April 7, 2016

Today we celebrate:


National Alcohol Screening Day - Begun in 1999 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this is a day to raise awareness of the fact that alcohol abuse and alcoholism are disorders that can be treated.  Many people think they can handle their addictions so they don’t seek help until they hit rock bottom and come to the realization that they really can’t do it alone.  Well, there is help for you. Go to a screening center today and they will help you. Every person and every situation is unique but they can handle that.

Public Television Day - This is a day to support your local Public Television station.  They put lots of kid friendly shows on there and have lots of interesting shows for adults as well. From documentaries, to theater, to mysteries.  Tune in today and see what you might like to watch.

Empowered Women Entrepreneurs Day - This is a day that unites thousands of female entrepreneurs all over the world.  They connect in order to gain inspiration from each other and to help each other build networks and strengthen their businesses and their resolve to succeed.

International Day of Reflection of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide - Created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003, this day is for the purpose of remembering the genocide that happened in Rwanda beginning on this day in 1994. They hope that the world will avoid future genocides by learning from the ones that have happened in the past. They also want to support the survivors and help them with the challenges they face every day.

National Pet Health Insurance Day - On this day in 1982, VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance) issued the very first pet insurance policy to Lassie’s owners. Now I do sincerely hope that I don’t need to tell you who Lassie was.  Even if you are too young to have seen the original show, Lassie is probably the most famous dog in television history. But that is not the point of the day.  The point is that for many people, pet insurance has made owning a pet and caring for it the way it should be cared for, an affordable option.  I don’t know when the last time you went to a vet was, but let me tell you that it can be a very expensive proposition. Although not nearly as expensive as a people doctor, it can still be far too expensive for people who are not in the top 10 percent of income earners.

Tater Day – This is a day that began in 1843 in Kentucky when townspeople would gather to trade with sweet potato slips which are used to grow sweet potatoes. Nowadays it involves carnivals and games and rides and sweet potato related contests.

National Coffee Cake Day – This is a day to have some coffee cake with your friends.  If you have time, homemade coffee cake is best. If not, don’t worry because store bought coffee cake is pretty good too.

No Housework Day – This is my kind of day. Today you do not have to do any housework whatsoever. No vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, washing clothes, anything! Yay!  I was not able to learn how these things will get done if you don’t do them.  Clearly not vacuuming or dusting for the day won’t cause your house to descend into filth, but in my house the dishes pile up very quickly and I’m not willing to live with that.  Fortunately for me, I have children who can do this chore for me.

World Health Organization Day – On this day in 1948, the World Heath Organization was founded. Every year, a different health related theme is focused on. This year the theme is “Beat Diabetes”.

International Beaver Day – Today is a day to learn all about beavers. Maybe even take a field trip to see a beaver dam.  We have long underestimated the importance of beavers to the preservation of our water systems and the prevention of pollution and erosion.  We need to encourage the beaver populations to increase in numbers before it’s too late.

International Snailpapers Day – Created by Dan Bloom, this day celebrates newspapers. Actual newspapers that are delivered to the bottom of your driveway every day or weekend or however often you get them. IF you get them, that is, because not that many people do anymore.  More and more people get their news from other sources like the internet these days.  It probably won’t be too long before you won’t be able to get newspapers any more so get them while you can.

Metric System Day – On this day in 1795, the metric system was legalized in France. France was the first country that legally recognized the validity of this method of measurement. A meter was defined as one ten millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator going through Paris.

National Beer Day – Well, Prohibition didn’t work for anyone except for organized crime which made a fortune selling illegal alcohol.  So on this day in 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (which invalidated the 18th Amendment that created Prohibition) kicked in and made alcohol legal again.  People all over the country celebrated by drinking responsibly and never, ever drove vehicles while intoxicated.  At least that’s how I heard the story from my grandparents.  They wouldn’t lie to me, would they?

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