Mar10: Middle Name Pride Day

Summary: Middle Name Pride Day honors the seldom used middle name that often sets you apart from others. It was selected with care, so you should be proud of it.

Here's two big reasons to be proud of your middle name:

First, there are plenty of John Smiths and and Mary Jones. Its the middle name your parents gave you that makes your name unique. (unless they gave you Lee or Ann)

Second, your parents chose your middle name with great care. It often was selected to honor a friend or relative. That person may have possessed certain characteristics that they want you to inherit. (unless they gave you Lee or Ann)

Do you know why your were given your middle name? If not, todays the day to find out. If it was in honor of someone, find out a little more about that person.

We encourage you to enjoy your middle name on Middle Name Pride Day, and every day!

Note: Middle Name Pride Day is uniquely different from Name Yourself Day.

Synopsis: I have really struggled with how best to celebrate this amazing day. Part of my struggle was whether to celebrate it with the middle name I was given at birth, or the middle name I "chose" when I got married. I think I have decided to celebrate it by sharing 2 funny stories that occurred when I was in the process of changing my name.

Story 1: In the summer of 2004 I had been on vacation for a week or so and was confronted with a difficult customer on my first day back. It was a customer that I had not worked with previously, and I think I must have been in a "just back from vacation" happy mood because I really went out of my way to give her great service. I spent HOURS on my first day back hand-holding through how to use our document management system -- something I normally would have just sent her the documentation to figure out herself. She ended up calling one of the VPs and reporting that I had been very unhelpful! I was so upset!

The following spring I got married. Sometime afterwards I sent out an email to all users of the document management system. She ended up replying back to me and commenting on my (new) last name. She asked if I had family in Ecuador, and I responded that my husband had family in Ecuador. We ended up having a very nice email exchange, and I relished in the fact that she had no idea that I was the same person she had been so rude to the past summer. New name, new me!

Story 2: Post-wedding, I headed over to the Social Security office to get my name officially changed. I really had no idea what to expect from that whole process, so I was staring at the form and trying to determine what my ""new"" name would be. My mom was a 4-name person (ie. her original first middle last names + her married last name). I did not want 4 names. I settled on dropping my original middle name, and I am definitely happy with that decision. Not because I didn't like my original middle name (shout out on the queenb blog subtitle to it), but just because I am happy to have kept my maiden name in the mix. Anyhoo.... I was talking to my mom post-name-change and updating her on my trip to the social security office. The conversation went something like this:

Me: yeah, I just dropped my middle name
Mom: you didn't just drop your middle name
Me: yeah, I'm pretty sure I did. it's not there anymore
Mom: you can't just drop it
Me: no, I promise. It's no longer on my social security card. Isn't that like the official record or something?
Mom: *still not believing this is the current state*

I guess I just didn't really stop to think that she was probably flashing back on the hours that she and my dad had spent researching, arguing over, and coming to agreement on why I should be Queen B instead of Mary Ruth. I guess it was a little insensitive of me to just do away with all of that hard work. But I didn't want 4 names!"

Mar9: Panic Day

Summary: Try to stay calm. Take a deep breath. For today is Panic Day. Can you handle today? Good, we were worried for a moment. Hopefully, everything is going just swell in your life, and you have no need for this day. But, if problems and troubles are looming, try to hold off hitting the panic button until this day arrives. Don't worry. Don't fret. and, above all, don't panic. However, if ever there was a day to panic, today is that day. As you get through this unsettling day, you have another day to worry about.......International Panic Day.

Synopsis: I had a li'l bit of Panic on Panic Day. Someone shared with me a rumor that this project I was hoping would wrap up in the next few months might drag out for a whole year and then get completely scrapped. Yeah… panic. Fingers crossed that it was just a rumor!

Mar8: International (Working) Women's Day

Summary: International Women's Day is sponsored worldwide by the United Nations. The roots of this celebration goes back to the late 1800's to early 1900s. It grew from women's socialist movements and early women's trade union groups.

The first International Women's Day was held March 19, 1911. Women socialists and trade unions held an earlier Women's Day on the last Sunday in February, 1908. The event grew from there and has been celebrated annually since. The focus is upon women workers, and advancing women's rights in the workforce, politics and society.

Synopsis: I celebrated International Working Women's Day by working. Isn't a "working woman" code name for a hooker? I did not do that…. Just normal working. Remember: I'm in charge!

Mar6: National Frozen Food Day

Summary: National Frozen Food Day celebrates all those yummy foods and snacks in your freezer. Sure, the invention of the freezer made this day possible. But, the methods and techniques of preparing and freezing foods is what makes frozen foods taste great, look great and store in a frozen state until you need them. Imagine how your busy life would be if you didn't have a frozen dinner to pop into the microwave in between a late day at work and your evening event. You'd have to stop and make a dinner from scratch!

Synopsis: Thanks to my trip to the store Saturday night, I did not participate in this day via a frozen dinner. However, I did have a frozen treat :) I have been so completely in love with Dreyer's Berry Sherbet lately, but the store has been out of it way too often. The King got an alternative.... Dreyer's Orange Cream. I added some chocolate sauce to it, which I was a little unsure about but thought that National Frozen Food Day would be a great time to experiment. Added some whipped cream on top and ENJOYED :) whew. That was pretty much the extent of my frozen food consumption. I do keep my coffee in the freezer, so I guess that counts, too?

