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.....