March 9, 2016

Today we celebrate:

Amerigo Vespucci Day - Born on this day in 1454, Amerigo was an Italian merchant who explored the east coast of South America between 1499 and 1502.  He was the one who realized that this new land was part of a new continent and not the coast of Asia, as all the other explorers believed.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day - Begun in 2008, this is a day to honor those dedicated experts who have dedicated their lives to helping their patients improve their health by eating the right things. They work in numerous areas from hospitals to nursing homes, to schools and fitness centers and more.

Learn What Your Name Means Day – Today is a research kind of day. Use whatever resources you have available to find out what your name means. I talked a little bit about this two days ago during the fun facts portion of this week, this is a good site to use for this purpose.

National Panic Day – Today is a day to be afraid. Let all your fears loose and indulge in a little panic party. Come on, 'fess up, there has to be something you are afraid of. I confess that I am afraid of big spiders and snakes of all sizes. Anyone else?

National Crabmeat Day – This is a day to indulge in some crab meat. If you can't stand the thought of eating crab, try the imitation crab meat. I'm not a fan of crab at all myself, but I'm told it's difficult to tell the difference. If you're like me, try mixing it in with something else, or stuff something with a crabmeat mixture. That would probably be quite tasty.

Barbie Day – On this day in 1959, the first Barbie Doll went on display at the American Toy Fair in NYC. She doesn't look too bad for 57 years old. She was created because of an idea that Ruth Handler, wife of one of the founders of Mattel, came up with while watching her daughter Barbara play with her dolls.  I understand that she is getting a makeover and coming out in more realistic shapes and sizes which is great.  Barbie has gotten a bad rap over the years by presenting an impossible ideal that has been bad for girls to attempt to aspire to.

Get Over It Day – I don't know what it is you have a problem with, but today you need to just get over it! Don't be nursing any grudges because of something someone did to you and don't be wallowing in guilt because of something you did to yourself or someone else. Just get over it already.  Trust me, you’ll feel a lot better.

Joe Franklin Day – Born on this day in 1929, Joe Franklin started in radio when he was 17 years old. In 1950, he switched over to television and basically invented the talk show. The Joe Franklin Show was the longest running talk show when it ended in 1990, although that is no longer the case. Would anyone like to guess the name of the talk show that has run for longer than 40 years? Take a guess before you check your answer at this site:

False Teeth Day – On this day in 1822, Charles Graham received a patent for false teeth. False teeth had been used for hundreds of years before then, but these were much better than the primitive methods used previously. Graham’s teeth were made out of porcelain which were found to be much more durable than teeth made from ivory or gold or human teeth. I've even seen reference to false teeth made out of lead, but I'm not sure that is accurate.  I certainly hope not.