November 1, 2014

Today we celebrate:

World Vegan Day – Created in 1994 by Louise Wallis, the President and Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, for the purpose of commemorating the Society's anniversary.  Explore a vegan diet today, it might just change your life.  

National Eat Your Kid's Halloween Candy After They Go To Bed Day – Halloween is a fun time for kids and they get tons of candy that they will want to eat that same night. However, that would not be healthy for them. Besides, parents need a little reward after dragging their kids all around the neighborhood. So after the kids go to bed, there is no reason in the world why you shouldn't help yourself to some of their candy. You can justify it if you need to by only eating the candy that the kids don't like anyway. I don't feel the need to do that. I figure, the more I eat, the fewer cavities they will have later. They'll thank you for it some day. Maybe. But I wouldn't tell them about this day until they have kids of their own.

All Saints' Day – This is a predominantly Catholic day that honors all saints, whether they are known or not. Other churches celebrate this day differently. My understanding is that the Methodist Church, for example, believes the word “saints” refers to all Christians so they honor and remember all of the living or deceased members of their local congregations.

Give Up Your Shoulds Day – Celebrated for the 7th year, this is a day to give up the “shoulds” that cause so much stress and guilt in your life. For example: I should lose weight; I should clean the garage; I should make more money; I should go visit my parents more often. Pick at least one “should” to give up today and ease the stress in your life.

National Author’s Day – This is a day to celebrate your favorite authors. Writing books is not easy, if it were everyone would do it and no one would be willing to buy books that we could just write ourselves. So honor those who can do what you cannot but whose efforts you enjoy so much. Who is your favorite author?  I hope no one tries to ask me that question because I have too many favorites to count.

National Family Literacy Day – This is a day to focus on participating in things with your family that focus on literacy. Set a good example for your kids and find a literacy event today. Check with your school and local library to find a read-a-thon, book signing, book sale or simply give everyone in your family a book and sit down and read together.

National Go Cook For Your Pets Day – This is a day to show our pets how much we love them by cooking them a nutritious meal today. Check this website for tips and foods to avoid since there are some foods that are poison for animals: http://cookforyourpets.com/

Sadie Hawkins Day – Celebrated on the first Saturday in November, this is a role reversal day. It's roots were from a Li'l Abner comic strip, where Sadie Hawkins, a 35 year old spinster, had a father who arranged for a foot race where all eligible men were gathered and had to outrun Sadie. Whoever she caught and dragged across the finish line, had to marry her. Nowadays, it's just a role-reversal day. There are Sadie Hawkins dances where the girls ask the boys to go to the dance or the girls ask the boys out on a date. Have fun, Ladies.

Prime Meridian Day – Everyone knows that the Prime Meridian is the line of longitude that is 0 degrees. It cuts through Europe and Africa and was first devised by the Greeks way back around 200 B.C. give or take a few years. We celebrate this event because on this day in 1884, delegates from 25 World Nations met in Washington D.C. and established the time zones for the world with every 15 degrees of longitude equaling one hour. That must have been some feat getting everyone to agree to what time it was going to be where. I wonder how long it took.

Day of the Dead – Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that begins this evening and ends tomorrow. It is a day to celebrate and remember family members who have died. They have festivals and parades and really do it up big.

To celebrate today, read a vegan cookbook and pick out a nice recipe to cook for your pets today.  Then pick a “should” to give up on  your way to church to celebrate the Saints.  Next, decorate your house for Day of the Dead while you explain the Prime Meridian to your kids. Finally, find a man to ask over to help you eat your children’s candy and discuss what you like best about your favorite authors.

October 31, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Breadstix (Bread Sticks)Day – Celebrated on the last Friday in October, this is a day for bread in stick form! I love bread sticks and they go with just about any meal you can think of.

Girl Scout Founder's Day – On this day in 1860, Juliette Gordon Low was born. She began the Girl Scout organization in 1912, which has enriched the lives of millions of girls since then. Happy Birthday Juliette.

Halloween or All Hallows Eve – Celebrated on this day every year, it is a time to dress up in a clever disguise and go around your neighborhood extorting candy from your neighbors by threatening them with “tricks” if they don't give you “treats”. Let's all go out and encourage the delinquency of our children.

