The history of New Years

Being that it is almost New Years, I was thinking a little New Years history lesson might be in order.

The Babylonians
The origins of New Years dates back about 4000 years with the Babylonians, making New Years the world's oldest celebrated holiday. In 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) and lasted for 11 days, each day having it's own style of celebration.

The Romans
The early Romans also celebrated their New Years in March. However at that time, their calendar had only ten months, beginning with March, and with the constant date tampering by corrupt emperors, their calendar soon become out of sync with the sun. In order to set the calendar right, in 153 BC the Roman senate added January and February to the calendar, and declared January 1st to be the beginning of the New Year. But this new calendar was not always observed, and New Years was still sometimes celebrated in March. So in 46 BC, Julius Caesar introduced a new, solar-based calendar that was a great improvement to the ancient lunar based Roman calendar, which had become wildly inaccurate over the years. The Julian calendar stated that the new year would be on January 1, and so January 1 became the observed start of the new year. However, in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Julius Caesar had to let the prior year drag on for a total of 445 days.

Religious Condemnation
In the first centuries AD, the Romans continued celebrating the New Year, but the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. As Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations.

Gregorian Calendar
Although the Julian calendar was a great achievement, it was still not perfect. This new calendar created a year with approximately 365 1/4 days, which gives an error of 1 day every 128 years. As a result, by 16th century, the calendar had drifted a 10 days off course. So in 1582 Pope Gregory VIII, after working with astronomers, made the final changes necessary to reform the Julian calendar to the 365-day Gregorian calendar, which is what we use today.

Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.

New Year’s Resolutions
The first New Year's resolution also dates back 4000 years to the Babylonians. A common New Year’s resolution for the Babylonians was to return something borrowed from a friend over the course of the past year, for example farm equipment, wife, whatever. (Just kidding about the wife part, just making sure your all still awake).

As far as the Romans go, they had their own New Year’s resolution tradition, which was to seek forgiveness from enemies of previous years.

Sharing a little Christmas cheer with Lizzy the Lezzy

Merry Christmas everyone!

Lesbians in Film

Power Up, a professional organization of women in entertainment, put together this great video clip of lesbians in film. If you haven't had a chance to see it, it is definitely worth taking a look at.


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2008 Lesbian New Year's Eve Events

So do you have plans for New Year's Eve yet? I am still undecided...too many choices, and I am not sure that just staying home and cuddling in front of the fireplace with my GF isn't the best idea, but we shall see.

Anyway, here is a list of some of the events I found... Oh, and if I missed any, and I am sure that I have, please email the details and I will add them. (FYI...Since Ilive in Northern California, the majority of the events listed are from that area, but not all.)

CALIFORNIA

Chico
Stonewall Alliance Center New Year's Eve Dance
1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway (between 8th & 9th Streets) Chico.
Begins at 8:00 P.M.

Come join friends at this annual year-end event produced by the Stonewall Alliance Center. DJ PJ will be playing a great dance set. Midnight sparkling wine and appetizers to be served. Open Bar. Advance Tickets $10, At the door $15 per person

Oakland
New Year's Eve Women's Country and Western Dance!
Humanist Hall
390-27th Street (near Broadway)
Oakland CA
December 31st 8:00PM - 12:30AM
$15 at the door
Beginning country two-step lesson 8:00PM - 8:45pm
(you don't need to bring a partner)

Dress: Formal attire (very broadly defined :-)
Hors d'oeuvres and drinks provided
To volunteer, contact: newyearsdance08@yahoo.com

(put your interest in the subject line, e.g. set up, food, decorating). This is an all-volunteer, community event for women who want to spend a beautiful night dancing and bringing in 2008.

Velvet
A Night To Remember
3411 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland (Laurel District)
[Between 34th and 35th Avenues]

Velvet now has a full bar so it's on!
$30 pre-sale to the first 100 ladies!
Open Bar From 10pm - 12 midnight
Champagne Toast At Midnight!
*9pm - 2am
DJ Luna
DJ Vic
*21+ with I.D.
510-531-3321


Sacramento
Jammin Jo's New Year's Eve Celebration inside Club 21 (last event at this location)
1119 21st Street
$10.00 Cover
Party begins at 8:00pm
Apaatizers, Party Favors and More...

