Figure 1- New Year's Dawn

 "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." - Hal Borland

                                     TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                    REFLECTIONS & WISDOM 

·         From the Heart: I Don't Make Resolutions Anymore

·         Happiness Hack #18: The 10-Unit Week

·         Questions for Readers

                                    LEARNING AND DISCOVERY

·         Mythology Corner: Pip the Domovoi Comes to America

·         Three Authors Born in January Who Built Long-Term Legacies

·         Folklore: Janus and the Two-Faced God of Beginnings

·         Sky Watch: Wolf Moon and the Winter Triangle 

                                     FAMILY RESOURCES

·         Reading Corner: Top 3 Books About Persistence

·         Learning Resources: Free Printables

·         Family Activities: Memories and Keepsakes

·         January Kitchen - Russian Blini

CELEBRATIONS & ACTION 

·         Celebrations, Cultural Awareness and Observances

·         Make the Month Matter

·         Coming in February 2026

REFLECTIONS & WISDOM

From the Heart: I Don't Make Resolutions Anymore

“Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore.

Rainer Maria Rilke wrote: "And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been."

August 2024. June 2025. September 2025. Three times the same infection nearly killed me. When you go to sleep uncertain you'll wake up, resolutions about getting in better shape or reading more books feel hollow.

 When you've faced death three times in eighteen months, you stop promising the future anything. Instead, I wake up grateful, and I use my time to do a little more every day toward what matters most.

 What I do now: I ask myself what matters most, and focus on do that, a little more each day. Not trying to do everything. Not perfection. Just a little more of what most important. And that's what gets done.

Ellen Goodman captured this perfectly: "We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives…not looking for flaws, but for potential."

So what does "a little more each day" look like in practice?

On December 13th, I started learning Russian and Polish. Twenty words in eleven days, documented on my blog every Sunday. Not for fluency, but reading comprehension.

The PhD program at Indiana University I want to pursue requires participating student to know two languages. This is so they can access primary source documents, which is essential, because I intend to write a comprehensive Slavic Folklore and Mythology Guide in English, which based on how long similar works took, might take me 10-15 years to complete.

So, learning ten words per week doesn't sound like much. But 10 words × 52 weeks = 520 words per year. And in two years, I'll have reading comprehension of 1,000+ words in each language. Not through heroic effort, but being consistent, and showing up to do the work weekly.

That's what replaces resolutions for me: repetition compounded over time, and little by little, the work gets done.

2025 was filled with extremes and fantastic moments too. 2026 feels uncertain yet hopeful.

Building in Public: December Updates

Figure 1 – Workspace with laptop, coffee, and scattered notes

 Transparency matters to me, so here's what's happening behind the scenes:

Publishing Progress: My illustrator Anastasiia has finished storyboard drafts for Bella Brown Meets Pip the Domovoi and will start final illustrations and the book cover next.

This book introduces domovoi, magical Slavic household spirits, to American children who have virtually no exposure to authentic Slavic folklore.

Marketing Investment: Christmas week, I hired Geoff Affleck to create and manage Amazon Ads campaigns for my four published picture books.

Some authors claim all their sales are organic, and that's fantastic for them. But for most authors, marketing and promoting books is what helps sell books.

Geoff's only requirement is that a book have 20 or more reviews to run a campaign, he says it's tied to metrics. He's also creating A+ Content for my debut fantasy novel The Devil Pulls the Strings, then running an Amazon Ads campaign for that too.

Academic Path: On December 26th, I sent my goals statement and writing sample to an editor for my George Mason University master's degree application.

I'm pursuing this degree after retirement from federal service, and even though the application is due in March 2027, its important to start early, because the master's degree program means access to academic databases, scholarly mentorship, and theoretical frameworks that will help me write the Slavic Folklore and Mythology Guide in English.

The significance: this guide doesn't currently exist. The closest version is over 27 years old, is filled with errors, and mixes Slavic mythology with non-Slavic mythology.

Literacy Advocacy: Every Friday, I post a new image highlighting one issue in literacy across America and one solution. Last Friday was image 8 of 64. I'm doing this weekly because I'm building the foundation for "Authors for America" - a nonprofit that will connect schools with qualified authors through fully funded visits.

