sandrewn

April 23rd 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Adalbert of Prague Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus Saint George Blessed Giles of Assisi Gerard of Toul Ibar of Beggerin (Meath) Toyohiko Kagawa (Episcopal and Lutheran Church) St George's Day (England) and its related observances: La Diada de Sant Jordi (Catalonia, Spain) April 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) Canada Book Day (Canada) Castile and León Day (Castile and León) Independence Day (Conch Republic, Key West, Florida) International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day Khongjom Day (Manipur) National Sovereignty and Children's Day (Turkey and Northern Cyprus) Navy Day (China) World Book Day UN English Language Day (United Nations) UN Spanish Language Day (United Nations) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) National Email Day Army Reserves Birthday International Creator Day International English Language Day London Marathon Movie Theatre Day National Bryan Day National Cherry Cheesecake Day National English Muffin Day National Picnic Day National Lost Dogs Awareness Day National Lover's Day National Sovereignty and Children's Day Pet Tech CPR Day Shakespeare Day - 1 Talk Like Shakespeare Day - 2 Slay a Dragon Day World Book and Copyright Day World Book Night World Laboratory Day World Table Tennis Day German Beer Day National Asparagus Day John Cena’s Birthday William Shakespeare’s Birthday Jeno’s Birthday Jaryd Lazar’s Birthday Gigi Hadid’s Birthday George Lopez’s Birthday Chaeyoung’s Birthday Fun Observances ( 2 ) Take a Chance Day Take A Chance Day on April 23 is the perfect excuse for you to play with some odds and venture out into unchartered territories. The origins of Take A Chance Day are unknown, though we think the creators of the unofficial holiday wanted people to put away their inhibitions and their fear of failure and do something bold and risky. Might Fail In the English language, take a chance is an idiom that refers to doing something that has a high likelihood of failure. Usually, when people take a chance they are risking the possibility of failure or misfortune. In mathematics, the word chance has a very specific meaning - it refers to the possibility of the occurrence of a certain event. The holiday is also known as National Take a Chance Day in the US. How to Celebrate? Take that leap of faith and do something big. Overcome your fears and do something adventurous. What about bungee jumping or learning how to fly an aircraft? Since today is also Lover’s Day, why not take a chance in love and tell that special one how much they mean to you? Make Swedish pop group, ABBA's song Take a Chance on Me, your anthem for this day. Did You Know… …that if you were in a group of 23 people, there is a 50% chance that you will meet someone who shares your birthday? ~~~~~~~ Impossible Astronaut Day Fans of the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, celebrate April 23 as Impossible Astronaut Day. The unofficial annual holiday celebrates the day in 2011 when the first episode of the sixth season of the series was aired in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada. Most Watched Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that first aired on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1963. The show follows the adventures of the Doctor, a time-travelling alien, who travels through time and space in a time machine and spacecraft called Time and Relative Dimension in Space or TARDIS. The TARDIS looks like a London police box from the 1960s. Called The Impossible Astronaut, the episode became one of the most appreciated and watched episodes of the series. Tally Marks Whovians, as fans of the show like to call themselves, draw tally marks on their bodies to observe the day. The tally marks come from the episode when the main characters draw on their bodies to remind themselves about encounters with monsters called the Silence. How to Celebrate? If you have never watched the show, what about starting the show on this day? Who knows, by next year, you may be a Whovian yourself! If you are a Whovian, make tally marks on your body to celebrate the holiday. Did You Know... ...that 12 different actors have officially played the Doctor on the show? *** 9 Warm-Weather Jokes for Summer 1. Past Lives On a family vacation one summer, we crossed Wyoming and noted several historical points of interest. The children were especially interested because they enjoyed the computer game "Oregon Trail," which gives players a taste