messymimi's meanderings

C'mon, give us a break, wouldya!

By that, i mean the weather.

As i stand here typing this, the temperature outside is about 82°F, and while there are clouds, the sun is shining.

By the time you read this, the temperature here will be around 40°F, and it will be cloudy and maybe raining again.

By Friday morning, we are supposed to have another freeze, and there is talk of school closing if there is still precipitation then, as no one wants the buses out in that. We are not equipped to deal with a lot of freezing precipitation of any type.

But really, from open toe shoes weather to another freeze in a day? Cut us some slack, weather!

The swamp plants don't like this. Some have bloomed already, and now the tulip trees and dogwoods are going to lose their blooms. So are the sweet olives, whose perfume must be made in heaven it is so beautiful.

Not the pecan trees, though. They always know, and don't bloom until after the very last freeze, no matter when that is. Somehow, the pecan trees know.

Never plant your tomatoes until you see the pecan trees bloom. This from someone who kills silk houseplants and can't grow anything but crabgrass! Even i know these few things, though.

Some of the azaleas have bloomed.

Some of them have not, and are still in bud.

Tulip tree in neighbor's yard, that i see from my kitchen window.

Good-bye, blooms! It's sad that you can't stay longer. Weather can be cruel.

Today is:

Act Goofy Day -- started by someone who wanted to see how far the internet could spread goofiness

Arivee de l'Evangile -- French Polynesia (Gospel Day)

Babysitter Safety Day

Butter Lantern Festival -- Tibet (the final celebration of the Tibetan New Year)

Celebrate Your Name Week -- Thursday: Name Tag Day, celebrating those silly tags that say, "Hello, My Name is Illegible"!

Crispus Attucks Day*

Crufts Dog Show -- Birmingham, England (the World's Greatest Dog Show; Best in Show here is the most prestigious award in the world of dogs; through Sunday)

Custom Chief's Day -- Vanuatu

Diasia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of Zeus Meilikhios; date approximate)

Doljatra/Holika Dahan -- regions of India (a festival of colors, similar to Holi

Full Worm Moon -- also called Leaf Moon, Seedling Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon, Light Snow Moon, or Lenten Moon; considered the last full moon of winter
     Medin Full Moon Poya Day -- Sri Lanka
     Taubaung Full Moon -- Myanmar

Magha Puja Day -- Buddhist (celebrations of the teachings of Buddha to an assembly of holy men)

National Absinthe Day

National Cheese Doodle Day

Navigium Isis/Ploiaphaesia: The Festival of Navigation -- Ancient Roman Calendar/Ancient Egyptian Calendar (Sailing Festival, honoring Isis as sea goddess and goddess of sailing, on the traditional start of the sailing season)

Purim -- Judaism (began sundown yesterday, through sundown today)

Scouts' Day -- Taiwan (celebration of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in Taiwan)

St. Piran's Day (Patron of miners, tin miners, tinners; Cornwall, England; Piran, Slovenia)
     St. Piran's Day Celebrations -- Cornwall, England

Stop the Clocks Day -- another of those with-no-explanation web holidays that sounds like a good idea

Temperance Day -- North America's first Temperance Law was passed in Virginia this day in 1623

Wedding of the March Dryads -- Fairy Calendar

World Book Day -- UK and Ireland (most other countries celebrate this on April 23; www.worldbookday.org for more information)

Anniversary Today:

Channel Islands National Park is established, 1980

Birthdays Today:

Jake Lloyd, 1989
Niki Taylor, 1975
Kevin Connolly, 1974
Eva Mendes, 1974
Andy Gibb, 1958
Penn Jillette, 1955
Marsha Warfield, 1954
Michael Warren, 1946
Paul Sand, 1944
Samantha Eggar, 1939
Fred Williamson, 1938
Dean Stockwell, 1936
James Noble, 1922
Rex Harrison, 1908
Zhou Enlai, 1898
Emmett J. Culligan, 1893
Heitor Villa-Lobos, 1887
Howard Pyle, 1853
James Merrit Ives, 1824
William Blackstone, 1595
Gerhardus Mercator, 1512

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"What the Butler Saw"(Play)1969
"Leningrad"/Symphony No. 7 in C major(Shostakovich Op. 60), 1942
"Mefistofele"(Opera), 1868

Today in History:

Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death, 363
Naser Khosrow begins the seven-year Middle Eastern journey which he will later describe in his book Safarnama, 1046
English king Henry VII hires John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) and his sons to explore unknown lands for England, 1496
Smoking tobacco is introduced in Europe by Francisco Fernandes, 1558
Copernicus'"de Revolutionibus" is placed on Catholic Forbidden index, 1616
Antonio de Ulloa, the first Spanish governor of Louisiana, arrives in New Orleans to take possession of the Louisiana territory from the French, 1766
*Boston Massacre: British troops kill 5 in a crowd, including a young boy and Crispus Attackus, the first black to die for American freedom, in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War five years later, 1770
The Dutch city of Leeuwarden forbids Jews to go to synagogues on Sundays, 1820
Samuel Colt makes the first production-model revolver, the .34-caliber, 1836
George Westinghouse Jr patents the triple air brake for trains, 1872
Nikola Tesla, in Electrical World and Engineer, describes the process of the ball lightning formation, 1904
Winston Churchill uses the phrase "Iron Curtain" in his speech at Westminster College, Missouri, 1946
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect after ratification by 43 nations, 1970
Soviet probes Venera 11, Venera 12 and the American solar satellite Helios II all are hit by "off the scale" gamma rays leading to the discovery of soft gamma repeaters, 1979
America's Voyager 1 spacecraft has its closest approach to Jupiter, 172,000 miles, 1979
The Soviet probe Venera 14 arrives at the planet Venus, 1982
The graves of Czar Nicholas II and his family are found near St. Petersburg, 1995
President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, dies in office in the nation's capital, Caracas, at age 58, 2013

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

It's easy to participate. Just post a picture of a cat -- your cat, a LOL cat, or even draw a cat -- and link up!

Speaking of cats, our cats want to know, what in the world is that!

Dansig is very concerned about what is going on here.

Enigma is not going to get too close.

SissyCat is not amused.

Friend Chris had a customer who was about to go to the vet to have this sweet guy euthanized because his plans to breed and sell Cocker Spaniels wasn't paying off as he wanted it to. Now we are puppy-sitting until Little Girl's friend at school, whose parents have approved them adopting this dog, can take him on Saturday.

Too cute, isn't he?

The poor cats. First a duck and a chick, and now a puppy. It's no wonder all of my cats are a bit off.

Today is:

Alamo Day -- Texas, US

Aldo Leopold Weekend -- Wisconsin, US (celebrating Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic; through Sunday)

Celebrate Your Name Week -- Friday: Middle Name Pride Day, established by Jerry Hall as a day in which to tell at least 3 people who don't know it what your middle name is, and be proud of it

Dress in Blue Day -- US, for colorectal cancer awareness

Employee Appreciation Day

Feast of Excited Insects -- China; Korea (sometimes called Chinese Groundhog Day, the day insects are supposed to awaken for spring; date approximate)

Foundation Day -- Norfolk Island, Commonwealth of Australia

Headache Relief Day -- aspirin was patented today in 1899

Holi -- Hindu (Festival of Color, where everyone gets doused with colored water, or powder, or paint, or all of them; it's been described as an iridescent madhouse)
     officially recognized holiday in Guyana; India; Nepal; Suriname
     Phagu Purnima / Basanta Utsay -- Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Independence Day -- Ghana(1957)

International Festival of Owls -- Houston, MN, US (a great way to celebrate and learn about the wonderful creatures that are owls; through Sunday)

Kaziukas Fair -- Vilnius, Lithuania (traditional craft fair dates back to the 17th century; through Sunday)

Kirishima Jingu Otaue-sai -- Kirishima Jingu Shrine, Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan (rice planting festival)

March Goblins' Galumphing Gala and Display -- Fairy Calendar

Midnight at the Oasis -- Yuma, AZ, US (nostalgic festival featuring cars and music of the 50s and 60s; throughy Sunday)

National Day of Unplugging -- sponsored by Reboot, encouraging recharging your spiritual life by unplugging your technology from sunset today to sunset tomorrow

National Doodle Day -- UK (fundraiser for Epilepsy Action)

National Frozen Food Day

National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day

National Salesperson Day

Oreo Cookie Day -- no history found on why this day, but if you like Oreos, do you need a reason?

Stoneware Pottery Appreciation Day -- internet generated by those who love stoneware

St. Colette's Day (Patron of Corbie, France; against the death of parents)

St. Rose of Viterbo's Day (Patron of exiles, people rejected by religious orders, tertiaries; Viterbo, Italy)

Words by the Water: a Cumbrian Literature Festival -- Lake District, The Theatre by the Lake at Keswick, Devon, England (a lively literary festival; through the 15th)

World Day of Prayer-- International and Ecumenical; a day for Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action; this year's International Committee is meeting in the Bahamas

Birthdays Today:

Ryan Nyquist, 1979
Shaquille O'Neal, 1972
Amy Pietz, 1969
Connie Britton, 1968
D.L. Hughley, 1963
Tom Arnold, 1959
David Gilmour, 1946
Rob Reiner, 1945
Kiri Te Kanawa, 1944
Dave Gilmour, 1944
Ben Murphy, 1942
Willie Stargell, 1941
Valentina Tereshkova-Nikolaeva, 1937
Lorin Maazel, 1930
Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, 1928
Alan Greenspan, 1926
Ed McMahon, 1923
Will Eisner, 1917
Lou Costello, 1906
Bob Wills, 1905
Ring Lardner, 1885
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806
Anna Claypoole Peale, 1791
Cyrano de Bergerac, 1619
Michelangelo Bounarroti, 1475

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Lend me a Tenor"(Play), 1986
"Deep Blue Sea"(Play), 1952
"Both Your Houses"(Play; Pulitzer Prize for Drama), 1933
"La Traviata"(Opera), 1853
"La Sonnambula"(Opera), 1831

Today in History:

Ferdinand Magellan arrives at Guam, 1521
The First Fleet arrives at Norfolk Island (an external territory of Australia) in order to found a convict settlement, 1788
York, Upper Canada is incorporated as Toronto, 1834
After a thirteen day siege by an army of 3,000 Mexican troops, the 187 Texas volunteers defending the Alamo are defeated and the fort is captured, 1836
Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata receives its premiere performance in Venice, 1853
Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table to the Russian Chemical Society, 1869
Bayer registers "aspirin" as a trademark, 1899
The trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg begins, 1951
United Kingdom colonies Gold Coast and British Togoland become the independent Republic of Ghana, 1957
After 19 years of presenting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time, 1981
Michelangelo computer virus begins to affect computers, 1992
A referendum in Moldova results in the electorate voting against possible reunification with Romania, 1994
Picasso's painting Tête de Femme is stolen from a London gallery, and is recovered a week later, 1997
Microsoft is fined €561 million for not providing E.U. residents with an alternative web browser to Internet Explorer, 2013

rEcess is the best night of the month. Parents of kids with special needs leave those precious children with us, so they can have a much needed respite.

It was superhero night!

Some of the kids made superhero capes. Cut a t-shirt, leaving the neck on or using elastic to hold it on, and decorate it, and you are your own superhero.

One style of cape, with elastic holding it on.

The other style, with the neck of the shirt intact.

Petey didn't decorate one, he came as Captain America! He had fun, and his superpower was eating his whole dinner.

Petey has Down's Syndrome, and makes a great Captain America!

Gracie was in her school uniform (yes, Gracie is in preschool for delayed kids and loving it!), and didn't make a cape. She preferred dropping balls in the pockets of the pool table in the playroom and watching them roll out at the bottom. One of the other girls taught her how to use the cue to knock the ball straight into the hole, and they spend a good half hour shrieking with delight as they took turns doing that.

C'mon, billiard ball! Roll down here!

We had 8 special kids and 14 siblings, and a very good time.

Today is:

Bird Day and Arbor Day -- California, US (on Luther Burbank's birth anniversary)

Celebrate Your Name Week -- Saturday: Geneology Day, begin or continue the journey to learn about your family

Chinese New Year Parade -- San Francisco, CA, US (North America's largest Chinese community celebrates the Lunar New Year in style)

Daylight Saving Time begins -- Bermuda; Canada (most regions); Cuba; Haiti; Mexico (some areas); Saint Pierre and Miquelon; The Bahamas; Turks and Caicos Islands; US (most areas)(begins 2am tomorrow morning, so "spring forward" one hour before you go to bed tonight)

Finnmarkslopet -- Alta, Finland (the world's northernmost dog sled races, since 1981)

Get Grandma to Write Down Her Meatloaf Recipe -- or spaghetti, or pound cake, or whatever she specialized in, because if you don't, you will someday regret it

Hola Mohalla -- Sikh (3 day grand festival)

Iditarod Sled Dog Race - Last Great Race on Earth® begins -- Anchorage to Nome, AK, US (1,000 miles along the historic Iditarod Trail)

Impeachment of March Goblins -- Fairy Calendar

Klondike Days -- Eagle River, WI, US (recreation of primitive camps used by early pioneers, a Native American cultural presentation, and more; through tomorrow)

Masaryk Day -- Czech Republic; Slovakia (birth anniversary of Tomas Masaryk, politician, sociologist, philosopher, and advocate of Czechoslovakian independence)

Natchez Spring Pilgrimage -- Natchez, MS, US (tour of 25 antebellum mansions, some of which are private homes; through Apr. 7)

National Be Heard Day -- originally a day for small businesses to speak up, but the website promoting the materials is no longer working

National Cereal Day

National Crown Roast of Pork Day

Natural Bridge Battle Reenactment -- Tallahassee, FL, US (Civil War reenactment; through tomorrow)

Nones of March -- Ancient Roman Calendar; related observances
Festival of Junonalia -- for Juno
Festival for Vedovus -- god of the dead, swamps, and volcanic movements

Say Hello Day -- Bell recieved a patent for the telephone this day in 1876 (although he always believed it should be answered by saying, "Ahoy!" Yes, really.)