The timeline feels daunting sometimes: another possible government shutdown, which affects income, eight picture books in my illustrator's queue, and they take four or more months to complete one book, which means another thirty-two months before the eight remaining picture books might be finished.

And even with all of that to consider, I wake up grateful, and able to do a little more to get all of my books published and everything too, little by little, and everything gets done eventually.

Some start the new year with lists of resolutions. I start grateful to wake up, ready to do a little more toward what matters, trusting the journey along the way.

What about you?

Happiness Hack #18: The 10-Unit Week

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." - C.S. Lewis

 Figure 2 - Learning Journey

When faced with overwhelming long-term goals such as learning a language, it's not uncommon for some folks to either give up before starting or burn out from unsustainable effort.

Then there are other folks like Tim Ferriss who discovered something remarkable when it comes to learning a language: if you master the 1,000 most common words in any language, you'll understand approximately 80% of everyday communication. Rather than drowning in grammar rules, focus on high-impact fundamentals.

I'm applying this to learn the thousand most common Russian and Polish words as well as 500-600 most common Slavic folklore and mythology words too. Not for fluency, but reading comprehension.

The scholarly work I'll do requires accessing primary sources for my Slavic folklore research. So, by learning the 1,000 most common words in each language, plus 500-600 specialized folklore terms before I start the PhD program in 2029 can help.

Here's How It Works:

Pick Your Unit - Define the smallest meaningful unit: 10 vocabulary words, 10 minutes practice, 10 pages read, 10 sketches, 10 historical facts.

Commit to 10 Per Week - Not per day. Per week. This flexibility matters. Some weeks you'll complete all 10 on Sunday. Other weeks you'll spread them across seven days. The commitment is weekly, not daily.

Document Transparently - Track progress visibly. I use a color-coded spreadsheet and post updates every Sunday. Accountability drives consistency.

Trust the Math - 10 units per week × 52 weeks = 520 units per year. In two years, you'll have 1,000+ units mastered. This isn't fast. It's sustainable. And sustainable wins.

Why This Works:

When I look at learning 2,600 words total, it feels impossible. But 10 words per week? That's one word every 16 hours. The 10-Unit Week transforms overwhelming goals into progress you can see, measure, and celebrate.

Miss a week? Don't spiral. Just pick up with 10 more next week. The system survives imperfection.

This Month's Practice:

Pick one thing you want to learn this year. Define your unit. Commit to 10 per week. Document your progress somewhere visible. Share it using #10UnitWeek.

Not resolutions. Not promises to the future. Just 10 units this week. Then 10 more next week. Little by little, the impossible becomes done.

[For the full system with examples, pronunciation guides, and weekly updates, visit my language learning blog at jwzarek.com/language-learning]

Question for Readers

In my December newsletter, I asked: What were all the quiet ways you showed up this year that nobody else noticed?

Now I'm asking something different - something harder:

What would you do with your time if you knew every morning might be your last?

When you've faced death three times in eighteen months, this stops being a thought experiment. It becomes the lens through which you see everything. What matters enough to do a little more each day? What stops mattering at all?

I'm genuinely curious about your real answer - not the socially acceptable one, but the true one.

Share your thoughts using #WhatMatters on social media, or email me directly at jwzarek@gmail.com. I'll feature the most honest responses in February's newsletter.

LEARNING & DISCOVERY

Mythology Corner: Pip the Domovoi Comes to America

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison

[Figure 3 - Pip the Domovoi, created by Illustrator Peter Johnston AKA Monkey Paw

Why This Book is Different:

American children have virtually no exposure to authentic Slavic folklore in children's literature.

Ask any child about Greek mythology - they'll name Zeus, Athena, Medusa. Norse mythology? Thor, Loki, Odin. Egyptian? Ra, Anubis, pyramids. Slavic mythology? Blank stares.

The domovoi - magical household spirits who've protected Slavic homes for over a thousand years - remain almost entirely unknown to contemporary American audiences. These aren't obscure minor figures. They're central to Slavic culture across Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and other Slavic nations.

