January begins and a new year dawns fresh with possibilities.  It is a time to dream and make plans for fulfilling those dreams.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man with a dream.  He dreamed that all people, of every color, would be guaranteed equal rights.  In fact, his most celebrated speech was entitled “I Have a Dream”.  Born January 15, 1929, King, Jr. was assassinated while pursuing this dream on April 4, 1968.

John Conyers, a congressman from Michigan, sponsored a motion to create a federal holiday honoring King, Jr. and his contributions to the civil rights movement just four days after King’s assassination in 1968.  However, it wasn’t until 1983 and after much controversy that legislation was passed and signed by President Ronald Regan making the third Monday in January a federal holiday – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Still, the first time that all 50 states recognized Martin Luther King, Jr. Day didn’t occur until the year 2000.

January 15 also marks the date of the first Super Bowl game played in 1967 between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs.  Green Bay went on to defeat Kansas City 35 -10 that day.

This year the 42nd Super Bowl Game will be played on February 3, 2008 in the University of Phoenix’s new stadium in Glendale, AZ.  The University of Phoenix Stadium is the first stadium in North America with a retractable roof and a roll-out grass field.  Costing $455 million, the facility covers more than 25 acres.  The architect, Peter Eisenmann, used a barrel cactus as inspiration for the stadium’s design.   It has the capacity to seat 73,000 fans for Super Bowl XLII. 

Many related events will be held during January leading up to the big game including the NFL Street Unplugged Tour Stop, NFL Youth Football Clinics, Arizona Indian Festival, Super Fiesta, Big Ticket Gala, and the Official 944 Party.  Also, the band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, are scheduled to provide half-time entertainment for this year’s game.

If you’d rather watch movies than football, the following movies will be appearing in theaters during January 2008 – Cloverfield and Rambo.   Cloverfield, a monster flick, takes place in New York City and involves five young New Yorkers.  Experience the monster’s attack through the viewfinder of their video camera.  The movie, Rambo, brings the character, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), out of a peaceful existence in Thailand for a rescue mission in the Burmese jungle.

January is also National Hobby Month so this might be the perfect time to pursue a new hobby or work on projects that you have already started.  There are many hobbies to choose from and hobbies can be a way to express that creative part of yourself that may not be realized in your daily job.  So, try geocaching, quilting, or surf the ‘net for information about your favorite collectible.  Whatever your interest, it’s a new year and the perfect time to start making this year your best yet!

Additional Resources for January:

• Infoplease: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Presents biographical details, timeline, quotes and information related to civil rights and affirmative action.
• Official Site of the 2008 Super Bowl in Arizona - Provides game day information and information on Super Bowl XLII sanctioned events.
• About.com: Super Bowl Trivia - Test your knowledge of past Super Bowl contests with these trivia questions.
• 10 Most-Anticipated Movies of 2008 on Yahoo! Movies - View movie trailers and cast information for movies coming to theaters in 2008.
• Find Me a Hobby - Offers many new hobby ideas arranged by category. Adventure, animal-related hobbies, arts, crafts, games, and more.