I am not, in fact, dead...

I'm just really, really, busy! I was planning on doing a little bit of a catch-up blog, but while I was gone, Blogger changed it's set-up and I really have no idea what I'm doing. What with that whole being super busy thing, I don't have time to learn the new set-up at this moment. So, I apologize in advance if reading this is making you feel like you have the room-spins or something. Anyway, with out further ado, here's what I've been up to in the past two months in a very brief run-down:

One Year Anniversary!

I can't believe it's been one year to the day that I started Mary's Modern Mishaps. I also can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post...mea culpa! I don't have a very good defense, but it is a very honest one and that is I have been B-U-S-Y! I will save the whole story for the end of this month recap, as my faithful readers most definitely deserve one. Today, I'd prefer to focus on the year that's gone by and the year that's to come.

So, there have been two major changes in my life since I started Mary's Modern Mishaps. The first, chronologically speaking, was getting laid off. The second was getting engaged. You've already heard about the engagement and, obviously, it made me as happy as a clam. You've heard a fair bit about my getting laid off too, as I broke the news with this post. The truth of the matter is, even now, nine months later, I am still so happy to have been laid off. Many people complain about their jobs, wish for (and actually need) better pay, and daydream about quitting. I can honestly tell you that no matter what my predicament in life, I have not had a single moment where I have said or thought, "I wish I were still at _____." or "It wasn't as bad as I thought."

The Origins Behind 9 Sports Team Names

I'm very pleased to introduce my fiance, Greg's, first post as a guest blogger. He suggested this clever topic for me and I suggested he write it instead...I'm not much the sports buff. Let us know if you'd like to hear more from Greg!

Of all the blog subjects you thought you would see on here, I'll bet that a sports post would not be near the top of your list. If you actually know Mary, you'll know that a sports themed post would be as likely as me competing on the uneven bars at the next Olympics. In the sports world, nicknames and mascots come from some awfully strange places. Here's a list of sports teams whose names have a connection with the Civil War.

Lets get the obvious ones out the way first...

It's Fat Tuesday!!!

I legitimately did not realize this was pretty much a week of holidays when I wrote my comment about how many holidays are in February yesterday. I guess the perk here is that I now have a bunch of topics to write about.

So, today is Fat Tuesday, also known as the day of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras actually translates to "fat Tuesday" in French. The story behind Mardi Gras is pretty interesting. Most people probably already know that Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday which signifies the start of Lent. If you aren't familiar with Lent, it represents the period where Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights and resisted the temptation of the devil. It is therefore acknowledged by Christians as a time of self discipline, usually in the form of "giving something up." I'll give you some more information on Lent tomorrow. Today has become something of a last hurrah before reflection and reserve of Lent.

Here are some of the origins of traditional Fat Tuesday celebrations:

Happy Presidents' Day!

Boy it's not until you start blogging about history that you realize how many holidays are in February! Anyway, first things first, I am back from Gettysburg and I had a lovely time. There will be more blogs on that this week. Two, all last month I was really hoping to hit my largest monthly audience to date, this month I'm behind in my goal of posts and managed to break that record as of this morning! The internet is a fickle creature. 

On to today's topic! One of my more minor pet peeves is how Presidents' Day is considered "George Washington and Abraham Lincoln Day" when it really is supposed to incorporate a whole bunch of presidents...you know, like all of them, even the one's you're not so crazy about. Initially, I was going to do a Top Ten list of Ten "Other" Awesome Presidents besides Washington and Lincoln, but I feel like I'm abusing my Top Ten List category lately. So, instead, I will present you with 44 bits of trivia about the Presidents of the United States...in order...because I am in the mood to be extra history-nerdy!