St. Felicity's and St. Perpetua's Day (Patrons of cattle, martyrs; Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, Spain)

Teacher's Day -- Albania

Birthdays Today:

Jenna Fischer, 1974
Denyce Graves, 1974
Rachel Weisz, 1971
Taylor Dayne, 1962
Ivan Lendl, 1960
Rik Mayall, 1958
Bryan Cranston, 1956
Franco Harris, 1950
John Heard, 1946
Peter Wolf, 1946
Michael Eisner, 1942
Tammy Faye Bakker, 1942
Daniel J. Travanti, 1940
Janet Guthrie, 1938
Willard Herman Scott, 1934
Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon, 1930
Maurice Ravel, 1875
Piet Mondriaan, 1875
Luther Burbank, 1849
John Herschel, 1792
Stephen Hopkins, 1707
Rob Roy MacGregor, 1671
Henry Purcell, 1659
Kano Tanju, 1602

Debuting/Premiering Today:

The Nashville Network(TV network), 1983
"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"(Musical), 1967
"The Autumn Garden"(Play), 1951
"The Grand Duke; or, The Statutory Duel"(Operetta), 1896

Today in History:

Roman Emperor Constantine I decrees that the dies Solis Invicti (sun-day) is the day of rest in the Empire, 321
King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by the Pope; Henry then declares that he, not the Pope, is supreme head of England's church, 1530
Massachusetts enacts the first bicameral legislature in the colonies, 1664
The French army enters Rome: the birth of the Roman Republic, 1798
Shrigley Abduction: Ellen Turner is abducted by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a future politician in colonial New Zealand, 1827
Charles Miller patents the first US sewing machine to stitch buttonholes, 1854
The City of Lábrea in Amazonas, Brazil was founded, 1886
Roald Amundsen announces that, on Dec. 14, 1911, his expedition had reached the South Pole, 1912
An 8.0 earthquake strikes Tango, Japan, 1927
Bloody Sunday: Alabama state troopers and 600 black protestors clash in Selma, 1965
Divers from the USS Preserver locate the crew cabin of Challenger on the ocean floor, 1986
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that parodies of an original work are generally covered by the doctrine of fair use, 1994
British House of Commons votes to make the upper chamber, the House of Lords, 100% elected, 2007
The largest solar flare in five years, occurring March 6, 2012, nears the Earth, threatening to disrupt airline flights, GPS systems and power grids, 2012

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's a great place to come for weekly laughs, and to meet new bloggers. It's easy to participate, just Laugh and Link Up!

From Bigger Girl:

"Good morning world, and all who inhabit it!"

Good morning, i answered back.

"It's funnier when I say that to an empty room."

Okay, so pretend i'm not here!

"Oh, hush! By the way, please pray for my friend Jo, you know, the one who is a combination of Neil DeGrass Tyson, Larry the Cable Guy, and Lady Gaga. She's looking for a better job, because the rent is going up where she's living. She's in danger of becoming homeless.

Mom, what do I do if she becomes homeless? What do you do with a homeless transsexual? Why do I always make friends within the demographics that are most likely to become homeless, commit suicide, or be murdered?"

You're a good friend, you care about "the least of these", i told her.

"Yeah, all of my friends say I'm the kind of friend who would help you hide a body, but then they have to remember that I know how to hide a body!

But really, what do we do with a homeless trannie?"

"Trannie haven?" #1 Son said, as he popped into the room.

From Young Jacob, as he pulled a very thick wallet out of his back pocket:

"I need to go to the bank. It's starting to hurt to sit down!"

From Little Girl, when we were in the car and a big speeding pickup truck with a loud engine rumbled past:

"Yeah, yeah, we hear you, you think you have a big manhood, we're not impressed."

Today is:

Daylight Saving Time -- if your area is observing this, it switched over at two o'clock this morning; if you are just finding this out, you are already late!
     Check Your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monixide Detectors Day -- make sure the batteries are fresh and that they are in good working order

Day of No Interest to Fairies -- Fairy Calendar

Floral City Strawberry Festival -- Floral City, FL, US (fun for all, through tomorrow)

Girl Scout Sunday -- US (encouraging Girl Scouts to wear their uniforms to church services and represent their troop to their congregations; the first day of Girl Scout Week in the US)

Girls Write Now Day -- on International Women's Day, encouraging girls as the makers of future history to put pen to paper and make their voices heard

International Women's Day -- also celebrated as:
     Day for Women's Rights and International Peace -- UN
     Mother's Day -- Afghanistan; Albania; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Kazakhstan; Kosovo; Laos; Macedonia; Montenegro; Republic of Moldova; Russia; Serbia; Slovenia; Tajikistan; Vietnam

National Peanut Cluster Day

National Proofreading Day -- to promote accuracy in written messages

Revolution Day -- Syria

St. John of God's Day (Patron of alcoholics, bookbinders, booksellers, dying people, firefighters, heart patients, hospitals, hospital workers, nurses, publishers, printers, sick people; Tultepec, Mexico; against alcoholism, bodily ills and sickness)

World Glaucoma Week begins -- to expand global awareness of the Silent Thief of Sight

Anniversary Today:

Harry Hamlin marries Nicollette Sheridan, 1991

Birthdays Today:

Marcia Newby, 23, 1988
Bob, Clint, and Dave Moffatt, 1984
Kat Von D, 1982
James Van der Beek, 1977
Freddie Prinze, Jr., 1976
Kathy Ireland, 1963
Camryn Manheim, 1961
Aidan Quinn, 1959
James Edward "Jim" Rice, 1953
Carole Bayer Sager, 1947
Micky Dolenz, 1945
Lynn Redgrave, 1943
Susan Clark, 1940
Raynoma Gordy Singleton, 1937
Cyd Charisse, 1923
Alan Hale, Jr., 1921
Claire Trevor, 1909
Louise Beavers, 1902
Kenneth Grahame, 1859
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., 1841
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, 1714

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Mary, Mary"(Play), 1961
Symphony No. 2 in D major(Sibelius Op. 43), 1901
"Don Quixote"(Straus Op. 35), 1898
"Emilia Galotti"(Play), 1772

Today in History:

William Claxton completes his translation from French into English of Mirror of the World; as England's first printer, he will soon turn this into England's first illustrated print book, 1481
John Casor becomes the first legally-recognized slave in what will be the United States, 1655
Anne Stuart, sister of Mary II, becomes Queen regnant of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1702
Thomas Paine's "African Slavery in America," the first article in the U.S. calling for the emancipation of slaves and the abolition of slavery is published, 1775
Gnadenhütten massacre: Ninety-six Native Americans in Gnadenhutten, Ohio, who had converted to Christianity are killed by Pennsylvania militiamen in retaliation for raids carried out by other Indians, 1782
The New York Stock Exchange is founded, 1817
The first train crosses the first US railway suspension bridge at Niagara Falls, 1855
Everett Horton of Connecticut patents a fishing rod of telescoping steel tubes, 1887
International Women's Day is launched in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Clara Zetkin, leader of the Women's Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, 1911
Mahatma Gandhi starts civil disobedience in India, 1930
Daytona Beach Road Course holds their first oval stock car race, 1936
Phyllis M Daley is the first black nurse sworn-in as US Navy ensign, 1945
Ghana joins the United Nations, 1957
The first radio episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, is transmitted on BBC Radio 4, 1978
Philips demonstrates the Compact Disc publicly for the first time, 1979
Martina Navratilova becomes the 1st tennis player to earn $10 million, 1986
The Supreme Court of the United States upholds the murder convictions of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombing, 1999
The first comprehensive map of the debris field of the RMS Titanic is revealed, 2012

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's easy to participate just post a picture that makes everyone say, "Awww!" and that's it.

We could all use some cute to start the work week.

While in Disney World, the housekeeping staff does a great job, and they even add little personal touches. Each day, we were greeting with either towels rolled into the "mouse ears" that is the trademark of the place, or this:

Towels and washcloths, folded into a rabbit!

Yesterday, at the small group Lenten study, we went around the circle and said our names, and our favorite places. As i told them, there's lots of places i love to visit, but if i had to pick one, it would have to be Disney World, where i can let my inner child run and play a lot!

Today is:

Armored Warships Day -- the first battle between armored warships, the Monitor and the Merrimac, was this day in 1862

Australia Celebrations:
     Adelaide Cup Day -- SA
     Labour Day -- VIC
     Canberra Day -- ACT
     Eight Hours Day -- Tas (a/k/a Labour Day)

Baron Bliss Day -- Belize

Commonwealth Day -- Commonwealth of Nations (the 54 Countries which today celebrate their ties to one another; Her Majesty the Queen will issue a special message to all Commonwealth Nations citizens through their respective Presidents and Prime Ministers)

Day to Mourn Slavery -- commemorates the day it was outlawed worldwide in 1927, and to mourn that it still exists

Eid Al Moalim -- Lebanon (Teacher's Day)

Get Over It Day™ -- halfway between Valentines and April Fools, a day to just get over something or someone that is bugging you

Global Marathon For, By, and About Women in Engineering and Technology -- three days of Global "Town Meetings" to connect girls and women and support them in the fields of engineering and technology

National Crabmeat Day

National Heroes and Benefactors Day -- Belize

National Meatball Day

National Wildlife Week -- US (go learn how to safely observe wildlife this week)

Panic Day -- a day in which to run around in a panic and tell everyone you can't take it any more, to get it all out of your system, i guess; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Saitousai -- Kashima-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan (festival to pray for good harvest that dates back to the Nara period of 710-794, and still includes traditional dress)

Second Day of No Interest to Fairies -- Fairy Calendar

St. Catherine of Bologna's Day (Patron of art, artists, Bologna Academy of Art, liberal arts, painters; against temptation)

St. Dominic Savio's Day (Patron of boys, children's choirs, choir boys, choirs, falsely accused people, juvenile delinquents, and Pueri Cantores)

St. Frances of Rome's Day (Patron of automobile drivers/motorists, cabbies/taxi drivers, lay people, people ridiculed for their piety, Roman housewives, widows)

Strinennia -- Slavic Pagan Calendar (festival to call birds and spring to come back)

Takaosan Hiwatari Matsuri -- Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan (fire walking festival, usually on this date but can vary)

Taranaki Provincial Anniversary Day -- Taranaki, New Zealand

Workplace Napping Day -- on this, the Monday after DST begins, show your boss the studies that highlight the benefit of power naps
    some sites call it National Napping Day; either way, lie down and be counted!

Anniversaries Today:

Napoléon Bonaparte marries his first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, 1796
Gustav Mahler marries Alma Schindler, 1902

Birthdays Today:

Emmanuel Lewis, 1971
Juliette Binoche, 1964
Terence John "Terry" Mulholland, 1963
Linda Fiorentino, 1960
Jeffrey Osborne, 1948
David Hume Kennerly, 1947
Bobby Fischer, 1943
Trish Van Devere, 1943
Raul Julia, 1940
Marty Ingels, 1936
Mickey Gilley, 1936
Joyce Van Patten, 1934
Yuri Gagarin, 1934
Keely Smith, 1932
Ornette Coleman, 1930
Wally Bronner, 1927
Irene Papas, 1926
Mickey Spillane, 1918
Samuel Barber, 1910
Will Greer, 1902
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, 1890
Amerigo Vespucci, 1454

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Family"(TV), 1976
"Rising of the Moon"(Play), 1907
"Hamlet"(Opera), 1868
"Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor/The Merry Wives of Windsor"(Opera), 1849
"Ernani"(Opera), 1844
"Nabucco"(Opera), 1842
"Horace"(Play), 1640

Today in History:

Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han Dynasty of China, BC141
First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg, 1009
Jews are expelled from Carintha Austria, 1496
Nicolaus Copernicus makes his first recorded astronomical observation, 1497
Marten Luther preaches his first Invocavit sermon, 1522
Kissing in public is banned in Naples, punishable by death, 1562
Publication of the economics book The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, 1776
Prussian government limits work week for children to 51 hours, 1839
The Amistad Ruling: The US Supreme Court rules that captive Africans who had seized control of the ship carrying them had been taken into slavery illegally, and were to be set free, 1841
The first documented discovery of gold in California occurred at Rancho San Francisco, six years before the California Gold Rush, 1842
Albert Potts of Philadelphia patents the street mailbox, 1858
The Westmoreland County Coal Strike, involving 15,000 coal miners
represented by the United Mine Workers, begins, 1910
Pancho Villa leads nearly 500 Mexican raiders in an attack against Columbus, New Mexico, 1916
Pink's War: The first Royal Air Force operation conducted independently of the British Army or Royal Navy begins, 1925
President Franklin D. Roosevelt submits the Emergency Banking Act to the Congress, the first of his New Deal policies, 1932
CBS television broadcasts the See It Now episode, "A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy", produced by Fred Friendly, in which Edward R. Murrow criticizes the senator, 1954
The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York, 1959
Dr. Antonia Novello is sworn in as Surgeon General of the United States, becoming the first female and Hispanic American to serve in that position, 1990
Observers in China, Mongolia and eastern Siberia are treated to a rare double feature as an eclipse permits Comet Hale-Bopp to be seen during the day, 1997
Space Shuttle Discovery makes its final landing after 39 flights, 2011
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft transmits images that for the very first time, allow scientists to create a 3D reconstruction of ancient water channels below the surface of Mars, 2013

Is anyone else feeling almost hung over from the time change?

(Note: i've never been drunk or hung over. Not bragging, i just never found the idea of being out of my mind from a chemical and feeling horrible the next day appealing, so i never bothered. Besides, half a glass of wine and i go right to bed anyway, so i just don't drink. Thus when i say i feel a bit hung over, i'm going with what i think it might feel like, not actual experience.)

This problem seems to get worse with every year. It's more and more difficult to catch up from that missed hour of sleep, and i'm not sure what to do about it.

If anything can be done, aside from staging a full on rebellion and starting a campaign to end the madness.

(Note: just after writing this, i decided that someone has to have already begun a petition, and i was right. It's here, if you want to sign it.)

