March 30, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Seward's Day – Always on the last Monday in March, this day celebrates the purchase of Alaska from Russia by Secretary of State William Henry Seward on March 30, 1867 for $7.2 million. Most people at the time thought that was a ridiculous thing to do and called it “Seward's Folly”. Mr. Seward suffered a great deal of criticism until they discovered gold in Alaska in 1897. Sadly, Mr. Seward died before that happened so he never knew the full extent of what he did for the United States.

Turkey Neck Soup Day – This is a soup made from stock which is made with turkey necks. Fun facts about turkeys can also be found here.

Pencil Day – The pencil has been around for hundreds of years, but on this day in 1858, the first patent was granted for a pencil with an eraser at the end of it. I guess they didn’t make mistakes before then.  Did you know that 75% of all pencils are yellow?

National I Am In Control Day – You decide what you are going to do today. Be in control of your own destiny, at least for today. It is possible that whoever created this chose the 30th for the celebration because on this day in 1981, Secretary of State Alexander Haig was interviewed and said, “I am in control here.”

Grass Is Always Browner On The Other Side Of The Fence Day – All too often we go through life looking at what other people have that we do not. Then we're not happy because we think we need to have what they have, or we think that their lives are better than ours. Well today, focus on the good things about your life and think about how fortunate you are to have whatever it is that you have. Your neighbors aren't nearly as happy as you think they are anyway because they're looking at you and wishing they had what you have.

National Doctors Day – Created in 1991 by President George Bush, this is a day to recognize the contributions of doctors to society. We all depend upon our doctors whenever we get sick or hurt because they have dedicated their lives to helping people.  They have saved countless lives over the years and are the primary reason why our life expectancy is as high as it is.

Take A Walk In The Park Day – I don't think that you necessarily HAVE to walk in a park today. This day seems to be about focusing on your physical and mental health, which would be improved with some exercise like walking. If you have a park handy, go walk in it. If not, walk somewhere else. Just get some exercise. Walking is one of the best activities you can do because it is both exercise and relaxation at the same time.


To celebrate today, take control of your emotions, grab a pencil and write down all of the great things about your life that your neighbors should be jealous of. Then take control of your health and go visit your doctor for a physical. Walk home and make turkey neck soup for dinner.  Over dinner, tell your kids all about William Henry Seward and Alaska.

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