August 1, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Lammas - This day is celebrated by England and Scotland.  It is the festival of the wheat harvest, which is the first harvest festival of the year.  I’m sort of surprised there is more than one because I figured everyone would be too busy harvesting to have multiple festivals.  In any case, for this one it was the traditional practice to bake a loaf of bread with the first harvest and bring it to church.  The loaf would be blessed, broken into four pieces and a piece put in each of the four corners of the farmer’s barn in order to protect that grain and all the rest that would be harvested.  There were other traditions as well that I don’t have time to describe here.

National Raspberry Cream Pie Day – Yesterday's raspberry theme continues with this cool and refreshing dessert pie.

Girlfriend's Day – Today is a day to celebrate girlfriends. It doesn't matter if you're talking about a special female love interest or a bunch of gal pals. Show them today how much you care about them.

Lughnasa - Celebrated by the Irish and Scottish, this is a day that began as a harvest festival and continues today with festivals, bonfires and dancing. It is also a popular day to begin handfastings which are trial marriages. After a year and a day the couple has the option of ending the relationship or formalizing it into a lasting marriage.  Festivities began last night and last until this evening at sunset.

Spider-Man Day – Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee, first appeared in comics sometime around August 1962 and has continued with varying degrees of popularity until this year. So this would be a good day to dig out some old comics or buy some new ones and read all about his adventures.

National Minority Donor Awareness Day – Begun in 1996 by Clive O. Callender, MD, with the goal of raising awareness among ethnic groups on all the issues related to organ, tissue and blood donations among minorities. The hope was to promote healthy living among minorities and to ultimately increase the number of minority donors. More than half of the people on the transplantation waiting list are minorities so it is very important for minorities to be involved in donations because they have a much better chance of being a good match for another member of their minority.

Respect For Parents Day – This is a day to be aware of how respectful you are to your parents. Sometimes when we get aggravated at people we need a little reminder about how important it is to be kind, respectful and most important of all, patient with all of our elders but particularly with our parents.  It is all too easy to hurt the people we love.  Way easier than it is to hurt people we barely know.  So we need to remember that these are the people who brought us into the world and raised us as best they could.  As a parent, I know I love my children more than anyone else ever will.  So knowing that my parents feel that way for me makes it a little easier to remember to be respectful and kind and loving toward them.

Rounds Resounding Day – Do you remember singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat in a round when you were younger? I think most of us did that at some point with that song or with some other one. For the non-musically inclined among us, a round is when a group of people sing a song together but each person starts the song at a different time (or if you have a large group, divide into small groups and each group would start at a different time). So the first person would sing “Row, row, row your boat” and as that person starts the next line with “gently”, the second person would start singing “Row, row, row your boat” and the rest would follow in that staggered pattern. If done well, it sounds good, so practice with your family today.

National Mustard Day – Celebrated on the first Saturday of August, this is a day to eat lots and lots of mustard. There is surprisingly, to me anyway, a Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin that has a whole mustard themed day planned for today with free hot dogs, music, games, etc. They use this event to raise money for a worthy charity.

World Wide Web Day – I'm not sure why today was chosen to celebrate the World Wide Web. As far as I can tell, it should be on August 6th since that is the day in 1991 that the WWW was open to the public. But in any case, get on the web today and look to see how far we have come in just 23 years.  Interesting factoid….WWW is actually one of the very few (perhaps even the only) acronyms that uses more syllables than the words that it is trying to shorten.

Yorkshire Day – This is a day to celebrate the English county of Yorkshire. On this day in 1834, slaves in the British Empire were freed and also on this day in 1759 the Battle of Minden was fought and won by the British during the Seven Years' War.  

World Scout Scarf Day – This is a Boy Scout celebration. Celebrations today call for all scouts, whether they are active or former, to wear their scout scarves in public today. The scarf is a symbol of the scout promise and for the scout mission to leave the world a little bit better than they found it. Sounds like a great mission to me.

U.S. Air Force Day - The Air Force was established on this day in 1907, although it was called the Aeronautical Division in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army.  I’m glad they shortened that.  This particular celebration day was established on this day in 1947 by President Truman “in recognition of the personnel of the victorious Army Air Forces and all those who have developed and maintained our nation’s air strength.”

To celebrate today, dig out your scout scarf, if you have one, and wear it today. If you don't have one, keep your eye out for scouts who are wearing their scarves today and ask them about their scouting experiences. Then invite them and your parents and your girlfriend(s) and anyone you can find that is from Yorkshire County and invite them to your house for a Lammas, Lughnasa and Air Force celebration. Get on the web and find out what kind of food is usually served at one of these celebrations and supplement it with mustard and  raspberry cream pie. Make sure you organize everyone so you can sing some rounds and pass out Spider-Man comic books. Finally, talk to your minority guests about the importance of blood, organ and tissue donations to their minority groups.