of the hardships the pioneers endured. We stopped at the famous South Pass to look at the wagon tracks still visible in the dirt. Squinting out over the desolate, wind-swept landscape, my daughter nodded and said grimly, "This is where my oxen always die." 2. Mr. Summertime We all grew up in a town on the New Jersey shore and spent our summers at the beach, swimming, surfing, hanging out with friends. One of my friends loved the season so much, we began calling him Mr. Summertime. "What happens when summer is over?" someone asked. I thought for a minute, then said, "In September he becomes the Fall Guy." 3. Wishful Thinking My two-year-old cousin scared us one summer by disappearing during our lakeside vacation. More than a dozen relatives searched the forest and shoreline, and everyone was relieved when we found Matthew playing calmly in the woods. "Listen to me, Matthew," his mother said sharply. "From now on when you want to go someplace, you tell Mommy first, okay?" Matthew thought about that for a moment and said, "Okay. Disney World." 4. Moving Forward The summer after college graduation, I was living at home, fishing in the daytime, spending nights with my friends—generally just hanging out. One afternoon my grandfather, who never went to college, stopped by. Concerned with how I was spending my time, he asked about my future plans. I told him I was in no hurry to tie myself down to a career. "Well," he replied, "you better start thinking about it. You'll be thirty before you know it." "But I'm closer to twenty than to thirty," I protested. "I won't be thirty for eight more years." "I see," he said, smiling. "And when will you be twenty again?" 5. Sounding Off I was with a friend in a café when a noisy car alarm interrupted our conversation. "What good are car alarms when no one pays any attention to them?" I wondered aloud. "Some are quite effective," my friend corrected me. "Last summer, my teenager spent a lot of time at the neighbors'. Whenever I wanted him home, I'd go out to our driveway and jostle his car." 6. A Perfect Fit For her summer job, my 18-year-old daughter arranged interviews at several day-care centers. At one meeting, she sat down on one of the kiddie seats, no simple task for most people. The interview went well, and at the end, the day-care center director asked the standard question, "Can you give me one good reason we should hire you?" "Because I fit in the chairs." She got the job. 7. Tag Sale Special I was getting ready for a tag sale one summer day. Since it was so humid out, I decided to stay inside my air-conditioned house and mark the special stickers I had bought for the sale. Then I slapped them on my blouse, ran outside, stuck them on the appropriate items and rushed back inside. I did this until every item was labeled. Later that day a UPS man came by the house with a delivery. I noticed that as I was signing for the package, he seemed ill at ease. It was only after he left that I noticed there was one sticker still attached to the front of my blouse. It read "Make me an offer." 8. Clowning Around Before heading on vacation, I went to a tanning salon. I was under the lights so long the protective eye shades I wore left a big white circle around each eye. Gazing at myself in the mirror the next day, I thought, "Man, I look like a clown." I had almost convinced myself I was overreacting -- until I was in line at the grocery store. I felt a tug at my shirt and looked down to see a toddler staring up at me, "Are you giving out balloons?" he asked. 9. Hotter Cooler On a recent vacation at a resort with my in-laws, we planned to spend an afternoon at the pool with our kids. We wanted to bring our own drinks, but were unsure of the hotel's policy. My brother-in-law called the front desk, and assuming everyone was familiar with the brand of ice chest he had, asked if it was all right if he brought a Playmate to the pool. After a pause the clerk asked, "Does she have her own towel?" -- Tina M. Digiovanna 10. Forcast Vacationing in Vermont, I picked up the local paper to check out the forecast. It read: Today: Sunny, 76. Tonight: Not so sunny, 55. *** A fellow walked into a drugstore and headed to the back to speak with the pharmacist. "Do you have anything for hiccups?" he asked. Without warning, the pharmacist reached over and smacked the man on the shoulder. "Did that help?" he asked. "I don't know," the startled man replied. "I'll have to ask my wife. She's waiting in the car." *** *** *** *** Kuru (disease) - Wikipedia *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

