Year One

On 22 September 1792 the French monarchy was abolished and replaced with a republic. The French calendar was also amended on this day to be year one. The calendar also had twelve months, each divided into three ten-day weeks called décades. The tenth day, décadi, replaced Sunday as the day of rest and festivity. This arrangement left five or six extra days, which were placed at the end of each year. Each day was divided into ten hours containing 100 decimal minutes made up of 100 decimal seconds.

These innovations did not catch on and were scrapped within a decade. However, the time has come to revive at least one aspect of the French republican calendar. Today, 19th November 2008, I proclaim the end of year one under Australia's Armidale Calendar and there will be festivities to mark the occasion. Today marks exactly one year since my cardiac arrest and my first birthday party today celebrates a year of survival and recovery. There will champagne and caviar and cake to mark the occasion in the Earth Sciences tea-room at 10.30.

Emily very kindly sent me a first birthday card to celebrate this august occasion, though the picture on the front didn't quite match my chronological age and status! However, It's the thought that counts and I'm happy to receive such cards belatedly from anyone. So, I now embark on year two and only hope that this new epoch survives longer than the original republican calendar. Alas, I can find no way to revive a full decimal calendar despite the obvious productivity increases that would emerge from having a 10 day week with only one day of rest.

AS