May 20, 2015

Today we celebrate:

World Autoimmune Arthritis Day – Two years ago, this became the first global online awareness celebration. It is hosted by many groups and organizations in the Autoimmune Arthritis community. It is going to be online again this year. It is an interactive, live, virtual convention that lasts for 47 hours and is free. This day was chosen for celebrations because in 2012, the first solar eclipse of the century occurred which the organizers used to symbolize the misunderstandings surrounding Autoimmune Arthritis Diseases.

Be A Millionaire Day – I could not determine the origins of this day but it seems to be about most everyone's desire to be a millionaire. I could not find any good advice on how to make it happen so maybe you should play the lottery today. That seems to be the quickest way.

Pick Strawberries Day – This is the season for picking strawberries. They are best when you pick them yourself and eat them while they are still warm from the sunshine. Call the place you usually go to pick them first, however. The weird weather we have all experienced has delayed a lot of their growth this year.

Eliza Doolittle Day – Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character from the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw in 1912. You may know it better by the musical version called My Fair Lady. I was not able to figure out why she rates her own day or why it needed to be this day.

Weights & Measures Day – On this day in 1875, an international treaty was signed establishing an International Bureau of Weights and Measures. Clearly an important organization, but I can't help but think that if it were not created, would we all be as concerned about measuring how much we weigh?

National Employee Health & Fitness Day – Vanderbilt University recognizes the third Wednesday of May as a day to stress physical activity and eating healthy. They have many events throughout the day to celebrate including places where you can go to get a healthy breakfast-to-go, Zumba classes outside, a walking relay and a 3 mile run.

National Quiche Lorraine Day – This dish was apparently named after the Lorraine region of France and dates back to the 6th century. It is the original quiche recipe, all others are mere adaptations.

Turn Beauty Inside Out Day – Also celebrated on the third Wednesday in May, this is a day to look inside yourself and see the beauty within. Physical beauty is skin deep and the most beautiful person in the world could be ugly on the inside. Conversely, the person who society sees as ugly on the outside could be the most beautiful, generous, wonderful person on the inside.  Today is a day to let your inner beauty shine through to the world.

To celebrate today, do some self reflection to see the beauty within yourself and then run to the store to get a lottery ticket before you take some arthritis medicine to help you survive your run to a farm to pick strawberries without a great deal of pain.  Then watch My Fair Lady with your kids while you eat Quiche Lorraine, which you carefully weighed so you can eat a perfect portion.

May 19, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Boy's Club and Girl's Club Day – This day celebrates the Boy's Clubs and Girl's Clubs that provide safe activities for our children all over the country. Parents need a safe place for their children to go when they have to work and these clubs fill that need. The first Boy's Club was begun in 1860 and in 1906 the Boys and Girls Clubs of America began operations and they have expanded to more than 4,300 locations.

National Devil's Food Cake Day – Rich and moist and delicious, this is one of my favorite cakes.

May Ray Day – This is a day with two purposes. The first is to celebrate the warmth the sun provides for our enjoyment and for our ability to grow things, and the second is to celebrate everyone named Ray. I suspect you may think I am kidding about this, but I assure you that this is a real day.

World Inflammatory Bowel Disease Day - More than 5 million people around the world suffer from IBD’s such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.  There will be events taking place around this time, although not necessarily on this day, in the more than 40 participating countries.  Many of the events will be in the form of charity walks, runs and open discussions with doctors.

National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day – This is a day to spread awareness of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among Asians and Pacific Islanders. This is a disease that does not care where its victims are from. Find out how to protect yourselves.

To celebrate today, see your doctor about your IBD issues before you call up your Asian and Pacific Islander friends who are named Ray, to make sure they are aware of the dangers of HIV/AIDS.  Finally, head to a Boys and Girls Club to share some Devil’s Food Cake.

May 18, 2015

Today we celebrate:

I Love Reese's Day – This day was created by popular demand. I found a rumor that said “nearly 40,000 fans” joined a campaign on Facebook and said they wanted this delectable treat to have its own day. I can see that happening and if it's true, I'm a little surprised it was only 40,000. Clearly, their efforts were successful.

Accountant's Day or Accounting Day – Today is a day to celebrate the number crunchers in our lives. Some people just “get” numbers, and everything associated with them, easier than others. For some, addition is a daily challenge. Accountants, on the other hand, can whiz through math problems and multi-million dollar budgets in moments. Give them a hand today, because if they can do it, we don't have to.  The first Accounting Day may have been held in 1972 but that is not for sure.  This day is always celebrated on a Monday in May, but there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason as to which Monday.