Mar5: Multiple Personality Day

Summary: Multiple Personality Day is an opportunity to get in touch with yourselves. Someone with a split personality has two personalities. Someone with multiple personalities has more than two personalities. Its a psychological disorder that we hope none of our readers have. Don't be surprised to find yourself surrounded by people who are talking to themselves today. You might find yourself talking to yourself, too! When you wish someone "Happy Multiple Personalty Day", you may need to do so multiple times, once for each personality.

Synopsis: The voices in my head fought. One voice said, "HIBERNATE! Don't get dressed, don't do anything." The other voice said, "get up, work out, do the dishes, fold the laundry, go to the store." In the end, the third voice helped them reach a compromise, so I fully celebrated Multiple Personality Day. I did do stuff, but I also lounged around a lot :)

Mar4: Holy Experiment Day

Summary: Holy Experiment Day is a day to try something religious. It is a chance to try something, or ask for something, and to measure the results.

There are a lot of things that can be viewed as religious or holy experiments. Some examples could be:

• Pray for someone to get better
• Pray for snow
• Pray for your team to win the superbowl
• Pray someone will ask you on a date
• Try saying grace at dinner and see if others join you
• Try to get a person to attend religious services
• Plan to convert someone to your religion

In our examples above, God may grant all, some, or none of the desired results. He may be too busy with the problems of the world to make it snow. He definitely doesn't have a favorite sports team. The Lord truely works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, he has his own plans for an outcome that we may not understand.

We don't want to discourage holy experiments. Quite the opposite, we think they are good. We just believe you shouldn't judge the results. Your religious beliefs will be strengthen and you will be closer to God. So, participate in Holy Experiment Day to its fullest.

Synopsis: As many of y'all know, ABBA had a dream as a child of becoming Pope. Sadly, she came to realize that this was an impossible dream.

A few months ago, my SIL's kiddos came up to Dallas to visit their favorite family members. My nephew brought a surprise with him - he (and his crazy dad, Mr. Big Ed) had gotten my MIL's boyfriend ordained as a high priest. As he was telling the story, he mentioned that you could choose your title - you could even be Pope! I immediately latched onto this and have been planning to get ABBA ordained as Pope (finally!). I decided that Holy Experiment Day would be the perfect day to do this.

There are 2 unfortunates to the story (1) it takes several days to get approved, which I had not budgeted into my plan. (2) now that the process has been kicked off, I have found that Pope is NOT actually one of the options :(

So... ABBA.... please choose your title from this list. (I highlighted some of my favorite options)

PS: I really don't understand why you can be Avatar but not Pope....

Mar4: Employee Appreciation Day

Summary: If the boss can get a Bosses Day, then it's only fair and appropriate that you, the employee, gets a day in your honor. Employee Appreciation Day honors employees everywhere. Celebrations today should be created and executed by your company. Recognitions vary widely, and may include a lunch, snack, cakes, or other munchies, and small recognition gifts. Don't expect a day off. Chances are, it just won't happen. As we researched this day, we wondered if it was a coincidence that Employee's Day and Bosses Day are six months apart.....hmmmmmm.

Synopsis: I waited around ALL DAY to be appreciated. Then I remembered that I really don't participate in Boss' Day, so why was I expecting appreciation? I capped the day off with a good dose of margaritas and appreciated myself!

Mar3: If Pets Had Thumbs Day

Summary: If Pets Had Thumbs Day leaves you wondering what would happen if.......

One thing that sets man apart from many other species on the planet is an opposable thumb. It allows us to do many things that other creatures can't do.

Now imagine what it would be like if your pet had thumbs. Do you get a clear image of your pet with thumbs? Are you seeing your pet doing things with their new thumb? If so, your mind is in spirit with today.

Note: If you have a pet monkey, you already know what it would be like for your pet to have thumbs.

Synopsis: I celebrated If Pets Had Thumbs Day by operating under the assumption that the puppies had thumbs. I asked them to open jars, do handstands, engage in a thumb wrestling competition. I think they got kinda pissed at me…

Mar2: Old Stuff Day

Summary: When asking someone "What's new?" or "What's happening?", how often do you hear "Nothing really, same old stuff". Well, today, is Old Stuff Day, in recognition of this all too common response. It is suggestive of a boring time period, or a boring life style. ....how sad.

Old Stuff Day is not a day to do the same old stuff. Rather, it's a time to recognize the boring nature of your daily routine, and make some exciting changes. Find new and different activities, projects, and hobbies. Attend an event. Do something, anything, different. You will be glad that you did!

Synopsis: In honor of Old Stuff Day, I shared the fascinating clip from the Today Show where they examined what exactly this internet thing is.

PS: Yes, you'll note that I don't like the "opposite" approach they have to celebrating a day called Old Stuff Day (why celebrate by NOT doing Old-Stuff-related things?!

Mar1: Peanut Butter Lovers' Day

Summary: Today is a sticky day. National Peanut Butter Lover's Day salutes America's favorite sandwich spread. What kid didn't grow up loving a PB&J sandwich? It's a staple in our house.

Smooth Peanut Butter is by far the most popular. Crunchy peanut butter is also on the market, and is enjoyed by many. Peanut Butter is not limited to a Peanut Butter and Jelly (PB&J) sandwich. It's popular on crackers, celery and other "peanut butter" holders. It is also used in recipes for cookies and snacks. And, don't forget peanut butter candies, too!

