The Almanac for January 2010

Gee, December must have been a pretty busy month to not get the Almanac done…

January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) – January is the door to the year. Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months, totalling 304 days, winter being considered a monthless period. Around 713 BCE, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, allowing the calendar to equal a standard lunar year (355 days). Although March was originally the first month in the old Roman Calendar, January became the first month of the calendar year either under Numa or under the Decemvirs about 450 BCE (Roman writers differ).

Here is January 2010 from The Farmer’s Almanac:

January 1st & 2nd – Can Fruits and Vegetables, Mow to Retard Growth, Brew Beer
January 3rd & 4th – Dry Fruits and Vegetables, Cut Hair to Retard Growth, Mow to Retard Growth, Dig Post Holes, Quit Smoking, Paint, Start Diet to Lose Weight, Ask for Loan, Entertain Friends, Host a Party
January 5th & 6th – Mow to Retard Growth, Quit Smoking, Start Diet to Lose Weight
January 7th & 8th – Cut Hair to Retard Growth, Mow to Retard Growth, Get Married, Entertain Friends, Host a Party
January 9th to 11th – Can Fruits and Vegetables, Mow to Retard Growth, Prune Trees, Jar Jams/Jellies
January 12th & 13th – Cut Hair to Retard Growth, Mow to Retard Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Harvest, Wean, Quit Smoking, Potty Train, Wash Windows, Start Diet to Lose Weight, Advertise to Sell, Buy a Car
January 14th – Mow to Retard Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Prune Trees, Wean, Potty Train
January 15th & 16th – Bake, Cut Firewood, Cut Hair to Increase Growth, Mow to Increase Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Dig Holes, Wean, Potty Train, Wax Floors
January 17th & 18th – Cut Firewood, Mow to Increase Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Dig Holes, Wean, Potty Train, Paint, Host a Party
January 19th to 21st – Cut Firewood, Cut Hair to Increase Growth, Mow to Increase Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Dig Holes, Wean, Potty Train, Wax Floors, Get Married, Start Diet to Gain Weight
January 22nd & 23rd – Bake, Cut Firewood, Mow to Increase Growth, Dig Holes
January 24th & 25th – Cut Firewood, Cut Hair to Increase Growth, Mow to Increase Growth, Dig Holes, Wax Floors, Paint, Get Married, Advertise to Sell, Buy Clothes
January 26th & 27th – Cut Firewood, Mow to Increase Growth, Dig Holes, Host a Party, Travel for Pleasure, Write
January 28th & 29th – Bake, Cut Firewood, Cut Hair to Increase Growth, Mow to Increase Growth, Dig Holes, Wax Floors, Get Married, Start Diet to Gain Weight
January 30th & 31st – Dry Fruits and Vegetables, Cut Hair to Retard Growth, Mow to Retard Growth, Dig Post Holes, Quit Smoking, Paint, Start Diet to Lose Weight, Ask for Loan, Entertain Friends, Host a Party

Moon Phases for January 2010:

Last Quarter – January 7th – 6:39 a.m. EST
New Moon – January 15th – 3:11 a.m. EST
First Quarter – January 23rd – 6:53 a.m. EST
Full Moon – January 30th – 2:18 a.m. EST

Some Days of Note in January from ThinkQuest:

January 1 is First Foot Day and Z Day
January 2 is Run Up the Flagpole and See if Anybody Salutes It Day
January 3 is Festival of Sleep Day
January 4 is Trivia Day and Humiliation Day
January 5 is Bird Day
January 6 is Bean Day
January 7 is Old Rock Day
January 8 is National JoyGerm Day and Man Watcher’s Day
January 9 is  Play God Day
January 10 is Peculiar People Day
January 11 is National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day
January 12 is Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day
January 13 is Make Your Dream Come True Day and Blame Someone Else Day
January 14 is National Dress Up Your Pet Day
January 15 is Hat Day
January 16 is Hot and Spicy Food International Day and National Nothing Day
January 17 is Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral Day
January 18 is Winnie the Pooh Day
January 19 is National Popcorn Day
January 20 is National Buttercrunch Day
January 21 is National Hugging Day
January 22 is National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day and National Blonde Brownie Day
January 23 is National Handwriting Day, National Pie Day, and Measure Your Feet Day
January 24 is Eskimo Pie Patent Day
January 25 is Opposite Day
January 26 is Australia Day
January 27 is Punch the Clock Day and Thomas Crapper Day
January 28 is National Kazoo Day, Clash Day, Rattle Snake Round-Up Day
January 29 is National Cornchip Day
January 30 is Escape Day
January 31 is National Popcorn Day and Child Labor Day