44 Bits of Trivia on the Presidents of the United States: 

In Order of Terms of Service

History Major Memes Round 2

A few weeks ago, I posted this blog which featured Meme Generator's "History Major Heraldic Beast". Last week, it officially became my most read blog to date. Normally, I'd be happy for such an event regardless, but I know people are searching for the following meme below, so next time Mary's Modern Mishaps is googled, the desired content will be found:

For the record, why it matters what anyone thinks I do is irrelevant to me. Also, if Society thinks History Majors are Confederate Reenactors posing on a tank...we really need some more history majors and more history jobs so those who DO major in history aren't standing on unemployment lines.

Also, what is a "Hard Science" Major?

Happy Valentine's Day! (A Day Late)

I know you were all just waiting for this post. What shall it be on? Oh, the options, the options! We can talk about all sorts of love history. We can talk about how St. Valentine's "romantic" cards were all sent when he was   basically on death row. I could throw a bone to all the bitter people and focus on the Valentine's Day Massacre. I think, however, I'll do a Top Ten List instead!

Top Ten Couples in History

What Would Lincoln Think?

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. During his life, Lincoln was not considered the hero and cultural icon he is in 2012. During his political campaigns (which, by the way, before internet and television, were way, way more slandering and vicious than they are today) and his term as president, he was frequently compared to an ape or monkey, accused of being an uneducated backwoodsman.

Why are Weddings So Insane?

I've been having blogger's block lately and can't think of anything interesting to write. Since I've only written twice this month so far, it's time I come up with something. I just checked my email and had a notification that there are now under eight months til my impending nuptials. Yay.....not. Let me make a few things perfectly clear. One, I am thrilled to death to be getting married. Two, I'm not an "anti-bride" by the warped definition of it. Three, I have most certainly not been dreaming of my wedding since I was a little girl.

"Band of Brothers"---Friday Night Movie Review

Historical Event Accuracy: 10/10
Plausibility: N/A
Costume Authenticity: 10/10
Historical Violence: 10/10
Stomach Turning Violence: 7/10
Acting Quality: 9/10
Story Line: 9/10
Eye Candy: 7/10
Music: 8/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Overall Score: 80

February Goals

Yesterday I decided to start making a monthly goal list instead of just New Year's Resolutions. I will be continuing some of the goals from last month, ones that I anticipated taking more than a month to accomplish, but I am also adding in a few new goals for February, alone. The reasoning behind this is to make some of the goals more obtainable. For instance, I made absolutely no headway on my vague "Lost weight" resolution.

So with out further ado:

New Year's Resolution Recap

Today is the last day of January. We are one month in to 2012 and I thought it would be apropos to check in with my New Year's resolutions which I had posted here. So, lets review, shall we?

New Ad Campaign!

I am totally starting a love-affair with Vista Print. Although their website looks a little dubious, I had seen their ads so much and was willing to give one of their promotional campaigns a try. Last week, I order 100 "free" postcards as advertisements for Mary's Historical Programs. They charged me to use my own design, but it was only a paltry $4.99 and the design is saved now for future use, and the charged shipping which was six dollars and change. Thus coming to under $12.00 for the entire order. Not bad at all.

In Defense of "History is Booooooring"

Normally, I refrain from the "multiple letters for emphasis" typing, but the complaint of history being boring is often spoken this way...usually by begrudging high school students. This remark used to drive me absolutely wild it's so ludicrous. I have learned, however, that high school history teachers can make history incredibly boring, so I'm a bit more sympathetic when I hear such things.

Wise Words from Winston

Winston Churchill is one of most delightfully quotable people. Today, I reference Churchill's speech to England after a Blitz during WWII:

I realize the audio is a bit difficult, but he says "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

The entire speech can be read here.

No Apologies

I have been feeling very negative these past few days, which has made it difficult to blog. In my first post, as I have mentioned plenty of times since then, I said I never wanted to whine or be annoying in Mary's Modern Mishaps. I am finding that I am often frustrated because I am so worried and wrapped up in other people's feelings, I never do what I want. So, today, I don't care. Today, I am going on a tangent.