Did you Know? Peanut Butter is 90% or more peanuts. While it has no artificial preservatives, an opened jar is stored on a shelf at room temperature.

Celebrate today with a little (or a lot) of Peanut Butter. If you can, make your own Peanut Butter. Its a fun project that the kids will enjoy doing with you.

Noe: If you don't get enough peanut butter today, April 2nd is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. and September 13th is National Peanut Day.

Synopsis: I celebrated Peanut Butter Lovers' Day by demolishing my box of Do-Si-Dos! YUM

February/March Updates

Things I did in February:

• American Heart Month - I did celebrate this by using the heart stickers to count off days on my calendar
• Canned Food Month - had some soup
• Great American Pie Month
• National Cherry Month - had some cherry pie!
• National Children’s Dental Health Month - brushed the dogs' teeth :)
• National Weddings Month - attended a lovely one

March Monthly Celebrations:

• Irish American Month - I'm planning the Euro11 trip, which features Ireland
• Music in Our Schools Month - not really sure how I can help out with this, other than watching American Idol
• National Craft Month - I'll outsource.... any volunteers?
• National Frozen Food Month - hmmm... I did buy a frozen dinner on Sunday out of fear the King was not cooking dinner. Guess I'll find a night to enjoy that. Oh, and I've been indulging in some Dreyer's Berry Sherbet pretty much nightly.
• National Nutrition Month - um.... not sure how the frozen foods/ice cream fit into this
• National Peanut Month - I generally enjoy peanuts Monday - Friday
• National Women's History Month - celebrate us!
• Poetry Month - maybe I will share a poem
• Red Cross Month - not participating
• Social Workers Month - not participating

Feb28: Public Sleeping Day

Summary: Public Sleeping Day is an opportunity to sleep in public. We can think of a whole lot of places to sleep in the public eye. And, today is the day to do it. You can sleep on a park bench. You can doze on a blanket on the beach. Some people may opt to sleep on the job. They do so at their own risk. Have you ever caught twenty winks on a bus or subway traveling to or from work? Sure, we all have.

Synopsis: I worked from home. There was some sleeping going on.

Feb27: No Brainer Day

Summary: By definition, a "No brainer" is dong something that is simple, easy, obvious, and/or totally logical. Therefore, today is the day for you to do all those "no brainer" tasks and activities. If a project requires thinking, study, or analysis of any kind, then its not the chore to do today. Some people think that Christmas should be every day of the year. They even sing that theme in popular holiday songs. But, we think that No Brainer Day should be every day of the year.

Synopsis: Oh, did I celebrate this! After church and lunch with my parents, I spent the day working on my DVR list. You might get this day confused with National Nothing Day, but it really is a completely different concept!

Feb26: Carnival Day

Summary: Carnival Day celebrates a popular entertainment venue. Each year, millions of Americans flock to carnivals and put down big bucks to be entertained by death defying treats, clowns, elephants, lions, animal acts, and much more. Often, carnivals are preceded by a parade. Its a away to let the townspeople know that the carnival has come to town. Don't limit your thinking about Carnival Day to a professional carnival. There is a wide range of summer and winter carnivals. School carnivals are popular. Towns, and even businesses, hold carnivals of all types. Celebrate today by going to a carnival, if possible. Or, organize a local carnival event.




Synopsis: I did not spend the day at an actual carnival, but I did spend it being completely entertained by some characters. It was the day to say au revoir to my li'l nieces, who were heading back to their Parisian home. There was a send-off party, and the King and I were completely entertained watching Whirlwind Faith and Escape Artist Isabelle :)

Feb24: National Tortilla Chip Day

Summary: Today is a holiday with a crunch. One might even suggest that it is a corny holiday. Well, that's okay because today is National Tortilla Chip Day. Just a few decades ago, Americans seldom ate Corn Chips and Salsa. It's popularity has grown immensely. Today is a tribute to that rising popularity of one of America's favorite munchies. Celebrate National Tortilla Chip Day with a handful of crunchy, tasty corn chips and your favorite salsa or dip.

Synopsis: I celebrated this day with ABBA, 1 day late. Happy Hour @ Chuy's! Mmmmmmmm. This is also how we spent Bean Day :)

Feb22: Be Humble Day

Summary: Today is not a day to brag or to boast. Its not a time to talk about your success or accomplishments. Why!? Because today is ...... Be Humble Day! Be Humble Day can be a humbling experience. That's exactly the intent of today. Humbleness is a good thing, a virtue. People much prefer a humble person to a braggart. Practice humbleness today, and everyday. It will serve you well in life.

Synopsis: I did the antithesis of being humble today. I was speaking with a co-worker about the class I have been taking, and he asked how hard the test was. I led with "well, I'm a good test taker." He is not going to let me live that one down!

Feb21: President's Day

Summary: President's Day is a day set aside to honor all of the U.S. presidents. We often think of two great presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln when we celebrate this holiday as it falls by design between their birthdays. But more and more of us, look at this day as a tribute to each and every person who has ever served in the office as President of the United States of America.It is a national holiday, although most businesses and industry do not recognize it as a paid holiday.

Synopsis: I celebrated President's Day by (1) going to work (2) not buying a mattress and (3) contemplating/pondering why it's not Presidents' Day..... ?

