Reasons to Celebrate on May 2, 2012
Posted on: May 2, 2012
I’m sorry this is so late today, its been a crazy couple of days this week. My Mother is in the hospital with a Mystery Condition, and it’s put me off my schedule.
But, time marches on regardless of what is happening in our lives, and there are holidays to celebrate today!
Today is:
Brothers and Sisters Day: If you’ve been lucky enough to have siblings, today is the day to show your love for them. Doesn’t it just seem like we had National Sibling Day recenty? Well, apparently we all need extra reminders to be grateful for our brothers and sisters. I have a theory about the Great Cosmic Reason that we are not all born as only children. I think that sibs are the Universe’s way of making sure we are exposed to people who otherwise we’d never cross paths with. I know that if my brothers hadn’t also been born to my parents, we’d probably never have met. And I’m very glad that is not the case, because they’re pretty awesome in their own ways. You know, except when they’re beeing stupid doody heads.
mmmmm.... chocolate
National Truffle Day: Now, some maintain that National Truffle Day is a celebration of those rare, pungent fungi that turn up at the base of trees, and can be sniffed out by specially trained hogs or dogs. And some think that it’s in honor of the delightful chocolaty confections that come packaged in pretty wrapped boxes. Really, there’s no real reason you can’t do both!
a truffle, not the chocolate kind
Scurvy Awareness Day; Scurvy might be the only disease that is completely curable through the consumption of alchoholic beverages- provided that those beverages contain some actual fruit juce. Margharitas, Fuzzy Navels, Lemonade with vodka, whatever you like. Seriously though, as relatively easy as Scurvy is to prevent and cure, there’s still a surprising number of cases reported each year in the US alone. So, make sure you eat a couple pieces of fruit each week and avoid becoming a scurvy pirate dog, arrrgh.
Happy Mother Goose Day
Posted on: May 1, 2012
It’s Mother Goose Day! I love Mother Goose rhymes and stories, so sing-song, so simple! My kids and I can spend hours reading the short poems and playing with the words.
There are a lot of theories about whether or not Mother Goose was a real person, and who she was, if she was, but no one really knows for sure. Everyone seems to agree though, that she wasn’t a real goose. Which is just silly, because it’s not like there’s any proof of that, either.
My personal favorite by the famous water-fowl matron:
Butterfly, Butterfly
Butterfly, Butterfly,
Whence do you come?
“I know not, I ask not,
nor ever had a home.”
Butterfly, Butterfly,
where do you go?
“Where the sun shines
and where the buds grow”
In addition to being Mother Goose Day, today is also:
May Day: Traditionally, May Day is a day to celebrate Spring and fertility. For centuries people have danced around May Poles, jumped over or between fires, performed handfasts, and generally made merrry in joyful celebration of warmer weather, flowers, and the promise of abundance. This year, May Day also marks a huge Occupy protest, demonstrating the power of the 99%.
Law Day: Join the American Bar Association in honoring the good that our judicial system does. While no system is perfect, the American Judicial system does it’s level best to provide justice for all. Their theme this year is “No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom”
So normally, I would focus on one reason to celebrate for the day and throw everything else into the “Other Reasons to Celebrate” post, but honestly when I saw that it is both Hairstyle Appreciation Day AND National Honesty Day, how could I possibly resist combing them together?
In an ideal world of beauty and perfection,we’d all be able to walk around today complimenting each other’s hairstyles with complete honesty and appreciations- but I can’t help imagining various versions of the following conversation taking place:
“Do you like my hair?”
“Oh, uh, ummm…. well, it’s very interesting and, ummm…. creative….”
“Yes, but do you like it?”
“Honestly? And I mean this in the nicest way possible… No.”
As for myself, I’m growing my hair out so that I can donate it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths, so my hairstyle is not being very much appreciated today. I love short, sassy hairsdos, but my hair has to reach over 8 inches long before I can chop it off and mail it away. So while I styled it this morning there was less appreciation and more swearing. But in all honesty, as irritating as I find my long tresses, I’m so grateful to have hair that I can donate, so it’
s all good.