My illustrator Anastasiia has finished the storyboard drafts for Bella Brown Meets Pip the Domovoi and will start final illustrations next. This book matters in a significant way because it introduces American children to Slavic folklore and mythology, which isn’t done.

What Are Domovoi?

Traditional domovoi are solitary household spirits - one per dwelling. They're temperamental beings requiring respectful treatment: leave offerings of milk and bread, speak kindly, maintain harmony in your house. In return, they protect the home from misfortune, guard sleeping children, warm the hearth, and warn of danger.

Disrespect a domovoi and things go wrong: milk spoils, tools disappear, children have nightmares, and worse.

My Grandmother's Gift:

When my grandmother Yetta shared domovoi stories with me as a child, she spoke English interwoven with Yiddish and Russian words I can no longer recall. But I remember how those words made me feel, in my core, and in my bones. She planted something deeper than memorized tales: a cultural compass that alerts me whenever complex Slavic mythology is simplified in a TV show, a movie, a book, or a video game.

Expanding the Tradition:

I've created a nine-clan domovoi system grounded in comparative folklore analysis. Instead of arbitrary invention, I examined how cultures worldwide structure mythologies, elemental forces and cardinal directions appearing consistently across Celtic, Norse, Asian, Indigenous, and African traditions. By applying these validated patterns to Slavic domovoi traditions, I developed a system that honors the original while expanding possibilities for storytelling.

I've documented all of this in a 35-page reference guide distinguishing traditional folklore from creative additions. This transparency matters because I'm developing ethical frameworks for how diaspora authors, those of us living outside our ancestral homelands while maintaining cultural connections, can expand ancestral folklore while maintaining cultural authenticity.

Why It Matters:

When diaspora children encounter these stories, they feel the connection in their core, in their bones, even if they cannot articulate why. My grandmother gave me that gift. I'm passing it forward, with scholarly rigor, documented sources, and explicit acknowledgment of what comes from tradition versus what I've created.

Bella Brown Meets Pip the Domovoi introduces American children to authentic Slavic household spirits. It's my grandmother's stories, reaching the grandchildren she never met. And by writing and sharing these stories, they live. Little by little, Slavic folklore finds its place in American children's literature.

Three Authors Born in January Who Built Long-Term Legacies

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
                                                                                 - J.R.R. Tolkien

Figure 4 - Author at Work

January celebrates creators who understood something essential: meaningful work takes time. These three authors built legacies through consistent effort over decades, showing us that persistence matters more than speed.

J.R.R. Tolkien (January 3, 1892-1973)

Tolkien spent over a decade creating the languages, histories, and mythologies of Middle-earth before writing a single novel. He began inventing Elvish languages as a teenager, continued through World War I, and spent years as an Oxford professor developing linguistic foundations for his fictional world.

The Hobbit wasn't published until 1937, when Tolkien was 45. Then he spent 12 more years writing The Lord of the Rings, published in 1954-1955. By then, he'd been building Middle-earth for over 40 years.

His experience in World War I, including the Battle of the Somme - profoundly shaped his mythology. The darkness in his work wasn't invented; it was processed trauma transformed into art across decades. Deep work requires time not just to create, but to metabolize experience into meaning.

I remember my aunt seeing one of the Lord of the Ring films and her saying how violent the battles scenes were, and I asked, “Have you read the books?”

“No.” she said, disbelief spread across her face. “Really…!?”

“The battle scenes in the books read and feel more violent.”

What Tolkien Teaches Us: The depth of your world-building matters more than speed. Some stories require decades to fully realize. That's not failure. That's craftsmanship.

I think about Tolkien when I look at my 10-15 year timeline for the comprehensive Slavic Folklore and Mythology Guide. Some work simply requires time.

Isaac Asimov (January 2, 1920-1992)

Born in Russia, Asimov immigrated to New York at age three and became one of history's most prolific writers - over 500 books across multiple genres.