(Note: the petitioners spell it incorrectly, adding the last "s" to the word "saving." Doesn't matter to me, the fact that they have a petition going already means i don't have to start one!)

(Note: i have a lot of notes today. Must be because i'm still half asleep!)

We are back to dropping Little Girl off at school in the dark in the morning because the time change also starts earlier and earlier each year.

Maybe a better tack to take on this would be to change the clocks this one time, and never change them back. After all, it's all rather arbitrary -- noon used to be when the sun was above your head, no need for a clock.

At least, if we just left it alone and made the current Daylight Saving Time the standard, we would have light as late in the evening as possible year round.

Until this happens, though, or we stop it altogether, i'm going to go get another cup of coffee.

Today is:

Cheltenham Hunt Festival -- Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England (a four day Festival, with the big race on that final day)

Doctor's Day -- Venezuela

Dream Day -- supposedly begun by an instructor at Columbia University as a day to concentrate on how to make your dreams come true

Farvardigan -- Ancient Persia, Zoroastrians (10 day festival for the dead before Nowruz, the New Year)

Festival of Life in the Cracks Day -- internet holiday declared because this is where most of us are, and we deserve to be celebrated!

Harriet Tubman Day -- anniversary of her death in 1913

International Day of Awesomeness -- Celebrate what is awesome about you - always on Chuck Norris' birth anniversary, because no one is more awesome than Chuck

Mario Day -- for gamers, based on the date Mar 10

National Blueberry Popover Day

National Pack Your Lunch Day -- because it's cheaper and healthier

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day -- US

Organize Your Home Office Day -- Lisa Kanarek wants everyone to organize their home office on the second Tuesday in March; my response is: in one day! is she out of her mind!

Shiogama Jinja Hote Festival -- Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (mikoshi parades and Shinto music)

St. Kessog's Day (Patron of Lennox, Scotland; Scotland)

Telephone Day -- Bell sent the first message by phone, to Watson in the next room, this day in 1876

Tibetan Uprising Day -- Tibetan Independence Supporters commemoration of the 1959 uprising

Whoopsical Day -- Fairy Calendar

Birthdays Today:

Emily Osment, 1992
Carrie Underwood, 1983
Shannon Miller, 1977
John Hamm, 1971
Edie Brickell, 1966
Prince Edward, 1964
Jasmine Guy, 1964
Rick Rubin, 1963
Pam Oliver, 1961
Sharon Stone, 1958
Shannon Tweed, 1957
Kim Campbell, 1947
Bob Greene, 1947
Tom Scholz, 1947
Chuck Norris, 1940
Dave Rabe, 1940
James Earl Ray, 1928
Pamela Mason, 1918
Bix Beiderbecke, 1903
Clare Boothe Luce, 1903

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer"(TV), 1997
"The Incredible Hulk"(TV), 1978
"Sweet Bird of Youth"(Play), 1959

Today in History:

The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end, BC241
Jews are excluded from public office in the Roman Empire, 418
King Charles I dissolves Parliament; he calls it back 11 years later, 1629
English Quaker William Penn receives charter from Charles II, making him sole proprietor of colonial American territory Pennsylvania, 1681
French Huguenot Jean Calas, who was wrongly convicted of killing his son, dies after being tortured by authorities; the event inspired Voltaire to begin a campaign for religious tolerance and legal reform, 1762
John Stone, of Concord, Massachusetts, patents a pile driver, 1791
England begins its first modern census, 1801
In St. Louis, Missouri, a formal ceremony is conducted to transfer ownership of the Louisiana Territory from France to the United States, 1804
The French Foreign Legion is established by King Louis-Philippe to support his war in Algeria, 1831
Abraham Lincoln patents a device to help free ships in rivers from shallow water; he built a small scale model, but no full-size device was ever built, and makes him the only US president to hold a patent, 1849
Alexander Graham Bell makes the first successful telephone call by saying "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you," 1876
Commissioner George Scott Railton and seven women officers landed at New York to officially begin the work of the Salvation Army in the US, 1880
Almon Strowger, an undertaker in Topeka, Kansas, patents the Strowger switch, a device which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching, 1891
The Courrières mine disaster, Europe's worst ever, kills 1099 miners in Northern France, 1906
After Bob Fitzsimmons KOs much larger Jim Corbett to win world HW championship he says, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall," 1896
China ends slavery, 1910
Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in India, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years in prison, only to be released after nearly two years for an appendicitis operation, 1922
In Memphis, Tennessee, James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr.; he later retracts his guilty plea, 1969
Astronomers discover rings around Uranus, 1977
In Haiti, Prosper Avril is ousted 18 months after seizing power in a coup, 1990
The NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom, 2000
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives at Mars, 2006

Schedule:

Friday, 4am, wake up

6am, head to Bible Study

8am, get to work, deliver flowers

1:30pm, home to pack

4:15pm, leave for vacation

11:45pm, check into hotel for the night

Saturday, 4am, wake up

6am, head out to drive the rest of the way to Orlando

2pm, arrive an hour later than expected because we forgot the time changes from Central to Eastern and we lose an hour

3pm, let the kids go meet up with Uncle J, Brooke, and Dre while Sweetie books the very last dining reservation available at any Disney restaurant in the whole place

4pm, go relax and explore until dinner at 9pm

9pm, dinner

11pm, go to the Magic Kingdom, where they are open until 3am for resort guests only, and ride on almost everything with no lines after midnight!

Sunday, 4:15am, finally get into bed

8:15am, get up and the fun begins again!

Yes, 3 hours sleep between Friday at 4am and Sunday at 4am. Can you tell i'm running on caffeine and adrenaline?

Today is:

9-1-1 Day -- the first 911 call in North America was placed, demonstrating the new system, on this day in 1968

Akiyoshidai Yamayaki -- Akiyoshidai, Japan (dry grass on the mountain side is burned in this coming of spring ceremony; date subject to change)

Bonten Matsuri -- Miyoshi-jinja Shrine, Akita, Japan (two day festival to ask for good crops this year)

Chip Week begins -- UK (a general celebration of chips)

Do a Grouch a Favor Day -- internet generated attempt to get us to either get the grouches on our side, or make us cynical

Family Day -- AB, ON, SK, Canada

Independence Day -- Lithuania (National Day/Restoration of Statehood)(1918)

Islander Holiday -- PEI, Canada

Kyoto Protocol Day -- International (treaty on climate change; today is proposed as "Wear purple for Kyoto Day")

Louis Riel Day -- MB, Canada

Lundi Gras -- Fat Monday, Carnival, one of the last to days to feast before the Lenten fast begins Wednesday
     Bolludagur -- Iceland (Bun Day, the children wake the parents with a "spanking" while calling for cream buns that will be eaten that day)
     Old Mask Parade -- Oranjestad, Aruba (with the Burning of the Momo tomorrow, marking the end of Carnival)
     Rosenmontag -- German-speaking Countries (Rose Monday, highlight of Karneval)

Maslenitsa -- Russia (between Meatfare Sunday and Cheesefare Sunday is Butter Week or Pancake Week, when you stuff yourself before the Orthodox Church Great Lent)

National Almond Day

Presidents' Day -- US and Territories

Respectable Tales of Kelp-Koli -- Fairy Calendar (5 minutes only)

St. Juliana of Cumae's Day (Patron of the ill)

St. Onesimus' Day (runaway slave of Philemon, converted by Paul, of whom the Letter to Philemon was written)

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (through tomorrow)

Birthdays Today:

Christopher Eccleston, 1964
John McEnroe, 1959
Ice T, 1959
LeVar Burton, 1957
James Ingram, 1956
William Katt, 1951
Richard Ford, 1944
Barry Primus, 1938
Sonny Bono, 1935
Vera-Ellen, 1921
Patty Andrews, 1920
Jimmy Wakely, 1914
Hugh Beaumont, 1909
Richard McDonald, 1909
George Kennan, 1904
Edgar Bergan, 1903
Robert Joseph Flaherty, 1884
Johann Strauss, 1866
Nichiren, 1222
Emperor Yingzong of China, 1032

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"What's My Line"(TV Game Show), 1950
"Le Voyageur Sans Baggage"(Anouilh Play), 1937
"The Marquise"(Coward Play), 1927
Chung Sai Yat Po(Publication; first Chinese daily newspaper in US), 1900
"Werther"(Massenet Opera), 1892
Ladies' Home Journal(Publication), 1883
"Orpheus"(Liszt Opera), 1854
"Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard"(First Publication), 1751

Today in History:

9th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet, 374
Pope Gregory the Great issues a decree saying that "God bless you" is the correct response to a sneeze, 600
English king Charles I accepts Triennial Act, requiring the king to assemble Parliament at least once every 3 years, 1641
The first known check (cheque) is written, for 400 English Pounds Sterling (currently on display at Westminster Abbey), 1659
Kentucky passes a law permitting women to attend school under certain conditions, 1838*
Weenen Massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus, 1838
American Charles Wilkes discovers Shackleton Ice Shelf, Antarctica, 1840
The Battle of Sobraon ends the First Sikh War in India, 1846
Studebaker Brothers wagon company, precursor of the automobile manufacturer, is established, 1852
The French Government passes a law to set the A-note above middle C to a frequency of 435 Hz, in an attempt to standardize the pitch, 1859
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks forms, 1868
The "Ladies Home Journal" begins publishing, 1883
The first Chinese daily newspaper in the US, Chung Sai Yat Po, begins publication in San Francisco, 1900
The first US Esperanto Club organizes in Boston, 1905
The first synagogue in 425 years opens in Madrid, Spain, 1917
Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, 1923
The first patent is issued for a tree, to James Markham for a peach tree, 1932
Wallace H. Carothers receives a United States patent for nylon, 1937
Canadians are granted Canadian citizenship after 80 years of being British subjects. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first Canadian citizen, 1947
Britain abolishes the death penalty, 1956
Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1, 1959
In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service, 1968
The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago, Illinois), 1978
The trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the Terrible" in Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem, 1987
The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia, 2005
The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army, 2006

*This is the same US state that still has a law on its books requiring every resident to take a bath at least once a year, whether the person
needs it or not!

This is Sweetie's idea of a serving size of "extra raisin" raisin bran:

Yes, this is a salad serving bowl.

This came after two slices of well-buttered toast, a very big Italian link sausage, and an omelet with four eggs, onions and mushrooms, and two slices of Swiss cheese cooked in bacon grease.

He hasn't thrown a hay bale in over 30 years, but he still eats like a farm boy!

Today is:

Bunching of Fairies for the Second Flight -- Fairy Calendar

Charter Day -- Pennsylvania, US

Debunking Day -- internet holiday possibly started by someone tired of internet myths

Feast Day of Hercules/Herakles -- Ancient Roman and Greek Calendars

Frankenstein's Birthday -- Mary Shelley's famous tale was published today in 1818

Johnny Appleseed Day / Apple Appreciation Day -- death anniversary of John "Johnny Appleseed" Chapman; some say March 18

King Moshoeshoe I's Anniversary -- Lesotho

Mi-Careme -- Guadeloupe; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Martin (Mid-Lent)

National Decoration Day -- Liberia

National No Smoking Day -- UK (for help quitting, go here)

National Oatmeal-Nut Waffles Day

Reestablishment of Independence -- Lithuania (independence from the USSR)

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day -- US

St. Eulogius of Cordova's Day (Patron of carpenters, coppersmiths)

World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film -- International

Worship of Tools Day -- begun by someone who knew we would be nowhere without tools

Anniversaries Today:

Romeo & Juliet's wedding day, according to Shakespeare, 1302
Emperor Napoleon married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise, 1810

Birthdays Today:

Terrance Howard, 1969
Alex Kingston, 1963
Curtis Brown, Jr., 1956
Douglas Adams, 1952
Bobby McFerrin, 1950
Jerry Zucker, 1950
Dominique Sanda, 1948
Charles W. Swan, 1942
Antonin Scalia, 1936
Sam Donaldson, 1934
Rupert Murdoch, 1931
Ralph Abernathy, 1926
Mercer Ellington, 1919
Ezra Jack Keats, 1916
Harold Wilson, 1916
Lawrence Welk, 1903
Robert Treat Paine, 1731
Torquato Tasso, 1544

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Cops"(TV), 1989
"A Raisin in the Sun"(Play), 1959
"Don Carlos"(Opera), 1867
"Rigoletto"(Opera), 1851
"I Capuleti e i Montecchi"(Opera), 1830
The Daily Courant(Newspaper; first British daily paper), 1702

Today in History:

Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty),BC1425
Volcano Etna in Italy erupts killing 15,000, 1669
The first English daily newspaper "Daily Courant," begins publishing, 1702
Queen Anne withholds Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill, the last time a British monarch vetoes legislation, 1708
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is published, 1818
Unhappy with translational differences regarding the Treaty of Waitangi, chiefs Hone Heke, Kawiti and Maori tribe members chop down the British flagpole for a fourth time and drive settlers out of Kororareka, New Zealand, 1845
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin become the first Prime Ministers of the Province of Canada to be democratically elected under a system of responsible government, 1848
The Great Sheffield Flood: The largest man-made disaster ever to befall England kills over 250 people in Sheffield, 1864
The Meiji Japanese government officially annexes the Ryukyu Kingdom into what would become the Okinawa prefecture,1872
The Great Blizzard of 1888 begins, lasting 4 days, 1888
The first confirmed cases of the Spanish Flu are observed at Fort Riley, Kansas, 1918
The Bank of Canada opens, 1935
Reginald Weit became the first African American to play in the US Tennis Open, 1948
Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," the first Broadway play by a black woman, opens, 1959
Mt. Etna in Sicily erupts, 1974
Pakistan successfully conducts a cold test of a nuclear weapon, 1983
Mikhail S Gorbachev replaces Konstantin Chernenko as Soviet leader, 1985
Infosys becomes the first Indian company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, 1999
Michelle Bachelet is inaugurated as first female president of Chile, 2006
An earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude strikes 130 km (81 mi) east of Sendai, Japan, triggering a tsunami killing thousands of people and triggering the second largest nuclear accident in history, 2011

Listening to the radio yesterday, i heard a news report that had me shaking my head.

