Why February is Spelled so Weird and Other Essential News for You
Your guide to the month ahead that will make you the smartest person in the room -- or the Zoom
Between writing novels and hammering out snippets of wisdom for my website and social media, I publish a column in Florida Weekly, a South Florida newspaper. I was doing a little research on Valentine’s Day for an upcoming edition when I stumbled upon how this month got its name and its unusual spelling.
It’s a weird story, and I have more on that later in this newsletter as well as an update on Scribbles from Space, and, as usual, a roundup of the interesting events you need to know about to be the smartest person in the room—or the Zoom.
So, let’s get started:
February is Black History Month, American Heart Month, and Great American Pie Month among others. Highlights, in addition to Valentine’s Day, include Groundhog Day, Super Bowl LIX, the Grammy Awards, Presidents’ Day, and the start of Ramadan.
Black History Month
It’s dedicated to studying and celebrating the role of African Americans and other Black people in history and culture, and is always held in February in honor of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, both of whom were born this month.
Some trivia to share with friends:
In what year was slavery abolished in the United States? 1865.
Who was the first black woman to be elected to Congress? Shirley Chisholm.
What black athlete broke baseball’s color barrier and in what year? Jackie Robinson in 1947.
Who wrote the poem Still I Rise? Maya Angelou.
BONUS ROUND: What movie features the famous line “Bye, Felicia”? Friday.
Grammys and Groundhogs, Feb. 2
Groundhog Day and the Grammy Awards are both on Feb. 2 this year and, as always, each poses vital questions:
Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? If so, it means there will be six more weeks of winter and Daylight Saving Time will start on March 9.
As for the Grammys, the question on everyone’s mind is this: Will Beyonce be snubbed again in her quest to win either a Best Album or Best Record? Find out the answer when the awards ceremony airs live at 8 p.m. on CBS. The complete list of nominees is here:
Super Bowl LIX, Feb. 9
No, LIX it’s not pronounced “licks.” It’s the Roman numeral for 59. And the big game this year will be between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Check your inbox next week for tips from me on throwing the best Super Bowl party. Well, maybe not the best since the Dolphins won’t be in it.
Some Super Bowl trivia you can use to impress your friends and annoy your frenemies:
Who is the greatest quarterback of all time? Bob Griese of the Miami Dolphins led his team to the only perfect season in NFL history. There’s another guy, Tom Brady, who appeared in 10 Super Bowls, and sometimes the football was fully inflated.
How much do the zebras get paid for working the game? Referees for the Super Bowl earn between $30,000 and $50,000.
What rookie quarterback started in the Super Bowl? None.
Have siblings ever played against one another in the Super Bowl? Yes. When the Chiefs and Eagles met in 2023, the Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, the center for the Eagles, squared off. It won’t happen again this year since Jason has retired.
Will Taylor Swift be at the game? Only if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow.
Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14
The month’s most notable holiday, Valentine’s Day, brings to mind images of Cupid, chocolate, and flowers. But its history is a little more ribald. It began back in ancient Rome as a drunken fertility festival that later was taken over by early Christians honoring a third-century priest named Valentine.
Valentine helped young men dodge military service by marrying them in defiance of Emperor Claudius II’s orders that all draft-age males remain unwed. Valentine’s defense of young love earned him a sainthood. And a beheading.
That earlier pagan festival that eventually became Valentine’s Day was called Lupercalia. It celebrated the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, and the celebration involved animal sacrifices, whippings, and general debauchery.
Lupercalia also went by the name Februa, derived from the Roman fertility god Februus. And if that has a familiar ring, you’re right. The festival was held in the second month of the year, now known as February.
Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17
Created to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, the federal holiday now honors Abraham Lincoln too. Both former presidents were born this month although neither on Feb. 17. The date is always the third Monday in February.
Day-by-Day
Feb. 1. Freedom Day celebrates liberty for all Americans. It was founded by a former slave, Major Richard Robert Wright Sr.
Feb. 2. Groundhog Day is also National Tater Tot Day.
Feb. 3. The Day the Music Died remembers the air-crash deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper in 1959. And, yes, when Don McLean wrote his famous song, American Pie, he was referring to this.
Feb. 4. Create a Vacuum Day. Its origins are a mystery. But you can fill that empty space by completing this sentence: Space is a vacuum because ______ sucks.
Feb. 5. Shower with a Friend Day. Use your very best judgment when issuing invitations.
Feb. 6. Lame Duck Day. Recognizing the ratification of the Constitution’s 20th Amendment, which shortened the time between federal elections and when the president, vice president, and congresspeople take office. They’re now sworn in in January, but it used to be March, which left their predecessors in office for more than three months as lame ducks.
