Time for another great quote by some of the great minds of men and women who have walked here before us. About the importance of bringing forth the goodness in each and one of us, to the benefit of ourselves, our loved ones, and in the broader context, the society and the whole world. Goodness is the only investment that never fails. How many examples could we give of this? Countless! Continue reading

This time in Language Day we talk about today´s topic, the Leap Day. The 29th day of February that occurs every four years - the same year as the Summer Olympics. You can read about Leap Year and Leap Day in Wikipedia’s extensive articles. Here let’s just go through what we call this particular day in different countries and languages, and the etymology of the word itself. Did you know that people born on a leap day may be called “leaplings” or “leapers”. Continue reading

This time in First Names First we have** Susan** and the related names such as Susanne, Susanna, Suzanne and even Zuzana. Take your pick in the list, and find some inspiring stories behind these names. Give this a couple of minutes for lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us. Let them! Susanna Hall* (B) (b Shakespeare) – Stratford-upon-Avon, England (1583) Susan B. Anthony* social reformer/ activist – Adams, MA USA (1820) Continue reading

In the year 1738, Jacques de Vaucanson stages the first demonstration of an early automaton in Paris (Feb 11), Samuel Johnson composes his first solemn prayer (Sep 18), Franz Ketterer produces one of the earliest cuckoo clocks, Rémy Martin is granted exclusive permission by King Louis XV of France to plant new vineyards, for impressing him with the quality of his cognac - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

We head in Streets & Squares this time to Athens, the capital of Greece since 1834, but in existence since times immemorial. Commonly thought be have been named after the Greek goddess Athena, yet modern scholars now generally agree that it is rather the opposite: the goddess takes her name from the city. Be it as it may, clicking on the address links leads you - as always in Streets & Squares - to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page. Continue reading

In the year 1529, the Westrogothian rebellion breaks out in Sweden (Apr 9), but the King persists, Buda (Sep 8) and Vienna (Sep 23) are invaded by the Ottomans, Thomas More succeeds Cardinal Wolsey as Lord Chancellor of England (Oct 26), Paracelsus visits Nuremberg - and all these fine people were born: 1529-xxxx Willem Bloys van Treslong* nobleman/military leader during the Dutch war of Independence/a leader of the Sea Beggars - Den Briel (1594/c. Continue reading

This time in Monthly Latin something simple. Two words that cover all of us. Or do they? UNUS MULTORUM i.e. one of many. One in a mass. An average person. Unus (one) multorum (of many). But as we all are but one, even when we have the power of/over many, the old hierarchical idea of the little man should in all honesty give way to the ideological side of those two words. Continue reading

This time in First Names First ** Sebastian/ Sébastien! **Take your pick in the list, and find some inspiring stories behind these names. Give this a couple of minutes for lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us. Let them! Sebastian Münster* cartographer/ cosmographer – Ingelheim, Germany (1488) Sebastian Franck* German freethinker/humanist/radical reformer – Donauwörth , Swabia (1499) Sebastian de Aparicio* Spanish colonist – A Gudiña, Ourense, Spain (1502) Continue reading

Phelp’s electro-motor printing telepraph from 1880’s In the year 1753, the concept of electrical telegraphy is first published (Feb 17), Sweden adopts the Gregorian calendar, and February 17 is followed directly by March 1 (Mar 1), Saint Patrick’s Day is observed for the first time officially (Mar 17), the British Museum is established in London, to be opened later (Jun 7), 21-year-old Major George Washington is commissioned to dissuade the French from occupying the Ohio Country (Oct 31) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1430, the Ottoman Empire captures Thessalonica after an eight-year siege (Mar 29), Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians, while leading an army to relieve Compiègne (May 23), Bratislava Castle is converted to a fortress, optical methods are first used in the creation of art - and all these fine people were born: 1430-0323 Margaret of Anjou* Queen of England by marriage to King Henry VI - Pont-à-Mousson, Lorraine, France (1482/52) Continue reading

