(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Apollonius the Apologist
Corebus
Cyril VI of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Eleutherius and Antia
Galdino della Sala
Molaise of Leighlin
Perfectus
April 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Army Day (Iran)
Coma Patients' Day (Poland)
Friend's Day (Brazil)
Independence Day (Zimbabwe)
International Day For Monuments and Sites
Invention Day (Japan)
Victory over the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of the Ice (Russia; Julian Calendar)
World Amateur Radio Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Adult Autism Awareness Day
Celebrate Teen Literature Day
College Student Grief Awareness Day
Education and Sharing Day
Hung Kings Festival
International Jugglers Day
International Pizza Cake Day
Lineman Appreciation Day - 1
Linemen Appreciation Day - 2
National Animal Cracker Day
National Auctioneers Day
National Exercise Day
National High Five Day
National Lydia Day
National Piñata Day
National Velociraptor Awareness Day
Pet Owners Independence Day
Support Teen Literature Day
Poem in Your Pocket Day
World Heritage Day
Lillee Jean’s Birthday
Kourtney Kardashian’s Birthday
David Tennant’s Birthday
Conan O'Brien’s Birthday
Eric Roberts
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Thu Apr 18th, 2024 - Sat Apr 20th, 2024
Global Youth Service Days
Thu Apr 18th, 2024 - Wed Apr 24th, 2024
Cleaning for a Reason Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Global Campaign for Education Action Week
Health Information Professionals Week
Fun Observances
Columnist Day
April 18 is celebrated annually as Columnists Day to commemorate the life and work of columnist Ernest Taylor Pyle.
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists created this holiday on the death anniversary of Ernie Pyle.
Died on the Job
Pyle, also known as Ernie, was a Pulitzer Prize winner who reported from both the European and Pacific theaters during the Second World War. He died while reporting in Okinawa.
Dangerous Situations
The purpose of the unofficial holiday is to appreciate the work that journalists do to inform people, create public opinion, keep people in power accountable and to bring to light important stories. The day is especially dedicated to columnists and journalists around the world who work in dangerous situations with the sole aim of uncovering the truth for the benefit of the society.
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists was founded in 1977 as a professional organization for columnists and journalists.
How to Celebrate?
You don't need a lot of preparation to celebrate Columnists Day. Here are some ways you can show your appreciation for all those who bring news and opinion to you and keep you well informed about the world around you:
Read a newspaper column.
Write to your favorite newspaper columnist and thank them. If you know a columnist personally, celebrate them by doing something special for them, like baking them their favorite cake or taking them out for dinner.
Learn more about the history of newspapers and journalism.
Did You Know...
...that the Ordinari Post Tijdender, a Swedish newspaper is the oldest newspaper in the world that is still being published? The newspaper was first published in 1645. Its print version was stopped in 2007. Since then the newspaper is online only.
***
Lying on his deathbed, the rich, miserly old man calls to his long-suffering wife. "I want to take all my money with me," he tells her. "So promise me you'll put it in the casket."
After the man dies, his widow attends the memorial service with her best friend. Just before the undertaker closes the coffin, she places a small metal box inside.
Her friend looks at her in horror. "Surely," she says, "you didn't put the money in there."
"I did promise him I would," the widow answers. "So I got it all together, deposited every penny in my account, and wrote him a check. If he can cash it, he can spend it."
***
I was on my way out of the house to meet with a cantankerous client, and I was dreading it. The look on my face must have given me away because my four-year-old daughter asked what was wrong.
"I'm going to meet a woman who always yells at Daddy," I told her.
"Oh," she said. "Say hi to Mom."
***
I'd contacted a butcher to get sheep brains for a lecture in my neuroanatomy class and said I'd be by to pick them up. But when I arrived at his shop, it was closed.
Taped to the door was this note: "Teacher, your brains are next door at the barbershop."
***
When a lonely frog consults a fortune-teller, he's told not to worry. "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl," she says, "and she will want to know everything about you."
"That's great!" says the excited frog. "When will I meet her?"
"Next semester," says the psychic, "in biology class."
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Leaving her with only, $69,000,000. Life can be so cruel.
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Kateri Tekakwitha (Canada)
Stephen Harding
April 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Evacuation Day (Syria), celebrates the recognition of the independence of Syria from France in 1946.
FAO Day (Iraq)
Flag Day (American Samoa)
Malbec World Day
Women's Day (Gabon)
World Hemophilia Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
2A Day
Blah Blah Blah Day
Ford Mustang Day
Herbalist Day
International Bat Appreciation Day
International Day of Mastering Conversations That Matter
National Banana Day
National Cheese Ball Day
National Crawfish Day
National Kickball Day
No Limits for Deaf Children Day
Ram Navami - 1
Ram Navami Day - 2
There’s Nothing Like a Dame Day
World Circus Day
Youth Homelessness Matters Day
National Ellis Island Family History Day
Jennifer Garner’s Birthday
Julien Solomita’s Birthday
Rooney Mara
Fun Observances
Haiku Poetry Day
April 17 is Haiku Poetry Day. The unofficial holiday honors the short poetry form that originated in Japan.
Haiku is a type of short poetry that is usually three sentences long. First popularized in Japan in the 17th century, Haiku as a poetry genre has been adopted by many languages around the world. In English, the genre first became mainstream in the early 20th century.
In its Japanese avatar, haikus traditionally have three lines with 17 syllables. The first and last sentences have 5 syllables and the second line has 7 syllables. The syllable rule, however, is not always set in stone. Compared to Japanese, many English words have longer syllables. Because of this, English haikus can often have anywhere from 10 to 14 syllables. Unlike a lot of other forms of poetry, words in a haiku poem do not need to rhyme.
Haikus tend to give an interesting insight about something trivial, usually some aspect of nature or the seasons.
Haiku Poetry Day is also sometimes known as National Haiku Poetry Day and International Haiku Poetry Day.
How to Celebrate?
Learn how to write your own haikus.
Pick up an anthology of haiku poetry and spend some time reading haikus.
Learn more about the history of haiku.
Did You Know…
…that a monoku is an even shorter version of the haiku? Instead of the traditional 3 sentences, a monoku only has one line.
***
I was preparing lunch for my granddaughter when the phone rang. "If you can answer one question," a young man said, "you'll win ten free dance lessons."
Before I could tell him I was not interested, he continued. "You'll be a lucky winner if you can tell me what Alexander Graham Bell invented."
"I don't know," I replied dryly, trying to discourage him.
"What are you holding in your hand right now?" he asked excitedly.
"A bologna sandwich."
"Congratulations!" he shrieked. "And for having such a great sense of humor…"
***
After our parents retired, they moved from a busy city in Rhode Island to a small town in Maine. We didn't realize how small the town was until my sister visited the local video store. She selected a movie and told the clerk that she was going to rent the cassette under her parents' name.
The clerk looked at the title and replied, "They already saw that one."
***
A talking horse shows up at Dodger Stadium and persuades the manager to let him try out for the team.
In his first at bat, the horse rips the ball deep into right field—then just stands there.
"Run! Run!" the manager screams.
"Run?" says the horse. "If I could run, I’d be in the Kentucky Derby."
***
We were discussing the Middle East when my friend asked about the Kurds. "They want their own homeland," I explained. "But Iraq won't give up any land for it, and neither will Iran or Turkey."
"So what you're saying is," he concluded, "they won't let the Kurds have their way?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Benedict Joseph Labre
Bernadette Soubirous
Drogo
Engratia
Fructuosus of Braga
Isabella Gilmore (Church of England)
Martyrs of Zaragoza
Molly Brant (Konwatsijayenni) (Anglican Church of Canada, Episcopal Church)
Turibius of Astorga
April 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Birthday of José de Diego (Puerto Rico, United States)
Birthday of Queen Margrethe II (Denmark)
Emancipation Day (Washington, D.C., United States)
Memorial Day for the Victims of the Holocaust (Hungary)
National Healthcare Decisions Day (United States)
Remembrance of Chemical Attack on Balisan and Sheikh Wasan (Iraqi Kurdistan)
World Voice Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Day of the Mushroom
Foursquare Day
National Angel Day
National Bean Counter Day
National Cash Day
National Joseph Day
National Librarian Day
National Orchid Day
National Reveal the Genius Within Day
Save the Elephant Day
Selena Day
Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day
World Semicolon Day
Martin Lawrence’s Birthday
Sadie Sink’s Birthday
Charlie Chaplin’s Birthday
Chance The Rapper’s Birthday
Anya Taylor-Joy’s Birthday
Selena Quintanilla’s Birthday
Akon’s Birthday
Alyssa Hyde’s Birthday
Nate Diaz
Bill Belichick
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tue Apr 16th, 2024 - Mon Apr 22nd, 2024
Oral Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week
April 2024
Fuji Shibazakura Festival
Fun Observances ( 2 )
Eggs Benedict Day
Celebrate the hearty breakfast (or any other meal, in our very humble opinion) that is Eggs Benedict on April 16, Eggs Benedict Day.
An American invention, a delicious Eggs Benedict includes an English Muffin, topped with bacon or ham, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce.
How to Celebrate?
Start your day by making Eggs Benedict for yourself and your family.
No time to do it before work? What about making it for dinner instead?
Try different variations of the dish. For instance, replace the bacon with tomatoes, spinach, or salmon. Hollandaise too hard to make early in the morning? Substitute it with melted cheese.
Did You Know…
…that spinning an egg can tell you whether it is raw or hard-boiled? A hard-boiled egg will easily spin, while a raw egg will wobble.
~~~~~~~
Wear Pajamas to Work Day
On April 16, lay aside your usual work attire and replace it with your pajamas to celebrate Wear your Pajamas to Work Day.
While the origins of this fun holiday are unknown, the date of the holiday suggests that it was meant to give taxpayers in the United States a day to relax after Tax Day, April 15.
In recent years, many celebrities have participated in the day by showing up in public in their pajamas.
Pajams, payjamas, or jammies is a loose piece of clothing, not unlike pants, worn on the lower part of a person's body. While most people wear them to bed, they were once, and still are, part of a normal outfit worn by men and women during the day in many parts of the Middle East and South Asia.
How to Celebrate?
Wear your pajamas to work. Make sure you do inform your supervisor and your co-workers about the holiday.
Share pictures of you in your pajamas at your office desk with family and friends.
Did You Know...
...that the word pajama comes from the Persian word, payjameh meaning leg-garment?
***
All in the Family
When my husband was away at basic training, my four-year-old daughter and I stayed with my sister. Since my daughter already called me Mommy, she started calling her aunt Mom—the way her six-year-old cousin did.
One day, someone called. I picked up the extension and overheard the person ask my daughter if her daddy was home. She said, “No, he’s in the Army.” “Is your mom home?” he asked. “Yes, but she’s asleep with Uncle Danny.
***
Language Barrier
As a young officer on the USS Midway, I was enjoying shore leave in Marseille. One day, I was invited to a local club to play tennis with two young Frenchwomen and a Norwegian man, who spoke only the most rudimentary English. After the doubles match, the Norwegian and I changed back into our street clothes and waited for the women to rejoin us.
“You fly?” he said to me.
I told him I was a ship's officer, not a naval aviator.
After a pause to take in my response, he tried again. “You fly,” he said slowly, “is open.”
***
My son, Scott, an insurance broker in Florida, loves ocean fishing and takes his cell phone along on the boat. One morning we were drifting about ten miles offshore as Scott discussed business on the phone. Suddenly his rod bent double, and the reel screamed as line poured off the spool.
Scott was master of the situation. "Pardon me," he told his customer calmly. "I have a call on another line."
***
I dialed a wrong number and got the following recording: "I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call.
I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep.
If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes."
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Abbo II of Metz
Father Damien (The Episcopal Church)
Hunna
Paternus of Avranches
April 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day of the Sun (North Korea)
Father Damien Day (Hawaii)
Hillsborough Disaster Memorial (Liverpool, England)
Jackie Robinson Day (United States)
National American Sign Language Day (United States)
Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year; India)
Tax Day, the official deadline for filing an individual tax return (or requesting an extension). (United States, Philippines)
Universal Day of Culture
World Art Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Declaration of Malacca as a Historical City
International Microvolunteering Day
McDonald's Day
National Anime Day
National Glazed Spiral Ham Day
National Griper's Day
National Keaton Day
National Laundry Day
National Rubber Eraser Day
National That Sucks Day
One Boston Day
Purple Up Day
Take A Wild Guess Day
Titanic Remembrance Day
Type 1 Diabetes Day in Honor of Jakya Monique Furtick
Jacquees’s Birthday
Emma Watson’s Birthday
Seth Rogen’s Birthday
Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mon Apr 15th, 2024 - Fri Apr 19th, 2024
National Work Zone Awareness Week
Mon Apr 15th, 2024 - Sun Apr 21st, 2024
Animal Cruelty / Human Violence Awareness Week
Canada Book Week
Money Smart Week
National Freelance Business Week
National Week of Conversation
***
I took a real estate client to a handyman special. The place was great, and we couldn't understand why it was so cheap, until we turned on the water main and water gushed from the ceiling. Dripping wet, my client put a positive spin on the showing: "Nice house," he said. "It's even self-cleaning."
