On the First Week of March

Hello from Breakville. No … I’m not back in the swing yet … nor lucky enough to be somewhere warm … thus just a temporary lifting of the Pause button. The relatively minor redesign of the pages here has gone slower than anticipated, so returning to anything resembling my regular routine remains at least a week away.

As I endure the cold wind and a tad of new snow, my wife has left the premises for a week cruising the Caribbean. Why didn’t I go? Hello … I wasn’t invited because I don’t qualify because this is a girls’ trip .. which means solo trips to the dance hall for me this week.

This week’s celebrations for your calendar

(Week) Procrastination Week, Chocolate Chip Cookie Week (don’t procrastinate), Autograph Collecting Week, Maple Syrup Week, Ghostwriters Week, Cheerleading Week, Write a Letter of Appreciation Week, Universal Human Beings Week, Celebrate Your Name Week (now there’s a frank thought), Consumer Protection Week, Pet Sitters Week, Schools Social Work Week, Severe Storm Preparedness Week, Sleep Awareness Week (anyone out there not aware of sleep?), Words Matter Week, Read an e-Book Week, Return Borrowed Books Week, Save Your Vision Week, Telecommuter Appreciation Week, Women in Construction Week, Share a Story – Shape the Future Week, School Breakfast Week, Newspaper in Education Week, Women of Aviation Week, Camp Week, Bike Week, Human Resources Week, Pancake Week, Drug & Alcohol Awareness Week, Volunteers Week, Agriculture Week, Foreign Language Week (Hola!)

(Sun 1st) Compliment Day, Daughters & Sons Day, Black Women in Jazz & the Arts Day, Wear Yellow Day (Endometriosis Day), Go Bowling Day, Horse Protection Day, Fruit Compote Day, Peanut Lovers Day, Pig Day, Plan a Solo Vacation Day, Refired not Retired Day, Seals Day, Self-Injury Awareness Day, Share a Smile Day, Zero Discrimination Day, Namesake Day (mine is after my Dad’s Army buddy from SF – we met sometime in the 1990s)

(Mon 2nd) Dr. Seuss Day, Old Stuff Day, Read Across the World Day, Banana Cream Pie Day, Pyramid Day, Book Day, Cat in the Hat Day, Silly Putty Day, Babysitter Safety Day, Elmer Fudd Day, Porky Pig Day, Time magazine Day Fun Facts About Names Day (I’m not a Franklin or a Francis)

(Tues 3rd) Mulled Wine Day, Cold Cuts Day, Ear Care Day, I Want You to be Happy Day, Peace Corps Day, World Wildlife Day, US National Anthem Day, Princess Day. Peach Blossom Day, If Pets had a Thumb Day, 33 Ice Cream Flavors Day, Unique Names Day (my middle name isn’t Stanislaus)

(Wed 4th) Dance the Waltz Day, Cadbury Chocolates Day, March for Yourself Day, Courageous Follower Day, Holy Experiment Day, iHop Pancake Day, Scapbooking Industry Day, Math Day, March Forth-Do Something Day, Stop Bad Service Day, Grammar Day, Pound Cake Day, Toy Soldier Day, Hug a GI Day, Discover What You Name Means Day (mine is honest)

(Thurs 5th) Nametag Day, Cheese Doodle Day, 8-hr Day, Dr. Dolittle Day, Mother-in-Law Day, Healing from the Inside Out Day, Multiple Personality Day

(Fri 6th) Day of the Dude, Oreo Cookie Day, Employee Appreciation Day, White Chocolate Cheesecake Day, Day of Unplugging, Dentist Day, Read Aloud Day, Michelangelo Day, Chocolate Cheesecake Day, Toronto Day, Fun Facts about Names Day (I don’t know anyone named Stanislaus), the start of Festival of Owls Weekend, Middle Name Pride Day (mine’s Paul)

(Sat 7th) Cereal Day (Raisin Nut Bran in my favorite), Be Heard Day, Telephone Day, Frozen Food Day, Sock Monkey Day, Crown Roast of Pork Day, Monopoly Game Day, Unique Names Day (Do you know anyone named Stanislaus?)

(Sun 8th) Proofing Reading Day, Working Women’s Day, Girl Scout Sunday, Geneology Day, Check Your Batteries Day, Be Nasty Day, Peanut Cluster Day, Plant a Flower Day (sure, dig the snow first), Day of Women’s Rights & International Peace, Learn What Your Last Name Means (other than personal identification, I have no clue)

Avere una buona settimana. Gerai savaitę. On hyvä viikko. Heb een goede week.

On Welcoming March 2015

Why? Because everybody knows that one can count on John Phillips Sousa for a good march.

