First days of January

It's been a very long time since I last published something here. I decided to restart posting from time to time, and I expect it to be more often.

As a Christmas gift I received a desk calendar from a friend at work and I find that there are some curious things in it so Ill be posting some of the ones I find more interesting here. Ah, the calendar is a Page-A-Day Schott's Miscellany 2009.

At January 1st, the calendar talks about the word January:

The Latin month Ianuarius derives from iannua ("door"), since it was the opening of the year. It was also associated with Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors and openings who guarded the gates of heaven. Janus could simultaneously face the year past and the year to come.

I have never heard about this Roman god named Janus, but good old Wikipedia has a small description of him, and also a photo of his statue.

Since we are talking about "somebody" who watches over twice as much as we do, I'd also like to put here two sayings. One is from January 3, the other from January 4:

Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought;
Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.
Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

If we had no faults of our own,
We would not take so much pleasure
In noticing those of others.
Duc de la Rochefoucauld (1613-80)

May everyone have a bright 2009.