October 17, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Pasta Day – My children's favorite food is pasta in any shape or form. And they do come in any shape or form.  My kids love the wheel shaped pastas while I prefer the tradition ziti shape.

Black Poetry Day – This day celebrates Jupiter Hammon. Mr. Hammon was the first African-American man to publish his own poetry. He was born on this day in 1711 and was a slave who lived most of his life on Long Island. He was one of the few who learned how to read and write and was allowed to use his master's library. He published his first poem at the age of 49.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty – This is a United Nations created day that has been celebrated since 1993. The goal is to spread awareness of the need to end poverty all over the world. Governments need to work to fight against poverty in their own countries and in the foreign policy they create for interacting with other countries. You may see a call for a moment of silence to commemorate this day, or you might be asked to sign a petition or perhaps attend a fundraising concert.

Wear Something Gaudy Day – This is a day to stand out, buck the fashion trends of the day and make up your own wacky outfit. If you are old enough, you will remember a TV sitcom called Three's Company. On that show, one of the actors, Richard Kline, declared this day and it has been celebrated ever since.

Mulligan Day - This is a day for second chances.  Golfers will recognize the term “mulligan” which means to try again.  It is named after David Mulligan from Canada made a mistake when golfing in the 1920s and retook his shot without taking a penalty.  But you can apply this principle to other areas of your life as well.  What do you need to retry?

Mammography Day – Celebrated on the third Friday in October, this is a day for women to realize how important a mammogram is to their health. I just had mine not too long ago, if you are due for a mammogram, make sure you schedule it today.

Four Prunes Day – I love prunes, but not prune juice. I know, I'm a little odd that way. But there's nothing like a few prunes every day to give you enough fiber to keep you regular.

To celebrate today, wear gaudy clothes and head out for your mammography.  You can read some black poetry and tell your fellow patients all about world poverty and the fight to eradicate it while you wait for your turn to go in for your appointment.  Then have some prunes and pasta for dinner.  If your pasta is too mushy, tell your family that is your mulligan and try it again.