It seems that Ashton Kutcher, an actor and new dad, is asking for more baby changing tables in men's restrooms. He promises to promote the first business in which he finds one.

My first thought was, where have you been, sir? Or have i only been dreaming that men's rooms have had changing tables for a while? Did i only imagine it when everyone laughed over the sign above a changing table in the men's room near the fishing dock in Florida that told men they couldn't clean fish there?

A caller to the radio station to which i was listening confirmed my feelings. He said that his oldest is 20, and he was finding changing tables in men's restrooms all those years ago.

Then the caller began mentioning names of places that have them, and i realized the problem.

He mentioned places like Wal-Mart, Target, Albertson's, McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, and other such places.

Mr. Kutcher's problem may be that he only dines in high end restaurants and shops where you can't buy a sock for less than $100. Those places just may not have changing tables in the men's rooms. People who own such places may assume that anyone coming in there has a nanny to do the changing anyway. Who knows?

But i think it's the places he goes, not that no place has baby changing stations in the men's rooms. Maybe he needs to expand the places he goes.

"Hey, mom! Do you have any of the needles you use to give the kittens shots?" #2 Son came into the kitchen to ask.

Sure, i said, and handed him one. What's up?

"Friend Becky's dad killed a copperhead, and I'm going over there to fill its body with alcohol to pickle it! I'm going to keep it in a jar in my room!"

Mr. Kutcher probably doesn't live anywhere that he would hear something like that.

Today is:

Alfred Hitchcock Day -- some internet sources say March 8, and no one knows who picked either day, but he is worth celebrating

Arbor Day -- China; Taiwan

Donkey Appreciation Day -- formerly celebrated, but the lowly donkey is no longer as indispensable as he was; if you share my fondness for beasts of burden, celebrate it anyway

Girl Scouts Birthday -- US

Huddling of Fairies of the Third Flight -- Fairy Calendar

Kronprinsessans Namnsdag -- Sweden (Name Day of HRH Crown Princess Victoria, the Heir Apparent; an official flag day)

Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries -- Ancient Greek Calendar (three day festival, dates approximate; celebrates the marriage of Kore and Dionysos)

Louisiana Sportmen's Show and Festival -- Gonzales, LA, US (boat show for NOLA, BR, and the Gulf Coast, and includes a jambalaya cook off; through Sunday)

Martyrdom of Hypatia of Alexandria -- in 415, she was murdered for the three crimes of being intelligent, female, and pagan

National Baked Scallops Day

National Day -- Mauritius (anniversary of independence in 1968)

Plant a Flower Day -- sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation; now's a good time to give wildlife friendly perrenials a head start, starting them indoors if you have to

Quebec City Hunting, Fishing, and Boat Show -- Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (through Sunday)

Rockhound Round Up Gem and Mineral Show -- Deming, NM, US (through Sunday)

St. Gregory the Great's Day (Patron of choir boys, educators, masons, musicians, popes, schoolchildren, singers, stonemasons, stone cutters, students, and teachers; England; Kercem, Malta; Legazpi, Philippines; Montone, Italy; San Gregorio nelle Alpi, Italy; West Indies; against gout and plague)
     note that Pope St. Gregory is also celebrated on Sept. 3, the date he was elected pope
     Graekarismessa (Mass of St. Gregory) -- Torshavn, Faroe Islands (traditional day on which the oystercatcher, their symbolic national bird, returns)
     Gregoru Diena -- Ancient Latvian Calendar (Gregory's Day, similar to groundhog day for weather prediction)

St. Seraphina's Day (Patron of the disabled and handicapped, and of spinners)

World Day Against Cyber Censorship -- sponsored by Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International

World Kidney Day -- www.worldkidneyday.org

Youth Day -- Zambia

Anniversaries Today:

Mick Jagger marries Bianca Perez Morena de Macias, 1971
Paul McCartney marries Linda Louise Eastman, 1969

Birthdays Today:

Frank Catalano, 1978
Aaron Eckhart, 1968
David Daniels, 1966
Darryl Strawberry, 1962
Marlon Jackson, 1957
Rob Cohen, 1949
James Taylor, 1948
Liza Minnelli, 1946
Al Jarreau, 1940
Barbara Feldon, 1933
Andrew Young, 1932
Edward Albee, 1928
Wally Schirra, 1923
Jack Kerouac, 1922
Gordon MacRae, 1921
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1881
Simon Newcomb, 1835
Charles Cunningham Boycott, 1832
Clement Studebaker, 1821

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Moses und Aaron"(Opera), 1954
"Fervaal"(Opera; d'Indy Op. 40), 1897
"Simon Boccanegra"(Opera), 1857

Today in History:

Martyrdom of Hypatia of Alexandria, philosopher, 415
Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Roman general, Belisarius, 538
Orvieto, Italy, rules it will behead and burn Jewish-Christian couples, 1350
Jews are expelled from Syria, 1496
New Jersey becomes an English colony, 1664
The first steam engine in America installed, to pump water from a mine, 1755
Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut as the world's first black international football player and captain, 1881
In Vicksburg, Mississippi, Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time, 1894
The first main line electric train in UK, from Liverpool to Southport, begins running, 1904
The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States, by Juliette Gordon Lowe, 1912
The foundation stone of the new Australian capital in Canberra is laid, 1913
Mohandas Gandhi begins 200m (300km) march protesting British salt tax, 1930
The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism, 1947
The Church of England ordains its first female priests, 1994
Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO, 1999
Financier Bernard Madoff plead guilty in New York to scamming $18 billion, the largest in Wall Street history, 2009
The U.S. Census Bureau reports the world now has 7 billion people, 2012

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

It's easy to participate. Just post a picture of a cat -- one of your cats, a LOLcat, or even draw a picture -- and link up!

Kida keeps telling me about a recurring problem.

We have a problem. You let my bowl get empty!

Problem solved -- temporarily!

Today is:

Africa Scout Day -- Africa (celebration of all Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in Africa)

Anniversary of the Election of Pope Francis

Ear Muff Day -- invented by Chester Greenwood in 1873, when he was only 15; if you need them today, keep a good thought for Chester

Good Samaritan Involvement Day -- emphasizing the importance of unselfish aid to others

Kasuga Matsuri -- Kasuga Grand Shrine, Nara, Japan (Monkey Festival)

K-9 Veterans Day -- US (on the day in 1942 the US Army K-9 Corps was established)

National Coconut Tort Day

National Jewel Day -- for no other reason than that someone who liked jewels wanted a holiday for them

National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day -- an experiment in whether or not bad luck ensues

National Skipping Day -- UK (a fun and healthy way to exercise)

Red Nose Day -- Comic Relief "Fun Raiser", for famine relief

Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo -- Mercedes, TX, US (through the 22nd)

Saint Ansovinus of Camerino (Patron protector of crops)

Shabbat Across America/Canada -- sponsored by the National Jewish Out-reach Program, encouraging Conservative, Orthodox, Reform, and Reconstructionist Jews to observe the Sabbath from sundown tonight until sundown tomorrow

Sherlock Holmes Weekend -- Cape May, NJ, US (a weekend of mystery for amateur sleuths and fans of A.C. Doyle)

South by Southwest/SXSW -- Austin, TX, US (internationally recognized music, new media, and film conference; through the 21st)

Sticking Very Close Together for Fairies of the Fourth and Fifth Flights -- Fairy Calendar

The European Fine Art Fair: Maastricht 2015 -- Maastricht, Netherlands (The Fine Arts Fair; through the 22nd)

Uranus Day -- the planet was discovered this day in 1781

World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup -- Sweetwater, TX, US (begins with a parade and "Miss Snake Charmer" pageant tonight, and continues with lots of fun through Sunday)

World Sleep Day -- sponsored by the World Association of Sleep Medicine, aiming to lessen the burdens of sleep problems on society; this year's theme is When Sleep is Sound, Health and Happiness Abound.

Birthdays Today:

Emile Hirsch, 1985
Rachael Bella, 1984
Will Clark, 1964
Adam Clayton, 1960
Glenne Headly, 1957
Dana Delany, 1956
Deborah Raffin, 1953
Charo, 1951
William H. Macy, 1950
Neil Sedaka, 1939
Helen "Callaghan" Candaele Saint Aubin, 1929
William Casey, 1913
L. Ron Hubbard. 1911
Sammy Kaye, 1910
Walter Annenberg, 1908
Percival Lowell, 1855
Lorenzo Delmonico, 1813
Joseph Priestly, 1733

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Larry King Show"(TV), 1983
"Same Time, Next Year"(Play), 1975
"Brigadoon"(Musical), 1947
"Three Musketeers"(Musical), 1928
"The Pink Lady"(Musical), 1911
"Marie Magdalena"(Opera), 1846
"Médée"(Opera), 1797

Today in History:

Twelfth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet, 607
Spanish explorer Cortez lands in Mexico, 1519
The Spanish fleet occupies Djerba, at Tripoli, 1560
Cambridge College is renamed Harvard for clergyman John Harvard, 1639
Jews are denied the right to build a synagogue in New Amsterdam, 1656
Massachusetts gains title to Maine for $6,000, 1677
The twenty-seventh recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet, 1759
William Herschel discovers Uranus, 1781
The Uncle Sam cartoon figure makes its debut in the NY Lantern weekly, 1852
The US Senate begins Pres Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial, 1868
Oxford defeats Cambridge in their first golf match, 1878
The Siege of Khartoum, Sudan begins, Madhist Sudanese against the Egyptian, British, and loyalist Sudanese forces, 1884
In France the length of the workday for women and children is limited to 11 hours by law, 1900
Mongolia (formerly Outer Mongolia) declares independence from China, 1921
A law is passed in the US state of Tennessee prohibiting the teaching of evolution, 1925
Clyde Tombaugh announces the discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory, 1930
Rotaract begins as a youth program of Rotary International, 1968
Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module, 1969
The Seikan Tunnel, the longest undersea tunnel in the world, opens between Aomori and Hakodate, Japan, 1988
India's Missionaries of Charity chooses Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as its leader, 1997
Gold prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange hit $1,000 per ounce for the first time, 2008
A Harvard Medical School study claims that red meat increases the risk of death and has additional negative health implications, 2012
In Greenland, the Siumut party wins the parliamentary election, setting up Aleqa Hammond to become the country's first female Prime Minister, 2013

It's not just Pi Day this year. It's the once-every-hundred-years Pi Day, where the date written US style, 3/14/15, matches not just the first three numerals of pi, but the first five, 3.1415.

Everywhere i've gone, someone is doing something with pies. Yesterday, blueberry and lemon icebox pies were brought to Bible study. Yes, the 6:30 in the morning Bible study, where the pies were enjoyed with morning coffee. (No, i don't eat sugar, i'm the weirdo, remember?)

At schools yesterday, there were pie/pi celebrations, and they are continuing today with restaurants offering big slices of pie for $3.14, or making special pizza pies, or offering discounts.

The Museum of Mathematics in NYC is even serving pie and hot chocolate in celebration.

My favorite celebration of the symbol for pi, though, will always be Little Girl's Halloween pumpkin from two years ago.

Pumpkin Pi!

Enjoy Pi Day, everyone!

Today is:

Constitution Day -- Andorra

Dita e Veres -- Albania (Summer Day)

Festival of Veturius Mamurius -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival of armor makers)

Genius Day -- for Einstein, of course

Girl Scout Sabbath -- US (encouraging Girl Scouts to wear their uniforms to synagogue services and represent their troop to their congregations; the final day of Girl Scout Week in the US)

Highland County Maple Festival -- Highland County, VA, US (this weekend and next)

International Ask A Question Day -- because that's what geniuses do

International Fanny Pack Day -- started by someone who really likes the things (although i do admit they come in handy for keeping your money with you at all times when you have a garage sale)

Learn about Butterflies Day -- if you go looking for who started this holiday, you will find out lots about butterflies and nothing about him/her, which i guess makes it a success

Moth-er Day -- for all individuals and museums that have moth collections; some websites have this listed as the day before Mother's Day

Mother Tongue Day -- Estonia

National Heroes Day -- Saint Vincent and Grenadines

National Potato Chip Day

National Pi Day - Why today? Because today is 3.14, the value of Pi.

Runic Half Month Beorc (Birch) begins

Saint Patrick's Day Parades -- various cities around the English speaking world hold their celebrations on the Saturday nearest the Saint's day

Saint Piran's Day Celebration -- Kansas City, KA, US (celebration of the patron saint of Cornwall and Cornish peoples, as well as the patron of tin miners, sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Cornish Society)***often on the Saturday nearest Mar. 5)

Shopping Cart Day -- patent filed today in 1938 by Sylvan Goldman

St. Matilda, Queen of Germany's Day (Patron of dying children, disappointing children, falsely accused people, large families, people ridiculed for their piety, queens, second marriages, widows)

Ten Most Wanted Day -- the FBI started its list this day in 1950

Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign -- Canisteo, NY (San Juan Capistrano has swallows, and Canisteo has living trees planted to spell out the name of the valley where the turkey vultures/buzzards return each year, traditionally on St. Patrick's Day; this weekend and next enjoy living history events, dealers, and demonstrations on Amish farms -- but only on Saturdays on the farms)

White Day -- China; Japan; South Korea; Taiwan (One month after Valentine's Day, which is the day women give gifts to men; today, the men return the favor.)

