May 11, 2013

Today we celebrate:

Eat What You Want Day – This is a day to pick something you REALLY love to eat, and eat it today. I think the creators of this day intend for you to eat whatever you want all day long but I can't condone that due to all the diabetes and other health issues going around. I suggest that you don't go crazy because you will totally derail your health and diet. Just pick one thing and really enjoy it.

Twilight Zone Day – The Twilight Zone, for those of you too young to have seen it, was a television series that began in 1959, in black and white. You can probably find them on air on one of your many channels today if you look. They were twisted and a little bit scary because of all the “what if” questions they make you contemplate. When I was young, this show bothered me just enough to keep me up at night so I learned to not watch it. Now that I'm older, I can watch them and marvel at the cleverness of the creators.

International Migratory Bird Day – Celebrated on the 2nd Saturday in May, this is a day to learn about the nearly 350 species of birds that migrate every year. They nest in North America, and fly south to warmer climates when their breeding grounds in the north get cold. http://www.birdday.org/

World Fair Trade Day – Celebrated on the second Saturday in May, this is a day to promote fair trade and work toward trade justice for everyone. This is actually a two week celebration with events beginning May 4th and ending May 19th, but this day is THE day itself. http://www.fairtraderesource.org/wftd/

Birth Mother's Day – The Saturday before Mother's Day is a day to recognize birth mothers, without whom, many of us wouldn't have children. It can be a very difficult decision to put your child up for adoption, but if that is the best thing for your child, it's an act of great love to recognize it and be willing to do it. This day was created by a group of birth mothers in Seattle in 1990.

National Train Day – Begun by Amtrack in 2008, this is a day to celebrate trains and spread awareness of how much better train travel is compared to other kinds of travel. This is celebrated on the Saturday closest to May 10th which is the anniversary of the day that the Golden Spike was pounded in Promontory, Utah signifying the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day – This syndrome is a genetic disorder that is present at birth although it is not always diagnosed that early. There are physical characteristics associated with it like other syndromes and there are common medical issues that most people with the disorder suffer such as heart defects, seizures and vision problems among others. This is a day to spread awareness of the disease that 1 in 10,000 children are born with. http://www.cdlsusa.org/

Letter Carrier's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day – Every year, mail carriers collect non-perishable food items for local food pantries. So fill a bag and hang it on your mailbox because they will be there soon.

Mother Ocean Day – Celebrated every year on the day before Mother's Day, this is a day to celebrate the beauty and wonder of the ocean. A common way to celebrate is to cast rose petals into the ocean from the beach and watch them flow out.

National Babysitters Day – Also celebrated on the Saturday before Mother's Day, this is a day to appreciate the love and care the babysitters of the country give to our children.

National Miniature Golf Day – This fun day is celebrated on the second Saturday in May. It's a great game for practicing putting techniques and a great way to introduce young children to the game of golf.

Stay Up All Night Night – Do you remember how exciting it was to stay up all night when you were a child? Well, today...or rather, tonight....you get to relive that thrill. The second Saturday in May is a night to stay up all night doing things that you don't usually have time to do. What will you do with all this extra time? Chores, visiting with friends who are celebrating with you, and watching movies are all good ideas. Do you have others?

World Belly Dance Day – This is yet another second Saturday of May celebration. This day celebrates the art of belly dancing. It is an art form as well as an excellent exercise program, in my opinion. Frankly, I don't know how they move like that.

To celebrate today, find one of your friends who is a birth mother but can't be with her child for whatever reason and drag her around with you today to get her mind off of it. Then hang a bag of canned foods on your mailbox and pop into the mailbox a nice thank you note to your babysitter. Then take a train out to the nearest ocean and throw some rose petals into it. After that, it's time for lunch so eat whatever you want before going to play some mini golf with your kids. Keep your eye out for migratory birds that you can point out to them. Take the opportunity to tell them about CDLS just in case they know someone with the disease. Then it's time for your belly dancing class. Finally, you and your friends can stay up all night making fair trades of whatever collectables you have. Pokemon cards anyone?


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