International Museum Day – This day was created in 1977 by the International Council of Museums for the purpose of increasing awareness of the importance of museums in society. They were probably also hoping to increase the number of people visiting the thousands of museums sprinkled around the country. Well, it worked, attendance has been increasing steadily ever since. Last year, more than 35,000 museums participated in this day by hosting special events in 145 countries.  The theme for this year is “Museums for a sustainable society.”

No Dirty Dishes Day – I am not sure how this day is supposed to work unless you eat out for all of your meals today. The goal is to have no dirty dishes to wash today. Which I approve of wholeheartedly. I don't know of anyone who likes washing dishes but I can't really condone the idea of using paper plates all day because if everyone does this, the landfills will be overflowing. I just got a great idea! Have the kids wash the dishes today!

Visit Your Relatives Day – This is a day for family. Reconnect with family members you haven't seen in a while and spend some time with older members of your family. You never know how long you will have left with them.

National Cheese Souffle Day – I have made a lot of things, but I have never made a souffle. Maybe I'll try this recipe tonight.

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day – Sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, this is a day to learn about the work that is being done by thousands of scientists, health professionals, and volunteers with the goal of creating an HIV vaccine.  They have already made tremendous breakthroughs.  I heard of a baby who was born with HIV, but now, after treatment, doesn’t have a trace of it left in his body.  They are watching him to see what happens long term, but it is very hopeful news.

Victoria Day – The last Monday before May 25th is a federal Canadian Public Holiday in honor of Queen Victoria's birthday. This has been a holiday for Canada on different days around the 24th of May, (the Queen's actual birthday) since 1845 but was finally put on this Monday format in 1953.

To celebrate today, go out for breakfast so you don’t dirty any of your dishes, then head to a Museum to see what special things they have going on.  Next, visit your relatives for a cheese souffle lunch, again sparing your dishes from getting dirty, while you make sure they know about the latest advances in the HIV vaccine.  Finally, visit your neighbors for dinner, completing your goal of no dirty dishes today, and share some Reese’s with them for dessert.  Don’t forget to call your favorite Accountant wish them a Happy Victoria Day.

May 17, 2015

Today we celebrate:

World Telecommunications and Information Society Day – Celebrated every year since 1969, this is a day to mark the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on this day in 1865. Yes, believe it or not, people did communicate back then. I'm not sure how they got a string long enough to connect the soup cans in other countries, but somehow they managed to communicate.  This is usually celebrated on May 17th, but whenever that falls on a Saturday, the powers that be move it to the 16th.

Pack Rat Day – This is a day to 'fess up. Who, among us, is a pack rat? I admit that I fight the urge to hoard certain things. Every now and then I have to force myself to clean out a closet or a room just so it doesn't get out of hand.

National Cherry Cobbler Day – Cobblers have been around since Colonial days. They are made with a little more sophistication now, of course, since we don’t cook them over a fire anymore, but they are still just as popular.

World Neurofibromatosis Awareness Day (NF Day) – This is a genetic condition that causes a wide variety of symptoms including learning disabilities, ADHD, headaches, scoliosis, bowed legs, thickening of the optic nerve, tumors, and more. Researchers are working to invent treatments and, hopefully, a cure.

National NASCAR Day – This day has been celebrated for the last twelve years.   I'm not a big NASCAR fan, but my grandmother was when she was alive, to my astonishment.  Just when you think you know someone, something like this comes out. Today drivers, millions of fans, media, businesses and more will work together to raise money for a variety of charities that NASCAR endorses.

World Hypertension Day – This day was created by the World Hypertension League which is affiliated with the International Society of Hypertension. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of hypertension, the symptoms and available treatments. People all over the world need to learn how to prevent the onset of this disease or, if it's too late to prevent, they need to learn how to control it before it kills them.

Syttende Mai – If you do not speak (or read) Norwegian, allow me to inform you that this is Norwegian Constitution Day. The name Syttende Mai means May Seventeenth.  The Constitution of Norway was signed on this day in 1814 at Eidsvoll, declaring Norway to be an independent nation. Interestingly, Norway was under Swedish rule at the time and the King of Sweden didn't allow this day to be celebrated until 1829.

Neighbor Day – There are a number of these days sprinkled around the year.  September 28, May 30, and March 29 all come to mind.  But this particular day was begun in 1993 in Rhode Island because of a tragedy which ended in the loss of one life and the incarceration of another. The hope of this day is to get to know your neighbors, be concerned for them and be willing to help them when they need it and, hopefully, they will do the same for you. We celebrate this day on the Sunday before Memorial Day Weekend.

To celebrate today, call your Norwegian friends to wish them a Happy Syttende Mai, then hop in your race car and see if you can beat all the other cars to the doctor’s office to get checked for Hypertension and Neurofibromatosis problems.  When you get home, call all your neighbors to see if they need some help with their pack rat issues before you sit down to enjoy some cherry cobbler.