The Squid Calendar

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent, of course, being the forty days preceding Easter which is celebrated in the Christian faith as a time of prayer, preparation and self-denial.

Aaimeep invites you to join her for a Lenten journey at: Join me for Lent 2010 – in your own way!

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday.  It is the day before Lent begins (which is tomorrow, Ash Wednesday).  The day is marked with celebration, much like Carnival, before the more somber season of Lent.

Costumes, masks, coins, King Cakes, beads, purple, gold, green, …

Of course New Orleans comes to mind with its great festivities, but Mardi Gras is celebrated worldwide.

Mardi Gras Posters Gallery by TylaMac
Crafts for Kids – Mardi Gras Crafts by Pastiche

(Photo by redfilter25)

On February 15-16, 2010, the Westminster Dog Show is being held at Madison Square Garden. This year will be the 134th for this annual event, and over 150 breeds will appear for judging in hopes of being recognized by one of the largest and most prestigious shows in the world.

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show by happynutritionist

It seems to me that Valentine’s Day very precisely divides the general population into four distinct groups:

Group 1 – The couples – happily enjoying this day of love.

Group 2 – The seekers – out at a singles bar, looking to become a member of group 1 by the end of the night, if only just for tonight.

Group 3 – The babysitters – caring for the children of group 1 in an effort to forget that they are not in group 1 and have given up being in group 2.

Group 4 – The wallowers – home alone or at work, denying the holiday exists or rationalizing it as a ploy by Hallmark and the candy makers.

Which group are YOU in?

The True Story of Valentine’s Day by unique_freak77

(Photo by robbie1 used under CC 2.0)

Happy Chinese New Year! 2010 is the Year of the Tiger.

Today begins the Chinese New Year celebration, which marks the change of the lunar year.

Learn more:
Chinese New Year by Jimmie

After Last night, Vancouver kicked off the 2010 Winter Olympics with the opening ceremonies. Today is the first day of events.

I always love watching the Olympics. I very rarely watch sports at any other time. There is just something about the Olympics that brings out my sense of national pride, and gives the me completely unfounded belief that I have the credentials to judge figure skating.

For a complete overview of what to expect, visit Winter Olympics Vancouver 2010 – The Complete Guide by jeffryv.

Abraham Lincoln was born 201 years ago, on February 12, 1809.

Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration by seegreen

Quiz: Howe Well do You Know Honest Abe? by ebsouth

While many like to argue what exactly he did, and why exactly he did it (Abraham Lincoln: Liar, Racist, Tyrant), no one can argue the fact that he put into action a series of events that have changed America profoundly.

On Feb. 11, 1847, Thomas Alva Edison was born. Edison was an highly prolific American inventor. Most known for his inventions of the light bulb and the gramophone, his inventions comprise over 1,000 patents.

About Thomas Edison by Wir55
What we can learn from him: Thomas Edison’s Laws of Leadership by chrisfarmer

Sixty years ago today, on February 9, 1950, Senator Joe McCarthy began his anti-red campaign which led to thousands of people being labeled as anti-American Communist traitors through a series of finger pointing.

This modern day witch-hunt inspired Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible.

The Crucible Study Guide – Essay, Characters, Quotes & Novel Analysis by SammySpam

Also, did you know that mukunda22’s mother was labeled a Communist during this era? 25 Things About Kate

Today marks 100 days of the Boy Scouts.  Scouting has influenced the lives of millions of kids, teaching them skills, both physical and mental, that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

OneFootPutt gives us a bit of Boy Scout history: 100 Years of Boy Scouts.

(photo by anja_johnson)