Feb20: Love Your Pet Day

Summary: Love Your Pet Day is day to pamper your pet. People just love their pets, and today is an easy excuse to spend time with them, and to give them special treats. Whether its a dog, a cat, a fish, a pet snake, or your pet rock......give them lots of love and attention today.

Synopsis: After having been away from the puppies for 3 whole days (while they were under the loving, caring supervision of ABBA), you better believe we loved the heck outta those li'l heathens!

Ps. The pet rock did not get any love or attention :(

Feb20: Cherry Pie Day

Summary: It's Cherry Pie Day. Cherry pie is America's second most popular pie, behind only apple pie in popularity. However, in the month of February, it's Number 1. As a young boy, George Washington made the Cherry tree popular, with his famous quote "I can not tell a lie, I chopped down the Cherry tree." We celebrate George Washington's Birthday and President's Day in February. Appropriately, its traditional to bake cherry pies in honor of the occasion. Being the "hot pie" of the moth, it is only fitting that Cherry Pie Day falls in February. On Cherry Pie Day, celebrate today with a piece of pie.

Synopsis: I gotta be honest... I was terrible at celebrating these days in February. I am really disappointed in myself. However, when I went back and reviewed what activities I was doing each day and whether or not they corresponded with these "special" days, I was jazzed to discover that I really did a great job at celebrating Cherry Pie Day - and it was completely unexpected.

I am not a pie person. I just really have no use for the pie crust. I took some of my mom's pecan pie home after Christmas, and I pretty much just pulled out all the filling. In the end, you probably could have made a new pie with the intact crust that was left ;) I do LOVE cherry pie filling, however.

We spent February 20th driving back from Arkansas and made a stop at Bryce's Cafeteria. The King was mulling over what dessert to select, and I pointed out the cherry pie as looking really good (and knowing that they had great pies). He (being the King) did not finish all of his pie, so I stole the remaining filling. mmmmmmmmm

Feb14: Clean Out Your Computer Day

Summary: Clean Out Your Computer Day is a day to logically review, and delete old files and programs. Most of us add programs and files to our computer with reckless abandon. After all, computers have huge storage capacity. Many of these files and programs are forgotten over time. Overtime they clog memory and cause confusion during retrieval and use of other files. And, some may slow down your computer. Somewhere along the way, a (most likely) computer geek or service person, created this day as an opportunity for us to remember to cleanup and delete old and unused files. So, get into the spirit of the day, and clean out the old computer.

Synopsis: I was a bit delayed on this one but successfully cleaned out a bunch of old crap on March 1st and 2nd. The 1st was spent cleaning old documents off my hard drive, and the 2nd was spent deleting crap from Gmail. I really am doing my best not to hoard!

Feb13: Get a Different Name Day

Summary: Get a Different Name Day is is for those who are not fond of the name given to them. At birth, we are given a first name, a middle name and a last name. It wasn't our choosing. Rather, our parents bestowed it upon us. If you like your name, good for you. If not, then today is for you. Take advantage of today to change your name.

Ps. If you change your name, don't forget to update your stationary. And, you will need to notify family and friends about your new name.

Synopsis: Hmmm..... I did not update my stationary, but consider this your notification. I do like the name I was born with, and I did have some input on my name the way it is now (dropped my birth middle name and kept my maiden name in there). However, I feel the need to participate. How do we feel about an official name change to Queen B?

Feb11: Make a Friend Day

Summary: Do you have enough friends? The answer should be no. No matter how many friends we have, more of them increases our wealth. That's because friends are one of life's valuable assets. 'Ya just can't have too many friends. Make a Friend Day is a great opportunity to meet someone new, or do something to make a new friend. Making a new friend can be easier to do than you think. There must be a gadzillion ways to make new friends. It often helps by smiling and just being friendly or helpful. Spend "Make a Friend Day" being just being friendly, and by doing special or nice things for others.

Synopsis: Honestly, sometimes I feel like I do have enough friends. I don't just collect them to increase the "value" of my life ;) The close friends I have are worth way more than a collection of semi-precious friends. BUT... I did spend Make a Friend Day at a happy hour. I vote that counts!

Feb7: Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

Summary: Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day is the perfect opportunity to greet your neighbor with a big wave. But, to show your respect and appreciation on this very important day, you must wave with all of your fingers! Without a doubt, this day was created to put a smile on your face, and upon your neighbors. It's intent is to be friendly and create better relations. We believe you should also use the term "Neighbor" loosely. Go out and greet everyone today with a big five fingers wave.

Ps. Don't forget to include a big, bright smile on your face!

Synopsis: I gotta be honest. I give myself a "partially successful" score on this, as I only waved one finger at 2 of my neighbors. Neighbor1 that got the 1-finger wave is my next door neighbor. Last fall, they moved like 2 additional families into their house. All occupants apparently drive SUVs, and there is no room for them in the crammed garage. Therefore, they park their cars in front of my house every...single...day. Neighbor2 that was deserving of the 1-finger wave is the people behind us. Their kids have taken up driveway hockey, which inevitably leads to either (1) the puck banging the crap out of our garage door or (2) a kid wandering into my garage to retrieve a puck. Those kids' parents suck!

Ps. This is not a picture of the finger I used to wave....

