On this day 5,000,000 years ago spears were invented. Some say that they were the invention of Britney, but actually they were a craft project developed by chimpanzees in present day Tanzania. This country was known to them as Eyee-cheee-ee, but was pronounced “spear.” And that is how spears came to be.
Although traditionally regarded as a symbol of Eastern religions such as Tantric Buddhism, Shintoism, and Jainism, mandalas (mandala = circle in Sanscrit) are found in many cultures, such as Mesoamerican, Native American, and Scandavian, among others.
In addition, mandalas have been adopted by some modern western people as a symbol of wholeness or the universe.
In his autobiography, psychologist Carl Jung wrote, “I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing, … which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. … Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is: … the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious.”
Mandalas can be beautiful and striking in design which, no doubt adds to their appeal.
Plague mask from the Deutisches Historisches Museum
It is tattoo Tuesday. . .
Today is Get Out Your Guitar Day . . .
Home is where the Guitar is.
NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly says U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — apparently angered over some tough questioning — summoned her to his private living room at the State Department and challenged her to point to Ukraine on an unmarked map. Kelly — who has a master’s degree in European Studies from Cambridge — said she did. Pompeo (who’s set to arrive in Kyiv on January 30) later suggested Kelly had pointed to Bangladesh instead. How would you fare if you were called on the carpet by Pompeo?
My results on the quiz rated “not bad,” but I think I embarrassed myself.
Take the Pompeo quiz: https://www.rferl.org/a/pompeo-npr-kelly-ukraine-map-quiz/30403854.html
It’s tattoo Tuesday:
Today is Up Helly Aa – a (sort of) Viking Festival marking the end of the Yule season – and also giving folks something to do during the bleak winter days. There is fire – and drinking – what could possibly go wrong?
Tattoo Tuesday . . .
In the great tradition of Mole Day and Pi Day, November 23 was Fibonacci Day. Why? Because the date 11/23 represents the first numbers in the sequence identified by Leonardo Fibonacci, and Italian mathematician who was born in Pisa in 1170.
The Fibonacci Sequence starts with 1 plus 1 equals 2, and goes on with each number being the sum of the two numbers directly before it: 1 plus 2 equals 3; 2 plus 3 equals 5; 3 plus 5 equals 8, and so on.
One of the beauties of the Fibonacci sequence is that the series is evident all over the natural world. Petal arrangements in flowers, the ordering of leaves in plants, the shell of the nautilus, the DNA molecule and even hurricanes show patterns that correspond to the sequence. From time & date holidays
It is a sequence that has significance in science, mathematics and art. In art, especially, construction of compositions based on the Fibonacci Sequence are recognized as aesthetically pleasing.
Also in tattoos:
Firearms, fibers, any news or behaviors that make me say, "hmm, let me take another look at this."
I still miss my man, but my aim is getting better.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 