***
My cell phone quit as I tried to let my wife know that I was caught in freeway gridlock and would be late for our anniversary dinner. I wrote a message on my laptop asking other motorists to call her, printed it on a portable inkjet and taped it to my rear windshield.
When I finally arrived home, my wife gave me the longest kiss ever. "I really think you love me," she said. "At least 70 people called and told me so."
***
My mother began getting calls from men who misdialed the similar number of an escort service. Mom, who had had her number for years, asked the telephone company to change the organization's number. They refused. The calls kept coming day and night.
Finally, Mom began telling the gentlemen who called that the company had gone out of business. Within a week, the escort service voluntarily changed its number.
***
Trying to explain to our five-year-old daughter how much computers had changed, my husband pointed to our brand-new personal computer and told her that when he was in college, a computer with the same amount of power would have been the size of a house.
Wide-eyed, our daughter asked, “How big was the mouse?”
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London's Naked Restaurant Will Move to Paris
Naked lunch: why diners couldn't stomach the Paris nudist restaurant | Restaurants | The Guardian
(click on the day for details)
Ambedkar Jayanti (India)
Bengali New Year (Bangladesh)
Black Day (South Korea)
Christian feast day:
Anthony, John, and Eustathius
Bénézet
Henry Beard Delany (U.S. Episcopal Church)
Domnina of Terni
Lidwina
Peter González
Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus
April 14 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Commemoration of Anfal Genocide Against the Kurds (Iraqi Kurdistan)
Day of Mologa (Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia)
Day of the Georgian language (Georgia)
Dhivehi Language Day (Maldives)
N'Ko Alphabet Day (Mande speakers)
Pan American Day (several countries in the Americas)
Takayama Spring Festival begins (Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan)
Vaisakhi (Since 2011)
Youth Day (Angola)
World Quantum Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Air Force Reserve Birthday
Americas Day
Cambodian New Year
Children with Alopecia Day
Dreams of Reason Feast Day
Good Deeds Day
National Dolphin Day
National Donate a Book Day
National Ex-Spouse Day
National Gardening Day
National Pecan Day
Pathologists’ Assistants Day
Perfume Day
RAINN Day
Tamil New Year
World Chagas Disease Day
Heather Thomson’s Birthday
Da Brat’s Birthday
Loretta Lynn
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Abigail Breslin
Adrien Brody
Baker Mayfield
Anderson Silva
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sun Apr 14th, 2024 - Sat Apr 20th, 2024
Animal Control Appreciation Week
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
Pan American Week
Fun Observances (3)
International Moment of Laughter Day
On April 14, stop, smell the roses, and laugh a little (or a lot), because it is International Moment of Laughter Day.
The unofficial holiday, created by humorologist Izzy Gesell, encourages people to forget the stresses of daily life and give into the healing and relaxing power of laughter.
Reduces Stress
Medical studies have shown that laughing reduces stress, increases blood flow, and lowers blood sugar levels. Some studies have found that people who laugh just before going to bed are much more likely to sleep better than those who did not.
Spreads Happiness
In addition to its health benefits, laughter also has social advantages. People who are jovial tend to be quickly accepted in social groups and have an easier time making friends. Laughter is a way to spread joy and happiness and bring cheer in the lives of other people.
How to Celebrate?
Take a moment in the day to read or watch something that would make you laugh.
Go with family and friends to watch a comedy show or comedy movie.
Collect jokes and share them with colleagues, friends, and family.
Did You Know…
…that human laughter has a specific acoustic structure? Laughter can have a ha-ha-ha or ho-ho-ho structure, but it is humanly impossible to have a ha-ho-ha-ho structure to laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reach as High as You Can Day
April 14 is Reach as High as You Can Day, a day to expand your horizons and try to attain that dream that seems so hard and so far to reach.
Also known as National Reach as High as You Can Day in the United States, the holiday is a reminder that if you try hard enough, almost anything is possible.
How to Celebrate?
Start working on that big project you never thought you would start.
Try your hand at that thing you thought was impossible; you never know you may succeed. And if you don’t, at least you tried.
Take the day literally and spend some time playing on a trampoline. Or take a ride in a hot air balloon. Or start taking flying lessons.
Did You Know...
...that the record for the highest jump in recent history is held by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba? In 1993, he jumped 2.45 meters or 8.25 feet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look up the Sky Day
On April 14, step out of your home or office and take a few minutes to look up at the sky because it is Look up the Sky Day.
Maybe this unofficial holiday, with unknown origins, aims to encourage people to go outdoors and enjoy the various bounties of nature.
Perhaps the anonymous creators also wanted people to ponder over the vastness of the sky and space and learn more about what lies beyond what we can see.
Different Definitions
While most of us use the term sky to refer to the blue dome above us, astronomers and meteorologists define it very differently. In astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere or dome – an imaginary sphere that extends infinitely into space with the observer on Earth at its center. So, for astronomers, the sky includes much more than what most people can see.
Meteorologists, on the other hand, are primarily concerned with the weather. They define the sky as the upper atmosphere of the Earth.
Colors of the Sky
During the day, the sky looks blue because of a phenomenon called Rayleigh Scattering. Even though it looks white to the human eye, sunlight is made up of different colors, each of which has a specific wavelength. Some colors, like blue and violet, have short wavelengths, while reds and yellows have longer wavelengths.
When sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, the gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter some of the colors in different directions and let others pass through. During the day, when the Sun is high up in the sky, these molecules scatter the shorter blue and violet wavelengths. Because of this, the sky looks blue during the day.
In the early mornings and evening, around the time of twilight, sunlight has to pass through more of the atmosphere. The blue and violet lights tend to get scattered away much before the sunlight reaches us, leaving the yellow and red part of the light spectrum to light up the sky.
A Wonder to Behold
During the night, when there is no direct sunlight to illuminate the sky, one can see many celestial bodies, including the Moon, stars, meteors, and comets.
A number of atmospheric and optical phenomena can also be seen in the sky. Some of these include rainbows and moonbows, auroras, zodiacal lights, halos, sundogs, and light pillars.
How to Celebrate?
Take some time off during the day and go out to look at the sky. You never know what you may be able to see!
Before you step out, read up on different kind of clouds and constellations.
Play who spots the most types of constellations and clouds game with family and friends.
Join an astronomy club to learn more about stars and other celestial objects easily visible in the night sky.
Spend the day doing some bird watching. After all, birds are an integral part of the landscape of the sky.
Did You Know...
...the Earth's atmosphere scatters more violet light than blue? If it were not for how the human eye perceives colors – we are more sensitive to blue – the sky would look purple to us!
***
After a day full of accidents and mistakes, my coworker had had it. "Why," she cried out in exasperation, "do things that happen to stupid people keep happening to me?!"
***
As I left my office at the National Cancer Institute, I passed one of our researchers by the front door puffing away on a cigarette.
"How can you smoke when you, of all people, know the harm caused by cigarettes?" I asked.
He took another draw, exhaled, and replied through the smoke, "Because it gives me more motivation to find a cure."
***
My mother taught for 11 years at a day-care center. One winter afternoon she was trying to show a young boy how to zip up his coat. "The secret," Mom said, "is to get this piece of the zipper to fit in the other side before you try to zip it up."
After struggling with the zipper for several minutes, the boy sighed and said, "Why does it have to be a secret?"
***
I was charged by the Coast Guard to buy a house near Station Rockland in Maine to be converted into military housing. But after many delays on our part, the owners' lawyer got antsy.
"I don't like working with the government," the man said. "I'm not sure I'd even trust one of your checks."
"I wouldn't worry," I replied. "Not only do we print our own checks, we also print the money to back them up."
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Catholic commemoration of Ida of Louvain
April 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Songkran
Songkran (Thailand)
Water-Sprinkling Festival
Vaisakhi (between 1902 and 2011)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
FND Awareness Day
International Plant Appreciation Day
International Special Librarians Day
National Borinqueneers Day
National Catch and Release Day
National Make Lunch Count Day
National Peach Cobbler Day
National Silly Earring Day
National Theresa Day
Slow Art Day
Thomas Jefferson Day
Unfairly Prosecuted Persons Day
Vaisakhi / Baisakhi / Vishu
GrandNational
Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday
Maya Summers’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sat Apr 13th, 2024 - Sun May 12th, 2024
Global Days of Action on Military Spending
Fun Observances
Scrabble Day
April 13 is Scrabble Day, a day to celebrate the popular board game created in 1938 by Alfred Mosher Butts, an American architect.
Like a Crossword
Scrabble is a word game where 2 to 4 players place tiles, each having a single letter, on a board such that the tiles form words. Like a crossword puzzle, the words have to be built on a 225 square Scrabble board from top to bottom or from left to right.
29 Languages
First marketed in the United States as Lixiko and Criss-Crosswords, the game is now so popular that it is sold around the word in 29 different languages!
The word Scrabble comes from the Dutch word, schrabbelen, meaning to struggle and scramble.
How to Celebrate?
Gather around with your family and friends and play Scrabble.
Throw a Scrabble themed party. Play a game of Scrabble or two. Whoever wins takes home a thesaurus or a dictionary.
Like baking? Whip up a batch of Scrabble tile cookies to serve at your Scrabble party.
Have some extra Scrabble tiles lying around? Use them to make some Scrabble jewelry for the Scrabble lovers in your life.
Don't have time to play a real game of Scrabble? Download one of the many Scrabble word game apps out there and play while you are out and about. Just remember not to play when driving or operating heavy and dangerous machinery or when in a meeting.
Did You Know…
…that if you played the word Oxyphenbutazone in your next game of Scrabble, you will make 1458 points as calculated by a Dan Stock of Ohio? Oxyphenbutazone is a medication used to treat arthritis and is the highest scoring single play word in Scrabble.
***
Whenever my family leaves the house, our Shetland sheepdog's animal instincts start to kick in.
He runs circles around us and nips at our heels to keep us all together.
Watching this display, my friend couldn't resist: "You always herd the ones you love."
***
Officer candidate school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was tough. During an inspection, a fellow soldier received 30 demerits for a single penny found within his area. Ten demerits were for "valuables insecure," ten because the penny wasn't shined, and ten because Abraham Lincoln needed a shave.
***
"What is that sound?" a woman visiting our nature center asked.
"It's the frogs trilling for a mate," Patti, the naturalist, explained. "We have a pair in the science room. But they've been together for so long, they no longer sing to each other."
The woman nodded sympathetically. "The trill is gone."
***
1960s
A friend and I were hitchhiking, but no one would stop.
"Maybe it's our long hair," I joked.
With that, my friend scrawled on a piece of cardboard:
"Going to the barber's." Within seconds we had our ride.
(click on the day for details)
Children's Day (Bolivia)
Christian feast day:
Adoniram Judson (Episcopal Church)
Alferius
Blessed Angelo Carletti di Chivasso
Erkembode
Pope Julius I
Teresa of the Andes
Zeno of Verona
April 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Commemoration of first human in space by Yuri Gagarin:
Cosmonautics Day (Russia)
International Day of Human Space Flight
Yuri's Night (International observance)
Halifax Day (North Carolina)
National Redemption Day (Liberia)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Big Wind Day
Day of Silence
D.E.A.R. Day
Deskfast Day
Hamster Day
International Day of Pink
National Dolores Day
National Fast and Prayer Day
National For Twelves Day
National Gavin Day
National Licorice Day
National Mac Day
National Maya Day
National Only Child Day
Silvia Name Day
Teak Awareness Day
Walk on Your Wild Side Day
Wear a Star Day
Brendon Urie’s Birthday
True Thompson’s Birthday
Tulsi Gabbard
Saoirse Ronan
Claire Danes
Jennifer Morrison
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fri Apr 12th, 2024 - Sun Apr 21st, 2024
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
April 2024
Organic Breakfast Month
Fun Observances ( 2 )
Grilled Cheese Day
April 12 is Grilled Cheese Day, a day to celebrate this hearty bread and cheese dish and to make every meal out of it.
A grilled cheese consists of grilling or toasting a slice of cheese between two slices of bread.
Comfort Meal
Enjoyed today by people around the world as an after school or as a comfort meal, the modern version of a grilled cheese is believed to have originated in the United States during the 1920s when sliced bread and cheese became easily available.
The cheese usually used in grilled cheese is American cheese which is a processed cheese product that has a very low melting point. Hot tomato soup, potato chips, and pickles are common accompaniments of a grilled cheese sandwich.
Cheese Toastie
The British version of a grilled cheese is called a cheese toastie. The cheese of choice for a toastie is cheddar cheese.
The unofficial holiday of unknown origins is also sometimes known as National Grilled Cheese Day.
How to Celebrate?