July 31, 2015

Today we celebrate:

National Raspberry Cake Day – Cake and raspberries make for a delicious combination.

Cotton Candy Day – This day is celebrated today and on December 7th. Since cotton candy is typically a summertime treat, I assume (but was not able to confirm) that the reason is that in the northern hemisphere it is summer now, but in the southern hemisphere, December 7th is summer weather.

Jump for Jelly Beans Day – This is a day to enjoy the many varieties of flavors of jelly beans. I'm not sure why jumping is included unless it is because we jump for joy when we get to eat them.  Of course, in my opinion,  it would work out better if this day occurred right before Easter when jelly beans of every imaginable kind, can be found in every store.

Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day – This is a day to celebrate musical instruments. But not your everyday ordinary flutes, violins, pianos and guitars. This is a day to celebrate the ones you don't see every day like the dulcimer or clackamore, handpan, clapsticks, marimba, and nose flute.  Really?  A nose flute?  Why would you want to do that?

Mutt's Day – Not to be confused with National Mutt Day on December 2nd. This is, however, a day to celebrate a much maligned canine. Many people disparage the mutt and look for a purebred dog. However, it has been proven that mutts can be a blend of traits from different kinds of dogs that may suit your family better than a purebred. Plus, they usually have fewer health problems than purebreds do, so don't discount a mutt before you get to know him/her better.

National Talk In An Elevator Day – Celebrated on the last Friday in July, this is a day to gather your courage, take a deep breath, and....talk in an elevator. Normally, people riding in an elevator with strangers will stay silent which can sometimes feel awkward. So break the silence today and talk about whatever comes to mind.  Word of caution, however….it might be better to talk to your fellow elevator riders and not just to yourself.  Otherwise, the awkwardness will probably skyrocket.

System Administrator Appreciation Day – System Administrators make our working lives possible these days. You would be hard pressed to find any job that does not in some way rely on a computer system in order to function, and system administrators are the ones who set up the systems, make sure they work properly, back up anything that needs to be backed up and upgrade anything that becomes out of date. Make sure you find one and thank him/her today.  This day is also celebrated on the last Friday in July.  

To celebrate everything in one day, track down a System Administrator in an office building to express your gratitude for their hard work.  While you are riding the elevator, in your search, talk to your fellow riders and play them some music on your uncommon instrument. Then, have some raspberry cake decorated with cotton candy and jelly beans for dessert tonight with your mutt.

July 30, 2015

Today we celebrate:

International Day Of Friendship – This day has been declared the official International Friendship Day by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2011, however some countries choose to celebrate this day on the first Sunday in August. It was actually begun by the greeting card industry in the 1920's in the United States, but it didn't do well because people thought it was a pretty obvious ploy to sell greeting cards. It never really gained popularity, but it never really went away either. Then, with the spread of the internet and mobile phone technology, it has spread to other countries who have adopted the sentiment behind the day wholeheartedly.  Maybe people in other countries are less cynical than Americans.

Paperback Book Day – On this day, in 1935, Penguin Books published its first paperback books.  Ten of them, in fact.  While there had been other paper covered books before, they were considered poor quality books to say the least, such as dime novels. These ten in 1935 were the first respectable books to be printed inexpensively in this manner and included authors Ernest Hemingway and Agatha Christie, as well as 8 others that you may not recognize as readily these days.

National Cheesecake Day – The flavor of the cheesecake is not specified so I think it would be acceptable to have whatever kind you like best.  I’m not particular.  I have yet to meet a cheesecake I don’t like.  I even like the Jello No Bake Cheesecake.  I pile on the mandarin oranges and I’m in heaven.

Health Care Now! Medicare's Birthday – On this day, Medicare turns 50 years old. It is the nation's most popular social program and has been providing healthcare to millions of people who would not otherwise be able to afford health care at all.

Father-In-Law Day – This is a day to honor your father-in-law. Hopefully you have a good relationship with yours so call him up today or go see him if you can and wish him a very happy day.

National Support Public Education Day – There was a petition out there on change.org that  attempted to gather support to ask the President of the United States to declare this day National Support Public Education Day. The petition was begun by the SOS Million Teacher March Organization in an effort to convince the government that public education needs the kind of support that a special day like this can give.  Unfortunately, they were only able to gather 322 signatures so it wasn’t enough.