San Francisco
Rickshaw Stop
New Year's Eve Super Funtabulous Dance Party
w/ BAT MAKUMBA, Forro Brazuca and DJ Vanka
$25 per person
Come celebrate New Year's Eve w/ Brazilian dance band Bat Makumba and more!

Canela New Year Party
The Flower Market Cafe
Corner of 6th and Brannan Streets, San Francisco
(Plenty of free parking - entrance to club through parking lot.)
Monday, 31 December 2007
8:00pm To 2:00am
A club for all women specializing in Latin beats only with an evening of elegance, dress to impress.
$30 per person includes Hors d'oeuvres
21 and over.
Please RSVP if you will be attending our event.
Email: clubcanela@yahoo.com

Sea of Dreams
SF Concourse Exhibition Center
635 8th Street (@ Brannan)
San Francisco, CA 94103
8:00 - Late
21 & Over! - Full bars!

Expect three stages hosting an incredible roster of live bands, cabaret and circus acts, DJ's and dance collectives, performance troupes, and more. All set within multiple thematic environments, Sea of Dreams promises something for people of every persuasion. Musical acts performing on the three stages include: BRAZILIAN GIRLS (www.braziliangirls.info), KINKY (www.kinkymusic.com), ADAM FREELAND

Cat Club
1190 Folsom
San Francisco, CA
1984 & Club Gossip's New Years Event 2008
Front room: Damon and Jules
Back room: Dangerous Dan and (revolving weekly)
The Melting Girl, Low Life, Mark Andrus and John

The Lexington Club
3464 19TH St;
415-863-2052
Gold Rush with performances by your hosts Ice Cream Socialites. Dance it up right with the hottest DJ trio of DJ Rapid Fire, DJ Rocc-Oh!, and DJ Jenna Roit.
Free Champagne from 8-9 and Free Champagne Toast at Midnight!
Dress to Impress (gold encouraged but not required)

DNA Lounge
375 Eleventh Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Bootie presents its first ever New Year's Eve party... pirate-style! The evening will feature showcase sets from Bootie's resident DJs, as well as a special NYE set by house band Smash-Up Derby... including a special countdown and song at midnight, following a pre-midnight pirate spectacle by local burlesque star The Indra. The upstairs will turn into The Gay Parrot Lounge, with DJs Earworm (SF) and Freddy, King of Pants (Seattle). And the whole place will turn into a pirate's paradise, with balloons, decorations, treasure, and giveaways of the "Best of Bootie 2007" CD.

Annies Social Club
917 Folsom St. @ 5th. St. San Francisco, CA 94107
New Wave City-
New Year's Bash!
$20 adv.
$25 at door

El Rio
Mango
3158 Mission Street between Cesar Chavez and Valencia.... 9pm
Description: Celebrate New Years Eve@MANGO!!!
Monday night, December 31st @ da City's favorite place to be bring in the NEW YEAR!
Dj's La Niche given' you all that Latin flava & Marcella workin' you with that hip-hop & dancehall. Free sushi by "We Be Sushi" fresh off the platter, draaaank specials till whenever and that beautiful MANGO vibe.
Kick-off is 9pm and we keep it sweet till 2am.
And you know how we do it at MANGO...not only sweet sexy fun but partial proceeds will benefit SFWAR (San Francisco Women Against Rape). Free party favors and free champagne toast at midnight! The MANGO Crew's theme this year is to get that bad Bush outta here so we can enjoy GOOD Bush. You feel us.....Peace $12 cover * hat & coat check will be available!

