Special Day

I often write about special days, holidays, anniversaries of significant events, or other reasons one day is different than another.

Sometimes the days are important, but sometimes they are playful or just silly. Some days have only one or two reasons to be special, but others have a long list of celebrations or observances. Some days are confused and the celebration date is not clear or is actually a conflict of two dates, so please forgive me when I get one wrong.

Every day has something, and I think it's fun to discover. Here's a blog that says Every Day Is a Holiday. What fun.

What is special about today? This is Memorial Day. Many people actually get a holiday, but many others don't because the retail world is filled with sales! It's hard not to know it is Memorial Day.

Today is also Amnesty International Day, reminding us of the importance of human rights. Amnesty International's site exposes problems around the world, and offers possible actions that can be helpful.

technorati tags: vickisblog, memorialday, amnestyinternationalday, everydayholiday

Bridge Day

The Golden Gate Bridge was completed May 27, 1937, and the city of San Francisco celebrated by walking across it. People continue to cross in a unique manner -- stilts, sprinting, roller skates, tap dancing -- on Pedestrian Day. Look at Wikimedia's picture gallery of the bridge.

Although Bridge Day was originally created for the Golden Gate's opening, there are other activities to celebrate. Fayetteville, West Virginia, has its own Bridge Day in October, with base jumping, rapelling, and a complete festival.

And then there's the other kind of bridge.

technorati tags: vickisblog, goldengatebridge, bridgeday

Beware of Cyberbullies

Bullies just cannot leave people alone. Now they are active on the Internet bullying bloggers and other online writers. I first learned about this when reading Don't Gel Too Soon's March 28 post explaing the problem of cyberstalking and Stop Cyberbullying Day.

Well, I missed mentioning it March 30, but it is important that we remain aware of it. Here is a good article about the bullies and what to do if one picks you to torment.

What about the kids? No one is exempt from the threat. Now that kids are online much of the time, schoolyard bullies are expanding their territories to include the Internet. Here is a site giving hints to children telling them how not to be a bully online, and what to do if they are bothered by a bully. There's a game that gives kids practice in dealing with cyberbullies.

technorati tags: bullies, cyberbullies, cyberstalkers, vickisblog

Greek Philosophers Have Their Say

Aristotle

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.

All men by nature desire to know.

All virtue is summed up in dealing justly.

Socrates

Wisdom begins in wonder.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is a habit.

It is not living that matters, but living rightly.

The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.

Plato

Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.

Knowledge is true opinion.

At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.

He is a wiser man who invented beer.

Diogenes

I do not know whether there are gods, but there ought to be.

Blushing is the color of virtue.

It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.

The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust.

May 21 is Greek Philosopher's Day.

technorati tags: vickisblog, greek, philosophy, philosophersday, wisdom

Bikes

Today is National Bike to Work Day, created by the League of American Bicyclists. Why bikes? Bicycling is fun, excellent for keeping fit, a wonderful gas-saving technique -- which is increasingly important as gas prices rise -- and it is one step toward reducing our dependence on foreign oil while combating climate control.

With all of that, it's no wonder the bike has a whole month. May is National Bike Month. Celebrate this month by participating in a biking event. For example, there are still opportunities to start to finish MS through the MS Bike Ride. Check the calendar for scheduled events.

The bicycle pictured above is a sculpture made with scrap metal found in Viet Nam.

Visit a Museum

Today is International Museum Day, established in 1977 by the International Council of Museums. Celebrate by visiting a museum -- anywhere in the world.

If you're not ready to take a trip, go around the world on the Internet. Try these:

In the Dallas-Ft.Worth area, there are several. Try the Dallas Museum of Art. Then go a little west to Ft. Worth and the Kimball.

When I was in New York, I often often enjoyed the Guggenheim, the building as well as the art. We saw a TV documentary about the challenging building of the unique museum in Bilbao, Spain. Take a peak at all five Guggenheims.

Don't forget the MOMA in New York within walking distance of the Guggenheim. There was a really good TV special covering the history about the Hermitage as Russia was evolving and revolting and warring and expanding. And who could go to Paris without browsing through the classics in the Louvre or London without the National Gallery?

For a complete change of pace, try the Asian Art in San Francisco, Modern Sculpture or Visionary Art.

Sadly, the Art Museum Image Consortium dissolved their collaboration after 8 years after 8 years of enhancing art history education and providing tools for presentations, especially in multimedia. Luckily, the site remains online as an archive.

A museum is a collection of anything of artistic, historical, or scientific value, or anything of value to a group of people. There are museums for almost everything -- toys, railroads, fashions, films, fire engines, even dirt. Look around for unique museums.

Enjoy your International Museum Day.

technorati tags: vickisblog, internationalmuseumday, guggenheim, internationalcouncilofmuseums, sculpture

Purple for Peace

Today is Wear Purple for Peace Day. The goal is to make the world a peaceful place, encouraging aliens to visit. Aliens of the outer space variety.

Maybe wearing purple was chosen in honor of the Purple People Eater popular in the 50's. I never knew if the people eater was purple or if he preferred eating purple people. If he yearns for purple people, it might be dangerous to wear purple.

Anyway, I like this day.

I like to wear purple, and

I like the idea of our world as a peaceful place.

Wanna Play South Park?

Whether you're a fan or not, you know someone who is. South Park is a hit -- because of the outrageous story lines, and maybe because of the recognizable characters. If you think you are like one, now is your chance to verify that. Garry's Blog shows us how. He says:

I'm not sure about the accuracy and proofing of this quiz, but I'm Stan Marsh. Out of all the South Park characters, it could have been worse.