National Caramel Apple Day – I have never been tempted to make caramel apples or even eat caramel apples, even though I love apples and caramel. It's probably because it looks so darn messy and getting sticky caramel all over my face just doesn't appeal to me. But kids don't mind that kind of mess so watching them eat one of these sweet treats is just funny.

National Knock-Knock Jokes Day – This is a silly day to tell silly jokes and they don't come any sillier than knock-knock jokes. Drag out your best jokes today.  Here, I’ll start you off.  Knock, knock.  Who’s there?  Dwayne.  Dwayne who?  Dwayne the bathtub, it’s overflowing!

National Magic Day – This is a day that honors the most famous of magicians, Harry Houdini. He died on this day in 1926 and I would venture a guess that everyone in the country has heard of him. Try some magic tricks in his memory.

National UNICEF Day – In 1949, Mary Emma Allison from Bridesburg, Pennsylvania, had the idea that children could collect money for UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) instead of candy at Halloween. Her husband, Rev. Clyde Allison, shared her idea with local Presbyterian churches and on this day in 1950, their children and many others in the community collected $17 in nickels and dimes in their decorated milk cartons to help European children after World War II. Three years later UNICEF took that concept and ran with it and by 1960 it became very popular all over the country. My children still do it today. The money now goes to a wide variety of programs that UNICEF supports such as aiding victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Samhain – This is a Gaelic festival that celebrates the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season. It may date back to before Christianity began and is believed (by some) to be a time when spirits and fairies are very active in our world.

To celebrate everything in one day, dress up as a fairy, hand out caramel apples and bread sticks to the little ones coming to your door along with some coins for UNICEF, a good knock-knock joke and a magic trick. If you see any girl scouts, wish them a Happy Birthday on Juliette's behalf.

October 30, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Candy Corn Day – Pure sugar dipped in white, orange and yellow food coloring.  Yum.  It's a good thing that you can't get these things any other time of the year but Halloween because otherwise, I would weigh as much as my car.  I’m eating some right now as I type this.  Thank goodness that Halloween is very soon.

Checklist Day – This day is all about organization. You absolutely have to make lists and check things off that are completed if you want to have a successful event. On this day in 1935, an airplane crashed during takeoff at Wright Fields in Ohio because of a gust lock that was still engaged. After this tragedy, a few pilots got together to figure out how errors like this could be prevented in the future. They are the ones that came up with the checklist for takeoff, flight, before landing and after landing. These checklists, although I am sure they have been updated as airplanes became more sophisticated, are still used today. You don't need to fly a plane to find checklists useful, all you need to do is forget something important in order to realize that you too can use this handy tool to stay on top of things.

Buy a Donut Day – This is a day for buying donuts. I have no idea why it's a day for buying donuts but apparently donut sales rise sharply on this day so you better go and see what the big deal is.

Create A Great Funeral Day – Ok, this day is taking the Halloween season a little too far, in my opinion. It is a day that was created by Stephanie West Allen for the purpose of reminding people about how important and beneficial it is to create your own funeral or memorial service. The idea is that it is better to plan it out yourself so you can have it the way you want it, and so that your family doesn't have to do it while they are grieving for you. I say that I'll be dead and won't particularly care what everyone does or doesn't do at my funeral and doing this the day before Halloween is sending a vote of no confidence regarding your expectation of surviving the next day.  But that’s just me.  I’m not saying that planning your funeral is a bad idea, far from it.  I think it’s great to take this burden from the shoulders of your loved ones.  I just plan to take care of this some other time of year.

Devil's Night or Mischief Night – This is not my favorite night. It is associated with committing acts of vandalism which I won't name here because I don't want to give any youngsters any ideas if they don't already have them. The adults in the room know what I'm referring to.

To celebrate today, buy some donuts and some candy corn, plan your funeral and go throw some toilet paper in your bushes so the mischief makers will think your house has already been hit. Then check all of that off your checklist and go to bed feeling great.

October 29, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Oatmeal Day – This is a day to eat oatmeal in any form you wish. There are some delicious recipes for oatmeal cookies or oatmeal muffins. I've even put oatmeal in meatloaf, although my husband wasn't a fan and asked me to stop doing that. Some people like to eat oatmeal for breakfast but I’m not a fan of that practice.

International Internet Day – Celebrated since 2005, this is a day to commemorate the sending of the first electronic message from one computer to another way back in 1969. That was the beginning of the internet, although at the time, they had no idea where it was going to go.