Feb6: Lame Duck Day

Summary: Hey, today is everything it's quacked up to be. Lame Duck Day is set aside to give recognition to people whose tenure in a position is running out.

Okay, so you are probably thinking that a "lame duck" is a duck with some sort of injury. If only that were the reason for toady! Rather, a "Lame Duck" by human, definition is a person who is in a position of some kind, and will soon be "shown the door". The best example is an incumbent politician who lost in the November elections. They usually remain in office until the beginning of January. It also applies to leaders, managers, etc, who are retiring or whose term of office is up.

During the interim period, a Lame Duck is usually far less effective, and frequently ineffective. After all, loyalties will soon shift. It's impossible to rally the troops to one more cause or project.

On Lame Duck Day...

If you are a Lame Duck: Enjoy those final days. Reflect upon you successes, and the joys and rewards the position provided to you. Kick back a little and have some fun today, and in the remaining days.

If you know a Lame Duck: Supporters should provide recognition and support. Non-supporters can cut the Lame Duck a little slack today. They will soon be gone.

If you are a duck and you are lame, seek medical attention.

Synopsis: I hate that Lame Duck Day fell on a Sunday. I feel like I could have really made the most of this day, had it been on a workday.

Feb5: National Weatherman's Day

Summary: National Weatherman's Day honors weathermen, and woman who work hard to accurately predict the often fickle weather. Despite major technological advances and supercomputers, forecasting the weather is still a tricky, and ever changing business.

Knowing the weather is important in so many ways. It affect how we dress, where we go, and even if we go. Space launches are made or delayed depending upon the weather. And, knowing the weather can save lives. The most obvious example is knowing when and where hurricanes or tornados may hit.

According to the Air Force News, Weatherman's Day "commemorates the birth of John Jeffries, one of America's first weathermen". Jeffries was born on Feb 5, 1744. He kept weather records from 1774 to1816.

If you see a weatherman today, give them your appreciation for a job well done.

Synopsis: I gotta be honest.... I completely and purposefully BOYCOTTED this day. Our weathermen have been absolutely TERRIBLE this week. And not just having bad forecasts but completely discounting any form of common sense. The most unfortunate part, too, is that all eyes are on them with the Super Bowl occurring this weekend and with the weather having had a huge impact on the lead-up to Sunday. Thursday night they forecasted 1-3 inches of snow for Friday, with the snow falling form 3am to noon. Nine hours of snowfall, and they think 1-3 inches will be the total? Um.... try six inches. They started the weekend forecast with it being 55-60 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. They updated the forecast to be in the 40s.... then in the 30s. Yep, it's like 50+ degrees outside. They forecasted snow for Sunday afternoon. There is no way there will be snow today... sun is shining, weather is warm. Geez, people. No celebrating weathermen going on around here!

Feb4: Thank a Mailman Day

Summary: Thank a Mailman Day is your chance to say thanks to the guy, or gal, who delivers your mail. After all, they are there six days a week. The reliable postal worker is always there doing their job, regardless of the weather. They are a hardy lot. You'll find some mail carriers on walking routes, wearing shorts in all but the coldest of winter days.

Synopsis: I gotta be honest.... I did not celebrate this day. I really didn't visit my mailbox at all during the inclement weather. I also found out that despite the "rain, snow, sleet, hail" mantra, much of the mail service did not run this week.

Feb4: Create a Vacuum Day

Summary:
Create a Vacuum Day just might leave you in an empty void. We found no factual information or records about this day. So, we can only speculate to its cause..........

Theory #1: A hard working housewife, frustrated over her vacuuming chores, declared a day to commemorate the chore of vacuuming. The hole in this theory is that the day would likely be simply called "Vacuum Day" or "No Vacuuming Day". Why include the word "Create" in the title? This led us to........

Theory #2: A (mad!?) scientist created this day to celebrate the creation of a vacuum during laboratory work. But, isn't this routine scientific work!? We think so. Therefore, it led us to..............

Theory#3: Someone desperately in need of a simpler life, conceived this day. They wanted to create a vacuum that would suck all of the daily work, chores and clutter out of their life. If only for one day, they would be freed to enjoy the simple life of leisure. Now, here's a theory that really makes sense for today!

Synopsis: Since I was buried under 6 inches of snow, I chose to celebrate under Theory #3.... I pretty much avoided doing anything.... a vacuum of productivity was put in place!

Feb3: The Day the Music Died Day

Summary: The Day the Music Died Day commemorates the untimely death of singers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. These three Rock singers died in an airplane crash on February 3, 1959. at the height of their popularity.

Every generation has their music idols. These three were among the top of the 1950's generation. Those who grew up in the fifties mourned the premature deaths of their music idols. Memorials and remembrances occurred for years. Today, there are many websites memorializing their deaths, and detailing the events before and after the tragedy.

Synopsis: I used to LOVE these guys.... huge fan of 50s music. I celebrated today by finally becoming a Pandora user. Music is alive again *whew*

Feb2: Groundhog Day

Summary: we all know what Groundhog Day is.... the day and the movie, too. But.... did we all know that Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow 9 out of 10 times? jerk

Synopsis: Hallelujah! We reached the 10% where he didn't see his damn shadow. Time to wake up, Punxsutawney Phil. Spring is on its way!!!!!! (and it's 8 degrees tonight, so I'll take spring ASAP, thank you very much)

Feb1: National Freedom Day

Summary: National Freedom Day celebrates freedom from slavery, and recognizes that America is a symbol of freedom.