But here's what matters: Asimov didn't become prolific by working in bursts. He worked daily, treating writing like a job with consistent hours and output expectations. His Foundation series spanned seven novels over nearly 50 years (1951-1993), winning the Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966.

What Asimov Teaches Us: Consistency over intensity. Daily progress over sporadic bursts. Show up whether you feel inspired or not.

When I commit to 10 words weekly, Friday literacy posts, and funding illustrations as income allows, I'm following Asimov's model: sustainable systems beat heroic efforts.

Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809-1849)

Poe essentially invented multiple literary genres: the detective story, psychological horror, and the modern short story format. His life was marked by tragedy - orphaned at three, widowed young, struggled with alcoholism, dying mysteriously at 40. He never achieved financial success during his lifetime. But Poe innovated.

He created entire categories of literature that hadn't existed before. "The Raven" (1845) became one of American literature's most famous poems. His critical essays influenced generations.

Poe died believing himself a failure. A century later, he's recognized as one of the most influential American writers ever.

What Poe Teaches Us: Innovation matters more than contemporary acceptance. Create what doesn't exist, even when others don't understand it yet. The work endures.

When I create a nine-clan domovoi system or develop ethical frameworks for diaspora authors, I'm following Poe's model: create what's needed, even when it hasn't existed before.

The Through-Line:

All three understood that meaningful work unfolds across decades, not days. Tolkien built languages for 40 years. Asimov wrote daily for 50 years. Poe innovated genres that outlasted his brief life.

The question isn't "How fast can I finish?" It's "Am I consistent whenever I show up?"

Folklore: Janus and the Two-Faced God of Beginnings

Figure 5 – Janus (two-faced God)

"The beginning is the most important part of the work." - Plato

January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, endings, transitions, and doorways. He's depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions - one toward the past, one toward the future.

Contemporary author Alix E. Harrow described this duality beautifully in The Ten Thousand Doors of January: "I saw the knowing arrive, wonderful and terrible. In my memory she has two different faces at once, like the god she named me for: On one face is riotous joy, blazing at me like the sun itself. On the other is deepest mourning."

Ancient Romans called upon Janus at the start of any important endeavor: military campaigns, agricultural seasons, marriages, business ventures, religious ceremonies. He governed thresholds, gates, passages - all the liminal spaces between what was and what will be.

Janus reminds us that beginnings require two kinds of wisdom: remembering where we've been and seeing where we're going.

The Two Faces of Janus:

Looking Backward (2025):

• What did we survive that tested us?
• What did we accomplish that nobody else noticed?
• What patterns do we want to leave behind?

Looking Forward (2026) 

• What matters enough to do a little more each day?
• What timelines are we willing to honor, even when they're long?
• What do we want to become?

Slavic Parallel: Koliada Traditions

Slavic cultures have their own winter solstice figure: Koliada.

Celebrated from late December through early January, young people would dress in costumes and visit houses singing Koliada songs, receiving food, drink, and gifts in return. These visits brought blessings - good harvests, healthy livestock, family prosperity.

Like Janus, Koliada marks transitions: old year to new, darkness to light, scarcity to abundance. Both traditions recognize that beginnings require honoring what came before while moving toward what comes next.

For Families and Classrooms:

Modern families can adapt Koliada's spirit: visit neighbors with small gifts, share food together, offer blessings for the year ahead.

Create your own "Two Faces of Janus" reflection:

Looking Back: Three things you learned in 2025, one challenge you overcame, someone who helped you this year.

Looking Forward: Three things you want to learn in 2026, one way you want to grow, how you'll help someone else this year.

This works for any age: young children draw pictures, older children write reflections, adults journal deeply. The practice remains the same: honor the past, face the future, stand in the threshold between them, and be conscious.

Sky Watch: Wolf Moon and the Winter Triangle

January's night sky offers spectacular reminders that even in deep winter, beauty persists and light endures. Bundle up in blankets, grab hot cocoa, and let's look up together.

The Wolf Moon (January 13, 2026)

Figure 6 – Wolf Moon

January's full moon is called the Wolf Moon, named by Native American tribes who heard wolves howling most during winter's coldest, hungriest month. It's the first full moon of the new year, rising highest in the night sky during winter months, illuminating snow-covered landscapes with brilliant silver light.