National Chili Dog Day – Celebrated on the last Thursday in July, this is a day to celebrate chili dogs. I don’t know about this one….chili dogs do not quite qualify as food in my house, although my children disagree. If you agree with them, celebrate by eating one today. If you look around, you may find some restaurants that will give you one free if you purchase something else.

Satchmo Days – For the next four days, until August 2rd, there is a Satchmo Summerfest that celebrates Louis Armstrong, who was a famous jazz musician.  There will be music and a museum exhibition and many other events going on all day, every day.

To celebrate today, call up your father-in-law and make sure his health care plan is up to date.  Then you can read a paperback book all about public education to your friends while you all eat chili dogs and cheesecake with jazz music playing in the background.

July 29, 2015

Today we celebrate:

National Lasagna Day – Delicious layers of pasta and cheese and whatever else you like to put in your lasagna. I prefer a meat filled lasagna but vegetables are good too.

Rain Day – The history of Rain Day is too involved for me to get into here so I will post a site where you can read all about it. I will say that it began with Byron Daly in 1874 in the Daly & Spraggs Drug Store in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and involves rain, betting, hats, lots of celebrities and a Rain Day Prophet.  Fascinating!

National Chicken Wing Day – Proclaimed in 1977 by Mayor Stan Makowski of Buffalo, NY, this day has been celebrated with enthusiasm every year since. Apparently the people in Buffalo REALLY love their chicken wings and eat thousands of them every week. That is why they are sometimes called Buffalo wings.

National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day – It looks like your goal today is to catch some mice so you need to sacrifice some cheese for bait. I don't have an mouse to catch, thank goodness. If you do, better get some good cheese so they are very tempted.

Anniversary of the Army Chaplain Corps – Celebrating the Corps' 240th year of supporting the faith of the armed forces with an incredibly diverse group of Chaplains. There are a little less than 3,000 chaplains from about 130 different faith groups including a Hindu chaplain and two Buddhist chaplains who signed on a few years ago. I had no idea they supported that many different faiths. They also have Muslims, Orthodox, Jewish, as well as the standard Catholic and Christian denominations.

To celebrate everything in one day, find someone and bet a hat that it will rain today, then call up your local Army base and wish the Chaplains a Happy Anniversary while you set up a cheesy trap for your resident mice.  Then it’s a chicken wing lasagna feast for dinner tonight.  Yum?

July 28, 2015

Today we celebrate:

National Milk Chocolate Day – People have been making and eating some form of chocolate since around 1000 B.C. So it's no wonder so many of us love it. It's a part of our history. Milk chocolate is one of the sweeter varieties since it's just chock full of sugar, milk, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor.

Buffalo Soldiers Day – Started in 1992 by the United States Congress, this is a day to commemorate the first regular Army regiment of African-American soldiers formed on this day in 1866. Now in case you are confused by this, because I'm sure you know that African-American regiments fought in the Civil War several years prior to 1866, the difference is that they were not permanent regiments. This day is typically celebrated with reenactments, and museum programs, prayer services and other assorted memorials.

World Hepatitis Day – Celebrated for the last 6 years, this is a day to understand this disease and spread awareness of it around the world as well as how to avoid becoming infected and what to do if you already have it. Hepatitis B and C are considered “silent” viruses because they do not present obvious symptoms, but if you do not get the proper treatment, they can lead to life threatening complications with your liver. Both of these viruses are spread through blood to blood contact although Hepatitis B can also be spread through other body fluids.

To celebrate today, have some milk chocolate while you go online and learn about the dangers of Hepatitis and what you can do about it.  Then head out to find a Buffalo Soldiers reenactment that you can take part in.

July 27, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Take Your Pants For A Walk Day - This is a day for exercise, which is easier to do if you wear pants, hence the name of the day.  The more often you put your pants on to exercise, the better your pants will fit you, after all.  Walking is the easiest exercise to do since most people have their legs with them all of the time.  So put on your pants, and get those legs moving.

Bagpipe Appreciation Day - This day celebrates bags of air with pipes sticking out of them.  Bagpipes are a very old instrument.  They are even mentioned in the Bible.  They have been used in Scotland since before the 1700’s (different types of bagpipes began to appear there around this time) and are typically associated with that country although they are used in countries all over the world and have been for hundreds of years.  They used to be used in weddings, wars and funerals.  They are probably still used for weddings and funerals and are certainly heard from during parades as well.

Walk On Stilts Day – This is a day to practice walking on stilts. Stilt walking is an old and very entertaining method of transportation. Once you get good at it, you can cover distance faster than your regular old feet because you can take longer strides. And, until you get good at it, it is a great source of entertainment for those who are watching you learn how to walk on them.