National Cat Day – This day was created by Pet Lifestyle Expert & Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige, in an effort to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their lives and to encourage the general public to rescue and adopt a cat today.

World Psoriasis Day – This day is all about supporting people who suffer with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis and spreading awareness of this devastating skin disease. It was created by the International Federation of Psoriasis Association (IFPA).

National Hermit Day - Now this is a day that I can get into.  Who doesn’t feel the need to have some alone time now and then?  I certainly do, although for me it’s an almost everyday longing.  Not that I want to abandon my children and husband all the time, just long enough for a shower all by myself would be nice.  Now I can post a “Busy celebrating National Hermit Day” sign on the door.

To celebrate today, meet with the local psoriasis support group and offer your support in the form of oatmeal cookies. Then post a picture of your cat on the internet or close yourself into a room all by yourself and search the internet to find a cat that you want to adopt.

October 28, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Statue of Liberty Dedication Day - On this day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, was dedicated.  It represents the strong friendship between the U.S. and France since the American Revolution.  It is one of America’s most famous landmarks.  Millions of people have come from all over the world just to see it. I guess that makes it pretty sad that I have lived in New York almost my whole life and I have still never been to Ellis Island to see it.

St. Jude's Day – This is a day to honor St. Jude, the Patron Saint for the Hopeless and Despaired. He was one of Jesus Christ's apostles and was martyred around 65 AD.

Plush Animal Lovers Day – This is a day to show your stuffed animals how much you love them. Carry them around with you as long as you don't have too many. If you have as many as my daughter does, you'll have to either pick your favorite to hug today or switch them out periodically.

Wild Foods Day – On this day we celebrate raw foods that are gathered outside and eaten without any kind of processing. Examples include nuts and fruit and vegetables straight from the gardens or trees. If you go out to gather your own wild foods, make sure you can identify the edible vs. non-edible (a.k.a. poisonous) varieties.

To celebrate today, find a book about St. Jude and read it to your plush animals over a lunch of wild foods on Ellis Island before you tour the Statue of Liberty.

October 27, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Navy Day - We just celebrated the Navy’s Birthday, but this day was created in 1922 by the Navy League of the United States.  This day was chosen to honor President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday.  President Roosevelt used to be the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and was a strong Navy supporter.  It was also this day in 1775 when a special committee of the Continental Congress issued a report suggesting that America should purchase merchant ships in order to create an American Navy.

American Beer Day – On this day, grab an American beer for yourself and a few dozen of your favorite people and celebrate American made beer. No imported beers will work to celebrate today.

National Potato Day – Back on August 19th, we had Potato Day. This one is just like that one except it is National Potato Day so the whole nation will be celebrating by eating some form of potato today.  It doesn’t matter if that potato is baked, fried, mashed, boiled, broiled, grilled, peeled, painted, sliced, diced, grated, or anything else you can do to a potato.

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage – Our entire world today is dependent on audiovisual recordings. This day commemorates the 1980 adoption by the United Nations General Conference, of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images. That big fancy name just means that they want us to know how important it is to keep the world's audiovisual documentation safe. Particularly the early generations of audiovisual medium because they are subject to the degradation and deterioration that comes with age and they are the oldest.

To celebrate today, watch some old home movies that take place on ships while you eat potato chips and drink some American beer.

October 26, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Mincemeat Day – Mincemeat used to feature actual meat, but these days it is mostly made up of a variety of brandied fruits and only occasionally a little beef. My husband loves mincemeat pie, it's one of his favorites.

Mother-in-Law Day – Celebrated on the fourth Sunday in October, this is a day to celebrate your Mother-in-Law. Mother-in-Law's are the ones who raised your spouse, the one special person in your life that you choose to be a part of your family. Honor the one who raised that special person by taking her out to dinner or giving her some flowers.

Reformation Sunday – Celebrated on the Sunday on or before October 31st, this is a day to remember the Reformation. This day is typically celebrated by Lutheran and some Reformed churches because it honors Martin Luther in particular.

Day of the Deployed – This day has been celebrated every year on this day since 2006. It is a day for us to have the opportunity to honor the brave men and women who put their lives at risk every day to protect our country. They sacrifice everything for us when they leave their families behind and put their lives in danger for us. Please take the opportunity today to thank everyone you can who has served our country in the military.