O. M. G.

April 22nd 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Acepsimas of Hnaita and companions (Catholic Church) Arwald Epipodius and Alexander Hudson Stuck (Episcopal Church) John Muir (Episcopal Church) Opportuna of Montreuil Pope Caius Pope Soter St Senorina April 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) Fighter Aviation Day (Brazil) Discovery Day (Brazil) Earth Day (International observance) and its related observance: International Mother Earth Day Holocaust Remembrance Day (Serbia) From 2018 onwards, a national day of commemoration for the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence (United Kingdom) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) April Showers Day Eid al-Fitr Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day Global Selfie Earth Day In God We Trust Day International Marconi Day National Day of Puppetry National I.T. Service Provider Day National Pinup Day National Terry Day Oklahoma Day Record Store Day National Beagle day Vladimir Lenin’s Birthday Selah Victor’s Birthday Machine Gun Kelly’s Birthday Jack Nicholson’s Birthday emo.fio’s Birthday Callum Snape’s Birthday Fun Observances Jelly Bean Day April 22 is Jelly Bean Day. It is an unofficial holiday that honors the sugary bean-shaped candies that are hard on the outside and gel-like on the inside. Popular during Easter and Halloween, jelly bean candies come in a variety of flavors and colors. Cherry and Popcorn According to Jelly Belly, a popular jelly bean manufacturer, the most popular jelly bean flavors include cherry and buttered popcorn. Food historians believe that Turkish delights or lokum, a chewy candy from Turkey, inspired the creation of the jelly beans, though it is unclear who invented them. Presidental Favorite Some sources suggest that jelly beans were popularized during the American Civil War when people were encouraged to send the candy to soldiers in the field. Jelly beans are equally loved by children and adults alike. President Ronald Reagan was known to be a big fan of this delicious chewy candy, so much so that about 3 tons of red, white, and blue jelly beans were used during his inauguration as the 40th President of the United States in 1981. It is said that his favorite flavor was licorice. How to Celebrate? Have jelly beans with all your meals. What about trying bacon flavored jelly beans for breakfast? Been told that you don’t eat enough fruits? Eat a handful of fruit-flavored jellybeans. Make art using colorful jellybeans. Did You Know... ...that it can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to make a single piece of jelly beans? *** "Boys just like one thing," my ten-year-old told a friend. Oh, no, the end of her innocence, I thought. Then she announced her finding: "PlayStations." *** My sister explained to my nephew how his voice would eventually change as he grew up. Tyler was exuberant at the prospect. "Cool!" he said. "I hope I get a German accent." *** According to careerbuilder.com, a full 15 percent of workers admit to getting to the office late at least once a week. And here are some of their excuses: I have transient amnesia and couldn’t remember my job. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning. Someone stole all my daffodils. I had to go audition for American Idol. I was trying to get my gun back from the police. *** Here's a job to avoid: hiring manager. See what you'd have to contend with? The candidate answered his cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation. The candidate told the interviewer he wouldn't stay with the job long because he might get an inheritance if his uncle died—and the old man wasn't "looking too good." The candidate said she couldn't provide a writing sample because all her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified." When the applicant was offered food, he declined, saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking. The candidate flushed the toilet while talking to the interviewer during a phone interview. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

April 21st 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Abdecalas Anastasius Sinaita Anselm of Canterbury Beuno Conrad of Parzham Holy Infant of Good Health Shemon Bar Sabbae Wolbodo April 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) Civil Service Day (India) Grounation Day (Rastafari) Heroic Defense of Veracruz (Mexico) Kang Pan-sok's Birthday (North Korea) Kartini Day (Indonesia) Local Self Government Day (Russia) National Tea Day (United Kingdom) National Tree Planting Day (Kenya) San Jacinto Day (Texas) Queen or King's Official Birthday (Falkland Islands) Tiradentes' Day (Brazil) Vietnam Book Day (Vietnam) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) National Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day Advisor Appreciation Day Battle of San Jacinto Big Word Day Festival of Ridvan International Hemp Day Keep Off the Grass Day National Alex Day National Chickpea Day National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day National Javier Day National Kindergarten Day National Pet CBD day National Surprise Drug Test Day National Yellow Bat Day Thank You for Libraries Day Tiradentes Day Tuna Rights Day World Creativity and Innovation Day World Curlew Day Tony Romo’s Birthday Robert Smith’s Birthday Lisa Frank’s Birthday Jessey Stevens’s Birthday James McAvoy’s Birthday Elizabeth II’s Birthday *** While filling up at a gas station, I accidentally spilled gasoline on my shirt. When I went inside to pay, I noticed a woman crinkling her nose. Embarrassed, I tried to put her mind at ease. "If you smell gas," I said, "it's me." *** At the salon, I overheard the receptionist admit to another customer, "I haven't taken my vitamins today. I'm walking around unprotected." The customer commiserated with her. "I haven't taken my Prozac today—everyone's walking around unprotected." *** One of the players on our junior high football team never saw action in a game. But my brother, the assistant coach, liked the kid and always gave him pep talks. "Remember, Ben," he told him, "everyone on this team has an important role. There is no I in team." "True," said the boy. "But there is a Ben in bench. *** According to careerbuilder.com, a full 15 percent of workers admit to getting to the office late at least once a week. And here are some of their excuses: I have transient amnesia and couldn’t remember my job. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning. Someone stole all my daffodils. I had to go audition for American Idol. I was trying to get my gun back from the police. *** Scary business headline: "Air Traffic Controllers Can Apply for Job in Braille" *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