Make grilled cheese for all your meals. Have an egg and bacon grilled cheese for breakfast, a tomato and mozzarella grilled cheese for lunch, and a traditional grilled cheese for dinner.
Who says grilled cheese has to be savory? Make a dessert grilled cheese with fruit and brie or cream cheese and chocolate spread.
Gourmet up your grilled cheese by adding gourmet ingredients to it. What about adding some bacon into the mix or some arugula and roasted beets for the vegetarians? Substitute tomato soup with sweet potato soup or pumpkin soup.
Did You Know…
…that mozzarella is the most consumed cheese in the world?
~~~~~~~
Yuri's Night
April 12 is Yuri’s Night, an unofficial annual holiday that honors and celebrates human space exploration.
The holiday is a commemoration of the day in 1961 when Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space.
Space Exploration
The day also celebrates the launch of the first space shuttle - the Space Shuttle Columbia - on April 12, 1981.
Created in 2001, 40 years after the first successful human space flight, Yuri’s Night promotes public interest in space exploration and encourages young people to consider professions associated with space exploration and research.
The United Nations has designated April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight.
How to Celebrate?
Attend a local Yuri’s Night celebration. If there aren’t any planned in your city, why not organize one with the help of your friends?
Read more about the history and science of space exploration.
Watch movies and documentaries set in space.
Visit your local space museum.
Did You Know…
...that April 12 is celebrated as Cosmonautics Day in Russia? The holiday was established in 1962 in the Soviet Union.
***
As I was nursing my baby, my cousin's six-year-old daughter, Krissy, came into the room. Never having seen anyone breast- feed before, she was intrigued and full of all kinds of questions about what I was doing.
After mulling over my answers, she remarked, "My mom has some of those, but I don't think she knows how to use them."
***
Thinking his son would enjoy seeing the reenactment of a Civil War battle, my niece's husband took the boy, Will, to the event. But the poor child was terrified by the booming cannons. During a lull, Will's dad finally got him calmed down.
That's when the Confederate general hollered, "Fire at Will!"
***
While editing announcements for a newspaper, I came across an item promoting a camp for children with asthma.
Aside from all the wonderful activities the kids could enjoy, such as canoeing, swimming, crafts and more, it promised that its lakefront property offered something the kids probably did not expect:
"breathtaking views."
***
I worked at a boarding kennel where people leave their dogs and cats while on vacation. One morning I had taken a cat out of his cage, and after playing with him and replenishing his food and water, I put him back in.
A few minutes later, I was surprised to see the feline at my feet, since the cage doors lock automatically when they’re shut.
I couldn’t figure out how the cat escaped, until I bent down to pick him up and spied his nametag: “Houdini.”
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When did Constantinople become Istanbul? | Live Science
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Antipas of Pergamum (Greek Orthodox Church)
Barsanuphius
Gemma Galgani
Godeberta
Guthlac of Crowland
George Selwyn (Anglicanism)
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
April 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Juan Santamaría Day, anniversary of his death in the Second Battle of Rivas. (Costa Rica)
International Louie Louie Day
World Parkinson's Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Dog Therapy Appreciation Day
Global Day to End Child Sexual Abuse
Grand National
National Cheese Fondue Day
National Clean Up Your Pantry Day
National Eight Track Tape Day
National James Day
National Marketing Operations Appreciation Day
National Pet Day
National Poutine Day
National Ranch Water Day
National Alcohol Screening Day
Sebastian Moy’s Birthday
Jahvahn Greek’s Birthday
Summer Walker’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thu Apr 11th, 2024 - Sun Apr 14th, 2024
The Masters Tournament
Thu Apr 11th, 2024 - Mon Apr 15th, 2024
Consumer Awareness Week
Fun Observances ( 2 )
Submarine Day
March 11 is Submarine Day. The unofficial holiday celebrates the technological advances that make the use of the watercraft possible.
It is thought that the unofficial holiday commemorates the date in 1898 when Irish engineer John Philip Holland showed his submarine design to the U.S. Navy.
Modern Submarine
Called the Holland Type VI submarine, his prototype was the first modern submarine design to work successfully underwater. His submarines became the first vessels to be bought by the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy.
A similar holiday is celebrated on April 17 in the US as a way to honor the anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Submarine Force in 1900.
Military Purposes
Submarines have primarily been used for offensive military purposes throughout the 20th century. During World War I and World War II, they were used to sink enemy ships. In the present day, while submarines are still used by the military, they are increasingly being put to use for civilian benefits. Their ability to go deep underwater have made it possible for scientists to research marine life and sea beds. They are also sometimes used for underwater tourism.
Most present-day military submarines run using nuclear power, though, in many parts of the world, diesel-electric submarines are also in common use.
Submarine the Sandwich
In many parts of the United States, a submarine is a type of sandwich. Usually made with a long roll of bread and filled with meats, vegetables, and spreads, this popular lunch dish is also called by other names like hero, hoagie, grinder, and sub. It is thought that the sandwich was named submarine because it resembles the shape of the underwater vessel.
How to Celebrate?
Learn more about the art and science of submarines.
Celebrate the day by consuming as many sub sandwiches as you can.
Watch movies that feature submarines.
Did You Know...
...that the first known submarine was created in 1620 by Cornelius Drebbel?
~~~~~~~
Barbershop Quartet Day
April 11 is Barbershop Quartet Day, a day that celebrates barbershop music, a style of harmony singing without any accompanying music.
The unofficial holiday commemorates the founding of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America in 1938.
Waiting Songs
As the name suggests, barbershop music originated in 19th-century American barbershops, a place where men, usually African-American, came to socialize. While waiting for their turn with the barber, these men sang, harmonized improvised songs and created a genre of music that is now known as barbershop music.
Straw Hats
A barbershop quartet is a group of 4 men, each with their own unique voices - second tenor, first tenor, bass, and baritone - singing songs in the barbershop style.
Barbershop quartets have a signature dressing style that includes bright striped jackets, straw hats, and big mustaches.
How to Celebrate?
Celebrate the day by getting acquainted with Barbershop music and its history.
Attend a barbershop quartet show and enjoy their music.
Did You Know…
…that barbershop music is a type of acapella? Acapella is a style of singing without any accompanying instrumental music. The word comes from the Italian word for according to the church.
***
A passing septic service truck declared "19,500 lbs. of very gross weight."
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A couple invited some people to dinner. At the table, the wife turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"
"I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"
***
Although desperate to find work, I passed on a job I found on an employment website. It was for a wastewater plant operator.
Among the job requirements: "Must be able to swim."
***
When we finished a personality assessment at work, I asked my friend Dan if he would share the results with his wife.
"That would require me to go home and say, 'Hi, honey. I just paid someone $400 to tell me what's wrong with me,' " he said.
"And based on that, considering we've been married 23 years, she'd hand me a bill for $798,000."
***
A colleague was planning a trip to my business office and asked if I could find him a hotel with exercise facilities. I called several hotels, with no luck.
Finally I thought I had found one. I asked the receptionist if the hotel had a weight room.
"No," she replied, "but we have a lobby and you can wait there."
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Fulbert of Chartres
James, Azadanus and Abdicius
Mikael Agricola (Lutheran)
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (Episcopal Church)
William of Ockham (Anglicanism)
William Law (Anglicanism)
April 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day of the Builder (Azerbaijan)
Feast of the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law (Thelema)
Siblings Day (International observance)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Birth anniversary of Manlilikha ng Bayan Masino Intaray
Eid al-Fitr
Encourage a Young Writer Day
Global Work From Home Day
Golfer’s Day
International Safety Pin Day
National Bookmobile Day
National Calvin Day
National Cinnamon Crescent Day
National Farm Animals Day
National Hug Your Dog Day
National Nana Day
National Report IRS Tax Fraud Day
National Tamara Day
National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day
Salvation Army Founder's Day
World Homeopathy Day
National Library Outreach Day
World Baton Twirling Day
International Day of Pink
Ynw Bslime’s Birthday
Sofia Carson’s Birthday
Shay Mitchell’s Birthday
Emily Miller’s Birthday
Custis Blue’s Birthday
Charlie Hunnam’s Birthday
David Harbour
Mandy Moore
Steven Seagal
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Wed Apr 10th, 2024 - Tue Apr 16th, 2024
World Homoeopathy Awareness Week
Wed Apr 10th, 2024 - Wed Apr 17th, 2024
Parkinson's Awareness Week
Fun Observances
Siblings Day
Honor your sibling on Siblings Day, an unofficial holiday celebrated annually on April 10.
The day aims to celebrate the very important but often under-appreciated special relationship and bond of love, friendship, and respect shared between siblings.
Made in New York
All of us who have been lucky enough to have siblings know that sometimes they can be annoying and a pain to be around, but this should not stop you from celebrating what will possibly be the longest relationship in your life.
The unofficial day was created by New Yorker Claudia Evart in memory of her brother and sister, whom she lost early in her life.
Since 1998, US President Bill Clinton and governors of 39 states in the U.S. have officially recognized Siblings Day as an observance.
The holiday is also known as National Siblings Day in the United States.
How to Celebrate?
Here are some ways you can celebrate this special day:
Even though it is a predominantly American holiday, nothing should stop you from celebrating it wherever you are. Do something special to celebrate your siblings - throw a party for them, cook them their favorite dish, take them out to do their favorite activity, stay at home and go through old family photos and videos, and reminisce about the good times you had growing up together.
Spend some time with your siblings. If you live away from them, call them and talk to them. What about paying them a surprise visit?
If you are unable to call or visit them, what about sending them a lovely card that tells them how much you miss them and care for them?
Tell them how much you love them and appreciate them and all they do for you.
If your siblings are no longer with you, what about doing something special in their memory? Perhaps donating to their favorite charity?
And don't forget your step- and half-siblings! So what if you only share one parent or don't have a genetic connection to them - sometimes connections of the heart are all you need to become brothers and sisters.
Did You Know...
...that siblings who have the same parents share 50% of their DNA, while half-siblings – siblings who have one common parent – possess about 25% similar genetic material?
***
John went to visit his old grandfather in a secluded area of Georgia. After chatting all night John's grandfather made a breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film on his plate, and questioned his grandfather, "Are these plates clean?"
His grandfather replied, "They're as clean as cold water can get them. Just finish your meal!"
For lunch John worried that the plates had dried egg and asked, "Are you sure these plates are clean?"
The old man said, "I told you those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now I don't want to hear any more about it!"
Later that afternoon, as John was leaving, his grandfather's dog started to growl, not letting him pass. John yelled, "Grandfather, your dog won't let me get to my car."
The old man shouted, "Coldwater, go lie down!"
***
A propane supply store isn't shy about revealing where its heart lies:
"Tank heaven for little grills."
***
What does a producer do?
The screenwriter, obviously, writes the screenplay.
The actors, of course, act in that screenplay.
And the director, without question, directs the whole thing.
But what does the producer do?
I will attempt to explain.
A film producer is the guy who, when a writer tells him about a good idea he's got for a screenplay, says, "That was done in 1938 by William Wyler. It costarred Fredric March and Loretta Young, with Claude Rains playing the black hat. But you know what? I think we could update it, if instead of making the leading lady a nun, we have her working in a casino in Nevada. We put George Clooney in the Fredric March role, and we make him an undercover agent for the CIA who has tracked a Russian agent to Las Vegas. Angelina Jolie would be great for the girl.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"]http://media.rd.com/rd/images/rdc/mag0811/quirks-film-producer-ch.jpg Matty Simmons is the producer of National Lampoon's Animal House and the Vacation movies.[/caption]
"They meet and fall in love, but he discovers that she's pregnant by the Russian agent. George has been licensed to kill this guy, who, incidentally, will be played by Jack Black, but Angelina begs George not to kill the father of her unborn child. In a tearstained scene at the Las Vegas airport, Angelina says goodbye to George and walks to the plane to join Jack Black for the trip back to Moscow. Our big ballad here. Maybe we get Elton John.
"George stops at the airport and pulls out a quarter-a quarter she gave him. He drops it in a slot machine. The place goes nuts-bells ringing and all that stuff. George has hit the $1 million jackpot! He collects his money in a single large suitcase. It's all in ones to make it more visual-this is a visual medium.
"He goes back to his hotel. He's still sick about losing Angelina. He takes the $1 million down to the hotel casino and puts the whole thing on No. 27, which was their number. We see the ball rolling around and around and around-endlessly, while the theme music, sung by Celine Dion, soars until every butt in every seat is up in the air. The ball drops into No. 29, then hiccups slightly and pops into 28, then, as Celine reaches a pitch so high that every dog within a mile of any movie house in America is howling with pain, the ball goes blip-and drops into 27."
***
One evening my husband's golfing buddy drove his secretary home after she had imbibed a little too much at an office reception. Although this was an innocent gesture, he decided not to mention it to his wife, who tended to get jealous easily.