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day –Declared by the President of the United States of America, this is a day to commemorate the 61st Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. There will be a special ceremony by the Department of Defense in Washington D.C. at 8 AM at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

National Barbie-in-a-Blender Day – This is an interesting day created by freeculture.org. This is an organization that “promotes the public interest in intellectual property and information & communications technology policy.” It was created when an artist, Tom Forsythe, was sued by Mattel for taking a picture of a Barbie doll in a blender. Mattel lost that one. And today you can celebrate your right of free speech by taking your own picture of a Barbie in a blender.

To celebrate today, take your pants for a walk on stilts while you play your bagpipes in honor of the Korean War Armistice.  Then put a Barbie in a blender and take a picture to send to your parents, which will confuse them.

July 26, 2015

Today we celebrate:

One Voice Day – On this day, the people of the world will unite at 6pm Universal Time (1pm EST) and recite the Universal Peace Covenant in one voice. This is a day to unite spiritually as well as vocally in order to proclaim your dedication to achieving world peace. You can find the Universal Peace Covenant here.

All Or Nothing Day – This is a day to risk it all.  This could be your last day on this planet, after all. You never know what the future will bring so live life like it's your last chance to do whatever it is you have been really wanting to do. Do not, however, be tempted to break any laws today because you could have quite a few years left in this life and you really don't want to spend them in jail.

National Bagelfest – All bagels, all day long today. Have as many as you can stand. Mix it up a little since bagels come in all kinds of flavors. You might even want to try your hand at making your own. I've done it and they've come out pretty good.

Aunt And Uncle Day – This is a day to honor your parent's siblings. It is not an official day yet, but there has been a movement in the works to try to make it one. What can you do today to make your aunts and uncles feel loved?

Auntie's Day – This is the seventh year celebrating this day that is just for Aunts. It is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in July and is a day to acknowledge the fact that unlike parents, aunts step in because they choose to.  They can play with their nieces and nephews when parents are too busy so they can give parents a break and occupy the kids for a while.  They spend money on the kids because they want to, not because they have to, and they have unlimited amounts of love and patience because they are not tested to the brink every day like parents are.  I couldn't find a reliable source for the origin of this day but most of us have at least one Aunt that we love dearly, or maybe you are one yourself. If you do have one, give her a call today and tell her how much you love her.

Parents' Day – This is a day to celebrate your parents or celebrate being a parent. We wouldn't be here without our parents so show them how much you appreciate their love and support over the years. And, just to be clear, it doesn't matter if your parents are biological or if you got them in some other manner. Biology doesn't make a parent, love does. This day was created in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and the U. S. Congress and is celebrated every 4th Sunday of July.  The National Parents’ Council says that this is a day for parents to honor their children and rededicate themselves to strengthen their families by demonstrating unconditional love.

To celebrate today, have a bagel for breakfast, then risk it all by doing something you have always wanted to do.  Then, take your parents, Aunts and Uncles out for dinner to show them how much you love and appreciate them.  At 1pm EST, recite the Universal Peace Covenant, which I am sure you have memorized.

July 25, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Tish B'Av – This is an annual fast day in Judaism that commemorates the destruction of the First Temple and the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The second was destroyed 655 years after the first, but on the same Hebrew calendar date. The fast begins at sundown.

National Wine And Cheese Day - Created by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, this is a day to celebrate a popular combination of flavors.  Who doesn’t like wine and cheese together? Well….me, I guess, since I can’t really eat cheese.  But I used to like it and there are lots of people with very refined tastes who can tell you which cheese goes best with which wine.  I have never been that good and I would eat any cheese with any wine and think it was delicious.

National Hot Fudge Sundae Day – Does anyone really need an excuse to have a hot fudge sundae? Well, if you do, I've just given it to you. You’re welcome!

Carousel Day or Merry-Go-Round Day – This is a day to celebrate Carousels. They were invented in 1871 by William Schneider and children and adults have enjoyed them ever since. Although the antique wooden carousels that were carved in the late 1800s and early 1900s are quickly becoming extinct, you can find a few around that have been restored. Otherwise, the newer ones still go round and round so they are fun as well.

Culinarians Day – This is a day for people who love food and love to cook. This kind of person is considered to be a chef whether it's a hobby or a living. This is not a day to simply cook. It is a day to create, or if you do not have that talent, it is a day to order and enjoy food made by those who do.

Thread The Needle Day – This is a term that can either refer to sewing or to the fine line that is found between two difficult decisions. I'm unsure which we are celebrating today so feel free to use whichever suits your situation.

