August 30, 2016

Today we celebrate:

National Beach Day - This is a day to celebrate everything about our beloved beaches. I refuse to celebrate sunburns, however. That is what beaches mean to me. But it is also a day to make sure those beaches are clean for us and all the other creatures in the world to enjoy, and to do whatever we can to ensure the safety of the fish and animals that live on or near the beach on either side of the waterline. So go to the beach today, clean it up and then have fun.

International Whale Shark Day - I had never heard about whale sharks but you learn something new every day. Whale sharks are the largest living fish in the oceans right now. They are not whales, they are definitely sharks, but apparently they are so named because they eat in a way that is similar to whales. But they use gills and so do not need to come to the surface to breathe like whales do. A couple of years ago, the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center celebrated this day by having a party which included music, food, drinks and a walking a slackline over water competition. I don’t know what they did to up the game last year. Maybe it’s a secret.

Slinky Day - Invented by Richard James in the 1940’s, its popularity has waxed and waned over the years. I remember when they were made out of metal and I could start it at the top of our long staircase and it would go all the way down. They are generally plastic now and too short to go down full size steps. It makes me wish I had kept my old one except that it had bent all out of shape after a while and once they get all tangled and bent, there is no fixing them.

National Toasted Marshmallow Day – Who hasn't had toasted marshmallows over a campfire? There is nothing on this world that tastes even remotely that good. If you combine it with chocolate and graham crackers in a s’more it’s even better.

National Holistic Pet Day – More and more people are moving toward a holistic lifestyle, but we don't always think of our pets. You can put your pets on an organic, green, and healthy lifestyle as well. Look into what that would entail today.

Frankenstein Day – This is a day to celebrate the life and creativity of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. She was born on this day in 1797 and although she wrote other books, she is best known for this famous monster, which is known today as Frankenstein even though that is not the name of the monster but the name of the doctor who created the monster.

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – There have been times throughout history, as well as the present time, when governments have caused people to disappear. They are arrested, or abducted, by the government or people acting on behalf of the government, who will then deny having taken that person or knowing anything about their fate. This clearly violates any number of human rights, but many governments in the world don't care about human rights. This is a United Nations day that reminds us that this is a problem we need to fight against.