Later that night my husband's friend and his wife were driving to a restaurant. Suddenly he looked down and spotted a high-heel shoe half hidden under the passenger seat. Not wanting to be conspicuous, he waited until his wife was looking out her window before he scooped up the shoe and tossed it out of the car. With a sigh of relief, he pulled into the restaurant parking lot. That's when he noticed his wife squirming around in her seat.
"Honey," she asked, "have you seen my other shoe?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Anglicanism, Lutheranism)
Gaucherius
Materiana
Waltrude
April 9 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Anniversary of the German Invasion of Denmark (Denmark)
Baghdad Liberation Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)
Constitution Day (Kosovo)
Day of National Unity (Georgia)
Day of the Finnish Language (Finland)
Day of Valor or Araw ng Kagitingan (Philippines)
Feast of the Second Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law (Thelema)
Martyr's Day (Tunisia)
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day (United States)
Remembrance for Haakon Sigurdsson (The Troth)
Vimy Ridge Day (Canada)
Valour Day (CRPF)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Appomattox Day
Edinburgh Science Festival
International ASMR Day
Jenkins Ear Day
Jumbo Day
National Bodhi Day
National Cherish an Antique Day
National Chicken Little Awareness Day
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day
National Gin and Tonic Day
National Mature Women’s Day
National Name Yourself Day
National Unicorn Day
National Winston Churchill Day
Ougadi
Global Holistic Wealth Day
Identity Management Day
National Library Workers Day
National Equal Pay Day
Lil Nas X’s Birthday
Lala lalaleluu’s Birthday
Hugh Hefner’s Birthday
Gerard Way’s Birthday
Tommyinnit’s Birthday
Kristen Stewart
Dennis Quaid
Elle Fanning
Leighton Meester
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Tue Apr 9th, 2024 - Mon Apr 15th, 2024
National Student Employment Week
Fun Observances
Be Kind to Lawyers Day
Honor the lawyer in your life on Be Kind to Lawyers Day, celebrated annually on the second Tuesday of April.
Lawyers, they may get a bad rap, but they are essential to the workings of society and the justice system.
Before Tax Day
The unofficial holiday was created by Steve Hughes, an American communication expert as National Be Kind To Lawyers Day in 2008. He chose to celebrate the holiday on the second Tuesday of April because it falls between April Fool’s Day and Tax Day in the United States.
Like Your Lawyer
Be Kind to Lawyers Day, also known as International Be Kind to Lawyers Day, encourages people to be kind to all those who practice law and make sure that the legal system in a country works smoothly.
Even though the legal profession is one of the oldest professions in the history of humankind, lawyers have been a subject of jokes and have been seen as a necessary evil by the public throughout history.
Dispels the Myth
The reason for this hatred towards lawyers stems from a general perception that all lawyers charge more than they should from their clients, and are willing to abuse the legal system in order to get the judgment in their client's favor.
Be Kind to Lawyers Day attempts to dispel this myth and raises awareness about the constructive and important role lawyers lay in ensuring that a society functions smoothly.
How to Celebrate?
Send a thank you note to the lawyer in your life. It always helps to have a lawyer on your side!
Take your lawyer out for lunch and show them your appreciation for keeping you out of trouble!
Watch TV shows or movies with protagonists who are lawyers.
Use legal jargon during conversations with family, friends, and colleagues.
Did You Know…
…that a law in ancient Athens made it illegal for lawyers to charge fees for their services?
***
Being a teenager and getting a tattoo seem to go hand and hand these days. I wasn't surprised when one of my daughter's friends showed me a delicate little Japanese symbol on her hip. "Please don't tell my parents," she begged.
"I won't," I promised. "By the way, what does that stand for?"
"Honesty," she said.
***
As a high-school football coach, I'm aware that student athletes tend to focus too much on sports. A fellow coach, Bob, was talking about one such player, who called him at home one night. When his wife informed the kid that Bob wasn't home, he became frantic and said he had to speak to the coach right away.
"Just calm down, and I'll have him call you as soon as he gets home," the coach's wife told him. "What's your number?"
The flustered kid replied, "Three."
***
As my husband, the county highway commissioner, was driving to the hospital for treatment of his painful leg, he decided to use the valet parking service so he wouldn't have to walk far. Staring at his official-looking vehicle, one of the valets asked my husband if he was driving a government car.
"Why, yes," my husband replied, surprised by the question. "In fact it's an unmarked police car."
"Wow!" the young man said, sliding behind the wheel. "This will be the first time I've been in the front seat."
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In my job as an electronics salesman, I've seen the rise in popularity of sport-utility vehicles and minivans, which has created a market for rear-seat entertainment. Monitors that keep passengers occupied with movies and television have been selling like crazy.
One day as I was showing a young couple how a monitor could play videos, DVDs, and even pick up local TV stations, the husband asked matter-of-factly, "Does it get cable?"
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I was lying on my couch, burning up with a fever, when my husband said I should go to bed. At three o'clock the next morning, I woke up soaked from head to toe. When my husband heard me stirring, he said that my fever must have broken.
I decided to spend the rest of the night back on the couch so as not to disturb him any further. But then, three hours later, he appeared in the living room soaking wet.
"Your fever didn't break," he said, still dripping. "The water bed did."
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Prince Philip inspired a role in a DISNEY movie - and it might surprise you | Royal | News | Express.co.uk
(click on the day for details)
Buddha's Birthday, also known as Hana Matsuri, "Flower Festival" (Japan)
Christian feast day:
Anne Ayres (Episcopal Church (USA))
Constantina
Julie Billiart of Namur
Perpetuus
Walter of Pontoise
William Augustus Muhlenberg (Episcopal Church (USA))
April 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Earliest day on which Fast and Prayer Day can fall, while April 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Friday in April (Liberia)
International Romani Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Baby Massage Day
Day of Romas
Draw a Bird Day
International Feng Shui Awareness Day
International Kids Yoga Day
International Pageant Day
National All is Ours Day
National Dog Fighting Awareness Day
National Empanada Day
National Zoo Lovers Day
Pygmy Hippo Day
Step Into the Spotlight Day
Trading Cards for Grown-ups Day
Skai Jackson’s Birthday
Silas Timberlake’s Birthday
Matty Healy’s Birthday
Jonghyun’s Birthday
Chris Kyle
Robin Wright
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Mon Apr 8th, 2024 - Sun Apr 14th, 2024
Hate Week
***
On my way to a picnic, I stopped at a fast food place to order a quart of potato salad. "We don't sell it by the quart," the clerk snapped.
"Okay, then give me two pints, please," I replied.
I'm proud to say I held my tongue when she asked, "Do you want it in one container?"
***
I am a deputy sheriff assigned to courthouse security. As part of my job, I explain court procedures to visitors. One day I was showing a group of ninth-graders around. Court was in recess and only the clerk and a young man in custody wearing handcuffs were in the courtroom. "This is where the judge sits," I began, pointing to the bench. "The lawyers sit at these tables. The court clerk sits over there. The court recorder, or stenographer, sits over here. Near the judge is the witness stand and over there is where the jury sits. As you can see," I finished, "there are a lot of people involved in making this system work."
At that point, the prisoner raised his cuffed hands and said, "Yeah, but I'm the one who makes it all happen."
***
My doctor friend moved his family to a small town in Montana. An Italian American raised in Philadelphia, he wanted his kids to enjoy clean the benefits of air and the outdoors. The locals were thrilled to have a doctor of their own, and were always inviting him and his family over for dinner.
During one visit, one of his daughters told a rancher's daughter, "We're Italian."
Somewhat confused, the little girl replied, "We're Ranch."
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Four students walked in halfway through the American history test my father was giving at the local community college. "Sorry," they said, "we had a flat tire."
An understanding man, Dad said that if they could all answer just one question correctly, he would give them each an "A" for the exam. The students agreed.
So my father handed each one a piece of paper, placed them in four separate corners and said, "Write down which tire was flat."
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( A penny for your thoughts )
I know you know, but just in case, it is a ' Pangolin '
Pangolin - Wikipedia
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast days:
Aibert of Crespin
Blessed Alexander Rawlins
Blessed Edward Oldcorne and Blessed Ralph Ashley
Blessed Notker the Stammerer
Brynach
Hegesippus
Henry Walpole
Hermann Joseph
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow (Eastern Orthodox Church, Episcopal Church (USA))
April 7 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Flag Day (Slovenia)
Genocide Memorial Day (Rwanda), and its related observance:
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide (United Nations)
Motherhood and Beauty Day (Armenia)
National Beer Day (United States)
Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume Day (Tanzania)
Women's Day (Mozambique)
Veterans' Day (Belgium)
World Health Day (International observance)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Divine Mercy Sunday
Explore Your Career Options Week
Geologist Day
International Beaver Day
International Snail Papers Day - 1
International Snailpapers Day - 2
Karume Day
Make the First Move Day
Metric System Day
National Coffee Cake Day
National Girl Me Too Day
National Nico Day
National No Housework Day
National Pet Health Insurance Day
Public Television Day
National Schwa Day
Anne-Marie’s Birthday
Jackie Chan
Mackenzie Bezos
Francis Ford Coppola
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Sun Apr 7th, 2024 - Sat Apr 13th, 2024
Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week
International Trombone Week
National Dog Bite Prevention Week
National Integrated Respiratory Care Week
National Library Week
***
My wife's car horn began to beep in cold weather and would only stop when she disconnected it. So she disabled the horn and drove to the dealership, whose garage had its door shut to keep out the cold.
Outside was a sign: "Honk horn for service."
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Searching in my library for two books by communications expert Deborah Tannen turned into an Abbott and Costello routine. "What's the first book?" the librarian asked.
"That's Not What I Meant," I said.
"Well, what did you mean?"
"That's the title of the book," I explained.
"Okay." She looked at me a little skeptically. "And the other book?"
"You Just Don't Understand."
"Excuse me?"
I got both books. Eventually.
***
During a recent meeting of our Optimist Club, we challenged one another to come up with an inspirational sentence using the word countenance. This was the winning entry:
"I put a cheerful countenance on people every day." It was submitted by our local funeral director.
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Soon after we were married, my husband, Paul, stopped wearing his wedding band.
"Why don't you ever wear your ring?" I asked.
"It cuts off my circulation," Paul replied.
"I know," I said. "It's supposed to."
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Udder Bliss: One Cow, Three Cats and Some (Very) Fresh Milk
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Yes, Yes, Yes, but what the heck was Boone's Farm??
(click on the day for details)
Chakri Day, commemorating the establishment of the Chakri dynasty. (Thailand)
Christian feast day:
Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach (Lutheran Church).
Brychan
Eutychius of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Marcellinus of Carthage
Pope Sixtus I
April 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
National Fisherman Day (Indonesia)
New Beer's Eve (United States)
Tartan Day (United States & Canada)
Waltzing Matilda Day (Australia)
International Asexuality Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Army Day
Bohring-Opitz Syndrome Day
California Poppy Day
Drowsy Driver Awareness Day
Every Day is Tag Day
Fresh Tomato Day
International Firewalk Day
International Pillow Fight Day
Jump Over Things Day
National Acai Bowl Day
National Caramel Popcorn Day
National Carbonara Day
National Employee Benefits Day
National Food Faces Day
National Gang Day
National Handmade Day
National Jay Day
National Library Day
National Love Our Children Day
National Pajama Day
National Parker Day
National Robert Day
National Siamese Cat Day
National Student Athlete Day
National Student-Athlete Day
National Taylor Day
National Teflon Day
National Twinkie Day
Plan Your Epitaph Day
President Ntaryamira Day
National DIY Day
Tangible Karma Day
Peyton List’s Birthday
Mingyu’s Birthday
Paul Rudd
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sat Apr 6th, 2024 - Fri Apr 12th, 2024
Week of the Young Child
Sat Apr 6th, 2024 - Sat Apr 13th, 2024
National Robotics Week
Fun Observances
Sorry Charlie Day
April 6 is Sorry Charlie Day, a day to recognize that everyone gets rejected sometimes in his or her life. The name of the holiday comes from the phrase Sorry Charlie, popular in the United States.
According to some, the phrase comes from a Starkist Tuna commercial in the 1970s.
Tasty Tuna
In the commercial, the main character, Charlie the Tuna, believes he has good taste and wants to be caught by the Tuna company. The company, however, rejects Charlie by attaching a note to a fish hook that says “Sorry Charlie.” The reason Charlie is rejected by the tuna company is because the company prefers to catch a tuna that tastes good, and not a tuna that has good taste.
Rejection Phrase
The phrase is now is commonly used as a response to someone who has experienced a rejection. It can be sometimes be seen as an uncaring response.
How to Celebrate?
Think back on all the rejections in your life – academic, professional and personal – and spend the day reflecting on what you learned from each of them.
Treat yourself because you didn’t let any rejections let you down.
Did You Know...
...that some schools of tuna fish swim alongside dolphins as a way to protect themselves from sharks and other predatory sea life?