In Slavic folklore, wolves are powerful liminal creatures: beings exist in the in-between spaces, neither fully wild nor tame, dangerous yet protective. They're associated with transformation, protection, and the wild edges of civilization.

The Wolf Moon reminds us that survival requires both community and fierceness.

Best Viewing: January 13th, rising in the east around sunset. No equipment needed.

The Winter Triangle

While outside, look for winter's most distinctive star pattern: the Winter Triangle connecting three of the brightest stars in the night sky:

• Sirius (brightest star visible from Earth, in Canis Major)
• Procyon (in Canis Minor)
• Betelgeuse (the red supergiant in Orion)

Unlike subtle constellations, this triangle is unmistakable, three brilliant points forming a nearly perfect equilateral triangle dominating the southern sky.

Best Viewing: Look south after sunset throughout January and February.

Mythology Connection:

Sirius appears in mythologies worldwide. Ancient Egyptians called it Sopdet, associating its rising with the Nile's flooding and their new year. Greeks and Romans knew it as the "Dog Star."

In Slavic folklore, bright stars represented souls of ancestors watching over the living, or magical beings traveling between worlds. The Winter Triangle's prominence during the darkest months reminds us: even in deepest darkness, brilliant lights persist.

For Families:

Go outside together on January 13th. Find the Wolf Moon. Find the Winter Triangle. Notice how the sky offers consistent beauty regardless of what's happening in our human world.

Tell your children: wolves survive winter by working together and staying fierce. Stars shine brightest when nights are longest. And we, like them, endure.

FAMILY RESOURCES

Reading Corner: Top 3 Books About Persistence

Three books for January nights when children need reminders: meaningful work takes time, setbacks don't equal failure, and showing up matters more than immediate success.

1. "The Most Magnificent Thing" by Ashley Spires ★ 4.33/5 (16,000+ ratings on Goodreads)

A young girl decides to make the most magnificent thing. She knows exactly how it should look and work. But attempt after attempt fails. She gets frustrated, angry, devastated. She gives up and walks away.

During her walk, she realizes: each "failed" attempt taught her something. She returns, looks at all her previous versions with fresh eyes, and creates something truly magnificent, though different from her original vision.

Why This Book Matters: Persistence isn't about never failing. It's about learning from each attempt, taking breaks when frustrated, and understanding that the final version often differs from the initial plan.

Ages 4-8

2. "Thank You, Mr. Falker" by Patricia Polacco ★ 4.31/5 (20,000+ ratings)

This autobiographical picture book tells Patricia Polacco's story of struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia throughout elementary school. Letters and words appeared jumbled and backwards. Other children teased her. She felt ashamed.

Year after year, reading remained impossible, until fifth grade, when teacher Mr. Falker recognized her learning difference, got her proper help, and stayed after school teaching her differently. Slowly, the words began making sense.

Patricia Polacco didn't publish her first picture book until age 41. She's now written over 100 books.

Why This Book Matters: Some children learn differently. Some goals take longer. External timelines don't determine your worth or potential. Sometimes we all need someone who believes in us before we can believe in ourselves.

Ages 5-9

3. "Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah" by Laurie Ann Thompson ★ 4.42/5 (3,000+ ratings)

Born in Ghana with one deformed leg, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was told he would never amount to anything. His mother taught him that being different didn't mean being less.

When his mother died, Emmanuel decided to honor her by doing something impossible: riding a bicycle 400 miles across Ghana with one leg. He wanted to prove that people with disabilities could accomplish extraordinary things.

His journey changed Ghana's disability rights laws and inspired millions worldwide.

Why This Book Matters: Physical limitations don't limit your impact. Other people's expectations don't define your possibilities. Honoring someone you love can fuel persistence through seemingly impossible challenges.

Ages 6-10

Use these books strategically: when a child is frustrated with homework, reach for 'The Most Magnificent Thing.' When they feel 'behind' their peers, read 'Thank You, Mr. Falker.' When they say, 'I can't,' share 'Emmanuel's Dream.'