Paddle For Perthes Disease Awareness Day – Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is a disease that causes problems with the blood supply to the hips. Without enough blood, the bones break easily and do not heal well. So, to celebrate today, we don't use our legs much, hence the paddling. Paddle your canoe, or kayak or small boat or raft to show support for those who suffer from this disease. This day is always celebrated on the last Saturday of July.

National Dance Day – Begun by Nigel Lythgoe and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton in 2010, this is a day to celebrate dancing and other forms of physical fitness in order to have a healthy lifestyle and fight obesity.  This is celebrated on the last Saturday in July.

National Day Of The Cowboy – Founded by the American Cowboy magazine in 2004, this is a day to promote our cowboy history and protect our Western heritage. I didn’t know there was an American Cowboy magazine.  I’ll have to check it out.  This day is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of July, which is not the same thing as the last Saturday in July as the previous couple of days.  So every now and then, they will fall on a different Saturday so you’ll have to pay attention.

To celebrate today, take a ride on a Merry-Go-Round before you go find a cowboy so you can take him canoeing and give him the hot fudge sundae that you are attempting to keep cold.  Next, go dancing and enjoy a wine and cheese snack.  Finally, thread the needle and make a decision about which culinary delight you will experience tonight for dinner, which you must eat before sundown.

Jul 24, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints Pioneer Day – This is a holiday in Utah that remembers the entry of Brigham Young and his group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on this day in 1847. This day is celebrated by staging reenactments, dances, potlucks and pioneer games.  Celebrations do not have to take place today, each Church will schedule them as fits their calendar.

Cousins Day – This is a day to celebrate cousins. Find a way to spend some time with them today or talk to them and let them know how much you love them.

National Drive-Thru Day – This is a day to celebrate businesses that allow you to not ever get out of your car. Drive-thru restaurants, or drive-thru pharmacies, or even drive-thru stores in some areas, are some of the options you have open to you today. I hope your car is comfortable.

Amelia Earhart Day – Amelia was born on this day in 1897 in Kansas. She was only the 16th woman to be issued a pilot's license. She became famous for being the first person to fly over both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Sadly, she was attempting to fly around the earth when she disappeared and was never seen again. The assumption is that she had plane trouble and went down somewhere in the ocean but there is a lot of mystery involved since many of her personal belongings have been found on various Pacific islands.

National Tequila Day – I'm told that tequila is very good and can be mixed into some delicious drinks. But when I was young, I saw a television show where a man drank tequila out of a dirty glass and there was a disgusting worm at the bottom of it. Even today the thought of drinking tequila turns my stomach. Call me crazy if you want to, I don't mind.

Tell An Old Joke Day – Laughter is a great medicine. Today is a day to get it working for you by telling an old joke to someone. Just make sure it's a good joke, and if you need to find someone who hasn't heard it before, try neighborhood children for your audience. Well, as long is it isn't a dirty joke.

To celebrate today, visit a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints near you to see if they have any fun Pioneer Day activities going on.  Then tell an old joke to the person manning the drive thru while you get some food to share with your cousins.  Finally, have some tequila while you tell your kids about Amelia Earhart’s life.

July 23, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Batman Day - This day was created last year by DC Entertainment to honor Batman’s 75th Anniversary.  It is an opportunity for fans to dress up as Batman on a day besides Halloween.  This day was celebrated last year by comic book stores and other smallish books stores all over.  If you inquire at your favorite comic book store, they might be doing something to celebrate this year as well even though it is his 76th Anniversary.

International Yada Yada Yada Day  - This is a Seinfeld day.  If you’re a fan, no explanation is needed.  If you’re not, I’m not sure I have enough space in this blog to explain.  You’ll have to watch a few old episodes and then, yada yada yada...you’ll understand.

National Hot Dog Day - The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council in the United States designated this day as National Hot Dog Day. They give advice on hot dog eating etiquette (who knew there was hot dog eating etiquette?) and encourage the nation to have special hot dog eating contests and family friendly activities like face painting and wiener dog races in order to celebrate. And, of course, eat hot dogs.

National Vanilla Ice Cream Day – Some consider vanilla ice cream to be a rather bland and boring flavor, but I disagree. I love it because it can be paired with almost anything. I personally like to mix vanilla ice cream and butterscotch pudding.

Gorgeous Grandma Day – This is a day to give your gorgeous grandma a call and maybe even a visit if you can. Grandmas are precious.  Sometimes you don't even realize how precious they are until they are gone. You never know how much time you have left with yours. Don't waste a moment of it.

To celebrate everything in one day, have some hot dogs and vanilla ice cream with your gorgeous grandma while you read Batman comics and watch Seinfeld.