January 26, 2018

Today we celebrate:


International Customs Day - This is a day to recognize the efforts of Customs officials in every country to keep their borders safe. A lot of people don’t realize the dangers of bringing exotic plants and animals to different countries where they could wreak havoc on the ecosystem. Combine this with the ingenuity of smugglers and other criminals who try to get away with all manner of things when crossing borders and you have a very interesting work day.

National Peanut Brittle Day – This is a day to celebrate one of the first kinds of candy ever created. It's a little tricky to make since most recipes say you need a candy thermometer in order to regulate the exact temperature. It makes you wonder how they made it in ancient times, but somehow they managed because most cultures that had molasses, sugar or honey made some kind of brittle type candy.

National Pistachio Day – Pistachios don't last long in this house, almost all of us love them and they disappear almost before I can even get the groceries put away. Make sure you stock up if you have a similar situation.

Spouse's Day – If you have a spouse, this is a great day for you. This is better than Valentine's Day or your Anniversary because you don't have to think about what to get him/her for a gift. Today is all about spending time with your spouse, not spending money. Do something together that you enjoy. If you live in a warm area, go on a picnic. If it's cold where you are, snuggle up under a blanket and watch a movie together. Or just sit in the living room with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and talk like you never usually have time to do anymore.

Australia Day – This is the National Day of Australia. It celebrates this day in 1788 which was when the first fleet of British ships arrived at Sydney Cove, New South Wales, and the Flag of Great Britain was raised by Governor Arthur Phillip. Of course, I am publishing this the evening before in the United States on Eastern Standard Time, which means that it has been January 26th for quite a few hours in Australia.

Lotus 1-2-3 Day – On this day in 1983, Lotus 1-2-3 was launched by the Lotus Development Corporation. I'm going to date myself and tell you I have fond memories of using 1-2-3. I am not old enough to have used the original version, but that's only because my parents didn't own a computer at that time. It was used on IBM PC's and required two disk drives and at least 192K of memory, which seems kind of ridiculous now.

Toad Hollow Day Of Encouragement – There is an 1800's era school house located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and that is where this day comes from. Ralph Morrison organized a nonprofit group to create an 1800's style park for storytelling, Civil War reenactments and classes on candle making, blacksmithing, etc. They called it Toad Hollow and it was staffed with volunteers who called themselves “Voluntoads.” They had a passion for helping others and this day grew out of that passion. Today is all about encouraging others with kind words and supportive actions.

Earned Income Tax Credit Day - On this day, the IRS teams up with community organizations, state and local governments, schools, employers and anyone else who wants to join in, for the purpose of making sure that low to middle income people get all the tax credits they deserve. This is the 11th anniversary of this day and along with providing information on the Earned Income Tax Credit, they will be happy to talk to you about the Premium Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and American Opportunity Tax Credit, among others. This day seems to be celebrated on the 4th Friday in January, but I’m not 100% sure about that. I do know that it is always right around the end of January. https://www.eitc.irs.gov/Partner-Toolkit/awarenessday

National Activity Professionals Day - Activity Professionals work in nursing homes and other similar places to make sure that the life of the residents of the home is mentally and physically active. They plan activities and special events regularly so the residents can be as involved as they would like to be. Without them, a nursing home or assisted living facility would just be a place to go and sit and wait to die. This day is celebrated on the fourth Friday ofJanuary. http://naap.info/about-naap/history-of-naap/

Fun At Work Day – This is a day to have fun at work. Work is not usually something you think of as fun but it is what you make of it. Find a way to incorporate some fun in your work day today with your co-workers, whether they like it or not, which is part of the fun! This day is celebrated on the last Friday of January.

National Pre-school Fitness Day – Celebrated on the last Friday of January, this is a day to get those little people into the exercise habit. Get those little arms lifting those weights, take them jogging with you, train them to swim a couple of miles. They're little but strong, they can do it! Right after their afternoon snooze.

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