The quiz was short and hilarious and worth taking just for the laughs.

Well, I took the quiz, and here's the result.

What South Park Character Are You? (pics)
Kyle Broflovski You're the smart kid in your class. You find yourself to be normal and a relatively nice person. Nobody picks on you, and you dont pick on anyone.
Take The Quiz Now!	Quizzes by myYearbook.com

technorati tags: vickisblog, southpark, kylebroflovski, southparkquiz,

Tulips

Enjoy the tulips in your life.

May 13 is Tulip Day.

The tulip is the national flower of The Netherlands. It is difficult to think of Holland without picturing tulips; or to think of Tulips without also thinking of Holland. However, the tulip actually originated in the Middle East.

May is a good month for tulips. Tulip e-cards are appropriate any day to make someone feel special.

The picture is an example of Garry's photography.

International Nurses Day

The Lady with the Lamp

Florence Nightingale
May 12, 1850 - August 13, 1910

Florence became a nurse despite her parents' objections. Nursing was not considered a suitable profession.

During the Crimea War, she introduced female nurses, then returned to England where she opened a nursing school and sent her graduates around the world where they started schools of their own in the Nightingale tradition. Florence Nightingale was the 'Lady in Chief' pioneering nursing.

Today, the final day of National Nurse's Week, is International Nurse's Day. Nurses are critical to our health care system, and will continue to be as we hopefully enhance the system. My niece is a nurse, and I am so proud of her.

Recognize a Military Family

It was 1984 when President Reagan designated National Military Spouse Day. Then Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger scheduled it the Friday before Mother's Day every year. President Bush continues the honor.

Military Spouses Day is a day to recognize and honor the real backbone of the military..... the spouses of our soldiers. This day recognizes the contributions made by military spouses to the spirit and well being of soldiers and military communities. Where would military moral be without their spouses behind them?

Military spouses in my family are my mother and sister-in-law. And while we're at it, my children's paternal grandmother, step-mother, and aunt. Just out of the goodness of your heart, remember the parents and children and siblings and neighbors and friends, too. This day is especially for military spouses, but they don't mind sharing good feelings.

Be sure to visit my favorite online military spouse.

technorati tags: nationalmilitaryspouseday, presidentreagan

Wildflower Week

This, the second week of May, has been designated National Wildflower Week.

In 1987, Charles Spencer, Chairman of the National Ecology Commission, started and dedicated this observance to his mentor, naturalist Edward Piela. Here is a narrative as Charles Spenser visits the Edward F. Piela Woodland Wildflower Garden.

In 2003, Wildflower Week was turned over to Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas.

Grandchildren in a field of bluebonnets, Texas State Flower.
Many Texas children have similar photos.

To observe this week, look at Garry's Flickr pictures of flowers. These are not wildflowers, necessarily, but flowers in our house, in a nearby nursery, or in the neighborhood.

Or take a field trip in your area. If you find some flowers, but don't know what they are, visit Wildflowers -- A Closer Look for pictures, help identifying them.

technorati tags: nationalwildflowerweek, LadyBirdJohnsonWildflowerCenter, flowerpictures,

Happy Birthday, David

I would like to put a cake on your table now. Enjoy your special day and have many more! I hope your birthday wishes come true.

I love you, Birthday Boy.

UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day 2007

The free press is the mother of all our liberties and of our progress under liberty. Adlai Stevenson

UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day 2007

The topics this 10th anniversary year are press freedom, safety of journalists, and impunity.

Highlighting the safety very important in view of the fact that last year saw a "war on journalism". One of the big news stories last year was Bob Woodruff's brush with death as the first American anchor wounded in war time. Of course Iraq had the highest number of casualties, but journalists were killed in 23 other countries, too, including some with no discernible war zones like the Philippines and Mexico.

Freedom of the press is not a worldwide guarantee. Here is a map showing which countries have a free press, which are partly free, and which countries do not allow press freedom.

technorati tags: vickisblog, UNESCO, worldpressfreedomday, bobwoodruff, adlaistevenson

Mayday, Mayday

I remember hearing about the maypole when I was a kid, and how children held onto ribbons and danced around the maypole. I imagined colored ribbons wound around the white pole. But I never really saw one.

May Day is a very popular day around the world, celebrating the season, history, politics, labor, paganism, and religion. Is there any other category? I'm sure somewhere in the world there is a tradition for anything I have missed. Look here for some holiday information as well as pictures, greetings, crafts and customs.

How can we celebrate this May Day? So many choices --

• Host a fertility festival like those in India
• Feast and build bonfires to welcome summer
• Greet the day with a lei like they do in Hawaii
• Grab a birch tree and make your own maypole
• Organize a strike in support of labor
• Commemorate the Haymarket Riots with other anarchists
• Dance the Morris
  
• Think of Law and Loyalty and President Eisenhower's attempt to offset the communist celebrations
• Feast for Joseph the Worker to honor Pope Pius XII
• Be quiet and unpaganlike for the Puritans
• Call "mayday, mayday" over a walkie talkie and prepare for jailtime for causing a disturbance and making a false report
• Decorate your house with flowers and "bring in the May"
• Crown a May Queen
  

Most sound fun to me! Have a Good May Day.

technorati tags: vickisblog, mayday, maypole, celebratespring, maydaycards