To celebrate today, invite your mother-in-law to join you for church to remember the Reformation.  Then, make a mincemeat pie to share with everyone in your neighborhood who has ever deployed to protect our country.

October 25, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Chucky, The Notorious Killer Doll Day – I am not a horror movie fan, but I know that many of you are so you can celebrate this day without me.  All I know about Chucky came from the little bits and pieces I have seen on advertisements and heard from people who felt the need to educate me.  Then, while researching this day, I read a brief summary of all of the movies and that is all I needed to give me nightmares and make me get rid of all the dolls in my house.  My daughters weren’t too happy about that but you have to do what you have to do in order to sleep at night.

International Artist Day – This is a day to support the artists of the world.  There are so many different kinds of art and different kinds of artists that it is amazing to contemplate.  It’s not all about paintings and sculptures that you find in museums.  I recently learned of an artist that makes pictures by burning paper into different patterns.  She does some beautiful work. Take a look at the bridge in this picture. It proves that art can also serve a practical purpose. Artists bring huge contributions to our society and not just in a visual way.  What would we listen to if it were not for artists?  The plain truth is that without art, this would be a very dull, quiet and colorless world. Do something to support an artist today.

Sourest Day – This is a day for sour people, sour candy, or sour food. It is supposed to emphasize the balance of nature. I don't particularly understand that thought, and too much sour food makes my tongue hurt, but my son really enjoys it so I guess he will enjoy celebrating today.

World Pasta Day – Celebrated since 1995, and created by the World Pasta Congress (who knew that there even WAS a World Pasta Congress?), this is a day to honor the creation of pasta way back in 5,000 B.C, give or take a few years. With over 600 different shapes and sizes, I think you should be able to find one you've never had before and give it a try.

Make A Difference Day – This is a day that is celebrated on the last Saturday of October, and is a day to make a difference in someone's life.....in a good way. I figured that I probably better throw that last part in there just in case there was a question in your mind.  Think about what you can do to make someone’s life better today.

Pumpkin Day – Always celebrated on the Saturday before Halloween, this is a day to utilize pumpkins in any way you see fit. You can cook with pumpkin, burn candles that smell like pumpkin, or decorate with pumpkins. I’m not thinking of too many other options so if you do, let me know.

National Pit Bull Awareness Day – This is a day to promote the truth about pit bulls. Pit bulls have a very bad image these days but the truth is that not all pit bulls are as vicious as the ones you hear about on the news. Most of them are wonderful family dogs who would never hurt anyone. Do your research and find out the truth before you make any decisions about them.

National Greasy Foods Day – We all try to eat healthy most of the time, I’m sure.  That means eating lots of fruits and vegetables and lean proteins, cooked in healthy ways. Well, throw all of that out the window for today and load up on nothing but greasy food. You don't get to do this very often, so jump at the chance today.  Fast food, here we come!

To celebrate today, make a difference by spreading the word that pit bulls are not as bad as they are made out to be.  Then share some greasy pasta with an artist while you carve pumpkins and eat sour candy.  Finally, this evening, watch one of Chucky’s movies if you can tolerate that kind of thing right before bed.

October 24, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Bologna Day – Celebrate today with a variety of bologna recipes. By the way, I still remember the Oscar Mayer bologna song. “My bologna has a first name...it's O S C A R, my bologna has a second name it's M A Y E R. I love to eat it every day and if you ask me why I'll saaaaayyyy...cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B O L O G N A.” Yes, I'm that old.

United Nations Day – On this day in 1945, the United Nations came to be. The UN Charter was ratified by a majority of the founding members and the rest is history. This day has been celebrated every year since 1948.

World Development Information Day – Celebrated along with United Nations Day, this day has the purpose of drawing the attention of the public of the world to country development problems and the need to cooperate internationally in order to solve them.

Black Thursday - I know this isn’t Thursday, but this is the day in 1929 (which was a Thursday)  when the stock market crashed and investors lost $5 billion dollars in one day.  It was the beginning of the Great Depression which lasted many years.

Food Day - This is a nationwide celebration of…..you guessed it!  Food!  Actually, not just any food but natural, sustainable, affordable and healthy food.  Not that processed stuff in boxes that you find on most of the grocery store shelves.