Birthdays Today:

Justin Bieber, 1994
Colby O'Donis, 1989
Taylor Hanson, 1983
Grace Park, 1974
Kirby Puckett, 1961
Tamara Tunie, 1959
Rick Dees, 1951
Pam Ayres, 1947
Billy Crystal, 1947
Rita Tushingham, 1942
Michael Caine, 1933
Quincy Jones, 1933
Frank Borman, 1928
S. Truet Cathy, 1921
Hank Ketcham, 1920
Horton Foote, 1916
Les Brown, 1912
Albert Einstein, 1879
Casey Jones, 1864
Lucy Hobbs Taylor, 1833
Johann Strauss, Sr., 1804

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"10 Most Wanted"(FBI list), 1950
"The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu"(Comic Opera), 1885
"MacBeth"(Opera), 1847

Today in History:

The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice, 1489
England grants a patent for Providence Plantations (now Rhode Island), 1644
Scotland dismisses Willem III & Mary Stuart as king & queen, 1689
Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin, 1794
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church founded in New York, 1821
Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado premiers in London, 1885
During the Great Blizzard of 1888, New York receives its second largest snowfall on record, 21", 1888
The United States goes on the gold standard, 1900
Hugo de Vries rediscovers Mendel's laws of genetics, 1900
The first theater for rear movie projection is built, in NYC, 1931
A jury in Dallas, Texas, finds Jack Ruby guilty of killing Lee Harvey Oswald, assumed assassin of John F. Kennedy, 1964
Linux kernel version 1.0.0 is released, 1994
Astronaut Norman Thagard becomes the first American astronaut to ride to space on-board a Russian launch vehicle, 1995
The Chinese city of Chongqing (formerly Chunking) is upgraded to a centrally administered municipality, 1997
Over a million Lebanese people take to the streets of Beirut to protest against Syrian military presence, in what comes to be called the Cedar Revolution, 2005
After measuring its spin and parity, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider announce they firmly believe the particle discovered in July 2012 is a Higgs boson, 2013

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's a great way to start the week with a laugh, and meet other bloggers in the process.

It's easy to participate, just post something funny, Laugh and Link Up!

This being the Lenten season, our church is reminding us of the special Easter offering that will be taken up in a couple of weeks. It's a chance to give to whichever of our church's many ministries is being highlighted. (Yes, we have 17 different local ministries, including that we will be working on our 5th Habitat for Humanity home this fall.)

Taking up a special collection reminds me of a joke.

Senator Boudreaux din't darken de door of de church much once he done got in office, but his wife Clothile did get him to go to de Cathedral ever' year at Easter, since mos' of de "guv'mint" people went den, too.

Ever' year, Senator Boudreaux done foun' himself in de balcony wit' lots of de bigwigs he see in "guv'mint,"'cause dey all wan' be up dere together an' let ever'one know dey don' miss de Easter service.

Den one year one of de ushers tole him an usher was sick, an' din't come, so he ax could Senator Boudreaux pass de plate among de "guv'mint" people when dey was takin' up a special collection fo' de poor? Senator Boudreaux done agree to dat.

When it be time, Senator Boudreaux go down an' get his plate, and decide he goin' have fun wit' dis. So on de way up to de balcony, he stop an' pull out a hunnerd bill from his wallet, an' he put dat in de plate as "seed money." Den he go an' collect from all de "guv'mint" bigwigs in de balcony, an' dey all put in plen'y, 'cause none want de one next him to outdo him.

When he done collectin', Senator Boudreaux take de plate, an' on de way back down de stair, he slip his own hunnerd out de plate an' put it back in his pocket!

Today is:

1848 Revolution Day -- Hungary

Ag Day, Celebrating Our Bountiful Food Supply -- according to a foodie website

Brutus Day -- for obvious reasons; watch for backstabbers today, because they are as numerous now as they were in ancient Rome

Buzzard Day -- Hinckley, OH, US (a day to celebrate the returning buzzards)

Camp Fire USA Birthday Week

Constitution Day -- Belarus

Dumbstruck Day -- Fairy Calendar

Everything You Think is Wrong Day -- begun by someone who wants you to keep an open mind, apparently

Fallas de Valencia -- Valencia, Spain (a five day carnival/fiesta of partying that ends with turning off all the city lights and setting fire to hundreds of massive papier-mache statues stuffed with fireworks to celebrate St. Joseph's Day; sometimes called Fallas de San Jose)

Honen Matsuri -- Tagata-jinja Shrine, Inuyama, Japan (festival for a good harvest and fertility)

Ides of March -- Ancient Roman Calendar; other observances
     Day Sacred to Anna Parenna and River Nymphs -- goddess of the returning year
     Day You Don't Want to Go Out if Your Name is Julius Caesar
     Festival of Attis and Cybele
     Guild Festival -- for guilds practicing the arts of Minerva, with weapons purified at her temple on this day

International Day Against Police Brutality

Joseph Jenkins Roberts' Birthday -- Liberia

Kashiram Jayanti -- UP, India (birth anniversary of politician Kashi Ram)

Laetare Sunday -- Western Christianity, 4th Sunday of Lent; related Observances
     Carnaval de la Laetare -- Stavelot, Belgium
     Mothering Sunday -- UK (fourth Sunday of Lent, originally a day to visit your "mother church" in the parish where you were raised, now celebrated as Mother's Day)

National Pears Helene with Chocolate Sauce and Brandy Day

Offerings to Ra, Osiris, Horus, Ptah, Sokar, and Atum -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer's Day (Patron of Vienna, Austria)

St. Louise de Marillac's Day (Patron of disappointing children, loss of parents, people rejected by religious orders, sick people, social workers, widows; Vincentian Service Corps)

Tagata Honen-Sai/Honen Matsuri -- Inuyama, Japan (fertility festival)

True Confessions Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays, because confession is good for the soul; if you are afraid to confess to the world, there's always your mirror

Turkey Buzzards Day -- Hinckley, OH, US (Two theories about why the turkey buzzards return on this date each year have to do with either witchcraft of a hunting story; festival in honor of them will be held this coming Sunday)

World Consumer Rights Day -- International

Youth Day -- Palau

Anniversaries Today:

Richard Burton marries Elizabeth Taylor, 1964
The University of Toronto is chartered, 1827
Maine becomes the 23rd US state, 1820

Birthdays Today:

Kellan Lutz, 1985
Sean Biggerstaff, 1983
Eva Longoria, 1975
Kim Raver, 1969
Mark McGrath, 1968
Bret Michaels, 1963
Fabio, 1961
Mary Carillo, 1957
Park Overall, 1957
Dee Snyder, 1955
Craig Wilson, 1954
Sly Stone, 1944
Mike Love, 1941
Phil Lesh, 1940
Judd Hirsch, 1935
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1933
Alan Bean, 1932
Norm Van Brocklin, 1926
Harry James, 1916
Joe E. Ross, 1914
Macdonald Carey, 1913
Samuel "Lightnin" Hopkins, 1912
Andrew Jackson, 1767

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Wonder Years"(TV), 1988
"Eight is Enough"(TV), 1977
"Three's Company"(TV), 1977
The Godfather(Film), 1972
"Purlie"(Musical), 1970
"Lady Madonna"(Music single), 1968
"My Fair Lady"(Musical), 1956
"Rapsodie Espagnole"(Ravel's Orchestral rapsody), 1908
"Caesar and Cleopatra,"(Play), 1899
"She Stoops to Conquer"(Comedy), 1773

Today in History:

Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus, Decimus Junius Brutus and several other Roman senators on the Ides of March, BC44
Liu Bei, a Chinese warlord and member of the Han royal house, declares himself emperor of Shu-Han and claims his legitimate succession to the Han Dynasty, 221
A Jew hating Monk in Seville, Spain stirs up people in that city to attack Jews, 1391
Christopher Columbus arrives back in Spain after his first trip to the New World, 1493
The first meeting of the Council of Trent, 1545
South Carolina becomes the first American colony to declare its independence from Great Britain and set up its own government, 1776
In an emotional speech in Newburgh, New York, George Washington asks his officers not to support the Newburgh Conspiracy; the plea is successful and the threatened coup d'état never takes place, 1783
A revolution breaks out in Hungary, and the Habsburg rulers are compelled to meet the demands of the Reform party, 1848
Jesse W. Reno patents an "inclined elevator" (escalator), 1892*
Rolls-Royce Limited is incorporated, 1906
Czar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the Russian throne and his brother the Grand Duke becomes Tsar, 1917
Symbolics.com registers the very first Internet domain name, 1985
Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first President of the Soviet Union, 1990
French President Jacques Chirac signs the law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools, commonly known as the "headscarf ban", 2004
Lazarus Project scientists reveal that they successfully recovered frozen tissue from the 1970's and rejuvenated the cells of Rheobatrachus silus, a species of frog that has been extinct since 1983, 2013

*The first actual working model, at Coney Island, was built four years later.

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. Post a picture that makes everyone say, "Awww!" and that's it.

It's great to see everyone's pictures, and it's wonderful to start the week with a smile.

The chick, Sandra Bullock, so named because she is clueless, is getting bigger, and meeting the other inhabitants of the house.

Little Girl's Rhode Island Red chick.

Who is this?

Really? Now I have to share the house with a chicken?

Today is:

Act Happy Week begins -- acting happy releases the body chemicals that aid health, mental and physical

Brain Awareness Week begins-- the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research

http://www.dana.org/BAW/

Curlew Day -- Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge, OR, US (traditional date the long-billed curlew arrives, with up to 500 reported during their nesting season)

Day of the Book Smugglers -- Lithuania (recognizing the brave people who smuggled Lithuanian language books in the Latin alphabet into the country from 1866-1904, when the Russian Empire had banned such books)

Day After Dumbstruck Day -- Fairy Calendar

Dia de Benito Juarez -- Mexico (a Fiestas Patrias)

Elaphebolia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of Artemis; date approximate)

Everything You Do is Right Day -- another internet generated holiday designed to get you into trouble if you aren't careful

Feast of Heru and His Companions -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Festival of Bacchus / Bacchanalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (through tomorrow)

Freedom of Information Day -- on the birthday of James Madison, Father of the US Constitution and an advocate for openness in government

Latvian Legion Day -- Latvia (no longer a formal national holiday, still celebrated by many in the region)

Lips Appreciation Day -- after all, where would you be without them, and how would you give kisses? sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

National Artichoke Hearts Day

St. Heribert of Cologne's Day (Patron against drought)

St. Urho's Day -- Finnish communities in Canada and the US (a made up saint, the Finns answer to St. Patrick, who supposedly drove the grasshoppers out of Finland)

Wellderly Day -- and the start of Wellderly Week, focusing on the health of the elderly

World Folk Tales and Fables Week -- encouraging all people to explore the cultural background and lessons learned from folk tales, fables, myths, and legends from around the world; originally sponsored by Language Lizard

www.languagelizard.com

Anniversary Today:

The United States Military Academy at West Point is established, 1802

Birthdays Today:

Judah Friedlander, 1969
Lauren Graham, 1969
Kevin Tod Smith, 1963
Isabel Huppert, 1955
Alice Hoffman, 1952
Kate Nelligan, 1951
Erik Estrada, 1949
Victor Garber, 1949
Chuck Woolery, 1942
Bernardo Bertolucci, 1940
Jerry Lewis, 1926
Mercedes McCambridge, 1916
Patricia Nixon, 1912
Henny Youngman, 1906
Rosa Bonheur, 1822
Georg Simon Ohm, 1787
James Madison, 1751
George Clymer, 1739

Debuting/Premiering Today:"1776"(Musical), 1969
"The Gumby Show"(TV), 1957
"Der Unbestechliche"(Comedy), 1923
"In the South / Alassio"(Elgar, Op. 50), 1904
"Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen"(Mahler Song cycle), 1896
"Thaïs"(Opera), 1894
Freedom's Journal(first African American newspaper in the US, in New York), 1827

Today in History:

The Babylonians capture Jerusalem and replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king, BC597
Caligula becomes Roman Emperor after the death of his great uncle, Tiberius, 37
The Jews of York England commit mass suicide rather than submit to baptism, 1190
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches Philippines, 1521
Samoset, a Mohegan, visits the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them, "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset," 1621
The US Army Corps of Engineers is established to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1802
Prince Willem of the House of Orange-Nassau proclaims himself King of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the first constitutional monarch in The Netherlands, 1815
New York Stock Exchange slowest day ever (31 shares traded), 1830
Susan Hayhurst becomes the first woman to graduate from a pharmacollogy college, 1830
Edward Clark became Governor of Texas, replacing Sam Houston, who was evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, 1861
Joseph Lister's article outlining the discovery of antiseptic surgery is published in The Lancet, 1867
Hiram R Revels makes the first official speech by an African American in the US Senate, 1869
The Barnum and Bailey Circus debuts, 1881
Sir Arthur Evans discovers the ancient city of Knossus, 1900
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts, 1926
The Ford Motor Company produces its 50 millionth automobile, the Thunderbird, averaging almost a million cars a year since the company's founding, 1958
Gemini 8 is launched, the 12th manned American space flight and first space docking with the Agena Target Vehicle, 1968
General Motors produces its 100 millionth automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado, 1968
Demolition of the radio tower Ismaning, the last wooden radio tower in Germany, 1983
Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut; he will be held for 6 1/2 years, 1985
Pope John Paul II asks God for forgiveness for the inactivity and silence of some Roman Catholics during the Holocaust, 1998
Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control, 2005

It is St. Patrick's Day!

How, you may ask, do we plain vanilla Protestant Christians, and local Catholics, many of whom are Italian or French descent, celebrate an English saint who is beloved of the Irish (besides with the parade that was this past Saturday)?

By going to the synagogue and buying corned beef sandwiches, of course.

Yes, really.

For today, Irish blessings:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May G-d hold you in the palm of His hand.

May you always have...
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
And all your heart might desire.

May the blessing of light be upon you,
Light on the outside, light on the inside.
With G-d's sunlight shining on you,
May your heart glow with warmth,
Like a turf fire that welcomes
Friends and strangers alike.
May the light of the Lord shine from your eyes,
Like a candle in the window,
Welcoming the weary traveler.

May those who love us, love us;
And for those who don't love us,
May G-d turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we will know them by their limping.

Here's to your coffin!
May your coffin have six handles of finest silver!
May your coffin be carried by six fair young maids!
And may your coffin be make of finest wood
from a 100-year-old tree,
that I'll go plant tomorrow!

