Why IS It Called January?

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Polymathically

Hey, folks. We’re about halfway through January already. But have you ever thought about why the first month of the year is called “January”? Well, it’s all thanks to Janus. No, not the James Bond villain from Goldeneye. No, not one of Saturn’s moons. Like a lot of modern naming conventions, it goes back to the Romans. According to Cicero and other ancient writers, Janus was their god of beginnings and transitions. It sounds kind of lame at first glance, but there some awesome implications when you think about it. Every gate, door, ending, marriage, harvest, boundary, and shifts between war and peace were his domain. This guy was responsible for the flow of time itself. He even had two faces (no, not like that one guy) just so he could look into both the past and the future at the same time.

And you thought Doc Brown was awesome.

“January” is a reference to Janus by way of the Latin word Ianuarius. It – along with Februarius – were supposedly added to the calendar by Numa Pompilius, the legendary second king of Rome. That dude was responsible for creating a lot of religious and cultural traditions in the empire, some of which still lingers in modern times. Ever hear the term “vestal virgin”? Yeah, that was his idea. So was the construction of Ianus geminus, the Temple of Janus. It had doors on both ends (of course!) which were only shut during peacetime. That last part was really rare, because, you know, it was Ancient Rome. If you were a king and got to close the temple to symbolize peace for the empire, you earned some serious bragging rights. It’s like having “Won the Nobel Prize” on your resume.

Oh, one last thing: Today’s entry was posted on January 14th. According to some Roman calendars, today is marked as dies vitiosus. It basically means that something is bad or faulty about that specific day. One calendar, the Fasti Verulani, gives us the reason: it was Mark Antony’s birthday. You know, the guy who loved Cleopatra so much that he betrayed the empire and tried to go to war against Augustus? Even if you’re not well-versed in history, I’m pretty sure you can figure out how well that went down. Let’s just say the consequences (both short and long-term) were…messy. You know you’ve messed up when your enemies can legally declare your birthday to be inherently evil.

I’m Blogging On Sunshine

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Polymathically

Hey, folks. Tonight I was informed that The Part Time Monster nominated me for The Sunshine Blogger Award. I’d like to thank her for that; it’s really good to know that people are reading and enjoying my work. I don’t know if I have a sunny disposition, but if I can get you to smile and think, then I’ll know I’m doing something right. I couldn’t find the exact origin of the The Sunshine Blogger Award, so I’m just going to copy its rules from the aforementioned page:

1. Nominate 10 other blogs
2. Write 11 facts about yourself.

Aaaaand the nominees are….(In no particular order)

Wow, that was actually really hard. I’ve seen some many awesome blogs already this year thanks to the Zero To Hero challenge, so choosing just ten is just…ugh. Anyway, 11 facts…

I’m currently the sixth highest-ranked Chun-Li on the Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition PSN worldwide leaderboards…I play that too much.
I have habit of memorizing whole movies, including The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyessy. Same goes with song lyrics.
I once won a game of chess in four moves.
I love LEGOs, particularly the Architecture series.
I’ve talked my way into an exclusive museum exhibition and a software convention by just being honest, polite, and asking questions.
My long hair gets me mistaken for being female constantly, even when I don’t shave. I’m still learning to enjoy it.
I’ve come close to dying four times.
The States aside, I’ve been to a dozen countries: Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, Thailand, and Aruba. Someplace in South America is likely next.
My writing voice is much, much louder and upfront than my real one. IRL, I’m the quiet guy in the corner with a book.
I hunger for super-spicy food.
I’m at a crossroads at my life; my previous career is over, and I have no idea what direction to go in. I don’t have a dream, and sometimes that terrifies me.

Versatility, Thy Name Is Me!

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Polymathically

Hey, folks. Tonight I was informed that Morrighan’s Muse nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award! I’d really like to thank her for that; I’m very grateful for my readers, and versatility is something I strive for both on and offline. I’m still pretty new at this whole blogging thing, but I’d like to think that I’m getting a little better every day. Thus, here are the award’s rules, taken verbatim from the official page:

Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. (I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

Aaaand the nominees are….(in no particular order)

Wow, that was surprisingly difficult. As for the seven interesting things…

I’ve been to a dozen countries, and there will be more next year. Yet I’ve never seen snow fall…
I have waist-length curly hair that often gets me mistaken for a woman, even when I don’t shave. I stopped caring years ago; it makes me look good.
My video game reviews have reached 1,684,823 hits as of the hour of this writing.
I’m really shy and introverted in real life; my writer’s voice is much, much stronger than my physical, soft-spoken one. I’m also far more snarky in really life.
I paid for my college education out of my own pocket.
I once won a game of chess in four moves.
I don’t have a dream, and sometimes that terrifies me.

Thanks again, folks. Have a good Monday!

The Slithering Cure

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Polymathically

Happy December, folks. When I was looking up tattoo ideas for the recent Daily Prompt, I was reminded of a strange but all-too common symbol. If you look around enough in your medical institution, you might stumble across this image:

Weren’t expecting to see snake during your check-up, were you? But don’t worry, this one’s here to help. It’s part of the symbol called the Rod of Asclepius. Go ahead, try saying that out loud. If you’re a med student, chances are you’ve seen the name in the Hippocratic Oath. For good reason, too. Asclepius was the god of medicine in Ancient Greece. He inherited his expertise from none other than Apollo, who was no slouch in the health care department. He was married to Epione, the goddess of soothing. Their strangely appropriate relationship resulted in a whole family of healers, particularly Hygieia (the goddess of…well, hygiene) and Panacea, the goddess of universal remedy and pretty much every status effect-curing item in RPG history.

Who says video games aren’t educational?

But here’s the question: Why did it it have to be snakes? Actually, it’s kind of been snakes all along. Snakes and power go way, way back, and not just to the Greeks. You’d be hard-pressed to find an ancient culture that doesn’t use it. Have a bible handy? Try skimming it and see how much snake/power imagery you can find. Here’s a hint: Moses. As for Asclepius, the snake could represent rejuvenation and renewal via the shedding of its skin. Or it could’ve been referencing the supposed medicinal properties of snake products. There have been references to venom being used as an remedy. Can you imagine all the wild snakes slithering around those ancient healing temples? And you thought your medical plan was terrible. At least the rod is more straightforward (no pun intended); it’s always been associated with things like wisdom, knowledge, age, etc.

Now, here’s the tricky thing. Let’s say you go to doctor and see this in the waiting room:

See the difference? The Caduceus looks pretty badass, doesn’t it? It got two snakes, and wings! If you’re in the Medical Corps, you probably see it every day. The symbol especially prevalent in American medicine, where it’s been in use since the 1850s. And yeah, people noticed. The Caduceus is associated with Hermes, the famed messenger of the gods. He was in charge of transitions, usually from life to the afterlife. He’s the patron of many things, among them travelers, literature, sports, thieves, invention, trade, and commerce…but not medicine. The reason for the two snakes? He saw them fighting and put his staff between them, thus ensuring peace. It’s a classic commentary of the necessity of knowledge and communication. It’s also a chilling but oddly appropriate prediction of the state of modern medicine. Associations with commerce, theft, and death aren’t exactly reassuring when you’re getting a physical. However, no one can dispute that health care has come a long way since Ancient Greece. We may not use snakes for medicine anymore, but they’re still all around us.

Oh, fun fact: Asclepius was supposedly killed by Zeus because he started bringing people back from the dead. Imagine if our modern medicine symbols were for necromancy instead. Suddenly, getting flu shots doesn’t seem so bad.