Sandra Berhard
Castro Theatre, San Francisco
December, 31st
11PM
ONE SHOW ONLY!
Tickets: $35 - $100


Marga Gomez’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular
December 31, 2007
Only Two Shows!
7:00 and 9:00 pm at the Victoria Theatre
GLAAD Award winning comedian MARGA GOMEZ returns to ring in her fifth Rhino New Year with special guest comic ALI MAFI - gay, Muslim and an Iranian president's worst nightmare. Expect down, dirty, and smart laughs as Gomez and Mafi take on 2007 in the queerest comedy event of the year.
Two shows only ! These shows will sell out so reserve your tickets


Santa Cruz
Lesbian New Year's Eve Ball Rebecca Adams Swinging Jazz Trio; dining and dancing. 9pm (music). Sliding scale $65-$85 (advance ticket sales only). Chaminade at Santa Cruz, 1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz (408/429-6636).

Santa Rosa
Seven Ultra Lounge
528 7th Street
Santa Rosa
Seven Ultra Lounge in Santa Rosa is having a huge New Year's Eve bash, open to all...lesbian, gay, straight and anything in-between.
DJ Rob Cervantes
$20 before 11:00, $25 after.
Party will include:
Laser show
Balloon drop with over $2000 in prizes
Party Favors
Passed Food
Chocolate Fountain
Midnight Toast
and More

Seven Ultra Lounge





Sebastopol
Sparkle! New Year's Eve Dance Party
Alice's Restaurant
101 S. Main Street, Sebastopol
Monday, December 31st, 9pm - 2am
$30 presale, $35 at the door
DJ Lori Z.
Must be over 21, No host bar serving beer, wine, and champagne only
Hors d'oeuvres, complimentary champagne at midnight
Portion of proceeds donated to Positive Images

New Year's Eve Dinner
8:30pm - 10pm
3 course gourmet dinner
$30 per person, $5 discount with purchase of dancing ticket
Reservations strongly encouraged
707.829.3212
For more information or to purchase tickets:
e-mail: ll.hogan@comcast.net
call 707.623.3932, or stop by Alice's Restaurant
Supported by Sapphire Lounge


NEW YORK
Ithica
Common Ground
Monday, December 31
New Year's Eve Party, 9pm - 4am. This is the biggest and best party of the year, so don't miss it! Dancing til 4am to the music of DJ Joey ..... a champagne bar that flows all night long ..... a huge hors d'oeuvre buffet .... wild & crazy party favors .... full bar service til 3am. !

Tickets are $20 per person. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended (we have had sell-outs for the last 9 years). Tickets will be available at the door only if space permits.

Tickets are available now and can be picked up in person at Common Ground. Tickets are also available by mail order. Just send us your request and check or money order to Common Ground, 1230 Danby Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 and we'll send the tickets right back to you.

WILLIAMSBURG
New Years with LezeezOnX
Snapshot Magic 8 Ball NYE.
feat. LESBIANS ON ECSTASY
New Years Eve plans? Cannot predict now? Outlook not so good? Ask again later? Very doubtful? Well....check out what *snapshot has in store for you below!
Graffiti Warehouse Raw Space
29 Wythe Ave @ N13
L to Bedford, walk toward the Empire State Building but don't fall in the water!
Your New Years Eve plan is now a wish come true! *snapshot* hauls their HOT 4 yr running queer party over the river for a gigantic warehouse bash featuring Lesbians On Ecstacy! 2 bars, 5 dance DJ's, and hot queers in their "ball best" await you on the finest party night of the year. Come dressed to the "eights" but keep it edgy cuz we're celebrating the denoument of 2007 *snapshot* style.