National Freedom Day was established in 1948 to remind us that America stands for, and is a symbol of freedom for all people. The roots of this special day come directly from the end of slavery and the signing of the 13th amendment outlawing slavery.

Celebrate this day by reflecting upon your own freedoms that you enjoy by being fortunate enough to be in America. Millions of people in the world are not free.

Synopsis: Can't really be flip about this day. It's important. I celebrated it by reading up on the situation in Egypt. I am definitely thankful to be in America.

January Progress, February Goals

An update on what I celebrated during January:

Monthly Goals:

• National Bath Safety Month - I completely avoided the bath tub!
• National Blood Donor Month - they reject me due to my Mad Cow Disease
• National Braille Literacy Month - skipped this
• National Hobby Month - kept up with my new hobby of celebrating wacky things :) added the hobby of cleaning/not hoarding
• Hot Tea Month - I drank a LOT of hot tea, really!
• National Oatmeal Month - celebrated nearly daily for most of the month, thanks to the McDonald's commercial inspiring the King
• National Soup Month - I organized the soup in my pantry

Week Celebrations:

• (2nd Week) Letter Writing Week - got all my cards for 2011 purchased!

What's on tap for February?

Monthly Celebrations:

• American Heart Month - I will celebrate this by using the heart stickers to count off days on my calendar
• An Affair to Remember Month - never seen it, guess I should netflix!
• Black History Month - I'll have to ponder how to properly celebrate this... suggestions?
• Canned Food Month - seems like a great time to clean out the pantry!
• Creative Romance Month - ooh, this will be fun!
• Great American Pie Month
• National Cherry Month - maybe I'll suggest cherry pie as dessert for Valentine's Day
• National Children’s Dental Health Month - I'll brush the dogs' teeth?
• National Grapefruit Month - hmmmm.... guess we'll buy some!
• National Weddings Month - I'm going to one!

Weekly Celebrations:
3rd Week International Flirting Week - I think the husband is against me celebrating this, both domestically and internationally.....

Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

Summary: Inspire Your Heart With Art Day celebrates art and the effect it can have on your heart. Art is valued and appreciated for all sorts of reasons.

Synopsis: I don't really do art. However, I am proud to share how Google celebrated Inspire Your Heart With Art Day. They have launched Art Project, an online source to view masterpieces. So, I perused. I guess I was inspired.... Google always inspires me ;)

Jan30: National Inane Answering Message Day

Summary: Many people look at the title of this day and think ....huh!!? First lets clarify the meaning of an "inane" answering message. We all get them on our answering machines. An inane message is a senseless or meaningless message, or a prank call. Or, it could be an insane message.

So, National Inane Answering Message Day is a day to end those numerous, annoying inane answering machine messages. Trouble is.......how do you do that? In todays, world, caller Id is a great tool to accomplish this goal.

Synopsis: I gotta admit, I was one of those who was perplexed by this day. However, after a lot of thought, I determined the perfect way to celebrate this day. I let my answering machine get to Full (aka "F"). No more messages for me.... you'd better text (or bbm)!

Jan29: National Puzzle Day

Summary: Don't be puzzled by today. National Puzzle Day honors puzzles of all size, shape and form. Crossword puzzles are by far the most common. Sudoku, a number puzzle, is the most recent puzzle rage. There's easy puzzles, and there's puzzles for experts. They fit the needs of every person, and every skill level. Whatever the cause for your interest, spend National Puzzle Day doing puzzles.

Synopsis: I have a new project :) It's a Dallas road map puzzle from 1974 (thank you, Grandmom!). I can't wait to see it finished and how everything has changed since it was printed!

Jan28: Fun at Work Day

Summary: Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun at work for once. Ideally, work should be fun. But normally, work is not intended to have fun. It's intended to get work done. You're a very lucky person, if you if you can get work done and have fun doing it. The lucky souls in this situation, love their job.

Unfortunately, all of us are not lucky enough to have a job that's fun to do. If that's you, then today is a day just for you! Think of ways to make your job more fun and exciting. Look to do some fun things at work today, even if it takes away from production just a wee bit.

Please Note: If you do fun things today that is counter-productive, or takes you away from the job, make sure you get your boss' permission first. Better still, get him or her involved.

Synopsis: Just as you finish celebrating Punch the Clock Day, you get to have Fun at Work Day. Of course, I did not go to work today. I probably should consider this a make-up day to be taken advantage of in the future.

I did have a Fun WITH Work Day today. I got offered tickets to the NFL Experience (part of the preview stuff heading into the Super Bowl). I was a wonderful wife and daughter and gave my tickets up to the King and my dad to have a fun, carefree day on Sunday.

Jan27: Punch the Clock Day

Summary: Every once in a while, you come upon a special day that just defies definition. Punch the Clock Day is one of those days. Despite all of our research, we found no content information on the Internet to define the purpose or meaning of this day.

Not ones to give up easily, we put our thinking caps on, and pondered the meaning of this day. We quickly determined that this day is not intended to encourage people to punch their clocks. This is destructive, serves no logical purpose, and may result in personal injury.

We quickly surmised that Punch the Clock Day is a day to celebrate the punch clock or time clocks used at work.

