Your Daily Excuse to Party!

Have you noticed that there seems to be a National Day for everything? Why not take advantage? Here's your daily rundown of all things woo hoo-worthy.

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Here’s to Emma M. Nutt.

In 1878, finding a decent job must have been difficult for a woman.  Not only did she snag one as a telephone operator, she was the first woman ever to do so!  The poor boys who’d had the market cornered until then didn’t know what hit them.  Callers loved her calm, friendly, POLITE demeanor and it wasn’t long before the impatient and rude boys were ousted by a sea of ladies. She stuck around for over 30 years before retiring on her own terms.

Mrs. Nutt was a demurely badass pioneer.  Raise a glass of something that drinks softly but carries a big kick!

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Whether you've got none or far too many, happy Sibling Day!

"It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea." - Dylan Thomas

Nice.

Photo courtesy of www.upi.com.

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Tired of being called ... whatever it is people call you? If you've ever wished you could reinvent yourself, then happy Name Yourself Day! Go ahead and test drive a shiny new moniker. See how the Toms, Dicks and Inigos live, just for a day. Then it's back to working what your mama gave you. Or not ... enough paperwork can turn anybody into Channing Tatum!

Photo courtesy of www.desertdogdecals.com

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Happy No Housework Day! At my house, I call it Monday, but the sentiment is the same: keep the cleaners in the cupboard and revel in your (temporary) freedom from guilt and shame. Enjoy the heck out of those soft hands and free hours, because all the mess you miss today will be waiting for you and your scrub brush tomorrow.

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Get ready, Brian Williams, for the affectionate masses shall descend upon you today. It's one of my personal favorites, Hug a Newsman Day!  Go forth and snuggle Pat Kiernan or your favorite local newsdude, but don't spring it on them!  Remember to ask nicely first, even if you do see more of them than your significant other.

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IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Another thing I can't resist is a truly kickass PBJ sandwich. Who can? May your National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day be gooey, sticky, squishy and 100% snarf-worthy!

Photo courtesy of www.fpcjacksontn.org

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Happy International Fun at Work Day! This isn't an April Fool's joke, it's an actual excuse to re-enact your favorite episode of The Office, on the clock. Have a blast, because all the work you blow off today will be waiting to pounce on you first thing tomorrow.  

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Just in time to fire up your Monday, it's National Bunsen Burner Day! Whether you used it to cook up beakers of bubbling science or impress your cute lab partner by running your finger through the flame, I'll bet this guy figures prominently in your school memories. 

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Grab your favorite edible and give it a poke, because it's Something on a Stick Day! Whether your snack-pop of choice is sweet (like these oddly disturbing creations I spotted recently) or savory (do this with meatballs!), there's no handier way to snarf.  

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Everybody grab a monologue and hop under a spotlight because it's World Theatre Day!  Whether it's a SRO Broadway show or your local community troupe's latest offering, park yourself in front of another world and escape for a bit. For God's sake, though, don't say "Macbeth" while you're there!

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Here's a holiday that's all about you, whoever you are: it's Make Up Your Own Holiday Day!

Think your cat, softball team or favorite cocktail is just the coolest thing ever?  Today is your chance to tell the world!  Make up a t-shirt, pick out an anthem and start spreading the news. Just be prepared for the deluge of car, grandma and comic book character stories yours will be competing with for attention. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an awesome coffee mug to celebrate.

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From blue crabs to Hairspray, it's time to celebrate all things Maryland!

This history-rich, insanely pretty state is so badass, it has declared today a legal holiday in honor of itself. Raise a glass (of milk, if you've got some ... it's their state drink), hum a round of "Maryland, My Maryland", then call your governor's office to ask when your state is going to rate a day off (unless you live in Alaska or Nevada, the other legislative badasses)!

photo courtesy of http://teicharchives.blogspot.com/

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Happy National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day!

They're fruit.  They're candy.  They're ... frandy?  Cruit?

Pop a handful (or bagful) and smile, for my own extensive (denial-based) research concludes that all those antioxidants completely eradicate pesky chocolate fat.  You are welcome.

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Rejoice! It's World Poetry Day,

When all the "artistes" think they may

Pen the globe's next great ode

Which is really just code

For "While you still can, run away!"

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Greetings, Earthling ... it's Alien Abduction Day!  If you've ever wished that a big ol' spaceship would appear and whisk you far away from that pesky sinkful of dishes, you're not alone.  Apparently, thousands of you will gather in fields (or wherever extraterrestrials are known to shop for new toys) with fingers crossed and hopes high.  May your abductors be friendly!

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Happy Poultry Day! It's time to celebrate the chickens, turkeys and other birds who both sustain and entertain us (don't tell me this guy's stinkeye didn't make you giggle). Here's to you, you delicious little cluckers. 

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Are your reproductive organs tingling?  They should be, because it's Goddess of Fertility Day! Greek proliferation proponent Aphrodite takes the spotlight, but her Roman counterpart Venus is just as responsible for how excited (or frightened) you are about going anywhere near your loved one today. Good luck, no matter which way you'd like your cookie to crumble!