Why is this day not like other days?

February 29, 2008 5:29 AM

Why Leap Years are used. Leap Years in other calendars. About Leap Day itself. On this day in history. The Leap Year Capital, Anthony, Texas. February 30?! [via]
posted by not_on_display (37 comments total)

Early while we were living together, my now-wife and I had a long, long argument about Leap Day. It was her contention that if we just switched to not having it anymore we'd be better off in the long run, like going from imperial to metric measurements or dropping Daylight Saving Time. We argued far into the night, lying on our own sides of the bed in the dark. Finally, around 2 or 3 in the morning, I happened to say "it takes a non-integer number of days for the Earth to go around the Sun".

Her reply: Oh.

And then we went to sleep.
posted by DU at 5:37 AM on February 29, 2008 [4 favorites]

I'm getting married today. When we picked up our marriage license, we joked that we'll only have to celebrate our anniversary every 4 years, but I don't think the lady was very amused. :)
posted by heatherann at 5:41 AM on February 29, 2008

Heh, heh, heh.

Meh.
posted by chillmost at 5:44 AM on February 29, 2008

I forgot to add: from the sidebar...
posted by chillmost at 5:45 AM on February 29, 2008

Here in Michigan, we think of Leap Year Day as "one more chance for February to punch you in the face" (although I enjoy a nice snowfally day myself and just spent a couple of hours walking dogs in it, so Happy LYD!)
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:45 AM on February 29, 2008

This is awesome:

"*Please note that not every historical event and famous birthday that happened on leap day is listed."
posted by oddman at 5:46 AM on February 29, 2008

Congratulations, heatherann. I have a friend who wasn't convinced he needed to be married, and finally compromised on Feb 29, by an Elvis, in Vegas. As a bonus the chapel caught on fire during the brief ceremony.
posted by StickyCarpet at 5:53 AM on February 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm getting married today.

And still checking Metafilter.

*sniff*

Our little girl.

*dabs eyes*
posted by mediareport at 5:55 AM on February 29, 2008 [2 favorites]

Congrats! :)
posted by mediareport at 5:56 AM on February 29, 2008

I'm going to an 11th birthday party tonight. In a pub until 4am :-)
posted by i_cola at 6:05 AM on February 29, 2008

Congrats, heatherann.

I get paid once a month. The same salary every month. I got paid today as much as I got paid (well, I did get a raise and a new job) the end of February last year. I just can't get over the feeling that I'm not getting paid for the work I'm doing today. (He said as he posted this while at work...)
posted by marxchivist at 6:11 AM on February 29, 2008

My grandmother actually warned me last night that my girlfriend might propose to me today. I'm hoping for a ring pop, actually. Sour apple. Or watermelon.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:14 AM on February 29, 2008

..my girlfriend might propose to me today.

Last night my wife warned me that girls might try to propose to me. I had never heard of this custom, which she explained as being "like Sadie Hawkins Day".

That inspiried me to create "Stephen Hawking Day" where anyone can propose to anyone else, provided they do so in a robot voice.
posted by DU at 6:16 AM on February 29, 2008 [12 favorites]

I'm going to an 11th birthday party tonight. In a pub until 4am :-)

A friend of mine turns seven! Hooray for the arrested development of leap years!
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 6:16 AM on February 29, 2008

February 30 existed from 1930-1931 after the Soviet Union introduced a revolutionary calendar in 1929. This calendar featured five-day weeks, ... intended to improve industrial efficiency by avoiding the regular interruption of a non-working day. ... The Soviet revolutionary calendar was eventually discarded as it was difficult to eliminate the Sunday rest tradition.

Oh, the irony. "Worker's unite! And work everyday of your life."
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 6:29 AM on February 29, 2008

Most Siblings, and Most Generations, in a single family who share February 29 as birth date.
posted by not_on_display at 6:29 AM on February 29, 2008

congrats, heatherann!

also, DU, i think stephen hawking day is a great holiday idea.

i always get the paradox song from "pirates of penzance" stuck in my head on leap day.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:41 AM on February 29, 2008

Here in Michigan, we think of Leap Year Day as "one more chance for February to punch you in the face"

and this morning, it is making the most of that!
posted by quonsar at 6:41 AM on February 29, 2008

For the calendar and math nerds out there, here's a good Leap Day article. I like it because continued fractions make my head spin.
posted by dr. fresh at 6:48 AM on February 29, 2008

I know someone very, very pregnant and due any second. I keep hoping today is the day.
posted by piratebowling at 6:59 AM on February 29, 2008

I have started knitting my Doctor Who scarf on leap day. I felt so clever!
posted by cowbellemoo at 7:04 AM on February 29, 2008

I always wonder about the names of the slaves of Julius Caesar who did the calculations and never got any credit.
posted by francesca too at 7:20 AM on February 29, 2008

It's not Leap Day, it's Ja Rule Day. Holla Holla!
posted by mullacc at 7:24 AM on February 29, 2008

Tim Powers talks (well, tangentially) about being born on leap day.
posted by Wolfdog at 7:42 AM on February 29, 2008

I understand it wasn't slaves, francesca, but Sosigenes of Alexandria. Perhaps they thought 'Sosigenic Calendar' just didn't have the right ring to it...
posted by Phanx at 8:11 AM on February 29, 2008

...but apparently, legend has it that Sosigenes was tutor to Cleopatra. On the strength of this, he appeared as a minor character in the Elizabeth Taylor film, played by Hume Cronyn. Perhaps not quite the recognition a great astronomer deserves, but better than nothing perhaps.
posted by Phanx at 8:21 AM on February 29, 2008

...however, it seems he also has a small crater on the moon named after him. Just to the east of the much larger one named after Julius Caesar.
posted by Phanx at 8:30 AM on February 29, 2008

chillmost: You forgot 2000

<conan>In the yeeeaaar 2000.....</conan>

Also, Wikipedia's entry for Feb. 29
posted by phrayzee at 9:28 AM on February 29, 2008

We're getting married today, on the Leap Day, just as soon as our witnesses arrive.
posted by Netzapper at 10:29 AM on February 29, 2008

^We are? I'm only wearing a sweatshirt! Do I know you?
Hey, wait, this isn't my email client.

Congrats to you all marryin'-on-leap-day-ers. I have a friend who's got a birthday today, and a colleague at work is scheduled to be induced today or yesterday, with twins... no word yet, but twins on a leap day, that'll be freaky!
posted by not_on_display at 11:04 AM on February 29, 2008

Alright that does it, I'm marrying Ja Rule
posted by mannequito at 11:16 AM on February 29, 2008

teh math
posted by grateful at 12:48 PM on February 29, 2008

It's my wedding anniversary today. (There's still time to give a gift...)
posted by lothar at 4:01 PM on February 29, 2008

I had never heard of this custom, which she explained as being "like Sadie Hawkins Day".

Weird. At the thrift store this morning a lady buying a bunch of stuff announced to everyone in line it was for a Sadie Hawkins Leap Day dance at an old folks home tonight. She said it like we'd know it was some kind of tradition, but no one seemed to know what she was talking about.

I guess it's a thing after all.
posted by mediareport at 6:05 PM on February 29, 2008

That inspiried me to create "Stephen Hawking Day" where anyone can propose to anyone else, provided they do so in a robot voice.

man, that might be the only way i'd ever agree to marry someone.
awesome.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 8:14 PM on February 29, 2008

Sadie Hawkins Day. Li'l Abner. (The Shmoo, too.)
She's a looker, that Sadie.
posted by not_on_display at 11:06 PM on February 29, 2008

Borked link: "She's a looker..."
posted by not_on_display at 11:08 PM on February 29, 2008