Synopsis: Well, I doubly celebrated this day. I did actually punch my clock this morning when it went off.... well, punched the Snooze button on it. Vacation has been killer to my sleep/wake up schedule. I shudder to think how difficult my return to the grind will be on Monday morning :(

I did not punch the clock at work today, but I did go to a work-related happy hour. That counts, right?

Jan27: Chocolate Cake Day

Summary: There are three objectives of Chocolate Cake Day: To bake a chocolate cake. To decorate a chocolate cake. And, to eat a chocolate cake. Of course, if you are to busy to bake or decorate a cake, then just eating a chocolate cake will certainly do!

Synopsis: I had big plans to celebrate this fabulous day by devouring the rest of the King's chocolate birthday cake (that I had the foresight to freeze). Unfortunately, I managed to devour it over the weekend, thus ruining Chocolate Cake Day. And let's be honest, no one expected me to actually bake or decorate a cake! I did have a fantastic sweet wine at ABBA's house, though :)

Jan26: Spouse's Day

Summary: Spouse's Day is a time to enjoy and appreciate your better half. You can use this day as a prelude or warm up to Valentine's Day, perhaps. But, its not as much of a gift giving event. Rather, use it as a time to show your spouse that you care and appreciate all of the things that he/she does for you and for the household. Over the long years of a relationship, its easy to take for granted the many things your spouse does. He/she's always there. They do so many big and little things as a routine event. So, take today to notice and to say thanks. As for the "enjoyment" part of the day...we will leave that up to you to enjoy your spouse however the two of your desire....

Synopsis: As I mentioned yesterday, we had a slight hiccup in our transition from Opposite Day to Spouse's Day. However, once we both got a good night of sleep (actually, it was interrupted around 3am when I realized that one of the dogs had probably been sick in the bed, and we did a tag-team effort on speed changing sheets), we got on track with celebrating this great day.

So.... how did the King and Queen celebrate? I woke him up by tickling his feet and waiting until he was "happy awake" to say "Good Morning" (which I read recently is a secret of happy couples). He then made me breakfast (score!) before I took off for Grandmom's. When I arrived home, he had made me a pre-dinner snack of guacamole and these fantastic popcorn chips. He made dinner, I did dishes. He let me watch American Idol, I tickled his scalp while watching. A little give, a little take.... all very good spouse behavior. whew.... I had no idea how this one was going to go down ;)

Jan25: Opposite Day

Summary: Opposite Day is a topsy, turvy day when everything you say, do, see, and hear are the opposite. If you say go left, you mean go right. If you say look up, it means look down. If you see your left foot...is it really your right? 

Yesiree, Bob. Opposite Day can be a whole lot of fun. It can also be very, very confusing. This special day is celebrated primarily among school children. Sponge Bob Square Pants even got into the act, with an episode containing the whimsical nature of this day.

Synopsis: A couple of prelim thoughts on Opposite Day....

1. I remember LOVING Opposite Day as a child (and celebrating it on any day I chose) 
2. As an adult, I found it very hard to implement. It's amazing how other adults don't fall into a fit of giggles when you qualify a statement with "It's Opposite Day" like kids do.
3. I went back and forth on thinking I would love to revert to every day being capable of being Opposite Day and being ready for the day to be over..... because.....

I explained the concept of Opposite Day to the husband last night. He plead ignorant on the whole topic (either he wasn't a ridiculously annoying child like I was, or he just did it in more obvious ways). However, he quickly picked up on it. Like, I refused to get his slippers for him and he said, "you're a bad wife." *insert death look from me here* "It's OPPOSITE DAY." This went on for much of the day. I will say that he participated much more enthusiastically than I did.

In fact, he just popped in here with a bratty comment, followed-up with "it's Opposite Day." I replied with, "nope. Opposite Day ended 32 minutes ago. It's now Spouse's Day. Get on better behavior pronto!"

Jan24: Compliment Day

Summary: Yes, its Compliment Day. Today is a great opportunity to say something positive about the people you come into contact with. Everyone has good attributes. ...that's right....... everyone. Compliment Day is celebrated by offering sincere compliments to people you know. It is important that you are sincere. People will see right through insincerity, and you will do more harm than good.

Synopsis: I am spending Compliment Day by showering my favorite friends with compliments on facebook :) Whew..... that was exhausting. Ok... who did I miss????

Jan23: Measure Your Feet Day

Summary: Measure Your Feet Day is a day to, well it's a day to measure your feet. At this point, we stop and ask ourselves...why? We pondered this question for a while. Then, we decided it was best not to even speculate.

Celebrate today by measuring your feet. Both of them. Measure the length. Then, measure the width. For a little fun, see if you can measure someone else's feet.

Synopsis: Whew... January 23rd is quite an active day, celebrating 2 things in a 24 hour period. It was hard to find the time to scrawl out my signature AND measure my feet, but you know I could not let an opportunity to show off my freaky toes pass!

Here are the stats I know you all are waiting for.....

Right foot
----------
from big toe to heel: 10.75"

from little toe to heel: 8.5"

width across the ball: 4"
length of big toe: 2.35"

Left foot

----------

from big toe to heel: 10.25"

from little toe to heel: 8"

width across the ball: 3.5"

length of big toe: 2.25"

Jan23: National Handwriting Day

Summary: National Handwriting Day is an opportunity to reintroduce yourself to a pen or pencil and a piece of paper. In this day of computers, more and more information, notes, and letters are sent back and forth via a keyboard and cyberspace.