So, speak the truth today, and tell someone how much you love their hair.
In addition to being National Honesty Day and Hairstyle Appreciation Day, it is also:
National Raisin Day: This juicy little treasure is actually a dehydrated grape, but who cares? They’re good in pies, cookies, salads, and just on their own (especially covered in chocolate, mmmmm). And because I feel bad that Raisin Day gets shoved off into a post all by itselff today, here’s a picture:
Happy National Zipper Day!
Posted on: April 29, 2012
The zipper is one of those things that we just take for granted. It’s everywhere- jeans, purses, shoes, jackets, sofa cusions, dresses, why it was even on Google the other day!
They’re pretty handy, eh? I mean, I can unzip my purse, pull out my wallet, unzip that take something out, zip it back up, put the wallet back in my purse, and zip up my purse with only one hand- letting me keep my other hand firmly texting my bff to tell her to get herself to the autoparts store before they’ve sold out of wiper blades she needs for her car. Or, you know, whatever I might need to text.
My point is, that the zipper is fantastic at making fastening and unfastenting things as quick and easy as possible, which is exactly what it was designed to do.
So take a minute today to really appreciate the convenience of the zipper. And then you can go back to taking it for granted tomorrow.
In addition to being National Zipper Day, it’s also:
Shrimp Scampi Day:Did you know that “scampi” actually means “shrimp”? Yeah, neither did I- until NOW! And I could have kept that a secret and held my increased knowledge over your head, but I’m not that kind of person. Well, I’m not today, anyway.
World Wide Pinhole Photography Day: Did you ever make a pinhole camera in school? You know, in art class or maybe science class? NO? (this is my horrified gasp) Then get ye to Google and learn how to make one! Do it now! It’s easy, and it’s fun, and then you can scan and upload your pinhole photograph on the website linked above and share it with the world.
Happy National Sense of Smell Day!
Posted on: April 28, 2012
Is there any better time to celebrate the sense of smell, than Spring? There’s all kinds of smells floating around- delicouse and not-quite-so-delicious. From delicate blooming flowers, to cow manure being spread to prepare the fields for planing. It’s all out there. And the warming weather just heightens it all.
In our area, Spring brings with it a lot of wind, carrying smells from all over town. You can stand in your front lawn and get whiffs of the neighbor’s freshly cut lawn, someone else’s grilling meat, and the flowers growing down the street.
Your sense of smell is strongly linked to memory. Often times a stray scent will invoke a treasured rememberance.
So take some time today to really focus on what you’re smelling- you might surprise yourself with how much you enjoy this over-looked sense.
In addition to being National Sense of Smell Day, it is also:
National Kiss Your Mate Day: If you have a mate, and haven’t kissed ’em yet today, make sure you do. If you’re in a long distance relationship, maybe you can send a kiss in the mail, or use a webcam to share a virtual kiss.
National Cubicle Day: I’m just glad it’s Saturday and I don’t have to be in mine!
Great Poetry Reading Day: Poetry is really meant to be read out loud. So, find a great poem and read it to someone. You’ll both be the better for it.
Astronomy Day: Celebrate the vastness of the universe, learn something new about our galaxy.
National Blueberry Pie Day: It’s a little early for blueberries in my neck of the woods. We have to wait for summer before we see any here. Fortunately, other parts of the country are not so limited. I believe I might just pick up some of the lovely round fruit when I stop at the market today, and bake a pie.
Happy National Tell a Story Day
Posted on: April 27, 2012
Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far, away, when the forest was young, and deep, and dark, there lived an old/young/unique woman/man/boy/girl/person/talking animal who….
However you like your stories, fantastical, fictional, factual, today is the day to tell them. Tell a child, tell a friend, heck-call a stranger and tell them a story over the phone. Maybe you can get a group of friends together to tell a story in rounds, each of you picking up where the last leaves off.
Stories are our oldest method of passing on history and the first form of entertainment our species ever enjoyed. Stories have been around longer than music, longer than paintings. Stories are humanity’s first art form, our first refuge from every day life.
Tell a story today. Share a piece of your mind, a part that is uniquely you.
What can we celebrate today? 