhopper -- Fairy Calendar

Black Nazarene Fiesta -- Philippines (through the 9th)

Bonza Bottler Day™

Buckle-Up Day -- the first US mandatory seat belt law went into effect in New York on this day in 1985

Carnival Day/Grand Parade of Troupes -- Saint Kitts and Nevis

Constitution Day  -- Italy

Daydreamers' Day -- take time out today to dream, on paper, what you want this year to hold

Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic -- Slovakia

Days of Volos -- Slavic Pagan Calendar (a time to be thankful to the god Volos for pets and farm animals; through the 6th)

Eighth Day of Christmas

Feast of the Circumcision of Christ -- Eastern Orthodox Church

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus - Orthodox Christian; Lutheran

First-Foot Day -- make sure an auspicious or good person is the first to set foot in your home for the New Year

Foundation Days -- Taiwan (a/k/a Republic Day, celebrated through tomorrow)

Gantan-sai (New Years) -- Shinto

Get A Life Day -- now even the internet is urging you to use the New Year wisely

Grandfather Frost Day -- Russia; Ukraine (Ded Moroz; an equivalent of Santa Claus who visits on New Year's Day and delivers the gifts in person with his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, and fighting off Baba Yaga the witch who tries to steal them; in some areas, he comes on "Old Christmas Day", in about a week)

Hangover Handicap Run -- Couer d'Alene, ID, US (an early morning run, saluting the night before by giving out beer can trophies)

Horan Enya -- Bungo Takada City, Japan (ceremony for safety at sea and large catches)

Independence Day -- Haiti(1804); Sudan

International Get Over It Month -- urging you to let the past go and move forward

Kaapse Klopse -- Cape Town, South Africa (Minstrel Carnival, with parties and parades through February; main parade tomorrow at midday)

Kalends of January -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also

    Agonalia (giving dates, figs, and honey to Janus, and gifts to family members)

    Day Sacred to Janus, Juno, and Jupiter

    Festival for Aesculapius (god of healing)

    Festival for Vedovus (god of the spirits of ancestors)

    Sacrifice to Fortuna Day (Sacrifice something to the goddess of Fortune so she will give you a good year.)

Kwanzaa, Day 7, Imani (faith)

Liberation Day -- Cuba (a/k/a Triumph of the Revolution)

London New Year's Day Parade -- London, England (one of the best New Year parties in the world)

Mary, Mother of God -- Catholic Christian (Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Octave Day of Christmas)

Mummer's Parade -- Philadelphia, PA, US

National Bloody Mary Day -- um, didn't you get enough of that last night?!

National Tree Planting Day -- Tanzania

New Year's Day

New Year's Dishonor List Day -- Lake Superior State University announces the misused and overused words from the previous year which should be banished from the Queen's English

Polar Swim Day / Polar Bear Swim / Polar Bear Plunge -- various locations throughout Canada, Netherlands, and US

Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State -- Czech Republic

Sacrifices to the Wind Gods -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

Scout's Day -- Burma (celebration of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in Burma)

Shogatsu -- Japan (New Year, most important holiday of the year)

Shusho-e Matsuri -- Buddists in Japan go to temple on the first day of the year for a special ceremony

Snake Eyes Day -- no, i won't, it's too obvious

Sovereignty Day -- Iraq

St. Basil's Day / Basil the Great -- Eastern Orthodox (Patron of education, exorcisms, hospital administrators, Liturgists, monks, reformers, and of Russia and Cappadocia; bringer of gifts and inspector of livestock in Greece)

St. Clarus' Day  (Patron of tailors)

St. Zedislava Berka's Day  (Patron of difficult marriages, people ridiculed for piety)

Tewa Turtle Dance -- Tewa Native Americans (celebration of life and the first Creation; through the 4th)

Tournament of Roses Parade -- Pasadena, CA, US

Vienna New Year's Concert -- Vienna, Austria

Z Day -- for all the people whose names begin with Z and always have to wait to be last; sponsored by Tom Zager

Anniversary Today:

Establishment of Bryce Canyon National Monument, UT, US, 1923

Ellis Island opens, 1892

Birthdays Today:

James McAvoy, 1979

Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer, 1969

Michael Imperioli, 1966

Kathleen Casey, 1946

Don Novello, 1943

Helmut Jahn, 1940

Frank Langella, 1940

B. Kliban, 1935

J. D. Salinger, 1919

Hank Greenberg, 1911

Barry Goldwater, 1909

Xavier Cugat, 1900

J. Edgar Hoover, 1895

E.M. Forster, 1879

Betsy Ross, 1752(O.S.)

"Mad Anthony" Wayne, 1745(O.S.)

Paul Revere, 1735

Debuting/Premiering Today:

Profiles in Courage(publication date), 1956

"Modern Times"(Film), 1936

Traveler's Checks(first issued by the London Exchange Banking Company), 1772

Today in History:

The Julian Calendar takes effect for the first time, BC45

Origin of the Christian Era, 1

The last gladiator competition in Rome, 404

Muhammad sets out toward Mecca with his army, 630

Jews of Sicily are no longer required to attend conversionist services, 1430

Portuguese navigators become the first Europeans to see the Guanabara Bay, which they thought was the mouth of a river and first called Rio de Janeiro (River of January), 1502

Scotland begins its numbered year on January 1 instead of March 25, 1600

German astronomer Simon Marius first sees Jupiter's moons (he did not report them, though, Galileo did, on July 10 of the same year), 1610

Samuel Pepys makes his first diary entry, 1660

The first traveler's cheques go on sale in London, for use in 90 European cities, 1772

The Irish Parliament votes to join the Kingdom of Great Britain, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1801

The dwarf planet Ceres is discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi, 1801

Emperor Gia Long orders all bronze wares of the Tay San Dynasty to be collected and melted into nine cannons for the Royal Citadel in Hue, Vietnam, 1803

Haiti gains independence from France (National Day), 1804

Import of slaves into the US is banned, 1808

The first homestead under the Homestead Act claimed, near Beatrice, Nebraska, 1863

Japan begins using the Gregorian Calendar, 1873

England's Queen Victoria proclaimed empress of India, 1877

Twenty-five nations adopt Sanford Fleming's proposal for Standard Time and Time Zones, 1885

The first Tournament of Roses is held, 1900

The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia federate as the Commonwealth of Australia, 1901

Vancouver, BC starts driving on the right side of road, 1922

Turkey adopts the Gregorian calendar: December 18, 1926 (Julian), is immediately followed by January 1, 1927 (Gregorian), 1927

Emperor Hirohito of Japan announces he is not a god, 1946

The European Community is established, 1958

United States Navy SEALs established, 1962

The Internet's Domain Name System is created, 1985

The first British mobile phone call is made by Ernie Wise to Vodafone, 1985

A single market within the European Community is introduced, 1993

The North American Free Trade Agreement comes into effect 1994

The World Trade Organization goes into effect, 1995

The European Central Bank is established, 1998

The Euro currency is introduced in 11 countries, 1999

Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in twelve of the European Union's member states, 2002

Taiwan officially joins the World Trade Organization, as Chinese Taipei, 2002

The Open Skies mutual surveillance treaty officially comes into force, 2002

Sydney, Australia swelters through its hottest New Years Day on record. The thermometer peaked at 45 °C (113 °F), sparking bushfires and power outages, 2006

Bulgaria and Romania officially join the European Union. Also, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Irish become official languages of the European Union, 2007

Malta and Cyprus officially adopt the Euro currency and become the fourteenth and fifteenth Eurozone countries, 2008

Estonia officially adopts the Euro currency and becomes the seventeenth eurozone country, 2011