Looking for more book recommendations? I post new reviews the second Wednesday of each month on my blog at jwzarek.com.

Learning Resources: Free Printables

I'm sharing these free resources because I want families, educators, and caregivers to have quality January activities without cost barriers. Here are three hands-on printables to keep young minds engaged:

1. January Word Search (from Puzzles to Print)

Features 30 January-themed words including New Year, resolution, winter, snow, skating, Martin Luther King Jr., and more. Answer key included. Perfect for ages 6-12.

Link: https://www.puzzles-to-print.com/printable-word-search/january-word-search.shtml

2. January Crossword (from Puzzles to Print)

Includes 20+ vocabulary words like snowflake, January, winter, hibernate, and mittens. Great for building January vocabulary while reinforcing spelling. Ages 8-14.

Link: https://www.puzzles-to-print.com/crossword-puzzles-for-kids/january-crossword.shtml

3. Winter Mazes (from The Purple Pumpkin Blog)

Six mazes ranging from Easy to Challenging difficulty, featuring snowmen, winter animals, ice skating paths, and snowy landscapes. Solutions included. Ages 4-12.

Link: https://www.thepurplepumpkinblog.co.uk/free-printable-winter-mazes/

All three resources are instant PDF downloads - no registration required. Print multiple copies for family game nights, classroom centers, or indoor activities during cold January days.

Family Activities: Memories and Keepsakes

"The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments."
                                                                                - Tahereh Mafi

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Winter Animal Tracking Walk

January snow provides perfect conditions for becoming nature detectives. After a fresh snowfall, head outside with notebooks, pencils, and a field guide (or smartphone with tracking apps).

What to Look For: 

• Animal tracks (rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds)
• Direction of travel and track patterns (hopping, walking, running)
• Signs of activity (digging spots, feeding areas, resting places)

Detective Questions: What animal made these tracks? What was it doing? When did it pass through? Where was it headed?

Create a Tracking Journal: Draw the tracks you find, note their size and pattern, photograph them, write detective theories about the animal's story. Date each entry. Over multiple walks, you'll notice patterns.

Why This Matters: Winter reveals what's usually hidden. Tracks in snow are stories written by creatures sharing our world. Children learn observation skills, pattern recognition, and that absence of visibility doesn't mean absence of life.

Build a Winter Bird Feeding Station (Continued from December)

If you created bird feeders in December, January is when your effort matters most. This is survival month for winter birds. Food sources are depleted. Temperatures drop. Your feeding station becomes critical.

January Additions: 

• High-energy suet cakes (birds need fat for warmth)
• Black oil sunflower seeds (preferred by most species)
• Fresh water in heated bird bath (dehydration kills birds in winter)
• Mealworms for insect-eating species

Track Your Birds: Keep a species count journal. Note which birds visit when, what they eat, how they behave. Notice newcomers appearing mid-month.

Why This Matters: Your December kindness becomes January survival support. Children learn that commitments matter most when conditions get hardest. Next spring, baby birds will hatch because parent birds survived January because of your help.

 INDOOR ACTIVITIES

 The 10-Week Learning Challenge Board

 Inspired by the 10-Unit Week concept from this month's Happiness Hack, create a visual tracking system for family learning goals.

 Materials Needed:

Poster board or large paper

Markers, stickers, colored tape

Index cards or sticky notes

Instructions:

Family Meeting: Each person chooses one thing they want to learn over the next 10 weeks (through mid-March). Examples: 10 Russian words per week, 10 minutes piano practice daily, 10 new vocabulary words per week, 10 basketball free throws daily.

Create the Board: Divide poster into sections, one per family member. Create 10 columns representing weeks.

Track Progress: Each week, mark completion. Use stickers, stamps, check marks, or drawings. Make it visual and satisfying.

Weekly Check-Ins: Every Sunday evening, family shares progress, challenges, and wins. Celebrate consistency, not perfection.

The Big Reveal: After 10 weeks, each person shares what they've accomplished. Everyone sees tangible results from sustainable effort.