Today is:

Ennensai -- Kyoto, Japan (festival and traditional performances)

Evacuation Day -- Suffolk County, Massachusetts, US (day the British troops left the city in 1776)

Festival of King Amenhotep I -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (rituals dramatizing his death and burial, held in the Valley; date approximate)

Kustonu Diena -- Ancient Latvian Calendar (no planting today, to ward off insects)

Liberalia -- Ancient Roman Empire (fertility festival in rural areas)

National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day -- i wonder why

Rubber Band Day -- patented in England this date in 1845 by Stephen Perry

Saint Patrick's Day (Patron of engineers, excluded people, ophidiophobics; Ireland; Nigeria; over 20 other towns/dioceses around the world; against fear of snakes, snakes and snake bite)
a public holiday in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Montserrat, and Ireland, and widely celebrated throughout the world
Trefuilnid Treochair (Feast of Triple Bearer of the Triple Key) -- Ireland (Ireland's National Day)

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Anniversary -- Bangladesh

St. Gertrude's Day (Patron of cats, for accomodations and lodging while traveling, gardeners, mentally ill people, pilgrims, poor people, sick people, suriphobics, travelers, widows; Nivelles, Belgium; against fear of mice and rats, fever, insanity and mental disorders, mice and rats)

St. Joseph of Arimathea's Day (Patron of funeral directors, morticians/undertakers, pallbearers, tin miners, tin smiths; Glastonbury Cathedral)

Submarine Day -- the sandwich or the submersible, your choice

Anniversaries Today:

Wellesley Female Seminary is established, 1870
Franklin D. Roosevelt marries Eleanor Roosevelt, 1905

Birthdays Today:

Caroline Corr, 1973
Mia Hamm, 1972
Rob Lowe, 1964
Arye Gross, 1960
Vicky Lewis, 1960
Gary Sinise, 1955
Lesley-Anne Down, 1954
Kurt Russell, 1951
Patrick Duffy, 1949
John Sebastian, 1944
Paul Kantner, 1941
Rudolf Nureyev, 1938
Paul Horn, 1930
Nat "King" Cole, 1919
Bayard Rustin, 1910
Bobby Jones, 1902
Shemp Howard, 1895
Jim Bridger, 1804
Roger B. Taney, 1777

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Camino Real"(Play), 1953
"Kiss and Tell"(Play), 1943
"Welded"(Play), 1928
"The Girl Friend"(Musical), 1926
"Wilhelm Tell"(Play), 1804

Today in History:

In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda, BC45
Marcus Aurelius dies leaving Commodus as the sole emperor of the Roman Empire, 180
Led by Muhammad, the Muslims of Medina defeat the Quraysh of Mecca in the Battle of Badr, 624
Edward, the Black Prince is made Duke of Cornwall, the first Duchy made in England, 1337
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in New York City for the first time (at the Crown and Thistle Tavern), 1756
George Washington grants the Continental Army a holiday "as an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight for independence," 1780
The Italian Republic, with Napoleon as president, becomes the Kingdom of Italy, with Napoleon as King, 1805
Henry Jones of Bristol patents "self-raising" flour, 1845
Stephen Perry of London patents the rubber band, 1845
John Joseph Montgomery makes the first glider flight, in Otay, California, 1884
The first practical submarine leaves the dock at NYC and submerges for one hour forty minutes, 1898
A showing of seventy-one Vincent van Gogh paintings in Paris, 11 years after his death, creates a sensation, 1901
Luther Gulick and his wife Charlotte found Camp Fire Girls (now Camp Fire USA), 1910
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley announce the creation of element 98, which they name "Californium", 1950
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, flees Tibet for India, 1959
Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel, 1969
A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed 68.7% to 31.2%, 1992
President Bush delivers an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: leave Iraq within 48 hours or face an attack, 2003
Scientists discover that a large number of bacterial life forms live in the deepest part of the world's oceans, the Mariana Trench, which is about 6.831 miles, 2013

Friend Chris came in one day last week and said, "Look at this!" as he opened his mouth and shone his camera's flashlight into his maw.

His tonsils were a splendid swollen sight, his uvula huge and longer than usual.

Tonsillitis, most likely, i said. Or strep or similar.

"Great!" he said. "That means I have to get to the doctor, and I'm leaving town for another work assignment in a couple of days."

He did get to the doctor, who said, "Tonsillitis!" and put him on an antibiotic.

Thinking it over later, i now wonder.

A couple of days later, Bigger Girl came in and said, "Mom, is my throat red and swollen?"

Of course it was.

Want me to make an appointment with Dr. Rey? i asked, referring to the GP who has become the mainstay of our doctor visits since the kids got old enough to not really want to see the pediatrician.

"No, I'm going to go to the mini-ER, it's Friday afternoon and I need to get it looked at before I go in to work this evening," she said.

Her diagnosis was pharyngitis, and the mini-ER doctor put her on a steroid.

Saturday, right on cue, #2 Son came in and asked about his own sore throat, with one tonsil swollen and the back of his throat looking like it was spreading. A text to Dr. Rey confirmed that the first thing to do was gargle with warm salt water a lot and keep an eye on it.

By Tuesday, #2 Son was worse, feeling tired and his lymph nodes were swelling, and went off to the doctor.

Diagnosis: Pharyngitis. Probable cause: Mono.

We are waiting for test results to confirm, but he's on a steroid, too, because there's nothing else you can do for mono.

Everyone is avoiding too close contact with him, and we are hoping it doesn't turn out Bigger Girl has it too (unlikely, considering she's getting better and had no fatigue or other symptoms).

We also have to wonder about Friend Chris. If he comes back from his out of town work complaining of being tired and isn't over the tonsillitis, we may know where it all started.

Meanwhile, trying to be a wit about it, someone here who shall remain nameless said, "At least it's only one thing wrong -- that's why they call it 'mono'!"

Let's hope it's only the one patient, too.

Today is:

Awkward Moments Day -- harness the power of humor in life's more uncomfortable situations

Asklepieia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of Asklepios; date approximate)

Bindus Diena -- Ancient Latvain Calendar (believed to be the day bears woke from hibernation)

Birthday of Sparky the Fire Dog -- can't confirm the exact date, but Sparky became an official fire prevention mascot in Mar. 1951

Celtic Tree Month Fearn (Alder) begins

Cheikh Al Maarouf Day -- Comoros

Dietician's Day -- Canada

Electric Razor Day -- Schick, Inc., marketed the first one today in 1931

Forgive Mom and Dad Day -- because we all make mistakes; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Goddess of Fertility Day -- a modern celebration of all goddesses of fertility

Grandparents' and Grandchildren's Day -- Michigan, US

Jacques de Molay's Day -- death anniversary of the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar

Kids Kick Butts Day -- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.kickbuttsday.org/

Men's and Soldiers Day -- Mongolia

National Agriculture Day -- US ( agday.org if you eat, thank a farmer!)

National Anthem and Flag Day -- Aruba

National Biodiesel Day -- birth anniversary of Rudolph Diesel, who unveiled his engine at the World Fair in 1900

National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day

Oide Matsuri -- Hakui, Japan (horse-back archery; through the 23rd)

Sheelah's Day -- Ireland (probably Sheela Na Gig, goddess of fertility; celebrated the day after St. Patrick's Day by those who say she was either his wife or his mother)

Sheep and Goats (Separation) Day -- Fairy Calendar

St. Anselm of Lucca's Day (Patron of Mantua, Italy)

St. Edward the Martyr's Day

Supreme Sacrifice Day -- an internet generated holiday now used to honor those who have made a supreme sacrifice, all who have given their lives for others

Usajingu Reitaisai -- Japan (offerings to the Kami from the Imperial Household are shared in this very important festival)

Anniversary Today:

Eddie Murphy marries Nicole Mitchell, 1993

Birthdays Today:

Alexei Yagudin, 1980
Dane Cook, 1972
Queen Latifah, 1970
Bonnie Blair, 1964
Vanessa Williams, 1963
Irene Cara, 1959
Brad Dourif, 1950
Kevin Dobson, 1944
Wilson Pickett, 1941
Charlie Pride, 1938
Sashi Kapoor, 1938
F.W. deKlerk, 1936
John Updike, 1932
George Plimpton, 1927
John Kander, 1927
Peter Graves, 1926
William H. Johnson, 1901
Edward Everett Horton, 1886
Rudolph Diesel, 1858
Grover Cleveland, 1837
John Caldwell Calhoun, 1782

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Do I Hear a Waltz?"(Musical), 1965
"Tovarich"(Musical), 1963
"Tales of Wells Fargo"(TV), 1957
The New Babylon(Silent Film), 1929
"Verklarte Nacht"(Schonberg, Op. 4), 1902

Today in History:

Crusaders kill 57 Jews in Bury St Edmonds England, 1190
German emperor Frederick II crowns himself king of Jerusalem, 1229
Kraków is ravaged by Mongols, 1241
According to legend, Tenochtitlan is founded on this date, 1325
John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton sells his part of New Jersey to the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, 1673
Henry Wells and William Fargo form American Express in Buffalo, NY, 1850
Former Governor General Lord Stanley pledges to donate a silver challenge cup, later named after him, as an award for the best hockey team in Canada, 1893
Mohandas Gandhi is sentenced to six years in prison for civil disobedience (he served only 2 years), 1922
The first public celebration of Bat mitzvah, for the daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, is held in New York City, 1922
The Tri-State Tornado hits the Midwestern US states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people, 1925
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy kills 26 and causes thousands to flee their homes, 1944
Cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov, leaving his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes, becomes the first person to walk in space, 1965
The U.S. Congress repeals the requirement for a gold reserve to back US currency, 1968
In Egypt, a 4,400-year-old mummy is found nearby the Pyramid of Cheops, 1989
White South Africans vote overwhelmingly in favour, in a national referendum, to end the racist policy of Apartheid, 1992
Bosnia's Bosniaks and Croats sign the Washington Agreement, ending warring between the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and establishing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1994
British Sign Language is recognised as an official British language, 2003
For the first time, a woman served as imam, leading a public, mixed-gender, Muslim congregation in Jum'ah prayer and delivering the sermon, 2005

"Hi, mom? I've got good news and bad news." #1 Son was calling from work, and i held my breath, hoping the good outweighed the bad.

"The bad news is, they are transferring me to another store, and so it's going to be a longer drive to work over in the next town. The good news is, it's going to finally be the management position they've been wanting to put me in!"

Congratulations! i said with relief.

"I'm on my way home, but I couldn't wait to tell you," he said.

Good! i said, i'm glad you didn't wait, and i'll see you in a little while.

Not long after the call, Little Girl came in from her very first job interview, to which she had driven herself! (Yes, i know, she's not such a little girl any more, but the name stays, i'm too attached to it.)

How did it go? i asked. When do you start? (Yes, i'm optimistic.)

"It went well, I think," she said. "It turns out the company policy is for everyone to be interviewed by both managers, and only one was on duty today, so I go back Friday for my second interview. Meanwhile, they'll do the background check."

That makes sense, i noted. She is applying to a place that caters to children eating pizza and playing on all of the equipment and games, so it makes sense that they have to really check out all potential employees.

"The hardest question the manager asked was, 'What do you think will be the hardest part of working here?'" she said. "At first, I wasn't sure what to say, but I told him I would imagine it gets hard when the place is very, very crowded and busy, and that if games got broken and there were complaints it could be difficult, but other than that I wasn't so sure what to say."

Those times are probably difficult, i said. And the fact is, kids are dirty, so the place probably needs constant cleaning, and that can get tiresome, i added.

Around then, Young Jacob came in and said, "Now that I'm back living with my Grandmother, I'm going to be moving the pool table in about two weeks!"

His pool table has taken up the majority of the downstairs room for quite some time, as he had no room for it in his trailer.

That's great! i said.

"Yeah, as soon as I get paid, some guys are going to come get it, refurbish it, and move it. I'm going to put an A/C in the garage, and be able to practice again!"

You do love playing pool, don't you? i asked.

"Yeah, and now that I'm living with my Grandmother, I can do it again. I like the trailer, and I liked living over there by my friend Pine, but Festus is enjoying the trailer now and I'm glad to be in a bigger place. All she asks is that I tend the lawn and take the garbage out, and pay $100 a month."

It sounds like all of these kids, my own and the ones we've "adopted", are landing in places where they should be, and i'm glad.

Today is:

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day -- Camp Fire USA encourages everyone to send a note or letter to a young person today, telling him/her exactly what an incredible kid s/he is

Commemoration of the Victory over Kadhafi -- Libya

Companies That Care Day -- national event that encourages employers to highlight and expand their employee and community initiatives, and recognize the people who make their companies successful

Corn Dog Day -- some sites say the 20th; #2 Son will celebrate both days, if i can afford that many corn dogs

Cumbre Tajin -- Veracruz, Mexico (Tajin Summit, alternative therapies, art, music, and dance; through Monday)

Festival of Houses and Gardens -- Charleston, SC, US (a rare opportunity to explore the private homes and gardens of historic Charleston; through Apr. 19)

Greater Dionysia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (largest festival to Dionysos, lasting five days; date approximate

Kashubians' Unity Day -- among Kashubians in northern Poland

Let's Laugh Day -- a holiday spread by ecard companies, because any day is a good day for a laugh

Mojoday -- Discordianism

National Chocolate Caramel Day

Oil Nationalization Day -- Iran

Pet Passport Day -- today in 2000, the UK passed the pet passport law, allowing pets into Great Britian without quarrantine if they met certain criteria

Poultry Day -- a day to honor the role poultry plays in our lives

Quinquatria -- Roman Empirical Calendar (celebration of Minerva and Mars, especially the birthday of Minerva today; through the 23rd)

See If You Can Find Someone Who Remembers Honey West Day -- internet generated trivia question

Swallows Return to San Juan Capistrano Day -- despite what you think, the bird you saw there yesterday was not a swallow, the natives will tell you

St. Joseph's Day (Patron of bursars, cabinetmakers, carpenters, civil engineers, confectioners, craftsmen, dying people, emigrants, expectant mothers, families, fathers, happy death, holy death, house hunters, immigrants, interior souls, laborers, married people, Oblates of St. Joseph, people in doubt, people who fight communism, pioneers, protection of the church, social justice, travellers, unborn children, wheelwrights, workers; Universal Church; over 50 cities, diocese, and countries; against doubt and hesitation)
As Patron of fathers, his day is also Father's Day in Belgium, Bolivia, Honduras, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
Valencia, Spain has it's biggest day of the Las Fallas Festival today, with the fireworks.

