September 13, 2013

Today we celebrate:

Defy Superstition Day – This is a day that is celebrated on Friday the 13^th on purpose. You are to overcome superstition with reason today. Discard all of your old black cat or broken mirror superstitions and any others that you are a victim of and realize that they are all hogwash.

Fortune Cookie Day – This is a day to go to a Chinese restaurant and have a fortune cookie. Many excellent pieces of wisdom have been imparted through those little cookies and many of the fortunes have come true. I can't say how many because I don't know, but we always enjoy reading them.

National Peanut Day – Peanuts are a great protein filled snack to tide you over until dinner time. As long as you are not allergic, have a handful today.

Positive Thinking Day – Any negative thoughts that come into your head today should be promptly cast out. This is a day for positive thinking ONLY! Positive thinking has more power than you realize. Positive thoughts draw positive energy your way and then you will find positive things happening in your life.

Uncle Sam Day – Proclaimed by President George Bush in 1989, this is a day to honor Samuel Wilson, who was born on this day in 1766. I never knew that Uncle Sam was a real person. He was a hard working, self sufficient, honest as the day is long, hero of our country. He worked hard to feed the American Army during the war of 1812. He became known as Uncle Sam by the soldiers during that war because of his name and the U.S. stamped on the boxes of meat that his company prepared for the men. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=1735

Blame Someone Else Day – This day falls on the first Friday the 13^th of the year. Whatever you do wrong today, whether you say something politically incorrect, insult someone, trip, dial the wrong number, or something equally horrifying, you can blame somebody else and get away with it. Unless you've broken the law. Then, I'm afraid, you're on your own.

Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day – This day is a challenge for the children in your household. Today the kitchen is all theirs. Their job is to plan the meals, cook the meals, and clean up after the meals. This could be my new favorite day!

National Celiac Awareness Day – I know some people with celiac (which is an inability to eat gluten) and it is a miserable disease if you don't know that you have it because you're sick all the time with a variety of uncomfortable to downright nauseating symptoms. Then, once you are diagnosed you go through a period of time wondering what on earth you are going to be able to eat. After a while, you get used to it and it isn't so bad until you go out to eat at a restaurant or someone's house and there is gluten hidden in some dish or your food has been contaminated with gluten somehow while it is being cooked. Then you are thrown right back into being sick for days. Be aware of all allergy issues because some, like this one, can make your guests or customers very sick.

Roald Dahl Day – This is the birthday of Roald Dahl, who you have probably heard of if you have children. He is the author of a number of wonderful mischievous children's books. Celebrate today with some mischief of your own. If you need some ideas, read a few of his books.

Yom Kippur - Celebrations for this day begin at sundown today and end at sundown tomorrow. This is a very important holy day for the Jewish people. Most celebrate the day with fasting and prayer that sometimes lasts all day.

To celebrate today, inform your children that the kitchen is all theirs today and they should come up with a meal plan. In fact, give them a real challenge and tell them that they cannot make anything with flour. Fasting for Yom Kippur starts at sundown so make sure all the meals happen early. Next think about what your strongest superstition is and force yourself to defy it by doing something you wouldn't normally do. If you get in trouble while doing that, blame someone else. But think positively, you do not need superstitions any more. Have some fortune cookies and peanuts to tide you over while the kids are cooking. Finally, throw an Uncle Sam/Roald Dahl party have have everyone dress up as either Uncle Sam or one of the characters in Roald Dahl's books.