Why This Works: Visible progress motivates continued effort. Family accountability supports individual goals. Children learn that consistent small efforts compound into significant achievements - lessons that serve them lifelong.

January Kitchen - Russian Blini (Блины)

Figure 7 – Family eating blini together

These thin, crepe-like pancakes are traditional Russian comfort food, perfect for cold January mornings. They're served sweet or savory, with endless topping possibilities.

Why Blini: As I learn Russian and Polish for my folklore research, I'm exploring Slavic culinary traditions. Blini have been part of Russian culture for over a thousand years, traditionally served during Maslenitsa (a week-long festival before Lent). Making them connects us to the same culture that created the domovoi, Baba Yaga, and all the folklore I'm preserving.

Ingredients:

Batter: 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk (room temperature)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

For Cooking: 

• Additional butter for the pan

Toppings: Sweet (sour cream and jam, fresh berries, Nutella and bananas, honey) or Savory (smoked salmon and sour cream, scrambled eggs and cheese, sautéed mushrooms)

Supplies: Large mixing bowl, whisk, non-stick skillet (8-10 inches), ¼ cup ladle, spatula

Instructions: 

1. Make the Batter: Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. In separate container, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour wet into dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and slightly thinner than pancake batter. Let rest 15-20 minutes. 

2. Heat the Pan: Place skillet over medium heat. Add small amount of butter, swirl to coat surface. Pan should be hot but not smoking.
3. Cook the Blini: Pour ¼ cup batter into center of pan. Immediately pick up pan and swirl in circular motion, spreading batter thinly across entire surface. (This is the fun part kids love!)

4. Wait for Bubbles: Cook about 1 minute until edges brown and small bubbles appear. The blini should look set and slightly dry on top.

5. The Flip: Using spatula, gently lift edge. If bottom is golden brown, flip carefully. Cook second side 30-45 seconds.

6. Stack and Serve: Transfer to plate. Stack blini as you go - they'll stay warm. Fold into quarters, roll into cylinders, or serve flat. Add toppings. Serve warm.

Makes: 16-20 blini (8-inch) | Time: 45 minutes | Ages: 6+ (with adult supervision)

Kid-Friendly Tips: Children can whisk the batter, older kids can learn best techniques (with supervision), set up a topping station where kids choose their own, and use for counting practice.

The Cultural Connection:

Traditional Russian folklore says blini represent the sun - round, golden, bringing warmth and light during the darkest winter months. During Maslenitsa (Butter Week), families make blini daily, celebrating the approaching end of winter and return of spring.

Making blini together connects children to the same culture that created the domovoi protecting Bella Brown's household, the same traditions my grandmother Yetta shared with me, the same folklore I'm preserving through picture books and academic research.

Each blini you flip is another connection to ancestral knowledge, passed down through generations, kept alive through simple daily practices like sharing food together.

CELEBRATIONS & ACTION

Celebrations, Cultural Awareness and Observances

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20, 2026)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the civil rights leader who dedicated his life to fighting racial injustice through nonviolent resistance. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech (1963) remains one of the most powerful calls for equality and justice in American history.

The holiday, observed on the third Monday of January, became a federal holiday in 1986.

Dr. King understood something essential about long-term change: meaningful progress requires sustained effort across years and decades, not just passionate moments. The Civil Rights Movement didn't succeed through single dramatic acts, it succeeded through thousands of people showing up consistently, organizing communities, changing hearts and laws one step at a time.

For Families and Classrooms:

Dr. King's message aligns perfectly with this month's theme of persistence: 

• Read age-appropriate books about Dr. King's life and work
• Watch his "I Have a Dream" speech together (available free online)
• Discuss: What dreams do you have for making the world better?
• Act: Perform one act of service in your community

 The holiday is officially a National Day of Service, a day when Americans are encouraged to volunteer and improve their communities. Show children that honoring Dr. King means continuing his work.

Presidential Inauguration Day (January 20, 2026)

This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day coincides with Presidential Inauguration Day, both observances celebrating different dimensions of American democracy.