Not all of us are religious or even spiritual, but we all can experience unconditional love. Love that conquers all, love that makes everything seem mellow and easy until proven otherwise. Love that builds bridges out of nowhere, and just never dies. And faith isn’t of course just a religious thing, but simply a belief that most anything is possible if one believes that it can be done, or that it can happen. Continue reading

At the start of the new decade, let’s introduce yet another new feature here at Journeys of Life. A monthly newsletter that you as a reader can subscribe to. Send your request to kivita@gmail.com, and you will receive our newsletter to the e-mail address provided by you. If you at any time want to unsubscribe, you can do so at the same address. These newsletters will consist of general site information as well as updates about recent articles and articles series. Continue reading

Since the year 2000, February 21st has been observed around the world as the International Mother Language Day, in order to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, and multilingualism. In view of that, let’s see how the words mother & mother language (mother tongue) are said in some of the languages. Whether we speak just our mother tongue, or on top of that our father tongue (if it’s not the same as our mother’s), or acquire yet another language skill in childhood or later on in life, we can all appreciate the emotional familiarity of the very first language we learn. Continue reading

In the year 1744, France declares war on Great Britain (Mar 15), the first periodical written for women by a woman, The Female Spectator, is founded (Apr), The First Rules of Golf are drawn up at Leith in Scotland, for the first golf competition (Apr 2), HMS Victory sinks in a storm in the English Channel, the wreck of which is located in 2009 (Oct 4), the First Saudi State is founded by Muhammad bin Saud - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

One of the most popular American sitcoms must be Frasier, the spin-off of Cheers. It premiered in the United States in September 1993. The cast of Frasier was not big, but all the more talented when it comes to producing quick-witted, brilliant comedy. Critically acclaimed, the show itself and the cast won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards. Frasier continued the story of psychiatrist Frasier Crane (from Cheers), returning to his hometown of Seattle where he started building a new life as a radio advice show host while reconnecting with his father Martin and brother Niles, and making new friends. Continue reading

This time in First Names First we will concentrate on the names Greta, Grete and Grethe. An old name that appears a lot in the news these days due to the environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Greta Hällfors-Sipilä* (b Hällfors) painter – Helsinki, GD of Finland (1899) Greta Kuckhoff* (b Lorke) German resistance fighter – Frankfurt an der Oder, German Empire (1902) Greta Garbo* actress – Stockholm, Sweden (1905) Grethe Meyer* architect/designer - Svendborg, Denmark (1918) Continue reading

In the year 1745, the white colonialists on Jamaica foil a conspiracy by black slaves plotting to seize control (Feb 22), the Jacobite rising of 1745 - the last attempt to overtake the British rule for the Scots, begins (Aug 19), Catherine the Great marries Peter III of Russia (Sep 1), the French Army destroys, together with some native American tribes, the British American settlement at Fort Saratoga in New York (Nov 28) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

We head in Streets & Squares this time to Calgary, the largest city in western Canada. Situated in southern part of Alberta, at the confluence of the Bow River and the Elbow River. As always in Streets & Squares, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page. There are lots of numbered avenues and streets in grid style, a bit like in Manhattan, New York - most of them in downtown Calgary. Continue reading

In the year 1749, the first issue of Berlingske, Denmark’s oldest continually operating newspaper, is published (Jan 3), King George II of Great Britain grants the Ohio Company land north of the Ohio River, with a condition: European families are to move there (May 19), the first recorded game of baseball is played in Surrey, England (Sep 12), King Louis XV of France issues a harsh ordinance against the increasing number of starving people moving into Paris (Nov 18), Indian tribes in North America continue losing their land - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

You never know when it is time for someone to go. Any time you meet a person it might be the last time you see him or her. This we know, logically. But we don’t know when it is time. Or sometimes we do. Like my grandma seemed to know as she was bidding me farewell me leaving for home after visiting her in another country. She was pretty old Continue reading