***
The college football player knew his way around the locker room better than he did the library. So when my husband's co-worker saw the gridiron star roaming the stacks looking confused, she asked how she could help. "I have to read a play by Shakespeare," he said.
"Which one?" she asked.
He scanned the shelves and answered, "William."
***
Giving a sermon one Sunday, I heard two teenage girls in the back giggling and disturbing people. I interrupted my sermon and announced sternly, "There are two of you here who have not heard a word I've said." That quieted them down.
When the service was over, I went to greet people at the front door. Three adults apologized for going to sleep in church, promising it would never happen again.
***
We live less than a quarter-mile from the high school, but my son proudly drove there in a car he bought with his own money. A typical first car, it had lots of little problems and was sometimes slow to start.
One morning I was surprised to see it still in front of the house, so after school I asked him about it. "I had to get to school early," he said, "so I just ran."
***
During an attack of laryngitis I lost my voice completely for two days. To help me communicate with him, my husband devised a system of taps.
One tap meant "Give me a kiss." Two taps meant "No." Three taps meant "Yes"—and 95 taps meant "Take out the garbage."
(click on the day for details)
Children's Day (Hong Kong, Taiwan)
Christian feast day:
Benedict the Moor
Gaetano Catanoso
Isidore of Seville
Martin Luther King Jr. (Episcopal Church (USA))
Reginald Heber (Anglican Church of Canada)
Tigernach of Clones
Plato of Sakkoudion
April 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Senegal from France (1960).
Peace Day (Angola)
One of the possible days for Qingming Festival.
NATO Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
404 Day
International Carrot Day
International Day for Landmine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 1
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 2
Jeep 4×4 Day
Näfelser Fahrt
National Alcohol Screening Day
National Burrito Day
National Cordon Bleu Day
National Dillon Day
National Hug a Newsperson Day
National Walk Around Things Day
School Librarian Day
Victims of Violence Wholly Day
Vitamin C Day
World Rat Day
World Drummer’s Day
National Ramen Day
D.A.R.E. Day
Robert Downey Jr.’s Birthday
Maya Angelou’s Birthday
Jill Scott’s Birthday
Grumpy Cat’s Birthday
Eric Andre’s Birthday
Daniel Lara’s Birthday
Natasha Lyonne
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thu Apr 4th, 2024 - Sun Apr 7th, 2024
The Masters Tournament
Thu Apr 4th, 2024 - Thu Apr 18th, 2024
Discover National Parks Fortnight
Fun Observances
Tell a Lie Day
Nope, we aren’t lying, we promise! April 4 is Tell a Lie Day!
The holiday of unknown origins comes just a few days after another holiday that celebrates trickery and lying - April Fool's Day and a few weeks before Honesty Day, a made-up holiday that honors the virtue of honesty and truth-telling.
Acceptable Lying
While the name suggests that the holiday encourages people to tell lies all day long, we would like to think that the day is not an actual celebration of lying but an acknowledgment that lying is part of life, and sometimes people have to lie to make others feel better. Such lies are called white lies and are possibly the only form of lying acceptable within most religions, cultures, and societies.
Other acceptable forms of lying include: lying while playing a game (bluffing), lies made for the purposes of amusement of the liar or other people (jocose lies), and untruthful statements made without any malicious intent (honest lie).
This holiday is also known as National Tell a Lie Day in the US.
How to Celebrate?
While we cannot in good conscience endorse or encourage lying, here are some harmless ways to celebrate this "fictional" holiday:
Missed April Fool's Day? Use this day to make up for it by playing harmless tricks on friends, family, and colleagues.
Make up silly stories about harmless things and recount them to the people around you. Who knows, you may even get a laugh or two out of your listeners!
Read more about how to detect deception and lying.
Play games that require bluffing.
Read tales that warn people about the dangers of lying. Some of these tales include The Boy who Cried Wolf and Pinocchio.
Did You Know...
...that a true or false response to the question this statement is not true leads to a contradiction called the Liar's Paradox? If the response to this statement is that it is true, then the statement is false, and if the response to the statement is that it is false, then the statement is true.
***
I purchased a new desktop-publishing program that surprised me by containing a make-a-paper-airplane option. I decided to give it a try. After I selected the plane I wanted, the software gave me a choice of accessories available for my plane, including a stick-up tail, adjustable flaps and an AM/FM radio. Out of curiosity I chose the AM/FM radio.
The program responded with a message box stating: "Come on, be serious. These are just paper airplanes.
***
Luke, our venturesome 14-month-old son, was at my mother-in-law's house. He was playing with her car keys when the phone rang. After hanging up, my mother-in-law realized that Luke had put the keys down someplace, but she couldn't find them anywhere. Thinking quickly, she gave him another set of keys.
As she pretended not to look, Luke toddled around the corner and into her bedroom. Then she watched as he carefully placed the second set of keys under her bed—right next to the original car keys.
***
I had finished my Christmas shopping early and had wrapped all the presents. Having two curious children, I had to find a suitable hiding place. I chose an ideal spot—the furnace room. I stacked the presents and covered them with a blanket, positive they'd remain undiscovered.
When I went to get the gifts to put them under the tree, I lifted the blanket and there, stacked neatly on top of my gifts, were presents addressed to "Mom and Dad, From the Kids."
***
A man rushed to the jewelry counter in the store where I work soon after the doors opened one morning and said he needed a pair of diamond earrings. I showed him a wide selection, and quickly he picked out a pair.
When I asked him if he wanted the earrings gift-wrapped, he said, "That'd be great. But can you make it quick? I forgot today was my anniversary, and my wife thinks I'm taking out the trash."
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Albert of Montecorvino
Derfel Gadarn
Æthelburh of Kent
Gerald of Sauve-Majeure
Juliana of Liège
Maria Crescentia Höss
Blessed Mariano de la Mata
Pandita Mary Ramabai (Episcopal Church (USA))
Ruadhán of Lorrha
Vincent Ferrer
April 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Cold Food Festival, held on April 4 if it is a leap year (China); and its related observances:
Earliest day on which Sham el-Nessim can fall, while May 9 is the latest; celebrated on Monday after the Orthodox Easter (Egypt)
Children's Day (Palestinian territories)
First Contact Day (International observance)
Sikmogil (South Korea)
National Maritime Day is observed in India, in commemoration of the first voyage of SS Loyalty of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. in 1919.
International Day of Conscience
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Accelerate ACL Awareness Among Young Women Day
Bell Bottoms Day
Go For Broke Day
Gold Star Spouses Day
Hospital Admitting Clerks Day
International Day of Conscience
Laylatul Qadr
National Body Care Day
National Caramel Day
National Deep Dish Pizza Day
National Flash Drive Day
National Nebraska Day
National Peeps Day
National Raisin and Spice Bar Day
National Self Care Day
Poet in a Cupcake Day
Pharrell Williams’s Birthday
Lil Sasquatch’s Birthday
Hunter Rowland’s Birthday
Daniel Caesar’s Birthday
Blayke Busby’s Birthday
Bette Davis’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fri Apr 5th, 2024 - Tue Apr 9th, 2024
National Wildlife Week
Fri Apr 5th, 2024 - Fri Apr 12th, 2024
Bee Active Bee Healthy Bee Happy Week
Fun Observances ( 3 )
Read a Road Map Day
Read a Road Map Day is on April 5. It encourages people to go on an adventure the old-fashioned way – with a paper map!
Also known as National Read a Road Map Day, the unofficial holiday is a throwback to what the kids today call the "old days" before GPSs.
No GPS
Roadmaps, or route maps, are navigational maps that usually show roads and landmarks in a specific area.
In recent years, the rise of Global Positioning System (GPS) and mobile technology is making paper maps outdated.
How to Celebrate?
When was the last time you picked up a map and used it for directions? No, not a GPS or a map app, but an actual paper map? Don't remember? Here are some ways to celebrate Read a Road Map Day:
Take a short road trip and use only paper maps to guide you. Bring along a navigator who does the map reading and directing for you. If you do not have a navigator, please make sure you only read the map when your car is at a complete stop.
If you have never read a map, take some time to learn to read one. We reckon it will be a good skill to have in the unlikely event of a zombie apocalypse.
Learn more about maps and how they are made.
Did You Know...
...that the Turin Papyrus is thought to be the oldest recorded road map in the world? Historians believe that it was created around 1160 BCE.
~~~~~~~
First Contact Day
Fans of the sci-fi series Star Trek celebrate First Contact Day on April 5 to mark the day in 2063 when humans make their first contact with the Vulcans.
The day is celebrated as a minor holiday in the Star Trek world and made its first appearance on the episode named Homestead in the Star Trek: Voyager series.
TV Show
Star Trek is an American television and film enterprise first created in 1966 by Gene Roddenberry. The first television series in the franchise debuted in 1966 and is now known as The Original Series. It followed the adventures of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise under the leadership of Captain James T Kirk.
Humanoid Race
The Enterprise is a 23rd-century spaceship of the United Federation of Planets, a federation of more than 150 governments from different planets. The Federation as it is popularly known was created in 2161.
The Vulcans are a humanoid race from the planet Vulcan, which is about 16 light years from Earth. Vulcans are considered to be masters of logic who have found ways to suppress their violent emotions. Commander Spock is one of the most well-known Vulcans in the Star Trek universe.
How to Celebrate?
Have a Star Trek themed party for all your family and friends. Have your guests come dressed as their favorite characters.
Make cheese pierogis, one of the dishes made by characters celebrating the day on the show.
Attend a Star Trek fan meet and meet other like-minded people.
Hold a Start Trek viewing marathon.
Greet everyone you meet on this day with the Vulcan salute. To do this, raise your hands with your palm facing outwards, and your thumb away from your hand. Part your middle and ring finger such that the index and middle finger are together and your ring and little finger are close to each other.
Did You Know…
…that the first First Contact Day was celebrated 315 years after the first contact on 2378?
~~~~~~~
Walk to Work Day
Years of medical research has shown that walking is one of the best ways to stay healthy and keep your body in shape. So, once a year, why not take the doctor’s advice and walk to work on Walk to Work Day?
Walk to Work Day, an unofficial holiday, occurs on various dates in different countries. In the United States, the day is annually observed on the first Friday of April.
This event is different from the American Heart Association’s National Walk to Work Day, which is held on the first Wednesday of April.
How to Celebrate?
Wear comfortable walking shoes and walk to work.
If you are unable to walk to work, take public transport instead and then walk from the bus or train stop to your workplace.
If you have to drive or take public transport to your workplace, why not walk to your lunch instead.
Not in the United States, do not worry! You can still celebrate the holiday by yourself. Recruit colleagues and friends to walk with you to work.
Did You Know...
...that an average adult person uses 200 muscles in his or her body to take a step forward?
***
My friend John and I, determined to see the world, signed on a Norwegian freighter as deckhands. We were being trained as helmsmen, and John's first lesson was given by the mate, a seasoned but gentle white-haired seafarer. John was holding the heading he had been given, when the mate ordered, "Come starboard."
Pleased at knowing immediately which way starboard was, John left the helm and walked over to his instructor.
The mate had an incredulous look on his face as the helm swung freely, but he merely asked politely, "Could you bring the ship with you?"
***
While rummaging through her attic, my friend Kathryn found an old shotgun. Unsure about how to dispose of it, she called her parents. "Take it to the police station," her mother suggested. My friend was about to hang up when her mother added, "And Kathryn?"
"Yes, Mom?"
"Call first."
***
During a beautiful spring afternoon, I was attending the Cheat River Festival in West Virginia. Just as I stopped to listen to a folk singer, a group of exhibitors, dragging out tools and sawhorses, began setting up their display booth nearby. All their shouting and hammering made it difficult to enjoy the music. The noise they made got louder and even more obnoxious and intrusive as time went on. Finally, to everyone's relief, they completed the construction. As a finishing touch, they hung a sign on their booth.
It read "Silent Auction."
***
Some newly married friends were visiting us when the topic of children came up. The bride said she wanted three children, while the young husband demurred, saying two would be enough for him. They discussed this discrepancy for a few minutes until the husband thought he'd put an end to things, saying boldly,
"After our second child, I'll just have a vasectomy."
Without a moment's hesitation, the bride retorted, "Well, I hope you'll love the third one like it's your own!"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Agape, Chionia, and Irene
Burgundofara
Luigi Scrosoppi
Richard of Chichester
April 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
A Drop of Water is a Grain of Gold
American Circus Day
Armenian Appreciation Day
Birth Anniversary of National Artist Lino Brocka
Day of Hope - 1
National Childhelp Day of Hope - 2
Fan Dance Day
Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day
Fish Fingers and Custard Day
Independent Artist Day™
National Chocolate Mousse Day
National Film Score Day
National Find a Rainbow Day
National Grey Day
National Inspiring Joy Day
National Pro-Life T Shirt Day
National Tweed Day
National Walking Day
NCCA Anniversary
Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
Pony Express Day
Weed Out Hate Day
World Cloud Security Day
National Biomechanics Day
World Aquatic Animal Day
Fun Observances
World Party Day
April 3 is World Party Day. Also known as P Day, it is an annually celebrated unofficial holiday that aims to achieve social change and harmony by encouraging people to celebrate life by partying.