Every four years, Inauguration Day marks the peaceful transfer of presidential power, a tradition dating to 1789. Regardless of political views, Inauguration Day represents something remarkable about American democracy: we transfer power through words and ceremonies, not violence.

Peaceful democratic transitions require what we've been practicing all month: trust in long-term systems over immediate reactions, showing up consistently even when outcomes are uncertain.

For Families:

This is an opportunity to discuss civic participation, democratic traditions, and peaceful transitions: 

• Watch the inauguration ceremony together (available on major networks and streaming platforms)
• Explain the oath of office and why it matters
• Discuss how democracies differ from governments where power transfers through force
• Encourage children to learn about all branches of government

 Make the Month Matter

Choose one action, or try all five. Share your journey using #WhatMattersJanuary as 2026 begins.

1. Start Your 10-Unit Week

Pick one thing you want to learn this year. Define your unit (10 words, 10 minutes, 10 pages, 10 practices). Commit to 10 per week. Document your progress. Share using #10UnitWeek.

Not resolutions. Not promises. Just 10 units this week. Then 10 more next week. By year's end, you'll have 520+ units mastered.

2. Create Your Two-Faced Janus Reflection

Following this month's folklore section, create your own looking-back and looking-forward practice:

Looking Back at 2025: Three things you learned, one challenge you overcame, someone who helped you.

Looking Forward to 2026: Three things you want to learn, one way you want to grow, how you'll help someone else.

Write it down. Draw it. Share it. Make the transition conscious and intentional.

3. Support Literacy Through Author Connections

Visit an author's website this month. Read their blog. Join their email list. Leave a review for a book you loved. Share their social media posts. Buy directly from their website (authors earn more than through retailers).

Independent authors survive on reader support. When you support authors, you're saying: "Your stories matter. Your work matters. You matter."

4. Document Your Long-Term Goal Journey

If you're pursuing education, career change, creative projects, or any long-term goal: document your journey transparently. Blog about it. Post on social media. Share the process, failures, successes and results. #BuildingInPublic

Transparency creates accountability and helps others see the path.

5. Cook Blini with your family (from January Kitchen)

Make traditional Russian blini (thin pancakes) together. Let children help whisk batter, swirl the pan, choose toppings. As you cook, share stories about how food connects us to culture and ancestors.

Each blini you flip together is a connection to thousand-year-old traditions, passed down through generations and kept alive through simple acts of cooking and sharing food.

Share your journey using #WhatMattersJanuary, or use the specific hashtags for each action.

 Connect With Me

Follow my author journey toward full-time educational advocacy:

· Website: jwzarek.com (48 free lesson plans available) 

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jwzarek 

· Twitter/X: https://x.com/JoeTweetster

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joseph.zarek/

Coming in February 2026

"A story is a way to say something that can't be said any other way."
                                                                           - Flannery O'Connor

 As January closes and February begins, I'll share:

·         2025 Year in Review: Transparent data on bestseller campaigns, book sales, award wins, and honest reflections on what worked, what didn't, and what I'm changing.

·         Master's Program Update: How the edit review process went with my goals statement and written sample paper.

·         Valentine's Theme - Stories We Love: Why certain stories endure across generations and what makes folklore worth preserving.

·         Pip the Domovoi Illustration Progress: Updates on the transition from storyboard to actual illustrations.

·         The Long Game: What it means to commit to 10-15 year projects and how to sustain motivation across decades.

January's magic doesn't end when February begins. The 10 words we learned this week compound into 520 words by year's end. The birds we fed in January survive to raise babies in spring. The animal tracks we followed teach observation skills applied lifelong.

Little by little, the impossible becomes possible, and what’s possible gets done.

Thank you for being part of this journey. See you again in February 2026.

About the Author

J. W. Zarek is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author dedicated to helping children recognize their inherent worth. He's written seventeen books, nine are published and seven are #1 bestsellers. His debut picture book, "Bella Brown's Messier Than Messy Room," won the 2025 Moonbeam Children's Book Award Bronze Medal and Literary Titan Gold Book Award. All of his picture books carry the "I am enough" message.

2025 (c) https://www.jwzarek.com