The last time this happened was on August 31, 1380. Not that I was there, mind you, and I could well be wrong. I dislike numbers intensely. For the moment, it’s the only one I can think of.

I’m talking about today’s date January 2, 2010, for those places that put the month ahead of the day, numerically it can be rendered 0102-2010. Behold the palindrome, something that can be read backwards and forwards.

I don’t know of any cultures that attach any importance to this. It’s not like a solstice or an equinox, or even Groundhog Day. Candlemas it’s called in some places. And depending on where you are, if certain animals appear or see their shadows or not it forecasts the weather for the immediate future. Unfortunately, I can never remember which way it goes. But at least the choice of days is interesting – the day that’s exactly in the middle between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.

I’ve never thought much about our New Year’s stuff. There’s just nothing to hang my hat on. It’s just another day. The only significance it has is to remind me I haven’t bought a new calendar yet. Maybe it’s a sign of the recession, but no one has sent me a free calendar. In the past I used to have a stack of them to choose from. Has anyone reported massive layoffs in the calendar printing industry?

Anyway, if you missed this palindrome, don’t fret. There’s another one coming up next year. On November 2. [1102-2011].