Chris Mooney is a visiting associate in the 
'I'm going to celebrate the new year when it's most convenient to me and, give or take 365 later, do it again.' - M.C. 2006
Many of us will spend the fleeting moments of 2007 toasting something that arguably rivals an odometer ticking over to a round number. Completely arbitrary. For even if space and time do exist, who's counting and to what end?
Those crazy Romans. In the midst of sport and spectacle, Ceaser and Virgil, and the cultural norms of man-boy love, their calender observed the new year in March. Then sometime around 153 BC, two consuls picked January 1st - conveniently later adopted in Western Europe to commemorate the Feast of the Circumcision. (Although biblical texts suggest Christ was born in March, so maybe the Romans had it right all along). But back to the days of auld lang syne, if circumcision doesn't say start your calender year, I don't know what does. Apparently, we humans seem to have a penchant for commemoration.
Still, it sure is fun celebrating how many journeys we've all made around our great big star the sun. As for me, I've orbited about 27.5 times and it's been a real trip so far. Can't wait to find out what happens next..
So Happy New Year folks!
Well, sort of.
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
Another interesting note-
The term "April's Fools Day" came about around this time. Those who continued to celebrate the New Year at the begining of Spring (or the end of March) were called "April's Fools."
Posted by: T. "Chimpy" Greer | December 29, 2007 4:12 PM
Let's be specific here, the Feast of the Circumcision refers to the procedure done on Joshua of Nazareth on the 8th day of his birth (i.e. Jan 1 is the 8th day after Dec. 25, counting the latter as day 1).
Posted by: SLC | December 29, 2007 8:17 PM
And a very happy and healthy and 'scientifically successful'
New Year to you, Chris, and all your readers...
Posted by: Linda | December 29, 2007 10:11 PM
"I've orbited about 27.5 times..."
Happy 10'000th day!
The next big milestone will be 1 Gigasecond (about 31 years 8 months).
Posted by: Lassi Hippeläinen | December 30, 2007 4:43 AM
and the cultural norms of man-boy love
Oh come now -- there was plenty of man-girl love too.
Posted by: agnostic | December 30, 2007 7:43 PM
Miss Sheril,
As my 7th grade life science teacher Mr. Murel used to say "It's a real tragedy, but nature is gradational - Man classifies." Seems that is ture with any calendar shceme - thouhg I tend to favor the Chinese approach - its warmer out, so the celebration can be more colorful.
And as to love, how about we all resolve to show a little more of that in 2008 - especially to our science challenegd fellow citizens?
Posted by: Philip H. | December 31, 2007 10:29 AM
Happy new year :)
Posted by: feromon | December 31, 2007 5:09 PM
Still, it sure is fun celebrating how many journeys we've all made around our great big star the sun. As for me, I've orbited about 27.5 times and it's been a real trip so far. Can't wait to find out what happens next..
In 11 days I will have made the trip twice as many times. 55. I can tell you that if you keep your mind and eyes open there can be a lot of interesting things to see and think about the whole time! As a matter of fact, the way science and technology are progressing, I think it is getting proportionately more interesting every year! The best is yet to come! Happy New Year!
Dave Briggs :~)
Posted by: Dave Briggs | December 31, 2007 5:30 PM