The idea behind the holiday is that the opposite of war and suffering should not be to passively observe peace. Instead, people must actively participate in the celebration of life.
First in 1996
The holiday is inspired by the ending of the 1995 novel, Flight: A Quantum Fiction Novel, by Vanna Bonta, where a countdown is set to April 3, 2000 when a worldwide synchronized celebration occurs. The first Party Day was held around the world in 1996.
How to Celebrate?
Research suggests that meeting new people from different cultures helps cultivate intercultural understanding and harmony. So why not throw a party for your family and friends and ask them to bring their friends and coworkers along?
Organize a block party. Peace begins at home and by being neighborly. Spend time with your neighbors and celebrate your neighborhood.
What about partying for a cause? Host a party and have your guests contribute to a cause close to your and your heart.
Whatever you do and whoever you party with, remember that you need no excuse to celebrate life and to be good to others.
Did You Know…
…that the use of the word, party, to refer to a gathering where people have a good time dates back to 1922?
***
The first Sunday after my husband and I bought a new car, we parked it in the last row of the church lot, not wanting to be ostentatious. While talking with friends, my husband, Byron, accidentally hit the panic button on his electronic key. Immediately our car's horn blared and its lights flashed.
Watching Byron fumble with the button, his friend teased, "Wouldn't it have been in better taste to put a few lines in the church bulletin?"
***
Everything is expensive in the upscale resort town where we live, and part of what you pay for is attitude. I realized this after I bought a couple pounds of hamburger at the fancy market on Main Street.
When I was taking the meat out of the bag at home, I noticed the label, "Ground Charles."
***
Our office building's only elevator was acting up. When I rode it to the lobby on my way to lunch, the door refused to open. Trying not to panic, I hit the emergency button, which triggers an automatic call to the repair service.
Through the speaker in the elevator, I heard the call going through and then a recorded announcement: "The area code of the number you dialed has been changed. The new area code is 810. Please hang up and dial again."
***
If athletes get athlete's foot, do astronauts get mistletoe?
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Abundius of Como
Amphianus of Lycia
Æbbe the Younger
Bronach of Glen-Seichis (Irish martyrology)
Francis of Paola
Francisco Coll Guitart
Henry Budd (Anglican Church of Canada)
Nicetius of Lyon
Pedro Calungsod
Theodosia of Tyre
Urban of Langres
April 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
International Children's Book Day (International)
Thai Heritage Conservation Day (Thailand)
Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day (Belarus)
World Autism Awareness Day (International)
Malvinas Day (Argentina)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Autism Acceptance Day
Children’s Picture Book Day
Day of the Veterans
International Fact-Checking Day
National DIY Day
National Ferret Day
National Love Your Produce Manager Day
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
National Reconciliation Day
National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day
National Sexual Assault Awareness Month's Day of Action
Pascua Florida Day
SAAM Day of Action
Southland Anniversary
Union Day of Belarus and Russia
Don’t Walk Your Dog Day
When my wife and I were vacationing in the eastern part of our state, our car's license plate was stolen. We planned to go to a local office for a replacement, but then we discovered that our registration had expired. The new one was at home in a pile of mail.
After much thought, we came up with a solution. Taping a sign over the empty license-plate space on the rear of the vehicle, we made the eight-hour trip home safely. Not a single state trooper stopped us, but many passing motorists took great pains to honk and wave at us.
Our sign read "Just Married!"
***
As a fund-raiser, the chemistry club designed and sold T-shirts. Written across the front were our top "Stupid Chemistry Sayings":
• Have yourself a Merry Little Bismuth
• What do you do with dead people? Barium
• You stupid boron!
• We hope your year is very phosphorous.
***
My father began teaching business classes at the local prison through a community college. On his first night of class, he started a chapter on banking. During the course of his lecture, the subject of ATMs came up, and he mentioned that, on average, most machines contain only about $1,500 at a given time.
Just then a man in the back raised his hand. "I'm not trying to be disrespectful," he told my father, "but the machine I robbed had about $5,000 in it."
***
Touring Ireland's countryside with a group of travel writers, we passed an immaculate cemetery with hundreds of beautiful headstones set in a field of emerald green grass. Everyone reached for their cameras when the tour guide said the inventor of the crossword puzzle was buried there.
He pointed out the location, "Three down and four across."
***
My wife, Dolores, never quite got the hang of the 24-hour military clock. One day she called the orderly room and asked to speak with me. The person who answered told her to call me at the extension in the band rehearsal hall.
"He can be reached at 4700, ma'am," the soldier advised.
With a sigh of exasperation, my wife responded, "And just what time is that?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Cellach of Armagh
Hugh of Grenoble
Frederick Denison Maurice (Church of England)
Mary of Egypt
Melito of Sardis
Tewdrig
Theodora
Walric, abbot of Leuconay
April 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
April Fools' Day
Odisha Day (Odisha, India)
Arbor Day (Tanzania)
Civil Service Day (Thailand)
Cyprus National Day (Cyprus)
Edible Book Day
Fossil Fools Day
Kha b-Nisan, the Assyrian New Year (Assyrian people)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Boomer Bonus Days
Community Garden Week
Dyngus Day
Easter Monday
International Tatting Day
Library Snap Shot Day
Lupus Alert Day
Martyrdom of Imam Ali
Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month
Myles Day
National Connor Day
National Fun Day
National Greeting Card Day
National Loyal Day
National One Cent Day
National Sourdough Bread Day
National Trombone Players Day
Nature Day
Nickelodeon Anniversary Celebration Day
Reading is Funny Day
St. Stupid Day
Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action
U.S. Air Force Academy Day - 1
U.S. Air Force Academy Day - 2
White House Easter Egg Roll
Taina Williams’s Birthday
Logan Paul’s Birthday
Sean Taylor’s Birthday
Randy Orton’s Birthday
Rachel Maddow’s Birthday
Jonny May’s Birthday
Mackenzie Davis
Taran Killam
Bijou Phillips
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mon Apr 1st, 2024 - Fri Apr 5th, 2024
National Cancer Registrars Week
Mon Apr 1st, 2024 - Sat Apr 6th, 2024
Take Your Poet to School Week
Mon Apr 1st, 2024 - Sun Apr 7th, 2024
Be Kind to Spiders Week
Blue Ribbon Week
Golden Rule Week
International Pooper Scooper Week
Laugh at Work Week
Medication Safety Week
National Bake Week
National Public Health Week
National Window Safety Week
Testicular Cancer Awareness Week
Community Garden Week
Observances (click on the month for details)
Adopt a Ferret Month
Adopt a Greyhound Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Autism Acceptance Month
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
Cancer Control Month
Canine Fitness Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Cesarean Awareness Month
Child Abuse Awareness Month
Children and Nature Awareness Month
Counseling Awareness Month
Couple Appreciation Month
Cranberries and Gooseberries Month
Deaf History Month
Defeat Diabetes Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Dog Appreciation Month
Earth Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Fair Housing Month
Filipino Food Month
Financial Capability Month
Financial Literacy Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
Genocide Awareness Month
Global Astronomy Month
Grange Month
Heartworm Awareness Month
IBS Month
Informed Women Month
International Amateur Radio Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
Month of the Military Child
Move More Month
Multicultural Communications Month
Multiple Birth Awareness Month
National African-American Women's Fitness Month
National Alcohol Awareness Month
National BLT Sandwich Month
National Car Care Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Decorating Month
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Food Month
National Foot Health Awareness Month
National Fresh Celery Month
National Frog Month
National Garlic Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Humor Month
National Internship Awareness Month
National Kite Month
National Knuckles Down Month
National Literature Month
National Minority Health Month
National Month of Hope
National Pecan Month
National Pest Management Month
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
National Poetry Month
National Rebuilding Month
National Safe Digging Month
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
National Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Education and Awareness Month
National Sjogren's Syndrome Awareness Month
National Social Security Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soy Foods Month
National Volunteer Month
National Welding Month
National Woodworking Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Panagyaman Rice Festival
Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parliamentary Law Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
Physical Wellness Month
Poetic Earth Month
Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Primary Immunodeficiency Month
Records and Information Management Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
School Library Month
Scottish-American Heritage Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
Step up for 30 For Bowel Cancer Month
STI Awareness Month
Straw Hat Month
Stress Awareness Month
Summer Tire Changeover Month
SunSmart Skin Cancer Prevention
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month
Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Autism Month
World Landscape Architecture Month
Worldwide Bereaved Spouses Awareness Month
Fun Observances
Fun at Work Day
Have double the fun on April 1, because it is not only April Fool’s Day but it is also Fun at Work Day.
Sometimes celebrated on January 28, the day encourages people to add some fun to their workday.
How to Celebrate?
Here are some ideas on what you can do to make work fun on Fun at Work Day or any other day:
Bake goodies and bring them for your colleagues.
Play harmless pranks on your colleagues and coworkers.
Watch Office Space or a few episodes of The Office at work.
With the consent of your supervisor, spend some time playing board games at work.
Did You Know…
…that studies have shown that a person's perception of time changes when they are having fun? According to these studies, having fun can help pass the time faster.
***
One afternoon while I was visiting my library, I noticed a group of preschoolers gathered for story time. The book they were reading was "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." After the librarian finished the first page, she asked the children, "Do you think she'll die?"
"Nope," a little girl in the back said. "I saw this last night on 'Fear Factor.' "
***
On the afternoon of Administrative Professionals Day, my co-worker and I finally found the time to get gifts for our secretaries. While at the store, my colleague noticed my disappointment when I discovered the shop didn't provide gift wrapping. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"They won't wrap the gifts for us," I answered.
"No problem," he said quickly. "I'll ask my secretary to do it."
***
Our copier was on the fritz so I put a note on it: "Service has been called." When the technician told me he had to order parts, I added a second note: "Parts have been ordered."
During the next five days, when we had to use an older, slower copier on the other side of the building, someone taped a third note to the machine: "Prayers have been said."
***
When my printer's type began to grow faint, I called a local repair shop, where a friendly man informed me that the printer probably needed only to be cleaned. Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he told me, I might be better off reading the printer's manual and trying the job myself.
Pleasantly surprised by his candor, I asked, "Does your boss know that you discourage business?"
"Actually it's my boss's idea," the employee replied sheepishly. "We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first."
(click on the day for details)
Cesar Chavez Day (United States)
Christian feast day
Abdas of Susa
Acathius of Melitene (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Anesius and companions
Benjamin
Balbina
John Donne (Anglican Communion, Lutheran)
March 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Freedom Day (Malta)
International Transgender Day of Visibility
King Nangklao Memorial Day (Thailand)
Thomas Mundy Peterson Day (New Jersey, United States)
Transfer Day (US Virgin Islands)
World Backup Day
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Anesthesia Tech Day
British Summer Time Begins
Dance Marathon Day
Crayola Crayon Day - 1
National Crayon Day - 2
Easter
Eiffel Tower Day
Hug a Medievalist Day
National Après Day
National Baked Ham with Pineapple Day
National Clams on the Half Shell Day
National Farm Workers Day
National She's Funny That Way Day
National Tater Day
Prom Day
Terri's Day
Oranges And Lemons Day
Daylight Saving Day
National Cream Cheese Frosting Day
National Neighbor Day
Liza Koshy’s Birthday
Kids Diana Show’s Birthday
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Birthday
Ewan McGregor’s Birthday
Cesar Chavez’s Birthday
Al Gore
Christopher Walken
Rhea Perlman
~~~~~~~~~
Su Mar 31st, 2024 - Sun Apr 2nd, 2024
American Crossword Puzzles Week
Sun Mar 31st, 2024 - Sat Apr 6th, 2024
World Hula Week (Merrie Monarch festival)
Fun Observances
Bunsen Burner Day
Bunsen Burner Day on March 31 celebrates the inventor of the Bunsen Burner, German chemist Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen.
The most important contribution of Robert Bunsen, one that changed chemistry labs all over the world, was the Bunsen Burner.
Revolutionized Chemistry
A staple in all chemistry labs, the Bunsen Burner is a device that uses a flammable gas to produce a hot flame.
The Bunsen Burner was the precursor to the gas stove many people used in their homes today.
Photochemistry
Born on March 31, 1811, Robert Bunsen is thought to be a trailblazer in the field of photochemistry. Photochemistry is a specialized branch of chemistry that looks at the chemical effects of light.
He was also well-known for his work on the chemistry of arsenic, a chemical element that is used for a variety of purposes including preserving wood, but is also toxic to human beings and animals in larger quantities.
How to Celebrate?
Honor your chemistry teachers on this day. Thank them for all the knowledge they have imparted you.
Introduce young adults and children in your life to the joys of chemistry.
Learn more about the life of Robert Bunsen.