April 20th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Agnes of Montepulciano Beuno Johannes Bugenhagen (Lutheran) Theotimos April 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) 420 (cannabis culture) UN Chinese Language Day (United Nations) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) Chinese Language Day College Student Grief Awareness Day International Cli-Fi Day International Pizza Cake Day Lima Bean Respect Day National Look-Alike Day - 1 Look Alike Day - 2 National Auctioneers Day National Cheddar Fries Day National Death Doula Day National High Five Day National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day National Stop Snoring Week Volunteer Recognition Day Spencer X’s Birthday Luther Vandross’s Birthday Shemar Moore’s Birthday Jay Park’s Birthday *** Our salesman at the electronics store was pitching a high-definition television. A fellow shopper, overhearing the spiel, mentioned that he'd upgraded his regular TV to high-def. "How'd you do that?" my husband asked. "I dusted the screen." *** A woman walked into the elevator tossing her keys up in the air and catching them. After one too many tosses, she dropped the keys, and we watched as they disappeared into the crack between the open doors and the floor. I felt terrible for her. Or I did until she cried, "Oh no! Not again!" *** Two American tourists are driving through Wales. They decide to stop for a bite to eat in the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogo- gogoch.* Baffled by the name, one of them turns to a local and asks, "Would you please say where we are—very slowly?" The Welshman leans over and says, very slowly, "Burrr-gerrr Kinngg." *We kid you not! The 3,000 people in this community on the island of Anglesey must spend hours writing their return address. *** A garden center customer picks up a container of insecticide and asks the salesperson, "Is this good for red ants?" "No," says the salesperson. "It'll kill 'em!" *** My diminutive aunt Flora, just four feet, nine inches tall, accepted an offer to visit a health club for a free session. After being greeted heartily, she was shown where she could change and told an instructor would soon be with her. Having changed her clothes, Aunt Flora went back to the exercise area. Along one wall she noticed a silver bar that was not in use, and decided to try her hand at chin-ups while she waited. She jumped up, barely reaching the bar, and managed to strain through two chin-ups before the instructor came to her side. Smiling politely, the instructor said, "If you want to let go of the coat rack and follow me, I'll be glad to help you get started." *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

April 19th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Ælfheah of Canterbury (Anglican, Catholic) Conrad of Ascoli Emma of Lesum Expeditus George of Antioch Olaus and Laurentius Petri (Lutheran) Pope Leo IX Ursmar April 19 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) National Garlic Day Refresh Your Goals Day Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Action Day Dutch-American Friendship Day Humorous Day John Parker Day Landing of the 33 Patriots Day National Amaretto Day National Banana Day National Cat Lady Day Rice Ball Day National Dog Parent Appreciation Day National Hanging Out Day National Hayden Day National Poker Day National North Dakota Day National Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day Poetry & The Creative Mind Day Sylvester the Cat's Birthday Youth Homelessness Matters Day Bicycle Day Loren Gray’s Birthday Kate Hudson’s Birthday Joanna Gaines’s Birthday Jeremy Hutchins’s Birthday James Franco’s Birthday Hayden Christensen’s Birthday *** Teacher: Millie, give me a sentence starting with i. Millie: I is … Teacher: No, Millie. Always say, "I am." Millie: Okay, I am the ninth letter of the alphabet. *** A man goes to the doctor complaining about stomach problems. The doctor asks him what he's been eating. "I only eat pool balls," he says. "Red ones for breakfast, yellow and orange ones for lunch, blue for afternoon snacks, and purple and black for dinner." "I see the problem," says the doctor. "You're not getting enough greens." *** The irate customer calling our newspaper offices loudly demanded to know where her Sunday edition was. "Ma'am," I interrupted, "today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until Sunday." There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray of recognition. "So that's why no one was in church today." *** 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 *** Pesticide Turns Male Frogs into Females | Live Science *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

My first thought when seeing this was the soap opera... All My Children This is a genius design from The Spider Shop! Well done!

April 18th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) Tax Day Adult Autism Awareness Day International Jugglers Day Linemen Appreciation Day - 1 National Lineman Appreciation Day - 2 National Animal Crackers Day National Exercise Day National Lydia Day National Velociraptor Awareness Day Pet Owners Independence Day Piñata Day World Amateur Radio Day World Heritage Day Lillee Jean’s Birthday David Tennant’s Birthday Kourtney Kardashian’s Birthday Conan O'Brien’s Birthday 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." *** *** *** *** *** Leaving her with only, $69,000,000. Life can be so cruel. *** *** Chamoy Thipyaso - Wikipedia *** *** *** Dolph Lundgren - Wikipedia *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

A Mobile Home? And just like that, your train (thread) of thought is gone, leaving you literally, swinging in the breeze!