$25 ADVANCE
$30 AT THE DOOR
9am to 6am

New Years Eve at at Mixx Lounge
84 Seventh Ave South
Between Bleecker & Grove
PHONE: 212-362-0367
House, Mixed, R & B, Hip Hop, Underground, House Vocal, House Deep, House Classics


WASHINGTON
Seattle
Gala Events Presents
The Only all lesbian New Year’s Eve
dance and party in Seattle
Puttin’ On The Glitz
A New Year’s Eve Gala
Yesler Community Center
917 E. Yesler Way • Seattle, WA
8:00 pm to 1:00 am
Food - Fun - Dancing - Party Favors
Champagne Toast at Midnight (or cider)
BYOB/Mixers (ice provided)
Ticket Price $50.00
No sales at event
Last day to purchase tickets Dec 28th
Tickets and information - contact Gala Events
galaevents4u@msn.com or 253-678-6686
253-539-2830 or 253-632-1129


CANADA
Toronto
For Queer New Years events in Tornoto, click here!

ENGLAND
London
Popstarz New Year's Eve**
When:31 Dec 2007 (annual)Where:ScalaCost:£10-£16 (free entry to Popstarz on 29 Dec with NYE ticket)Opening Hours:9pm-5am
Party at PopstarzThe original indie gay night at the Scala, Popstarz changed the face of gay clubbing when it opened in 1995. Now on 31 December 2007 the crew plan to bring you the most exciting New Year's Eve of your life.
With three dance rooms plus an extra room devoted to karaoke, this will be one to remember. Freebies, balloon drops and the snowstorm blizzard at midnight make for a truly memorable event.

Be sure to take advantage of the happy hour from 9pm to 10pm.

A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila- A Bisexual Reality Show???

Tila Tequila is a 26 year old model, entertainer and singer,... she is also bi-sexual and looking for love. Now I don't think that it is so unusual for an entertainer to be openly bisexual, however, it is a little unusual for them to be starring in their own Bisexual Reality Show. Tila's Reality show is called "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila," and premiered on MTV this past October.

Dating Reality shows are not a new concept these days, most of us have seen or heard of shows like "Blind Date" or "The Bachelor". However, Tila's show has a bit of a sexual twist...in this series there are 16 straight males and 16 lesbian women who are all competing for Tila's affection. In fact, in the first episode of the show, the contestants are not even aware of Tila's bisexuality, or that they will be competing against the opposite sex.

I am not much of a Reality TV fan, but when my Girlfriend told me about this one, I had to check it out. And just like most Reality shows, you can quickly get hooked. Now I don't want to give away too much, but I will say I was a bit disappointed at the lack of "butch looking" lesbians (only 1 and a half) among the contestants, the rest more closely resemble porn-star rejects.

I am not an expert on Tila Tequila, nor have I followed her career, but based on her comments, actions and clothing choices, you definitly get the feeling she is quite immature, a bit permiscuous and very possibly new to the "bisexual" scene. So if your looking for intelligence or depth, you won't find it on this MTV series...but at least there are a few woman-on-women make-out scenes to keep your attention.

If I have enticed you enough to check out this series, the first 9 episodes are available at the MTV website and the season Finale, Episode 10, will air on December 18th.

Ten Secrets To Becoming A Catalyst For World Transformation

This article was emailed to me by a friend and I found it poignant enough to share...

by Julie Jordan Scott

1. Choose to have only one way of being: living intentionally,deliberately, purposefully and be consistent to that no matter what hat you arewearing be endeavor towards your larger vision.
2.  Reach inside when you hit obstacles. Instead of looking outside yourself by playing a subtle blame game, go deeply within instead. Uncover how you could make a different decision and then take focused, purposeful action accordingly.
3. Reach out to others, sharing your discoveries and thoughts with those inside your circle of influence and those outside your circle of influence. World transformation begins with communicating our beliefs into being.
4. Integrate your truth down to the cellular level. In acting from this level of belief, your transformation will be able to become visible to others. The sense of empowerment will then spread from you to others whose lives with whom you are in contact.
5. Facilitate growth of those around you through mentoring, coaching, teaching, and creating purposeful relationships. Even a "one minute relationship" may have life changing results! Be aware of possibilities in each conversation with each person you meet everyday.
6.  Communicate with the power of a laser and the expansiveness of prosperous words. Make each word count. Practice this skill joyfully. Eliminate words of fear, scarcity and lack replacing them with words of love, abundance and prosperity.
7.  Meet each person you encounter exactly where they are with love and compassion. Look into their eyes when you talk with them and really REALLY hear their words. Challenge them to no longer accept the status quo.
8. Effectively use your unique gifts rather than living according to someone else's expectations for you. Embrace your gifts as yours. Trying to express someone else's specialness creates counterfeit personal currency. Your gifts are riches like gold and silver.
9.  Take passionate action every day. Do not miss a single day. As you are moving seriously towards world transformation, do not settle for manic action. Demand of yourself intentional, love filled, laser focused action. The results will speak volumes.
10. Laugh, cry, love, nurture, applaud with passion! Be alive in all things, whether it be in quiet contemplation of raucous celebration. Spread that aliveness.
    

