January 27, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Punch The Clock Day – I don't know if anyone uses time cards inserted into a time clock at work anymore. I did when I was younger and I worked at Kmart. We had to punch a clock at the beginning and end of every shift as well as at the beginning and end of every break. This is a day to honor everyone who has to punch a clock at work.

National Chocolate Cake Day – I don't think this day needs any explanation. If you like chocolate cake, today is your day!

Thomas Crapper Day – On this day in 1910, Thomas Crapper died. While he did not invent the toilet, he did improve it by inventing various devices to make it work better like the ballcock (that floating device that stops the water flowing when the water gets to the right height in the tank).

Aushwitz Liberation Day – On this day in 1945, the Soviet Army liberated Aushwitz (a concentration, extermination and forced labor camp) and its' remaining 7,000 prisoners. Most of whom were very ill and dying which is why they were not included in the 60,000 prisoners who were forced to march to Wodzislaw ahead of the Soviet invasion. http://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-features/special-focus/liberation-of-auschwitz

Holocaust Memorial Day – Today is a day to remember the millions of people who were murdered in the Holocaust. It begins this evening and ends tomorrow evening. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/h/holocaustmemorialday.asp

International Holocaust Remembrance Day – The United Nations General Assembly created this day and urge all of their member nations to develop educational programs for the purpose of spreading knowledge of the horror of the Holocaust and preventing genocides from happening in the future.

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day – This day is always on the last Monday in January. If you are a bubble wrap aficionado, you already knew this was coming and you stocked up. I wonder if you were aware that there is now a Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Hall of Fame. Thousands (yes, I said 'thousands') of people have created videos of their favorite inventive ways to use Bubble Wrap. The videos will be judged and the winner will be announced and will be the first to be inducted into the Hall of Fame today. You can see some of the videos here: http://www.bubblewrapfun.com/.  And I'm getting one of these suits for a certain person I know who has had way too many accidents.

Vietnam Peace Day – On this day in 1973, the Vietnam Peace Agreement was signed ending the Vietnam War.

Better Business Communication Day – Celebrated on the 4^th Monday in January, this is a day to work on improving your business communication skills. Communication is vital to businesses so good decisions can be made and I bet all of us could use some work on improving our communication skills.

To celebrate today, teach your children about the Holocaust and what was found in Aushwitz in an age appropriate way so that when they are older they don't try to mastermind their own genocide, then wrap your toilet in bubble wrap so you don't hurt yourself when you use it. Punch your time clock before you work on your communication skills with your Vietnamese customers.