April 17th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) National Cheese Ball Day 2A Day Blah Blah Blah Day Ford Mustang Day Herbalist Day International Bat Appreciation Day International Day of Mastering Conversations That Matter Landing of the 33 Patriots Day Laylat al-Qadr National Crawfish Day National Kickball Day No Limits for Deaf Children Day There’s Nothing Like a Dame Day World Circus Day Yom HaShoah Julien Solomita’s Birthday Jennifer Garner’s Birthday ~~~~~~ Mon Apr 17th, 2023 - Sun Apr 23rd, 2023 Feet Week 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?" *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

Spider deterrent: 18 ways to get rid of spiders naturally I don't know if any of the above actually work. I welcome feedback from anyone who knows?

April 16th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) National Librarian Day Selena Day Day of the Mushroom Divine Mercy Sunday Foursquare Day Go Fly a Kite Day Good Deeds Day Holy Saturday National Angel Day National Bean Counter Day National Cash Day National Joseph Day National Orchid Day National Reveal the Genius Within Day Orthodox Easter Day Save the Elephant Day Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day World Semicolon Day Selena Quintanilla’s Birthday Martin Lawrence’s Birthday Sadie Sink’s Birthday Charlie Chaplin’s Birthday Chance The Rapper’s Birthday Anya Taylor-Joy’s Birthday Alyssa Hyde’s Birthday Akon’s Birthday ~~~~~~ Sun Apr 16th, 2023 - Sat Apr 22nd, 2023 Coin Week 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." *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

And the beat goes on!

April 15th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) Husband Appreciation Day National Laundry Day Declaration of Malacca as a Historical City McDonald's Day Micro-volunteering Day National Anime Day National ASL Day National Glazed Spiral Ham Day National Griper's Day National Keaton Day National Rubber Eraser Day Take A Wild Guess Day One Boston Day Orthodox Holy Saturday Purple Up Day Record Store Day Slow Art Day That Sucks Day Titanic Remembrance Day Type 1 Diabetes Day in Honor of Jakya Monique Furtick Seth Rogen’s Birthday Jacquees’s Birthday Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday Emma Watson’s Birthday *** 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?” *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** London's Naked Restaurant Will Move to Paris Naked lunch: why diners couldn't stomach the Paris nudist restaurant | Restaurants | The Guardian *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

April 14th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) Day of Silence National Ex-Spouse Day Air Force Reserve Birthday Americas Day Cambodian New Year Children with Alopecia Day Dreams of Reason Feast Day National Dolphin Day National Donate a Book Day National Fast and Prayer Day National Gardening Day National Pecan Day National Perfume Day Orthodox Good Friday Pan American Day Pathologists’ Assistants Day RAINN Day Tamil New Year World Chagas Disease Day Heather Thomson’s Birthday Da Brat’s Birthday 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." *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

O.M.G.

April 13th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (click on the day for details) Christian feast day: Hermenegild Blessed Ida of Louvain Pope Martin I April 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) Vaisakhi (between 1902 and 2011) Observances (click on the day, BD, or week for details) National Make Lunch Count Day Celebrate Teen Literature Day Grand National Festival Race Card International FND Awareness Day International Plant Appreciation Day International Special Librarians Day Last day of Passover National Borinqueneers Day National Peach Cobbler Day National Silly Earring Day National Theresa Day Songkran Water Festival Thomas Jefferson Day Unfairly Prosecuted Persons Day Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday Maya Summers’s Birthday 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. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn

April 12th 2023 - Holidays and Observances (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) D.E.A.R. Day Deskfast Day Hamster Day International Day for Street Children International Day of Pink Martyrdom of Imam Ali National Big Wind Day National Dolores Day National For Twelves Day National Gavin Day National Licorice Day National Mac Day National Maya Day National Only Child Day National Silvia Day Teak Awareness Day Walk on Your Wild Side Day Wear a Star Day True Thompson’s Birthday Brendon Urie’s Birthday Fun Observances 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? *** 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.” *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** When did Constantinople become Istanbul? | Live Science *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** sandrewn