What Matters This Month: January 2023
January, the first month of the year is named after the Roman god Janus. Janus is often depicted as a man with two faces - one that could see the past and one that could see the future. It’s Aquarius season and often considered the coldest month of the year. Make a pot of your best chicken noodle recipe this National Soup month and read on to find out what matters this month.
What to Celebrate…
Of course January 1st we usher in the new year. Make sure you get a kiss at midnight and have your black-eyed peas and collard greens or cabbage to attract a financial windfall.
Keep the celebration going!! January 22nd welcomes the start of the Lunar New Year and we will enter the Year of the Rabbit. According to the Chinese zodiac and culture the rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity. Let’s hope that rings true for 2023.
What to Buy…
Looking for a home refresh? January is the time of year when department stores post their “White Sales” where you can benefit from discounted sheets and towels. Throw out those holey ones you’ve been holding on to cluttering up your linen closet.
Many of you will be setting goals to shed some pounds or to build more muscle to get the homemade BBLs and thighs worthy of hoochie daddy shorts. Retailers are ready to help you. Look for workout gear, apparel and fitness equipment to be on sale.
Also, if you are in the market for an upgrade to your TVs and/or home theater system accessories keep your eyes open for deals to appear right before the Super Bowl. Maybe you do need a new TV so that when House of the Dragon comes back on you won’t be left staring at a black screen like the rest of us.
What to Put on Your To-Do List…
Add a stop by your local bloodmobile or blood drive to Save a Life by donating blood. According to Oneblood.org, one in three of us will need a blood tranfusion at some point in our lives and a single car accident victim can require 100 pints of blood making the need for donations constant.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day, on January 16th we Volunteer. Continue his legacy by participating in the annual day of service where across the country people from all over will find ways to gather, work together and better our communities.
Finalize your Summer Plans. What’s the name of that Drake album?…”If you’re reading this it’s too late.” Well if you haven’t started to think about your summer plans for yourself and your family you might be behind the ball but there is still hope. Be on the lookout for most of the popular summer camp registrations to open up. Be ready to make decisions, they usually fill up fast. Also, if you are hoping to book and reserve accommodations somewhere beachy and sunny for the summer, you need to make a decision and pull the trigger sooner rather than later since just like the summer camps resorts fill up quickly and VRBO/Air BnB availability becomes scarce way sooner than you’d imagine.
This time of year is a good time to Schedule Annual Appointments. Schedule those health and wellness appointments like your eye appointment or physical. You will also want to go ahead and try to pencil in the appointment with your accountant or tax preparer to be ready for when that time of year rolls around. It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what your availability will be in the coming months, get those appointments on the calendar, you can always reschedule them.
If you are a patron and lover of the arts, now is also a good time to buy theater and other tickets for the upcoming season. Already copped my tickets for the timeless opera Porgy and Bess and ready and booked to sway to the smooth sounds of Jill Scott at her 20th 23rd Anniverary tour. Got my eye on tickets to the musical Six next.
Ooh and one more thing, Check the Expiration Dates on Important Documents, such as your passport, driver’s license, car registration, and work certifications. These deadlines have a way of creeping up on you and suprising you when you least need the surprise!
Happy New Year to all of you reading this and here’s hoping this is the start of a great next chapter. What did I miss?? Do you have anything to add for people to put on their January calendar?