Did You Know…
…that Robert Bunsen also discovered cesium and rubidium with Gustav Kirchhoff? Cesium is one of 5 elements that are liquid at room temperature.
***
I was teaching a life-skills class to my high school students one day, and we were discussing the various terms one might encounter in a restaurant. I asked, "What does the phrase 'à la carte' mean?"
"It means," a student said, "you're in the wrong restaurant."
***
When employees of the restaurant where I work attended a fire-safety seminar, we watched a fire official demonstrate the proper way to operate an extinguisher. "Pull the pin like a hand grenade," he explained, "then depress the trigger to release the foam."
Later, an employee was selected to extinguish a controlled fire in the parking lot. In her nervousness, she forgot to pull the pin.
Our instructor hinted, "Like a hand grenade, remember?"
In a burst of confidence, she pulled the pin—and hurled the extinguisher at the blaze.
***
When I bought my new Lexus Sport Coupe, my two sons asked me who would inherit it if I met my demise. I pondered the question, then told them if I passed away on an even day, the son born on an even day would get it. If it happened on an odd day, the one born on the odd day would get it.
A few weekends later, while river rafting with one of my sons, I was tossed out of the boat. As I floated in the rapids, I heard my son yelling, "It's the wrong day!"
***
Going over our weekly training schedule one morning at our small Army garrison, we noticed that our annual trip to the rifle range had been canceled for the second time, but that our semi–annual physical-fitness test was still on as planned.
"Does it bother anyone else," one soldier asked,
"that the Army doesn't seem concerned with how well we can shoot, yet is extremely interested in how fast we can run?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Blessed Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy
Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka
John Climacus
Mamertinus of Auxerre
Quirinus of Neuss
Thomas Son Chasuhn, Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy (part of The Korean Martyrs)
Tola of Clonard
March 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Land Day (Palestine)
National Doctors' Day (United States)
Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
School Day of Non-violence and Peace (Spain)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Black Saturday
Doctors' Day
Earth Hour
Easter Saturday
Grass is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence Day
Holy Saturday - 1
Orthodox Holy Saturday - 2
National Fitness Recovery Day
National Folding Laundry Day
National I Am In Control Day
National Julia Day
National Pencil Day
National Victoria Day
National Virtual Vacation Day
National Wendy Day
Torrents Day
Turkey Neck Soup Day
World Bipolar Day
World Tb-303 Appreciation day
Vincent van Gogh’s Birthday
NF’s Birthday
Eric Clapton’s Birthday
Celine Dion’s Birthday
Warren Beatty
~~~~~~~~~
Sat Mar 30th, 2024 - Sun Apr 7th, 2024
NanoDays
Sat Mar 30th, 2024 - Sun Apr 14th, 2024
Edinburgh Science Festival
Fun Observances
Take a Walk in the Park Day
Commune with nature and enjoy the bounties it has to offer on Take a Walk in the Park Day.
Celebrated annually on March 30, the unofficial holiday encourages people to get active and enjoy the physical and mental benefits that come from walking in nature.
Better Health
Studies have shown that walking for about 30 minutes a day can have huge health benefits. Walking can not only help burn calories and reduce weight, but can also lower the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers. It can also increase heart activity and lower blood pressure.
Reduces Stress and Boosts Mood
Walking in nature - away from the dust and pollution of streets and cars - can boost moods and reduce stress. Studies have shown that people who hike or walk in green areas tend to be happier than those who don't.
Take a Walk in the Park Day is also sometimes known as National Take a Walk in the Park Day in the United States.
How to Celebrate?
This one's easy. Wear your finest walking shoes, leave your phone behind and breathe in the fresh air as you walk around your local park.
Recruit a good friend or a fun family member to accompany you on your walk. What better way to enjoy nature and maintain your health than to share it with a loved one?
Did You Know...
...that the Northeast Greenland National Park in Greenland is the world's largest national park? Also the world's northern-most park, it covers around 375,000 square miles (972,000 square kilometers) of land.
***
Living in a dry county was the bane of my friend Robert's existence. He was complaining to me one day about having to make a 60-mile round trip to get his favorite brand of bourbon. "I buy it by the case," he said.
"Are you addicted to that stuff?" I asked.
Robert thought for a second. "I don't know. I've never run out."
***
Finishing up our work at a trade show in San Diego, my co-worker Maureen and I decided to go sightseeing across the border in Tijuana, Mexico. While there, we went shopping and bought a few pieces of clay kitchenware. As we crossed back into the United States, a customs official asked if we had anything of value to report.
"Not really," Maureen replied, digging in her bag for the bean crock she had purchased. Everyone around us froze as she continued, "I only bought a little pot."
***
My friend Ann and I were eating at a Chinese restaurant. When an elderly waiter set chopsticks at our places, Ann made a point of reaching into her purse and pulling out her own pair. "As an environmentalist," she declared, "I do not approve of destroying bamboo forests for throwaway utensils."
The waiter inspected her chopsticks. "Very beautiful," he said politely. "Ivory."
***
A group of Alaskan housewives had gotten together for morning coffee and, since several of us were pregnant, the talk drifted to babies and doctors.
One of the women announced that she was now going to a woman doctor. "At least," she said, "I'll be able to depend on my doctor being around during moose season!"
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(I guess that makes me a certified fool😉)
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Update
The Boss Bear: Meet the Most Badass Bear in Banff
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Armogastes
Berthold of Calabria
Gwynllyw
Jonas and Barachisius
March 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Boganda Day (Central African Republic)
Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion (Madagascar)
National Vietnam War Veterans Day (United States)
Day of the Young Combatant (Chile)
Youth Day (Taiwan)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Good Friday
Knights Of Columbus Founder's Day - 1
Knights of Columbus Founders Day - 2
Mermaid Day
National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day
National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
Niagara Falls Runs Dry Day
Payday It Forward
Texas Loves the Children Day
Vietnam Veterans Day
World Marbles Day
World Piano Day
Mark Thomas’s Birthday
Irene’s Birthday
Jack Wright’s Birthday
Sulli’s Birthday
CJ So Cool’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~
Fri Mar 29th, 2024 - Sun Mar 31st, 2024
Ultra Music Festival
Fun Observances
Smoke and Mirrors Day
Celebrate the magic on Smoke and Mirrors Day. Also sometimes known as Festival of Smoke and Mirrors Day, this unofficial holiday is celebrated annually on March 29.
Smoke and mirrors is an English language phrase that is used to describe things and actions that are deceptive, manipulative, or lack complete explanation.
Act of Illusion
Usually associated with illusionists and magicians, it is thought that the phrase originated from the classic act of illusion where a magician makes objects or people appear or disappear by using smokes and mirrors as a distraction. Because of this, the phrase is often used to refer to actions that distract from the reality or cover up the truth.
Things That Do Not Exist
In computing, the term smoke and mirrors is often used to refer to programs that seem to exist, but in reality do not.
Mirror Magic
Magic as a performance art has been used to entertain people around the world since ancient times. In smoke and mirror magic tricks, magicians create optical illusions by diverting a spectator's attention away from the actions that create the "magic". Mirrors are also often used to create illusions by manipulating light and using the properties of reflection and refraction. Some of the popular magic tricks using mirrors include the Sphinx and the Vampire. In both tricks, mirrors are used to hide the object, usually the head of a person.
How to Celebrate?
Learn some magic tricks and entertain your friends and colleagues. Preferably try to use smoke and mirrors in your tricks.
Spend some time learning about how to achieve illusions using mirrors.
Did You Know...
...that the earliest mirrors used by humans were bodies of dark, still water?
***
While on vacation, my wife and I stopped for lunch at a diner. We sat at the counter, right next to the grill. The cook was a young man who was very busy flipping pancakes. Every so often, he would stop and hit the grill with the handle of the spatula. Finally I asked him facetiously, "Does that improve the taste of the pancakes?"
"No," he replied. "That keeps the handle from falling off."
***
Searching in my library for two books by communications expert Deborah Tannen turned into an Abbott and Costello routine. "What's the first book?" the librarian asked.
"That's Not What I Meant," I said.
"Well, what did you mean?"
"That's the title of the book," I explained.
"Okay." She looked at me a little skeptically. "And the other book?"
"You Just Don't Understand."
"Excuse me?"
I got both books. Eventually.
***
Coincidences were flying when a man was arrested and charged with stealing a bird feeder from Cornell University's ornithology laboratory. According to the Associated Press, police charged James Buzzard, 44, who lives on Cardinal Drive in Ithaca, N.Y., with stealing the feeder from the lab on Sapsucker Woods Road.
***
A friend living in an isolated Montana mining town suspected that she wasn't getting the best dental care. Her first trip to a competent dentist in Butte confirmed her suspicions.
After a thorough examination the dentist asked but one question: "Been doing your own work?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Priscus
Pope Sixtus III
March 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Serfs Emancipation Day (Tibet)
Teachers' Day (Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Barnum & Bailey Day
Eat an Eskimo Pie Day
Holy Thursday
Major League Baseball Opening Day
Maundy Thursday
National Amber Day
National Black Forest Cake Day
National Hot Tub Day
National Ram Day
National Triglycerides Day
Respect Your Cat Day
Virtual Advocacy Day
World Piano Day
Wear A Hat Day
International Women in Music Day
National Weed Appreciation Day
Reba McEntire’s Birthday
Lady Gaga’s Birthday
Kate Gosselin’s Birthday
Caleb Coffee’s Birthday
Vince Vaughn’s Birthday
Jackson Wang’s Birthday
Julia Stiles
Jonathan Van Ness
~~~~~~~~~
Thu Mar 28th, 2024 - Wed Apr 3rd, 2024
National Protocol Officer's Week
Fun Observances
Something on a Stick Day
March 28 is Something on a Stick Day. It is a day to have fun with your food and to celebrate delicious and easy-to-eat dishes on a stick.
In many cultures, snacks and road-side food are served on a stick or a skewer.
Savory or Sweet
These snacks are usually chunks of vegetables or meat that are grilled, baked, or fried. Food on a stick can be savory or sweet and can be served hot or cold.
Meat on a Stick
Kebabs (kebap or kebob) are some of the most well-known snacks that are cooked and or served on sticks. Usually made of lamb meat, though pork, beef, and chicken can also be used to make the dish, kebabs are eaten around the world as a snack or as a main dish.
Easy to Handle
Another favorite food on a stick, typically found at fairs and food markets is a corn dog - a sausage that is dipped in a batter and fried.
Sweet snacks that are often served on a stick include caramel apples, ice pops, and cotton candy.
How to Celebrate?
Throw an everything-on-a-stick-party and serve your guests food and drinks (think popsicles) on a stick.
Rethink what you eat daily as dishes on a stick. What about making pancakes on a stick or pies on a stick?
Prefer to be healthy? Eat fruit on a stick.
Did You Know...
...that the ancient Greeks used sticks or skewers to cook their meat?
***
Several months ago, my daughter and I had similar virus symptoms. She decided to consult a doctor so as not to lose any more time from her job.
“I’ll see the doctor,” she said, “and then tell you what’s wrong with us.”
The next day she called to say, “Guess what, Mom. We’re pregnant!”
***
I was editing classified ads for a small-town newspaper when a man called to place an ad. "It should read," he said, "‘Free to good home. Golden retriever. Will eat anything, loves children.’"
***
Once while riding the bus to work, I noticed a man at a stop enjoying a cup of coffee. As we approached the stop, he finished drinking and set the cup on the ground. This negligence surprised me, since it seemed to be a good ceramic cup.
Days later I saw the same man again drinking his coffee at the bus stop. Once again, he placed the cup on the grass before boarding. When the bus pulled away, I looked back in time to see a dog carefully carrying the cup in his mouth as he headed for home.
***
The board of education in a nearby town sold off a building that had been a one-room schoolhouse. The buyer converted it to a tavern. One day an elderly man was walking by the place with his grandson and pointed to the building.
"That's where I went to school when I was your age."
"Really," said the boy. "Who was your bartender back then?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast day:
Alexander, a Pannonian soldier, martyred in 3rd century.
Amador of Portugal
Augusta of Treviso
Charles Henry Brent (Episcopal Church (USA))
Gelasius, Archbishop of Armagh
John of Egypt
Philetus
Romulus of Nîmes, a Benedictine abbot, martyred c. 730.
Rupert of Salzburg
Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia
March 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Armed Forces Day (Myanmar)
Day of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania (Romania)
World Theatre Day (International)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
American Red Cross Giving Day
Celebrate Exchange Day
Holy Wednesday
International Whiskey Day
Little Red Wagon Day
Manatee Appreciation Day
National Acoustic Soul Day
National Governance Professionals Day
National Joe Day
National Medical Science Liaison Awareness and Appreciation Day
National Viagra Day
Scribble Day
Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day
Whole Grain Sampling Day
Fun Observances
Spanish Paella Day
March 27 is Spanish Paella Day. Celebrate this unofficial holiday by cooking this rice and saffron dish.