Concert: February 11, 2012, Bridgeton, NJ

Just before Christmas, a Civil War monument was vandalized in Bridgeton, NJ. A complete synopsis on the incident can be found here. Some lovely fellow reenactors are having a benefit concert on February 11, 2012 at the Everett P. Marino Center at 7:30 p.m. The cost is (tax-deductible) $10.00.

To find out more information, please check out the link here: http://www.12thnjvolunteerscok.org/Bridgeton_Civil_War_Monument_Vandalized.html

ROFLMAO! History Major Memes

Although I have known what a meme is for quite some time now, I have fairly recently learned they are called, "memes" and I still don't know how to pronounce them, but they can be quite entertaining. I was delighted to discover an entire genre (I guess I can call it a genre) of meme's dedicated to history majors called The History Major Heraldic Beast.

Top Historically Educational Children's Songs

It's really amazing how many songs from children's movies, or just nursery rhymes teach an accurate history lesson. As always, no particular order to the list:

Top Historically Educational Children's Songs

1) "Sister Suffragette" from Disney's Mary Poppins. I would be lying if I said that whenever this song pops in my head (which is far too frequently) I really, really want to create a program called, "Well Done, Sister Suffragette!" for Mary's Historical Programs. Anyway, despite Mrs. Banks debatable parenting skills, you simply can't deny what a catchy tune she has...no wonder she sings it all the way home. Also, when she mentions Mrs. Pankhurst being clapped in irons again and Mrs Whitman-Allen chaining herself to the prime-minister's car, that stuff totally happened. Too bad Katy Nana was such a killjoy.

100 Years, What Have We Learned?

Not much, evidently. I'm not the first and I certainly won't be the last to compare the current cruise ship tragedy to the Titanic tragedy that happened just shy of a century earlier.

Unconventional Weight Loss Plans

One of my, and probably many others', New Year's Resolutions is to drop those extra pounds I've been toting around since 2011. I have been using the treadmill at Greg's house which has been tolerable, but I don't have one at my house, so I need to come up with a regime for when I'm home. I like to multitask, so I was thinking to myself, "How can I make the most of my exercise time?" The solution, of course, was to learn some history at the same time which I can turn-key to my lovely readers. Read on to discover some of the more unconventional weight loss plans...

Friday Night Movie Review: How it Works

My Friday Night Movie Reviews are, first and foremost, my opinion. I will try to be diplomatic in my reviews and explain the ratings I give in each category. The highest Overall Score a movie can receive is 100, unless, it is based on a true story, in which case it will receive the highest Overall Score of 90.

Old Maid: Not Just a Card Game

While reading an Ann Rinaldi book, at the tender age of 16 or so, I took note that the main character's sister was distressed to be 19 going on 20 in 1861 and, therefore, in great need to find a husband. By war's end, she was 24 and engaged to be married; narrowly missing the stigma of being an "Old Maid." The ages stuck with me through the years, so I am pleased to announce that, this week, I turned 24, am engaged to be married, and not an Old Maid by the 19th century's standards!

Friday Night Movie Review: Sneak Preview!

I'm currently in the middle of watching Band of Brothers for the first time, so I don't have movie to review tonight, but I should have it ready for next week. To tide you over, here are some promos for historical movies coming out this year!

New Year's Resolutions

I have been meaning to write this post for a good five days now, which hasn't been helping me accomplish my New Year's Resolutions at all, but I suppose better late than never, right? I am one of those people who sets half a dozen or more New Year's resolutions, but I'm also one of those people who firmly believe until you say you give up, you haven't yet. Just a head's up, my resolutions are half  "ways to better myself" and half "goals of varying importance I wish to accomplish" so, without further ado here are:

Mary's List of New Year's "Resolutions"!

(As Always, in No Particular Order)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Everyone! To celebrate, Mary's Historical Programs is running a ten day special: Book a 2012 at any point in the year in the before January 10th and get 50% off! Call 732-915-2506 or email maryh@maryshistoricalprograms.com to book now!