October 17, 2016

Today we celebrate:


International Adjust Your Chair Day - Celebrated on the third Monday in October, this is a day to fix your chair. Lots of people just plop down in their office chair every day and start working away at a computer. But if your chair is not adjusted properly for you, you could be causing yourself a world of hurt in the long run. It’s worth the few minutes needed to adjust it so you are sitting in an ergonomically correct position for your body.

Boss's Day (or National Boss's Day) – This is a day to celebrate your Boss. Maybe give them a small, tasteful gift, or invite them out for lunch, or simply wish them a Happy Day today. This day has been celebrated since 1958 when Patricia Bays Haroski selected it to honor her boss at the Illinois State Farm Insurance Company. Her boss also happened to be her father and this was his birthday. This day is always on October 16th, unless that day falls on a weekend in which case it is celebrated on the day before or the day after.

Black Poetry Day – This day celebrates Jupiter Hammon. Mr. Hammon was the first American man of color 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.

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 traditional ziti shape.

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 with the late great John Ritter, among many other very talented actors including Don Knotts. On that show, one of the characters, 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 who 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?

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.

National Edge Day - This is a day that celebrates the group of people who identify themselves as a subculture called “Straight Edge.” They use the abbreviation “sXe” and they are hardcore punk individuals who do not use alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs. Many also avoid promiscuity, prescription medications and caffeine and choose to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. This day has been celebrated every year since 1999 when it was begun with an “Edge Fest” in Boston, Massachusetts with live performances by hardcore bands, and it has spread to many large cities in America as well as London, England and Gothenburg, Sweden.

Spreadsheet Day - Created by Debra Dalgleish in 2010, this is a day to celebrate all the things that spreadsheets can help us do as well as all of the challenges that come with using them. I use spreadsheets almost daily both at work and at home, but I also talk to a lot of people who have trouble figuring out how to do what they want to do with the program. This day was selected because the first spreadsheet program, VisiCalc, was launched on this day in 1979.


Multicultural Diversity Day - Also on the third Monday in October, this day was created by Cleorah Scruggs from Flint, Michigan, and adopted by the Representative Assembly in 1993. It is a day to share your culture with others and to be receptive when others share their cultures with you.

World Trauma Day - Trauma is defined as “any injury caused to the body.” This is a day to raise awareness of the increases in the rates of injuries caused by accidents. Many injuries are life threatening, life stealing, or life changing and all too often they are preventable.  


National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day – Celebrated on the third Monday of October, this is a day to look at your computer desktop. How many icons do you have on there that you don't even use...ever! Can you even see your desktop picture? Can you quickly find what you need when you need it? Depending on your answers to these questions, you may need to take some time today to clean up your desktop so that you can work more effectively and efficiently.

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