Category: Culture & Language
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
Festivus: A Holiday for the Rest of Us
A reflection on simplicity, honesty, and humor during the holiday season. Festivus is a relatively modern holiday. It was invented in 1966 by writer Dan O’Keefe as a family tradition and later popularized in 1997 through an episode of the TV show Seinfeld. While the show introduced Festivus to a wider audience, the holiday itself… Read more