Author: yolyrueda
Why Is August Called August? Reflections on the Teachers We Never Forget
I had intended to publish this reflection on August 1. August is now well underway. Sometimes life has other plans, and perhaps that is fitting for August. August has always felt like a month in between. Summer is not quite over, but we can already feel it beginning to change. For many families in the… Read more
Toe Vocabulary and Idioms in English: From Big Toe to “Wiggle Room”
Did you know that August 6 is Wiggle Your Toes Day? Yes, apparently our toes have their own day. And while that may sound like one of those holidays invented simply because we have run out of things to celebrate, it gives us a surprisingly good excuse to talk about English. Because those ten small… Read more
Three Paintings, One Declaration: Art, History, and the Power of Revision
As a double major in fine arts and history, when I thought about how to mark America’s 250th anniversary this year, I didn’t reach for fireworks. I reached for paintings. There’s something about looking at how artists, across different decades, tried to capture the same single moment, the vote for independence, that I find moving.… Read more
July: The Global Stage and the Language of Strategy
The names of our months carry stories that have survived for more than two thousand years. July is no exception. Before the Roman calendar was reformed, July was called Quintilis, which simply means “the fifth month.” After the death of Julius Caesar, the Roman Senate renamed the month in his honor. Caesar introduced the calendar… Read more
Why Is June Called June? History, June Weddings, and Lifelong Learning
As we welcome the month of June, many of us look forward to longer days, warmer weather, vacations, and time spent with family and friends. But have you ever stopped to wonder where the name “June” actually comes from? The answer takes us all the way back to ancient Rome, and to one of its… Read more
May: Making Space to Grow
The month of May takes its name from Maia, a figure from ancient Roman tradition associated with growth and the natural world. She is often connected to nurturing and steady development. In Greek mythology, Maia is also known as Hermes’ mother, the messenger god, which adds another layer of meaning: not only growth, but also… Read more
April: Looking Up Again
The month of April has been called April for more than 2,000 years. The name comes from ancient Rome, and while its exact meaning is still debated, it is often associated with the Latin verb aperire, meaning “to open.” It has long been linked to the arrival of spring, a time of change and renewal.… Read more
March: The Roman Month of Momentum
Did you know that the year once began in March? In the earliest Roman calendar, March, not January, marked the beginning of the year. The month was called Martius, named after Mars. While Mars is often remembered as the god of war, he was also associated with agriculture, protection, and the safeguarding of Rome itself.… Read more
February: The Roman Month of Purification
By February, the sense of beginning has faded, but the year is still taking shape. The excitement of January has passed, and this in-between feeling is not accidental. The word February comes from the Latin word februum, which means purification or cleansing. In ancient Rome, this time of year was dedicated to clearing away what… Read more
January: The Month That Looks Both Ways
I’ve always been curious about where things come from. Growing up, my mom took me to bookstores the way some parents took their kids to the park. I came home with stacks of books, questions, and stories that stayed with me. In seventh grade, I chose Latin as my third language, not because it was… Read more