Paella is a quintessentially Spanish rice dish that is thought to have originated in the Valencia region of Spain.
Rice and Saffron
The dish is typically made of rice, different kinds of beans, and meat. It is flavored with saffron, paprika, and other spices and herbs.
Different Types
At least two different versions of the dish exist. Seafood paella replaces the beans and the meat, which is usually chicken, rabbit, or snails, with seafood. Common seafood additions to the seafood paella are lobster, mussels, and shrimp. Mixed paella, on the other hand, includes both meat and seafood.
Special Pan
Paella is usually cooked over an open fire in a large shallow steel pan with two handles, also called paella. Tradition has it that diners must eat directly out of the pan.
How to Celebrate?
With some paella, of course! Whip up a batch at home or visit your local Spanish restaurant to enjoy this delicious rice dish.
If you have always wanted to visit Spain, what better excuse to book your next vacation to the country and sample some local paella?
Did You Know…
…that the paella comes from the Latin word patella, meaning pan?
***
Q. There's a one-story house where everything inside is pink: pink walls, pink doors, pink floors, pink ceilings, pink windows, pink curtains, pink chairs, and pink tables. What color are the stairs?
A. There are none—it's a one-story house!
***
Son: What's the difference between love and marriage?
Father: Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.
***
A man boards a plane and is seated next to an Air Marshall and his ‘sniffing dog’. Soon, the plane takes off and the Marshall says, “Sniffer, search.” The dog walks along the aisle, and stops next to a woman. He then returns to his seat and puts a paw on the Marshall’s arm.
“Good boy,” says the Marshall.
“What happened?” asks the man.
“That woman is in possession of marijuana. We’ll arrest her when we land.”
Once again, Sniffer searches the aisles. He stops beside a man, then returns to his seat, and places two paws on the Marshall’s arm.
“That man is carrying cocaine,” the Marshall explains.
The dog walks up the aisle again, then races back, jumps into his seat, and poops all over it.
“What’s going on?!” demands the man.
The Marshall nervously replies, “He just found a bomb!”
***
My husband is a big Atlanta Braves fan. When I saw an ad on television for a baseball autographed by one of his favorite players that cost $42, I rushed out and bought it for him as a gift.
That evening as we were watching television, the same commercial came on. Slyly I glanced over at my husband just as he commented, "What kind of idiot would pay $42 for a baseball?"
(click on the day for details)
Christian feast days:
Castulus
Emmanuel and companions
Felicitas
Harriet Monsell (Church of England)
Larissa
Ludger
Richard Allen (Episcopal Church (USA))
March 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Independence Day and National Day (Bangladesh), celebrates the declaration of independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Martyr's Day or Day of Democracy (Mali)
Prince Kūhiō Day (Hawaii, United States)
Purple Day (Canada and United States)
Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel (Eastern Christianity)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Air Max Day
American Diabetes Alert Day
Black Marriage Day
Epilepsy Awareness / Purple Day
Good Hair Day
Holy Tuesday
Live Long and Prosper Day
National Day of Life, Peace and Justice
National Landon Day
National Nougat Day
National Spinach Day
National Wayne Day
Solitude Day
Wear A Hat Day
National Science Appreciation Day
Nancy Pelosi’s Birthday
Steven Tyler’s Birthday
Jeff Magid’s Birthday
Gavin Magnus’s Birthday
Diana Ross’s Birthday
Danielle Bregoli’s Birthday
Brittany Banks’s Birthday
Kenny Chesney’s Birthday
Jonathan Groff
Larry Page
Bhad Bhabie
Fun Observances
Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
March 26 is Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. It is a day to think up of a thing, person, animal, phrase, or food and create a holiday to celebrate it.
The unofficial holiday honors all made-up holidays past, present, and future and encourages people to come up with creative, quirky, offbeat, important, and significant things to celebrate, observe, and commemorate.
The holiday is also known as National Make up Your Own Holiday Day in the United States.
Special Days
A holiday is a special day during the year, when normal, day-to-day activities such as going to school or work or opening up businesses are temporarily interrupted. On these days, other activities such as visiting places of worship, preparing special meals, and decorating homes and places of businesses are encouraged.
Unofficial and Official
Holidays can be official or unofficial. Official holidays usually mean that they are sanctioned by the government. Everyone who observes the holiday usually gets the day off from work. Official holidays can be religious, like Christmas, Diwali, Yom Kippur, or Eid al-Fitr; or they can be national, like the country's independence or constitution day. Other official holidays, like New Year's Day or Labor Day, are secular holidays and can be celebrated by people of all religious faiths.
Fun and Serious Holidays
Unofficial holidays, on the other hand, are not sanctioned by the government. This means that people usually do not get a day off, nor do businesses or government offices close to celebrate or observe the holiday. Unofficial holidays can include national and global awareness holidays such as UN days, and fun holidays that celebrate trivial, unimportant, and fun things like food, movies, books, and television series.
How to Celebrate?
Make up your own holiday, of course! Create a holiday, spread the word and celebrate it when the day comes.
If you want to make it official, you may have to talk to your local representative - only an official act of the legislature or government can make a holiday a national day.
Did You Know...
...that the holiday comes from the Old English word haligdæg, meaning holy day?
***
"Daddy," said my 11-year-old daughter, "I think I want to join the Army."
"Baby," I answered, "I think the Air Force would be a better option for you."
"But I don't want to be a pilot."
"You don't have to be a pilot," I told her. "There are other jobs in the Air Force."
Her answer: "I don't want to be a flight attendant either."
***
Think it's easy being a tour guide? VisitBritain, a travel bureau, has compiled these tourist questions.
"Is Wales closed during the winter?"
"Why did they build Windsor Castle on the flight path of Heathrow?"
"Who feeds the Loch Ness monster?"
"Are there any Sheena Easton museums in Glasgow?"
***
10 Quotes About Springtime
"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party'""
--Robin Williams
"The weather here is gorgeous. It's mild and feels like it's in the eighties. The hot dog vendors got confused because of the weather and thought it was spring, so they accidentally changed the hot dog water in their carts."
--David Letterman
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
--Margaret Atwood
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
-- Josh Billings
"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into."
-- Henry Ward Beecher
"Gardens and flowers have a way of bringing people together, drawing them from their homes."
-- Clare Ansberry
"The earth laughs in flowers."
-- e e cummings
"At my age flowers scare me."
-- George Burns
"If the English language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers."
-- Doug Larsen
"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin."
-- H. L Mencken
***
When I arrived at school for my daughter's parent-teacher conference, the teacher seemed a bit flustered, especially when she started telling me that my little girl didn't always pay attention in class and was sometimes a little flighty.
"For example, she'll do the wrong page in the workbook," the teacher explained, "and I've even found her sitting at the wrong desk."
"I don't understand," I replied defensively. "Where could she have gotten that?"
The teacher went on to reassure me that my daughter was still doing fine in school and was sweet and likable. Finally, after a pause, she added, "By the way, Mrs. Gulbrandsen, our appointment was tomorrow."
(click on the day for details)
Anniversary of the Arengo and the Feast of the Militants (San Marino)
Christian feast days:
Feast of the Annunciation
March 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian Saints' days
Ælfwold II of Sherborne
Barontius and Desiderius
Blessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas
Omelyan Kovch (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Dismas, the "Good Thief"
Humbert of Maroilles
Quirinus of Tegernsee
Commemoration Day for the Victims of Communist Genocide (Latvia)
Cultural Workers Day (Russia)
Empress Menen's Birthday (Rastafari)
EU Talent Day (European Union)
Freedom Day (Belarus)
Independence Day, celebrates the start of Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, in 1821. (Greece)
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (international)
International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members (United Nations General Assembly)
International Day of the Unborn Child (international)
Maryland Day (Maryland, United States)
Medal of Honor Day (United States)
Mother's Day (Slovenia)
New Year's Day (Lady Day) in England, Wales, Ireland, and some of the future United States and Canada from 1155 through 1751, until the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 moved it to 1 January (and adopted the Gregorian calendar. (The year 1751 began on 25 March; the year 1752 began on 1 January.)
NZ Army Day
Quarter day (first of four) in Ireland and England.
Struggle for Human Rights Day (Slovakia)
Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details)
Bed-in for Peace Day
Dante Day
Dolyatra
Holi - 1
Holi Guyana - 2
Holy Monday
March Full Moon
National Guadalupe Day
National Lobster Newburg Day
National Michelle Shafer Half-Moon Cookie Day
National OmazingYou Day
Seward’s Day
Suriname Phagwah
World Retrospective Day
Pecan Day
Sha'Carri Richardson’s Birthday
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Birthday
Elton John’s Birthday
Big Sean’s Birthday
Aretha Franklin’s Birthday
~~~~~~~~~
Mon Mar 25th, 2024 - Sun Mar 31st, 2024
National Physicians Week
Fun Observances ( 2 )
Waffle Day
Waffles have, as far as we know, three holidays in the year dedicated to them – On March 11, March 25, and August 24.
This Waffle Day originated in Sweden.
Swedish Mistake
Known as Våffeldagen, legend has it that the holiday was mistakenly created due to a mispronunciation of Vårfrudagen. Vårfrudagen or Our Lady’s Day is a Christian holiday also known as Annunciation.
Today, many countries around the world celebrate March 25 as Waffle Day.
Originated in Europe
Waffles are dough or batter cooked between two hot plates, usually made of iron. The dish is thought to have originated in Europe and is now enjoyed all around the world for breakfast, as a snack, or as dessert.
Waffle Iron Patent Awarded
In the United States, Waffle Day is celebrated on August 24. The unofficial holiday commemorates the day in 1869 when the first waffle iron was patented.
The healthier version, Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day, is celebrated on March 11.
How to Celebrate?
With waffles! Make them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Experiment with toppings – make savory waffles instead of sweet waffles. Try the American soul food version of fried chicken and waffles.
Have a waffle party and have your family and friends bring their most innovative waffle dish.
Did You Know...
...that Belgian Waffles were created and introduced to the world for the first time in the United States? Maurice Vermersch introduced them at the 1964 New York World's Fair as the Bel-Gem Waffle.
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Tolkien Reading Day
March 25 is Tolkien Reading Day. Celebrate the unofficial holiday by reading some of your favorite Tolkien books.
Created in 2003 by the Tolkien Society, the unofficial holiday encourages people to read all of English author, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s (J.R.R Tolkien) works.
Lord of the Rings
Thought to be one of the world’s most read fantasy writers, J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for his Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy. A sequel to Tolkien's other popular novel, The Hobbit, the LOTR trilogy is set in a fantasy land called the Middle-earth. Middle-earth is a continent on the fictional world called Arda.
The One Ring
The trilogy gets its name from the One Ring that the main villain in the books, Dark Lord Sauron, created to rule over the other Rings of Power. These rings - 3 for the Elves, 7 for Dwarves and 9 for Men - were created by Sauron or the elves under Sauron's guidance.
Downfall of the Villain
March 25 was chosen as the date for Tolkien Reading Day because it coincides with the date of the downfall of Sauron and Barad-dûr in the Lord of the Rings. Barad-dûr is the fictional tower from which Sauron rules Mordor. In the books, this happens on March 25, 3019 when the Ring falls into the Cracks of Doom.
How to Celebrate?
Read any of J.R.R. Tolkien's work.
Attend public readings of his works organized by your local Tolkien fan organizations.
Host a marathon viewing of the movies based on the books.
Did You Know...
...that Tolkien was known to speak around 20 languages?
***
Fact: We salesmen believe we can sell anything. But my confidence was put to the test recently in a hotel lobby. When the doors to the elevator opened, it was packed with women. I walked in, flashed a broad grin, and said, "Looks like tonight is my lucky night."
"Don't count on it," said a voice in the back. "We're nuns."
***
A guy suffering from a miserable cold begs his doctor for relief. The doctor prescribes pills. But after a week, the guy's still sick. So the doctor gives him a shot. But that doesn't help his condition either.
"Okay, this is what I want you to do," says the doctor on the third visit. "Go home and take a hot bath. Then throw open all the windows and stand in the draft."
"I'll get pneumonia!" protests the patient.
"I know. That I can cure."
***
A pirate walks into a bar with a paper towel on his head. The bartender says, "What's with the paper towel?"
The pirate says, "Arrr! I've got a Bounty on me head!"
***
Soon after being transferred to a new duty station, my Marine husband called home one evening to tell me he would be late. "Dirty magazines were discovered in the platoon quarters," he said, "and the whole squad is being disciplined."
I launched into a tirade, arguing that Marines should not be penalized for something so trivial.
My husband interrupted. "Honey, when I said ‘dirty magazines,’ I meant the clips from their rifles hadn’t been cleaned."
***
Having fought the battle of the bulge most of my life, I found the battle getting even harder as I approached middle age. One evening, after trying on slacks that were too tight, I said to my husband, "I'll be so glad when we become grandparents. After all, who cares if grandmothers are fat?"
