MDBCs 23 Apr 2024

The origins of Take A Chance Day are unknown, though we think the creators of the unofficial holiday wanted people to put away their inhibitions and their fear of failure and do something bold and risky.

Might Fail

In the English language, take a chance is an idiom that refers to doing something that has a high likelihood of failure. Usually, when people take a chance they are risking the possibility of failure or misfortune. In mathematics, the word chance has a very specific meaning - it refers to the possibility of the occurrence of a certain event.

The holiday is also known as National Take a Chance Day in the US.

How to Celebrate?

Take that leap of faith and do something big.
Overcome your fears and do something adventurous. What about bungee jumping or learning how to fly an aircraft?
Since today is also Lover’s Day, why not take a chance in love and tell that special one how much they mean to you?
Make Swedish pop group, ABBA's song Take a Chance on Me, your anthem for this day.

Did You Know…

…that if you were in a group of 23 people, there is a 50% chance that you will meet someone who shares your birthday?

Fans of the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, celebrate April 23 as Impossible Astronaut Day.

The unofficial annual holiday celebrates the day in 2011 when the first episode of the sixth season of the series was aired in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.

Most Watched

Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that first aired on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1963. The show follows the adventures of the Doctor, a time-travelling alien, who travels through time and space in a time machine and spacecraft called Time and Relative Dimension in Space or TARDIS. The TARDIS looks like a London police box from the 1960s.

Called The Impossible Astronaut, the episode became one of the most appreciated and watched episodes of the series.

Tally Marks

Whovians, as fans of the show like to call themselves, draw tally marks on their bodies to observe the day. The tally marks come from the episode when the main characters draw on their bodies to remind themselves about encounters with monsters called the Silence.

How to Celebrate?

If you have never watched the show, what about starting the show on this day? Who knows, by next year, you may be a Whovian yourself!
If you are a Whovian, make tally marks on your body to celebrate the holiday.

Did You Know...

...that 12 different actors have officially played the Doctor on the show?

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Lover's Day

April 23 is Lover's Day, a day to celebrate your significant other and let them know how much they mean to you.

While the origin of Lover's Day is a mystery, some sources believe that the unofficial holiday is based on St. George's Day, a religious holiday celebrated in many parts of Europe.

Other Versions

Some countries have their own versions of Lover's Day. Brazilians for example, celebrate Lover's Day, also called Dia dos Namorados, on June 12.

Lover's Day is also known as National Lover's Day in the US.

How to Celebrate?

Missed Valentine’s Day? No worries. Now, you have a chance at a do-over. Here are some ideas on how you can make your lover feel special on Lover's Day:

Do something thoughtful and special for your loved one. Maybe do their errands for them or make their favorite dish for dinner.
Since Lover's Day has not yet been taken over by commercial interests, you can celebrate it in your own style without the pressures of having to go all out. For example, make them a handmade gift, clean up their closet, watch that movie you hate but they love, write a poem, take them out dancing, go to the carnival, throw a party in their honor, surprise them with a weekend getaway.
It is almost spring in the Northern Hemisphere, so what about surprising your loved one with a spring picnic? Pack some bubbly, some of his or her favorite candy and let the romance bloom!
If you are planning on getting married soon, choose April 23 as your wedding date. It certainly is less clichéd and common.
It is also Take a Chance Day on April 23, so why not take a chance on love and let that special someone know how much they mean to you?

Did You Know...

...that in some countries women can propose marriage to their significant others only on a Leap Day?

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9 Warm-Weather Jokes for Summer

1. Past Lives On a family vacation one summer, we crossed Wyoming and noted several historical points of interest. The children were especially interested because they enjoyed the computer game "Oregon Trail," which gives players a taste of the hardships the pioneers endured. We stopped at the famous South Pass to look at the wagon tracks still visible in the dirt. Squinting out over the desolate, wind-swept landscape, my daughter nodded and said grimly, "This is where my oxen always die."

2. Mr. Summertime We all grew up in a town on the New Jersey shore and spent our summers at the beach, swimming, surfing, hanging out with friends. One of my friends loved the season so much, we began calling him Mr. Summertime. "What happens when summer is over?" someone asked. I thought for a minute, then said, "In September he becomes the Fall Guy."

3. Wishful Thinking My two-year-old cousin scared us one summer by disappearing during our lakeside vacation. More than a dozen relatives searched the forest and shoreline, and everyone was relieved when we found Matthew playing calmly in the woods. "Listen to me, Matthew," his mother said sharply. "From now on when you want to go someplace, you tell Mommy first, okay?" Matthew thought about that for a moment and said, "Okay. Disney World."

4. Moving Forward The summer after college graduation, I was living at home, fishing in the daytime, spending nights with my friends—generally just hanging out. One afternoon my grandfather, who never went to college, stopped by. Concerned with how I was spending my time, he asked about my future plans. I told him I was in no hurry to tie myself down to a career. "Well," he replied, "you better start thinking about it. You'll be thirty before you know it." "But I'm closer to twenty than to thirty," I protested. "I won't be thirty for eight more years." "I see," he said, smiling. "And when will you be twenty again?"

5. Sounding Off I was with a friend in a café when a noisy car alarm interrupted our conversation. "What good are car alarms when no one pays any attention to them?" I wondered aloud. "Some are quite effective," my friend corrected me. "Last summer, my teenager spent a lot of time at the neighbors'. Whenever I wanted him home, I'd go out to our driveway and jostle his car."

6. A Perfect Fit For her summer job, my 18-year-old daughter arranged interviews at several day-care centers. At one meeting, she sat down on one of the kiddie seats, no simple task for most people. The interview went well, and at the end, the day-care center director asked the standard question, "Can you give me one good reason we should hire you?" "Because I fit in the chairs." She got the job.

7. Tag Sale Special I was getting ready for a tag sale one summer day. Since it was so humid out, I decided to stay inside my air-conditioned house and mark the special stickers I had bought for the sale. Then I slapped them on my blouse, ran outside, stuck them on the appropriate items and rushed back inside. I did this until every item was labeled. Later that day a UPS man came by the house with a delivery. I noticed that as I was signing for the package, he seemed ill at ease. It was only after he left that I noticed there was one sticker still attached to the front of my blouse. It read "Make me an offer."

8. Clowning Around Before heading on vacation, I went to a tanning salon. I was under the lights so long the protective eye shades I wore left a big white circle around each eye. Gazing at myself in the mirror the next day, I thought, "Man, I look like a clown." I had almost convinced myself I was overreacting -- until I was in line at the grocery store. I felt a tug at my shirt and looked down to see a toddler staring up at me, "Are you giving out balloons?" he asked.

9. Hotter Cooler On a recent vacation at a resort with my in-laws, we planned to spend an afternoon at the pool with our kids. We wanted to bring our own drinks, but were unsure of the hotel's policy. My brother-in-law called the front desk, and assuming everyone was familiar with the brand of ice chest he had, asked if it was all right if he brought a Playmate to the pool. After a pause the clerk asked, "Does she have her own towel?" -- Tina M. Digiovanna 10. Forcast Vacationing in Vermont, I picked up the local paper to check out the forecast. It read: Today: Sunny, 76. Tonight: Not so sunny, 55.

***

A fellow walked into a drugstore and headed to the back to speak with the pharmacist. "Do you have anything for hiccups?" he asked.

Without warning, the pharmacist reached over and smacked the man on the shoulder. "Did that help?" he asked.

"I don't know," the startled man replied. "I'll have to ask my wife. She's waiting in the car."