OTD

January 12th is the Twelfth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 353 days remain until the end of the year.

 

Events

475 – Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople, and his general, Basiliscus, gains control of the empire.

1554 – Bayinnaung, who would go on to assemble the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia, is crowned King of Burma.

1616 –Belém, Brazil, was founded on the Amazon River delta by Portuguese captain Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco.

1866 – The Royal Aeronautical Society is formed in London.

1895 – The National Trust was founded in the United Kingdom.

1932 – Hattie Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate.

1969 – The New York Jets of the American Football League defeat the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League to win Super Bowl III in what is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

1991 – Persian Gulf War: An act of the U.S. Congress authorizes the use of American military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.

2005 – Deep Impact launches from Cape Canaveral on a Delta II rocket.

 

Birthdays

1588 – John Winthrop, English lawyer and politician, 2nd Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (d. 1649)

1591 – Jusepe de Ribera, Spanish painter (d. 1652)

1729 – Edmund Burke, Irish philosopher, academic, and politician (d. 1797)

1856 – John Singer Sargent, American painter and visionary (d. 1925)

1876 – Jack London, American novelist and journalist (d. 1916)

1904 – Mississippi Fred McDowell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1972)

1923 – Ira Hayes, American marine who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima (d. 1955)

1926 – Ray Price, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2013)[32]

1951 – Rush Limbaugh, American talk show host and author (d. 2021)

1954 – Howard Stern was an American radio host, actor, and author. Weird coincidence

Sadly, I am not sure of the spelling or year of my paternal grandmother, Lala Francis Grow.

 

Holiday Spotlight

Resolutions or breaking them typically become running jokes in our lives. So much so that nobody takes them seriously anymore; you’d be surprised to know that far from a modern-day fad, year-end resolutions return to the world’s most ancient civilizations.

 Around 2000 B.C., the Babylonians celebrated New Year with a 12-day festival called ‘Akitu.’ The festival coincided with the start of the farming season. It also involved people promising to pay their debts. One resolution everyone made was the return of borrowed farm equipment in time for the agricultural season. The ancient Romans adopted the Babylonian New Year and their tradition of making resolutions. Eventually, the timing shifted according to the Julian calendar, and January 1 became the start of the new year.

Early January is ideal for most cultures to pause and reflect. It marks the end of an active harvest season. It’s also when the holiday festivities die down. What better time to rest than after a busy summer, taking comfort in the warmth of family and friendship?

 In the past, New Year’s resolutions in the United States were more religious, courtesy of a Protestant influence. People wished for a stronger work ethic, moral character, and restraint —keeping with the church’s teachings.

 Today’s resolutions reflect a different kind of self-improvement. We find people resolving to stay fit or do more things they love. Although seemingly self-indulgent, these resolutions aren’t all that different from historical precedent. Bettering oneself forms the core of any resolution. All anyone wants is a clean slate — from ancient Babylonians to disillusioned Gen Zs.

 Remember we're in it together on Stick to your New Year’s Resolution Day. So, keep at it! Isn’t it amazing how people everywhere unknowingly follow a tradition that’s as old as time?

 

 Other Include

Curried Chicken Day

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day

Kiss a Ginger Day

Lee Jackson Day (State Holiday in Virginia) - January 12, 2024

National Hot Tea Day

National Marzipan Day 

National Pharmacist Day

Stick to Your New Year's Resolution Day

Work Harder Day

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