Good and Plenty Day – This candy has been around since it's beginning way back in 1893. It is marketed as America's oldest brand of candy. Some of you might remember its’ mascot from back in the 1950s, Choo Choo Charlie, the train engineer. It was originally made by the Quaker City Confectionary Company but now belongs to Hershey's.

To celebrate today, make some food in the form of a bologna sandwich to pass out to everyone you meet today. Along with the sandwich, share some Good and Plenty, information about Black Thursday and world development, and a Happy United Nations Day as well.

October 23, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Diwali – Known as the “Festival of Lights”, this is a Hindu festival and is an official holiday in India and many other surrounding nations. It is a day when families gather together, clean the house and light small clay lamps filled with oil which signify the triumph of good over evil. The lamps are kept on in the clean house in order to welcome the goddess Lakshmi and make her feel at home.

National Boston Cream Pie Day – I'm not sure why it's called pie when it is really much more like a cake with cream filling. It is one of my all time favorite cakes. Now I'm drooling...very undignified of me, sorry.

iPod Day – On this day in 2001, the first iPod was introduced to the world. A pivotal moment in the technological and musical world.

National Mole Day – This day is celebrated every year on this day between 6:02am and 6:02pm. If you are not a math or science maniac, then you might not know that a mole is a basic measuring unit in chemistry, 6.02 x 1023 , also known as Avogadro's Number. This day is an attempt to spread interest in chemistry throughout the world. If you're interested, a mole is equal to the atomic mass of a molecule. There is more to that explanation here: http://www.moleday.org/

Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day – On this day, according to the mental calendar that all swallows have in their heads, the swallows will circle the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California and fly off to wherever they go for the winter. They will return in March.

TV Talk Show Host Day – This day, which just happens to be Johnny Carson's birthday, is a day to celebrate all talk show hosts. Johnny Carson is the most beloved of them all, followed closely by Oprah Winfrey, but there have been many and will be many more since I don't think talk shows are going away anytime soon.

National Canning Day – This is a day to can all the harvest from your gardens. I don't have very much left from my garden but I did try my hand at canning pickles this past summer and I think it went very well.  So if you have the skills and the equipment and the vegetables, have at it today.

To celebrate today, watch a talk show while you set out as many lights around your house as you can and calculate how many moles are in your body.  Then can some tomatoes from your garden while listening to your iPod and eating Boston Cream Pie. Finally, say goodbye to the swallows while you turn on all the lights you set out earlier.

October 22, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Unity Day – Today is a day to wear orange to show that you care about children who are being bullied and you want to show them that you support them and want to help end bullying.  Different countries celebrate this day at all different times.

National Nut Day – This says it's a National day, but it should be an International day because there are many countries that celebrate this day by exchanging an unhealthy protein like burgers with the more healthy protein in nuts. If you are allergic, you should absolutely give this day a pass.

Knee Day - I couldn’t find out much about this day but it looks like a day to be aware of how easy it is to injure your knees.  Without our knees in good working order, moving around is pretty difficult so take care to exercise the muscles that hold them in place to keep them strong and walk carefully.  If your knees are bothering you, see a doctor who specializes in knees to see what can be done to fix them.  Technology and medicine have come a long way and sometimes it is possible to fix you right up so the pain stops.

INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY – THIS IS A DAY TO KEEP YOUR CAPS LOCK ON. IT IS MOSTLY CELEBRATED BY CRAZY GEEKY PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY HAVE SPECIAL DAYS FOR EVERY KEY ON THE KEYBOARD.

Medical Assistants Recognition Day – Celebrated on the Wednesday of the third full week in October, this is a day to recognize the hard work that medical assistants perform every day.  Doctors and nurses rely on them every day.

International Stuttering Awareness Day – This is a day to raise awareness of the speech disorder known as stuttering or stammering. Approximately 1% of the world's population struggles with this disorder. The most important thing to be aware of is that it is not something that stutterers can control and it is NOT funny. Just be patient people, everyone deserves the time to express their thoughts any way they can.

TO CELEBRATE TODAY, WEAR ORANGE, KEEP YOUR CAPS LOCK ON ALL DAY, HAVE SOME NUTS AND DO SOME KNEE STRENGTHENING EXERCISES WHILE YOU WATCH THE MOVIE, THE KING'S SPEECH, WITH YOUR FAVORITE MEDICAL ASSISTANT.