According to the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) website "The purpose of National Handwriting Day is to alert the public to the importance of handwriting. According to WIMA, National Handwriting Day is a chance for all of us to re-explore the purity and power of handwriting."

Synopsis: The other day, the King and I were at the bank opening a new account and obtaining a safe deposit box. As I meticulously scrawled out my signature (knowing that it would be a semi-permanent record), I remarked that I don't believe that computers are the downfall of handwriting but rather receipt signing -specifically the electronic kinds. I guess I sign so many receipts, and the electronic ones look so little like my signature as a finished product anyways, that I now just scratch out an S..............

In honor of National Handwriting Day, I used my best penmanship on the electronic receipt signature pad.

Jan22: National Blonde Brownie Day

Summary: National Blonde Brownie Day is a special day that is set aside to bake and eat blonde brownies.

What's a blonde brownie, you ask? Well, as their name implies, traditional brownies are a dark brown. To make blonde brownies, light brown sugar is used in the recipe in place of dark brown chocolate.

On National Blonde Brownie Day, its your right and responsibility to bake blonde brownies, and to eat them. If you don't have time to bake today, buy some and eat a few extra blonde brownies.

Synopsis: As someone who is not allowed to use most devices in the kitchen without close supervision, I did not spend National Blonde Brownie Day baking. Instead, I spent it reminiscing about when I was a Blonde Brownie.

I had brought home 6 boxes of pictures from Grandmom's and today finished sorting through them all (our family's boxes, uncle's family's boxes, stack for boxes). I totally LOLed at the pics from when she managed our Girl Scout cookie orders. I had actually tossed out all the order forms on

Wednesday (not surprisingly, I sold the most boxes of cookies with a whopping 238). Apparently they were delivered to her house in a moving van and proceeded to completely fill up her living room.

Jan21: National Hugging Day OR Squirrel Appreciation Day

I have to admit... I fully planned to celebrate Hugging Day and ignore Squirrel Day. However, that is not really the way the day went. I got a hug or two, but the squirrel really made more of an impact.

Summary: Squirrel Appreciation Day is an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate your tree climbing, nut gathering neighborhood squirrels. It's held in mid-winter when food sources are scarce for squirrels and other wildlife. Sure, squirrels spent all fall gathering and "squirreling " away food. But, their supplies may not be enough. And, the variety of food is limited. So, give them an extra special treat today to supplement their winter diets.

Not everyone likes squirrels. While they are fun to watch skirting around the yard and trees, they are aggressive at bird feeders. Squirrels tip almost any bird feeder and spill the seeds in search of the particular seeds they want. In the fall, they attack pumpkins on front porches in search of the seeds inside. For gardeners they dig up and steal flower bulbs, and may eat some of the veggies in your garden.

When you think about it, mid winter is the best time to appreciate squirrels. In the winter they provide a little entertainment. During other times of the year, you may look at them as a pest in the flower and vegetable gardens.

Synopsis: Part of the reason I assumed I would not partake in Squirrel Appreciation Day was because I have not been in the office this week, which is where I generally see squirrels. However, when I pulled up to Grandmom's today, a big, fat squirrel went frolicking off right in front of me. It was a great way to kick off the day. The li'l guy seemed so happy, and no doubt was enjoying His Day.

Jan20: Penguin Awareness Day

Summary: Penguin Awareness Day, and World Penguin Day (April 25) are great opportunities to learn about and appreciate one of the few natives of Antarctica. On these days, spend a little time learning about them.... a pictorial book or internet site is fun. You can also watch a documentary of these cute and popular, grounded birds. These days are also a time to wear black and white---penguin colors. However, wearing a tuxedo in their honor is optional. It is also popular today to tell a penguin joke or two.

Synopsis: I have been looking forward to this day, since ABBA and I first spotted it a few weeks ago. When we first learned of it, we were very confused on why we would need to become more aware of penguins. Where they surrounding me, and I had just never been open to observing it? I will admit that ever since the day was presented to me, I started noticing a lot of penguins. I found them in cards, on shirts, under my chair (ok, that's an exaggeration).

Sadly, up until about 8:30pm today I had not had a single penguin encounter. Then, my trusty MIL sent out an email.....

Subject: FW: KING PENGUIN - MUST SEE TO BELIEVE!
________________________________________
King Penguin

This 10-year-old King Penguin was rescued from a fisherman's line and refused to leave after he was healed. He was adopted by a family in a small town in Japan and became a beloved pet who has his own personal air-conditioned cold room. Lala is so smart - he walks to the fish store with his little backpack to shop for fresh fish every day. You are gonna love this little video!

http://www.flixxy.com/pet-penguin-goes-shopping.htm

Jan19: National Popcorn Day

*postponed*

will be celebrated when I bust out my new popcorn maker

Jan18: Winnie the Pooh Day

Summary: Winnie the Pooh Day is an opportunity to enjoy your favorite bear and all of his friends. This day was created to celebrate the birth of A.A .Milne in 1882. He was an author of children's story books, and created Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Winnie's pals include Christopher Robin, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, and Roo.

Synopsis: I celebrated Winnie the Pooh Day by rescuing a Pooh jelly jar from Grandmom's and bringing it home to my Christopher Robin.