Jodie Foster OUT's Herself???

If you can believe this... in a speech on Tuesday, at the 16th annual Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 breakfast, Jodie Foster thanked "my beautiful Cydney who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss" while accepting the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. If your wondering who Cydney is...well Cydney Bernard, a television producer, is the women who has been "reported" as being Jodie Foster's Life Partner. Although Foster has never openly admitted her relationship with Cydney Bernard, whom she met in 1993 on the set of Sommersby, Cydney has been living with Jodie for the last 14 years and has been helping her raise her 2 kids.

In an interview with More magazine in September, Jodie admitted that the Tiffany ring she was wearing was "an eternity ring" that she never takes off. And in an interview with the Denver Post, Jodie was commenting on her acting career and stated, “I need to have something that doesn't belong to my mom, doesn’t belong to my kids, doesn’t belong to my partner.”

Wow, Jodie Foster used the "P" word...if that doesn't shout I am a lesbian, then what does?

In Memory of Jane Rule

Although some of you may not be familiar with the author Jane Rule, chances are, most of you have heard about or read one of her books, especially "Desert of the Hearts," which was made into a movie in 1986 called "Desert Hearts."

In an introduction to one of Jane Rule's books, novelist Katherine V. Forrest writes, “The books of Jane Rule are not only groundbreaking in their historical context, they hold some of the wisest, most eloquent and passionate writing in our literature. . . Jane Rule should finally be given her full due and the judgment she deserves: she is one of our finest writers—surely the most significant lesbian writer of the twentieth century.”

Jane Rule was born in New Jersey in 1931 and graduated from Mills College in 1952. Jane was not only a author of lesbian books, she was also a role model and a voice for free speech and gay rights. In 1956, Jane moved to Canada where not long after, her life partner of 50 years, Helen Sonthoff, soon joined her. In 1976, after Jane's first heart attack, and Helen's tenured retirement, they decided to move to Galiano Island, BC, Canada. Helen passed away in 1999 at age 83, and on November 27, 2007, Jane, age 76, died at her home, surrounded by friends and family.

I believe there is something extraordinary about an author’s ability to outlive their corporeal death... the written word can transcend any physical state of being... as if it were the true meaning of eternal life.

If you have never read any of Jane Rule's Book, here are a few you may want to take a look at:


Desert of the Hearts
The Young One in Another's Arms
After the Fire

Let California Ring (Have you seen their videos?)

I know that some of you know about the "Let California Ring" campaign...I mean you can't really be a lesbian and not have heard something about it, especially if you're in California. Well just in case you haven't, here is the 411 from www.letcaliforniaring.org:

Let California Ring is a public education campaign to open hearts and minds about the freedom to marry and the respect, support, protections, and responsibilities that come with marriage. Every day, gay and lesbian Californians are denied the freedom to marry the person they love. Through a groundbreaking television ad and video, an interactive website and a statewide network of community leaders and volunteers, the campaign addresses the public’s concerns and conflicts about marriage and same-sex couples, builds a better understanding of the everyday challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians face, and encourages dialogue through individual and public conversations about ways to end exclusion.

Okay, now that you have a better idea of what this campaign is about, you have to check out some of their videos. I just saw this one today and if you have a few minutes, it is definitely worth taking a look at.