Feb. 7. Wave Your Fingers Day. Waving is a pleasant way to say hello. But to state the obvious, just mind which fingers you use.
Feb. 8. Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Yes, an ice cream sandwich can be a breakfast sandwich.
Feb. 9. National Pizza Day. Goes great at Super Bowl parties.
Feb. 10. Clean Your Computer Day. Pro Tip: Don’t use a hose. Trust me on this.
Feb. 11. White T-shirt Day. Wanna be cool? Dress like James Dean.
Feb. 12. International Darwin Day. Motto: Hold my beer!
Feb. 13. Different Name Day. Come up with your own secret identity. Pro tip: Clark Kent and Diana Prince are already taken.
Feb. 14. Valentine’s Day. Also known as Sleep on the Couch Night if you forget.
Feb. 15. The Daytona 500, the most prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar, will be held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach.
Feb. 16. Do a Grouch a Favor Day. They hate it when you do that.
Feb. 17. Not just Presidents’ Day. It’s also Random Acts of Kindness Day.
Feb. 18. Drink Wine Day. But beware of that new Surgeon General’s warning.
Feb. 19. Chocolate Mint Day. Generally speaking, mixing anything with chocolate is bad form. Don’t get me started on Reece’s. But mint? Yum!
Feb. 20. Love Your Pet Day. Also known as Pet Your Pet Day. Unless it’s a goldfish.
Feb. 21. Card Reading Day. Yet another way to sell greeting cards as if Valentine’s Day wasn’t enough.
Feb. 22. Florida was acquired from Spain on this day in 1819. Shortly thereafter, a Florida Man told his friend, “Hold my beer,” then attempted to swim across an alligator-infested pond. Thus began the Florida Man meme and set the standard for future Darwin Awards.
Feb. 23. Tootsie Roll Day. Not to be confused with the Tootsie Pop, which has its own day in May.
Feb. 24. World Bartender Day. Best celebrated while listening to the Beach Boys’ Kokomo, the theme song for the movie Cocktail.
Feb. 25. Let’s All Eat Right Day. A time to remember that broccoli is a superfood. Want to live forever? Eat your broccoli.
Feb. 26. Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Once upon a time, Jewish financiers set fire to California with their space lasers…
Feb. 27. No Brainer Day. Also known as Marjorie Taylor Greene Day. See previous item.
Feb. 28. Ramadan begins.
Remember Scribbles from Earth? It was a novel in progress that I was writing in real-time online while inviting reader participation in the creative process. It has its own Substack page. Much has happened since the last time I mentioned Scribbles in this newsletter. The story has a new name—Scribbles from Space—and it has been reformatted as a novella at around 14,000 words and is being considered for inclusion in a science fiction anthology to be published later this year. I have more details here.
I mentioned my column in Florida Weekly earlier in the newsletter. Ordinarily, I send subscribers a bonus email with a link to the latest issue when it comes off the press. This week, however, the newspaper’s publication date and the distribution of this monthly newsletter overlap, so I thought I would just include it here:
Letters
Dear J.C.
Hey, didn’t I just see you in Gainesville earlier today at the Sunshine State Book Festival? Huge line at your table. Is that because your latest novel, Strange Timing, won Book of the Year in the annual Royal Palm Literary Awards?
C. Hiaasen
I was actually giving away QR codes to download one of my eBooks, Get Strange. People love free stuff. And if anyone is reading this on Feb. 1 and you happen to be near Gainesville, come on by. Here’s the info:
Dear J.C.
Wait a minute. What if I want one of those QR codes to get that free eBook but I’m not in Gainesville? How can I get one?
J. Evanovich
Here you go:
Dear J.C.
Tell us more about this upcoming anthology that Scribbles from Space may be in, okay?
E. R. Burroughs
So glad you asked. There’s a group of amazing Florida writers who have banded together to compile a series of short story anthologies. They call themselves the Alvarium Experiment, and I have been invited to join and submit Scribbles for consideration to be included in the next collection. If you’d like to check out their work, which I highly recommend, here’s a look at one of the anthologies and a link:
Dear J.C.
What the heck is an Alvarium?
D. Webster
Alvarium is Latin for beehive. I wasn’t present for the group’s founding, so I’m not privy to the discussions that led to this name. Although, personally, I suspect the influence of the Borg.
Parting Shot
J.C. Bruce is a journalist and author of The Strange Files series of mysterious novels (available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, other online booksellers, and at selected libraries). He holds dual citizenship in the United States of America and Florida. His latest novel, Strange Timing, was recently named Book of the Year in the Royal Palm Literary Awards where it also won Gold Medals in the Sci-Fi and Thriller categories. When he’s not writing, he’s in training for the World Underwater Ping-Pong Championships.