Time Zone Day -- US Congress passed the Standard Time Act to sort out the fact that different states and cities used different times, with no rhyme or reason

Ultimate Sport Show -- Grand Rapids, MI, US (sports enthusiasts from around the US and Canada gather for buying and selling equipment, seminars, demonstrations, and displays; through Sunday)

Zimbor-Quattor's Revenge Week begins -- Fairy Calendar

Birthdays Today:

Michael Bergin, 1969
Bruce Willis, 1955
Glenn Close, 1947
Clarence "Frogman" Henry, 1937
Ursula Andress, 1936
Phyllis Newman, 1935
Renee Taylor, 1935
Phillip Roth, 1933
Ornette Coleman, 1930
Patrick McGoohan, 1928
Brent Scowcroft, 1925
John Joseph Sirica, 1904
Earl Warren, 1891
Edith Nourse Rogers, 1881
Charles M. Russell, 1864
William Jennings Bryan, 1860
Albert Pinkham Ryder, 1847
Wyatt Earp, 1848
Sir Richard Burton, 1821
David Livingstone, 1813
Thomas Mckean, 1734
William Bradford, 1590

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Kate and Allie"(TV), 1984
"A Child of Our Time"(Oratorio), 1944
"Amos and Andy"(Radio), 1928
"Faust"(Opera), 1859
"Die Braut von Messina"(Schiller Play), 1803

Today in History:

A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China, 1279
Explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle, searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River, is murdered by his own men, 1687
The SS Georgiana, said to have been the most powerful Confederate cruiser, is destroyed on her maiden voyage with a cargo of munitions, medicines and merchandise then valued at over $1,000,000, 1863
Pluto is photographed for the first time but is not recognized as a planet, 1915
Eight American planes take off in pursuit of Pancho Villa, the first United States air-combat mission in history, 1916
The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time, 1918
Willie Mosconi sets a world record by running 526 consecutive balls without a miss during a straight pool exhibition at East High Billiard Club in Springfield, Ohio. The record still stands today, 1954
Gumby makes his debut, 1957
The wreck of the SS Georgiana, valued at over $50,000,000 and said to have been the most powerful Confederate cruiser, is discovered by then teenage diver and pioneer underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence exactly 102 years after its destruction, 1965
Texas Western becomes the first college basketball team to win the Final Four with an all-black starting lineup, 1966
India and Bangladesh sign a friendship treaty, 1972
The United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN, 1979
Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating the Falklands War with the United Kingdom, 1982
Zimbabwe is suspended from the Commonwealth on charges of human rights abuses and of electoral fraud, following a turbulent presidential election, 2002
A cosmic burst, GRB 080319B, that is the farthest object visible to the naked eye is briefly observed, 2008
After two decades of being closed due to civil war, the Somali National Theater reopens in Mogadishu, 2012
The papal inauguration ceremony for Pope Francis is held in St. Peter's Square, 2013

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

It's easy to participate in Feline Friday. Post a picture, drawing, cartoon, or video of a cat, get the code from Steve's website (linked above), and link up!

So, what's worse than turning a cat into a picky eater? Turning a cat into a picky drinker, of course.

That's what Sweetie has done.

He started turning the water on at just a drip in the tub on a cat's command, and:

Yes, I love moving water in the old, stained tub.

And what's worse than one picky drinker? Two, of course:

Two for the price of one!

Yes, HopeCat, the one who is mildly "impaired" stands at the top of the tub, while the doofus Link gets down in there and lets the water get all over him. He doesn't mind getting a bit wet while getting a drink, so Sweetie keeps talking about getting him scuba gear!

Today is:

All-Northwest Barbershop Ballad Contest -- Forest Grove, OR, US (quartets from throughout the Pacific Northwest compete in an 1890s setting; through tomorrow)

Big Bird Day -- it's his birthday, and he's still only 6 years old! (wish i could figure out that trick)

Bockbier/Bock Beer Day -- bock is the German word for strong, so a day to honor very strong, very dark, sweet, heavy beer

Charleston International Antiques Show -- Charleston, SC, US (world class show with museum quality objects in every category; through Sunday)

Cherry Blossom Festivals -- Japan (from now through mid-April, every city will welcome spring at some point with a Sakura Matsuri or Hanami, where people sit under the trees and enjoy beer or sake; scheduling in each place depends on weather and the blossoms themselves)

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Day -- birth anniversary of children's author Bill Martin

Crane Watch Festival -- Kearney, NE, US (80% of the world's sandhill cranes congregate on the Platte River during March and April; what better reason to throw a 10 day party?)

Equinox -- related celebrations (11:02 UTC)
     Akitu Festival begins -- Ancient Sumerian Calendar
     Chunfen -- China
     Festival of Dumuzi -- Ancient Sumerian Calendar (return of the god of life and death to be with the goddess of life and bring the spring)
     Festival of Iduna -- Ancient Norse Calendar (goddess of spring, keeper of the apples of youth for the gods)
     Haru-no-Higan -- Japanese Buddhist
     Harvest Festival and Coming Forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar
     Jare -- Old Slavic Calendar
     Kukulcan Snake God in Chichen Itza -- Yucatan (the snake shadow appears only at the equinox, and celebrations are held before and after)
     Maslenitsa -- Asatru/Slavic Pagan Calendar
     Ostara/Mabon -- Wicca/Pagan, Ancient Norse Calendar, Old Anglo-Teutonic Calendar
     Pacha Pucuy -- Ancient Inca Calendar ("Earth Ripening")
     Shunbun no Hi -- Japan
     Taoist festival of Shen -- Deities of water, East, and Spring

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day -- another silly made up one, but try telling that to the people who believe in it!

Ghode Jatra -- Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (Horse Festival)

Great American Meat Out Day -- go vegetarian today!

Independence Day -- Tunisia

International Day of the Francophonie / Journée internationale de la Francophonie

International Day of Happiness -- UN

International Earth Day -- the traditional date, still observed in many countries

Jonquil Festival -- Washington State Park, Arkansas, US (through Sunday)

Kiss Your Fiance Day -- do you really need to be reminded to do this? a wedding planner thinks so, that you should stop today and focus on each other, not the wedding

Lajos Kossuth Day -- Hungary

Macon, Georgia International Cherry Blossom Festival -- Macon, Georgia ("The Pinkest Party on the Planet"; through April 4)

Martyrdom of Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi -- Pakistan

National Cherry Blossom Festival -- Washington, DC, US (through April 14; Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival and parade on April 13)

National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day -- nnaapc.org

National Jump Out! Day -- sponsored by Discovery Girls Magazine and Fundex Games; encouraging kids to get out and get active

National Ravioli Day

Nowruz/Nauruz/Novruz Bairam/Norooz (begins at sunset) -- Iranian diaspora, Kurdish diaspora, Zoroastrians; Afghanistan; Azerbaijan; Georgia; Iran (Persian New Year); Iraq; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan
     celebrations go on for up to seven days or more
     Naw Ruz -- Baha'i (New Year, and an end of the time of fasting; begins sunset)

Pittsburgh Arts & Crafts Spring Fever Festival -- Monroeville, PA, US (fun way to break up the spring fever blues; through Sunday)

Proposal Day® -- a day for singles to propose to their true love; on the equinox, equal night and day symbolizing equal commitment; www.proposalday.com

Schmeckfest -- Freeman, SD, US (two weekends full of sausage and sauerkraut, kuchen, musical entertainment, and more, celebrating the German, Russian, and Mennonite heritage of the area)

Smile Rejuvenation Day -- another one from the ecard companies, make someone smile today

Snowman Burning Day -- Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, US (celebration of the start of spring; cannot confirm date, but always on or near the first day of spring)

St. Cuthbert of Lindisfane's Day (Patron of boatmen/mariners/sailors, shepherds; England; Durham, England; Lancaster, England; Northumbria, England; against plague and plague epidemics)

Won't You Be My Neighbor Day -- in honor of Mr. Rogers' birth anniversary

World Frog Day -- an initiative, on the first day of spring, to remind people of our fragile ecosystems and the disappearance of our amphibian friends

World Storytelling Day -- to celebrate the tradition of oral storytelling

Zipper Day -- the 'Separable Fastener' by Gideon Sundback was patented this day in 1917

Birthdays Today:

Louis "Louie" Vito, 1988
Fernando Torres, 1984
Kathy Ireland, 1963
David Thewlis, 1963
Holly Hunter, 1958
Spike Lee, 1957
Theresa Russel, 1957
Jimmie Vaughan, 1951
William Hurt, 1950
Bobby Orr, 1948
Pat Riley, 1945
Paul Junger Witt, 1943
Brian Mulroney, 1939
Lois Lowry, 1937
Hal Linden, 1931
Fred "Mr." Rogers, 1928
Carl Reiner, 1922
Marian McPartland, 1920
Bill Martin, Jr., 1916
Ozzie Nelson, 1906
B.F. Skinner, 1904

Frederick Winslow Taylor, 1856

Henrik Ibsen, 1828
Ovid, BC43

Debuting/Premiering Today:

Uncle Tom's Cabin(Publication date), 1852

Today in History:

Sixth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet, 141
Maximus Thrax, who never set foot in Rome, becomes the first of the Foreign or Barracks Emperors of the Roman Empire, 235
A Saturn/Jupiter/Mars-conjunction is thought to be the "cause of plague epidemic," 1345
Sir Walter Raleigh is freed from the Tower of London after 13 years of imprisonment, 1616
France and Spain sign an accord for fighting protestantism, 1627
Nadir Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city, stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne, 1739
The Great Fire of Boston destroys 349 buildings, 1760
After escaping from Elba, Napoleon enters Paris with a regular army of 140,000 and a volunteer force of around 200,000, beginning his "Hundred Days" rule, 1815
US and Siam sign commercial treaty, 1833
Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published in Boston, 1852
An earthquake completely destroys Mendoza, Argentina, 1861
The first AC power plant in the US begins commercial operation, in Massachusetts, 1886
In the first known intercollegiate basketball game, Yale beats Penn 32-10, 1897
The first international figure skating championship takes place, in New Haven, Connecticut, 1914
Albert Einstein publishes his general theory of relativity, 1916
The Arts Club of Chicago hosts the opening of Pablo Picasso's first United States showing, 1923
A test of a practical radar apparatus is made by Rudolf Kuhnold in Germany, 1934
The precursor of the European Space Agency, ESRO (European Space Research Organization) is established, 1964
Libby Riddles becomes the first woman to win the 1,135-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, 1985
Ferdinand Marcos's widow, Imelda Marcos, goes on trial for bribery, embezzlement, and racketeering, 1990
Stephen Harper wins the leadership of the newly created Conservative Party of Canada, becoming the party's first leader, 2004
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits Fukuoka, Japan, its first major quake in over 100 years, 2005
Cyclone Larry makes landfall in eastern Australia, destroying most of the country's banana crop, 2006
In Morocco, thousands rally to demand and end to corruption and more civil rights for the Moroccan people, 2011

Well, i got Little Girl out of school early so she could go for her second job interview, and she came home and got dressed and ready and went.

When she got home, i asked how it went, and she said, "It didn't."

What?

"The manager wasn't there, they told me to come back on Monday."

Well. That's disappointing. While i don't plan to get her out of school early every time they say jump, she will go back on Monday.

Having job interviewing on the brain right now, a story caught my eye online, and i read it out of curiosity.

It was Five Impossible Brain Teasers Meant to Stump Job Candidates.

As i read the questions, i popped off the first thing that came to my head each time.

1. You're in a room with three light switches, each of which controls one of three light bulbs in the next room. Your task is to determine which switch controls which bulb. All lights are initially off, and you can't see into one room from the other. You may inspect the room only once. How can you determine which switch is connect to which light bulb?

My take on it: since the bulbs are in the next room, can i see the lights shining under the door, even if i can't see into the next room? If so, turn on and off each light in succession and see from which direction in the room they seem to be coming from how they shine under the door. Then open the door and pair them up.

If you can't see the light shining under the door, get a friend to go stand in the room and tell you which one goes on or off as you hit the switches! You didn't say i couldn't have a partner, after all.

2. How many trees are there in Central Park?

My take on it: as many as the number of acorns the squirrels have buried and forgotten!

3. How much does all the ice in a hockey rink weight?

My take on it: less than the weight of the iceberg that sunk the Titanic.

4. If you were building a new city with a projected population of 100,000, how many gas stations would you need?

My take on it: depends on how many pumps you want to put at each station. If you like frustrating people, put in one with dozens of pumps, right in the middle of town!

5. You are given 12 balls and a scale. Of the twelve balls, 11 are identical and 1 weighs slightly more. How do you find the heavier ball using the scale only three times?

My take on it: this is a golden oldie, and the scale used is a balance scale like the one you see carried by Lady Justice. You put 6 balls on each side, and the side that sinks lower has the heavier ball. You take those six and put three on each side, and again, the side that sinks has the heavier ball. Put one of those three on one side of the scale, and one on the other. If one sinks, it's the heavier. If they balance, it's the ball in your hand.

So, based on my crazy thinking, do i get the job?

Either way, i hope Little Girl does, but we have to wait until Monday at least.

Today is:

Aizu Higan Shishi/Sanbiki Shishimai -- Aizu Wakamatsu, Japan (lion dances to mark the end of winter)

Back Badge Day -- Gloucestershire Regiment, British Army

Birkebeinerrennet -- Rena to Lillehammer, Norway (54km ski marathon commemorating the 1205 rescue of infant prince Hakon Hakonsson by ski over this route)

Birth of Benito Juarez, a Fiestas Patrias -- Mexico (trad.)

Common Courtesy Day -- commonly listed on this day on many sites, with no origin given, but it's not a bad idea!

Feast of Tou Tei -- Macau (earth god; celebrated on the second day of the second lunar month, so if i've mixed up the date in Gregorian, i'm sorry, i tried)

Fragrance Day and Flower Day -- the first full day of spring

Hari Raya Nyepi Tahun Baru -- Indonesia (Hindu New Year)

Harmony Day -- Australia (managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship)

Hindu New Year -- Hindu (local custom/date may vary)
Ougadi -- Mauritius and some regions of India (the Telugu New Year)

Human Rights Day -- South Africa

Independence Day -- Namibia(1990)

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination -- UN

Memory Day -- internet based, to examine the use of memory aids throughout history

Mother's Day -- most Arabic nations

National Common Courtesy Day -- guess it's not so common any more, someone had to declare a holiday to try to foster some

National French Bread Day

National Quilting Day -- US, sponsored by the National Quilting Association

National Single Parent Day -- US (by Presidential designation in 1984)

National Tree Planting Day -- Lesotho

Nyepi Day -- Bali, Indonesia (Day of Silence, Balinese New Year/Saka New Year celebration on which everything is closed, even the international airport)

Paper Dress Day -- the paper dress was introduced as part of an ad campaign by the Scott Paper Co. on this day in 1966

Ramayana -- Hindu (through the 28th; local customs/celebratory dates may vary)

Save the Florida Panther Day -- FL, US

Shunki-Korei-Sai -- Shinto (rite to honor ancestral spirits)

Single Parents' Day -- sponsored by Parents Without Parners, on the date of their inception in 1957

Spring Fairy Fun Day -- Fairy Calendar

St. Nicholas of Flue's Day (Patron of councilmen, difficult marriages, large families, magistrates, parents of large families, Pontifical Swiss Guards, separated spouses, Switzerland)

Wild Azalea Festival -- White Springs, FL, US

World Down Syndrome Day -- UN

World Forest Day/International Day of Forests and the Trees -- UN

World Poetry Day -- UNESCO

Youth Day -- Tunisia

Birthdays Today:

James T. Kirk, 2233
Ronaldinho, 1980
Kevin Federline, 1978
Matthew Broderick, 1962
Rosie O'Donnell, 1962
Ayrton Senna da Silva, 1960
Gary Oldman, 1958
Eddie Money, 1949
Timothy Dalton, 1944
Peter Brook, 1925
Julio Gallo, 1910
John D Rockefeller III, 1906
Bascom Lamar Lunsford, 1882
Florenz Ziegfeld, 1867
Modest Mussorgsky, 1839
James Jesse "King Strang" Strang, 1813
Benito Juarez, 1806
Francis Lewis, 1713
Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685

Debuting/Premiering Today:

Annie(Film), 1982
"Stop the Music"(Radio show), 1948

Today in History:

The Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the "True Cross" to Jerusalem, 630
Accession to the throne of Japan by emperor Antoku, 1188
3,000 Jews are killed in the Black Death riots in Efurt, Germany, 1349
n Oxford, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer is burned at the stake, 1556
Czar Peter the Great begins his tour through West, 1697
Fire destroys 856 buildings in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1788
With the church leadership driven out of Rome during an armed conflict, Pius VII is crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché, 1800
Code Napoléon is adopted as French civil law, 1804
The Bahá'í calendar begins, 1844
An earthquake in Tokyo, Japan kills over 100,000, 1857
The Zoological Society of Philadelphia, the first in the US, is incorporated, 1859
Journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his trek to find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone, 1871
Loretta Walsh becomes the first female US Navy Petty Officer, 1917
Charles Lindbergh is presented the Medal of Honor for his first trans-Atlantic flight, 1928
Shah Reza Pahlavi formally asks the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran, which means 'Land of the Aryans,' 1935
Alan Freed presents the Moondog Coronation Ball, the first rock and roll concert, in Cleveland, Ohio, 1952
Martin Luther King Jr. leads 3,200 people on the start of the third and finally successful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, 1965
The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto, 1970
Canadian paraplegic athlete and humanitarian Rick Hansen begins his circumnavigation of the globe in a wheelchair in the name of spinal cord injury medical research, 1985
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones become the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon, 1999
The first full face transplant is performed by surgeons at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, 2011
Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard formally apologizes to people affected by forced adoptions during the 1950s through 1970s, 2013

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's the place to come for weekly laughs and the rules are simple, just have fun!

It's a great opportunity to get to know other bloggers and have some laughs and it's easy to participate: Laugh and Link Up!

This still being the Lenten season for those of us of traditional Christian faiths (of the major flavors, as one of my liberal Roman Catholic friends says), we are still in the midst of looking at sacrifice and denying ourselves and seeking the higher good. At least, we are supposed to be.

That's one reason our church (Evangelical Presbyterian, yes, really, there is such a thing) has our day that highlights our city ministries and tries to get everyone involved in at least one, and emphasizes that a special collection will be taken up on Easter.

This is in keeping with many churches that have special collections at Easter, and it reminds me of Tee Boudreaux and the special collection for the poor.

On de firs' Sunday of Lent, Tee an' all de chil'ren in de church was ax to come forward for dat de priest could talk to dem.

Den de priest, Father Mereaux, he say, "Chil'ren, I's gonna tell you de story of 'De Widder's Mite'." An' he done proceed to tell dem about how de ol' widder woman in de Bible put in her two mites, an it be all she have, but it be more dan all de rich people put in because she done give all she have an' she give it wit' love.

An' after dat, he say, "Now de ushers are goin' hand each of you chil'ren a 'mite box', an' for de nex' six weeks of Lent, you take de money you woulda spent on candy, an' you put it in you 'mite box', an' when we collect dat on Easter, we goin' give it to de poor. An' you will be doin' what Jesus say, givin' de mos' dat you got!"

After church, de chil'ren be talkin' while de grown-ups be visitin', an' on de way home Boudreaux he ax Tee, "What was you an' de chil'ren talkin''bout so long today?"

An' Tee say, "We was talkin''bout de 'mite boxes'."

"What about dem?" Boudreaux ax.

"We done decide we goin' call dem 'might boxes''cause we 'might' not fill dem! Six weeks be too long for us to go wit'out candy!"

Today is:

As Young As You Feel Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays, which encourages you to stop acting your chronological age and go act peppy!

Banned in Boston Day -- see history for 1630 for explanation of why today

Birthday of Wenchang Wang, the God of Literature -- China

Care Sunday / Carling Sunday -- England, 5th Sunday of Lent (possibly from the Old Saxon "carles", or husbandman)

Coq Au Vin Day

Daylight Saving Time begins -- Iran

Día de la Abolición de la Esclavitud (Emancipation Day) -- Puerto Rico

International Goof-off Day -- sponsored by Monica A. Dufour and A.C. Vierow, who think everyone needs a special day each year to goof off.

International Day of the Seal -- drawing attention to a disappearing species

Laser Day -- the first patent on a laser was granted this day in 1960 to Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes

National Bavarian Crepes Day

National Sing-Out Day -- begun by an anonymous person who must love singing; and yes, i promise, i won't sing where anyone has to listen to me

Root Canal Awareness Week begins -- sponsored by the American Association of Endodontists

St. Darerca's Day (reportedly the sister of St. Patrick; Patron of Valentia Island, Ireland)

World Day for Water -- UN

Yo-Yo & Skill Toys Convention -- Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum, Burlington, WI, US (19th annual, with exhibits, demos, contests, and fun; through tomorrow)

Anniversary Today:

The Tuskegee Airmen are activated, 1941

Birthdays Today:

Cristen Powell, 1979
Reese Witherspoon, 1976
Elvis Stojko, 1972
Matthew Modine, 1959
Stephanie Mills, 1957
Lena Olin, 1955
Bob Costas, 1952
Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1948
James Patterson, 1947
George Benson, 1943
Bruno Ganz, 1941
Marvin Yagoda, 1938
M. Emmet Walsh, 1935
J.P. McCarthy, 1933
William Shatner, 1931
Pat Robertson, 1930
Stephen Sondheim, 1930
Allen Neuharth, 1924
Marcel Marceau, 1923
Karl Malden, 1912
Louis L'Amour, 1908
Chico Marx, 1887

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Conversations with My Father"(Play), 1992
"Brighton Beach Memoirs"(Play), 1983
"All You Need is Cash"(TV movie), 1978
"I Can Get It For You Wholesale"(Musical), 1962
"Mr. Wonderful"(Musical), 1956
"This Year of Grace"(Musical), 1928
"El maleficio de la mariposa/The Butterfly's Evil Spell"(Play), 1920

Today in History:

Hugo de Groot escapes imprisonment in Loevenstein Castle in a book case, 1621
The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags, 1621
Algonquian Indians kill 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony's population, 1622
Massachusetts Bay Colony outlaws the possession of cards, dice, and gaming tables, 1630
Joseph Priestly invents carbonated water (seltzer), 1733
The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Stamp Act, which introduced a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies, 1765
The Emerald Buddha is moved with great ceremony to its current place in Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand, 1784
The three protecting powers (Britain, France and Russia) establish the borders of Greece, 1829
Cornstarch is patented by Orlando Jones, 1841
Slavery is abolished in Puerto Rico, 1873
The Edmunds Act adopted by US to suppress polygamy in the territories (especially aimed at the Mormons), 1882
August and Louis Lumiere privately screen the first "motion picture" ever made, of workers leaving their factory three days earlier, 1895
World's first airline, St Petersburg Tampa Airboat Line, begins, 1914
The Arab League is founded when a charter is adopted in Cairo, Egypt, 1945
Arthur Leonard Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes receive the first patent for a laser, 1960
Karl Wallenda of The Flying Wallendas dies after falling off a tight-rope between two hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1978
The Intel Corporation ships the first Pentium chips, 1993
Cosmonaut Valeriy Polyakov returns after setting a record for 438 days in space, 1995
The Comet Hale-Bopp has its closest approach to earth, 1997
Tara Lipinski, age 14 years and 10 months, becomes the youngest women's World Figure Skating Champion, 1997
ETA, the armed Basque separatist group, declares a permanent ceasefire, 2006
Mount Redoubt, a volcano in Alaska began erupting after a prolonged period of unrest, 2009

Awww Mondays is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's a great way to start the work week, with a smile.

Just post a picture that makes you say, "Awww!" and link up!

Last year, we bottle raised a purebred Persian kitten named Lorax. He turned out to have a severely cleft palate, but was adopted by a family that promised to love and care for him and pay for further surgeries if needed.

They've kept their promise, and are taking great care of him. They haven't sent us any pictures, which is a bit disappointing, but it's nice to know he's happy, and they love him dearly.

Over the past several weeks, the lady who owns his parents has been having serious trouble in her own life, and cannot care for them any more. They were dumped at her place by her daughter, she never signed up for purebred Persians with all the extra care they need. She called our shelter and begged for help.

So Lorax's parents are now at the shelter and up for adoption Two of the cutest Persians ever.

Mother cat Giselle.

His daddy, Lieth.

Just for good measure, a picture of Lorax when he was here:

The Lorax, snuggling with another foster kitten.

Today is:

Ancient Roman Calendar Celebrations on this date
     Day of Mouring -- leading up to the festival for Hilaria
     Invocation Day of Mars and Saturn
     Tubilustrium -- Ancient Roman Calendar (ceremony to purify the trumpets used in sacred ceremonies)

Cuddly Kitten Day -- because the cats can't let the dogs get all the attention

Dandelion Dance -- Fairy Calendar

Day of Hungarian-Polish Friendship -- Hungary and Poland

Day of the Sea -- Bolivia (Dia del Mar)

Labour Day -- Christmas Island

Liberty Day -- today in 1775, Patrick Henry said, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

Lieldienas -- Ancient Latvian Calendar ("Big Days" or "Long Days", four day celebration of spring, each day devoted to a different deity)

National Arts Advocacy Day -- US; through tomorrow

National Chip and Dip Day

National Melba Toast Day

National Puppy Day -- encouraging you to adopt a shelter pup today

Near Miss Day -- commemorates the mountain sized asteroid that was a near miss on this day in 1989

Otago Provincial Anniversary -- Otago, New Zealand

Rally for Decency Day -- Commemorates the first Rally for Decency, prompted on this day in 1969 by Jim Morrison

Republic Day -- Pakistan

St. Turibius de Mongrovejo's Day (Patron of Latin American bishops, native rights; Peru)

Toast Day -- supposedly for the invention of Melba toast; a recent article says it takes 6 steps to toast bread the "right" way; i say if you can't put bread in the toaster and butter it when it comes out and need long sets of instructions, you shouldn't be let loose in society!

World Meteorological Day -- UN

Anniversaries Today:

The University of California is founded in Oakland, California, 1868

Birthdays Today:

Michelle Monaghan, 1976
Keri Russell, 1976
Richard Grieco, 1965
Amanda Plummer, 1957
Chaka Khan, 1953
Louie Anderson, 1953
Roger Bannister, 1929
Wernher Von Braun, 1912
Akira Kurosawa, 1910
Joan Crawford, 1905

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Bold and the Beautiful"(TV), 1987
"Detective Story"(Play), 1950
"Truth or Consequences"(Radio), 1940

Today in History:

Eighteenth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. 1066
The first dated edition of Maimonides "Mishna Torah" published, 1490
George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" premieres in London, 1743
Patrick Henry delivers his famous speech – "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!"– at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, 1775
After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark and their "Corps of Discovery" begin their arduous journey home, 1806
Elisha Otis's first elevator is installed at 488 Broadway New York City, 1857
The Boers and Britain sign a peace accord that ends the First Boer War, 1881
President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white settlement starting on April 22, starting a Land Run, 1889
The Wright Brothers apply for a patent on their invention of one of the first successful airplanes, 1903
Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic in the world, 1956
NASA launches Gemini 3, the United States' first two-man space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young), 1965
Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador gives his famous speech appealing to men of the El Salvadoran armed forces to stop killing the Salvadorans, 1980
Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President, 1996
The Russian Mir space station is disposed of, breaking up in the atmosphere before falling into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji, 2001
In Tokyo, the Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks reports that radioactive iodine in city tap water is two times the recommended level for infants, 2011

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