March in other languages includes Marzo (Italian), mars (Albanian), Hlyd-monath (Anglo Saxon), mart (Armenian), br’ezen (Czech), Marts (Danish), and dawa-ssumpa (Tibetian) … so feel free to contribute others

March was named for Mars, the Roman god of war, who was also the guardian of agriculture

The name of March comes from Latin Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar

Martius was the beginning of the season for both farming and warfare, so and festivals held in his honor during the month were mirrored by other festivals in October, which closed the season for farming and warfare

March in the northern hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent to September in the southern hemisphere

March starts the same day of the week as November every year, and February – but only in common years

March ends on the same day of the week as June every year

Because this is 2015 (preceding a leap year), March 2016 will start on the same day as September and December 2015. However, March 2015 ends on the same day of the week as May 2016

March’s birth flowers are the daffodil and jonquils

March’s birthstones, which symbolize courage, are aquamarine and bloodstone

March’s Zodiac signs are Pisces (until March 20) and Aries (March 21 and thereafter)

Full Moon on March 5th (6:05 pm UTC), and the New Moon displays on March 20th (9:36 am UTC)

March moon are called Crow Moon, Lenten Moon, Sap Moon, Seed Moon, and Worm Moon

Solar Eclipse on March 20 with the total eclipse of the sun being visible in Ireland, Europe, northern Africa, Europe, and Asia

The March equinox on the 20th at 10:46 pm UTC, which means sometime March 21st for many of the world … thus the day marking the transitions of winter to spring or summer to autumn

March has national celebrations in Australia, Bangladesh, Gibraltar, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, and South Korea

March 1st celebrations include Compliment Day, Daughters & Sons Day, Black Women in Jazz & the Arts Day, Wear Yellow Day (Endometriosis Day), Go Bowling Day, Horse Protection Day, Fruit Compote Day, Peanut Lovers Day, Pig Day, Plan a Solo Vacation Day, Refired not Retired Day, Seals Day, Self-Injury Awareness Day, Share a Smile Day, Zero Discrimination Day, Namesake Day (mine is after my Dad’s Army buddy from SF – we went sometime in the 1990s)

March promotes adopting a rescued guinea pig, expanding girls’ horizons in science & engineering, women’s health, dietetic nutrition, cheerleading safety, color therapy, eye donors, literacy, social work, women’s history, fire prevention, transgender healthcare equality, singing with your child, saving your vision, and playing the recorder

March celebrates crafts, child life, deaf history, ideas, mad for plaid, athletic training, kidneys, on-hold, supply management, and American Red Cross

March embraces credit education, employee spirit, Honor Society, expecting success, Irish-American heritage, music in schools, optimism, small press, spiritual wellness, youth art, hexagons, March Madness, and Francophones

March increases awareness in Alport Syndrome, brain injuries, colic, colorectal cancer, deep vein thrombosis, endometriosis, listening, malignant hypertension, caffeine, chronic fatigue syndrome, ethics, essential tremor, multiple sclerosis, nutrition, poison prevention, Trisomy, vascular abnormalities, and epilepsy

March appreciates humorists as artists, mirth, frozen foods, kites, peanuts, umbrellas, quinoa, maple sugar, sauces, flour, noodles, no meat, moustaches, hamburger & pickle, and dolphins

Which music did you enjoy? Do you have any personal celebrations in March?

Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 213

On Politics
The fact that President Obama and House Speak John Boehner met this week is a good thing. The fact that they haven’t met in 14 months is not.

Although Congressional Republicans have been outwardly obstinate, I wonder if Congressional Democrats have also been quietly obstinate.

Given the odds are high for overreach, maybe it’s a good idea that one party doesn’t control Capitol Hill and the White House.

Comments by rocker Ted Nugent about President Obama are an example of one of the downsides of today’s information highway. As many elected Republican shrugged their shoulders and danced around the situation, cheers to Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), and several others for stepping to say Nugent was out of line.

For those waiting on the edge of your seat with high anticipation, please relax because Nincompoop will not seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination for one reason – a loss would damage her brand.

I enjoy listening to Michael Smerconish on an XM radio political channel (124). Coming soon – He will have a new, Saturday morning show on CNN (I believe starting next weekend).

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion
American Airlines to phase out complimentary cabin pressurization
Man who keeps keys on carabineer must rappel into office building every morning
Self-conscious flasher fully clothed under trench coat
Fourth-grader named Jackson to fire you someday
Report: Local gas station would not be hard to rob

Bonus Onions
Worst selling frozen dinners
Dogs who know fun

Interesting Reads
FBI and Osama bin Laden
The Smithsonian writes about the Monument Men
How a trust can reduce taxes
Interesting thoughts about the study of economics
Interesting images of sand art
Interesting graphic about crossbows

On Potpourri
Barbeque lovers know that macaroni and cheese is a great accompaniment. Chef Michael Symon takes it to the next level with this recipe. I haven’t tried it, but I delivered an OMG when I saw him make this.

WLWT is a long-time Cincinnati television station. This commercial for them caught my attention, and it’s a good way to you to see scenes of my city, including my beloved Skyline Chili – but I’m not sure the two kids are eating Graeter’s ice cream.

Saturday is a new month, so I hope to put month-long celebrations in the next Monday Morning Entertainment. After all, I still want you informed.

Jim Lange, former host of the original Dating Game, passed away this week. Here’s a list of star-to-be that appeared on the show: Karen Carpenter, Steve Martin, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, John Ritter, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Andy Kaufman, and Suzanne Somers. Does anyone remember the episode when comedian Don Rickles stood in for a shy girl to select here date? Here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXzu8qgkINs

Here are your weekend celebrations (Wow … there are many!)

• (Weekend) Snowshoe Days
• (Fri) National Chili Day, Public Sleeping Day, Floral Design Day, DNA Day, Pockets Day, Car Keys and Small Change Day, Read Me Day, Tooth Fairy Day, Chocolate Soufflé Day, Rare Disease Day
• (Sat) Beer Day, Bachelor’s Day, Underling’s Day, Go Bowling Day, Wear Yellow Day (for endometriosis awareness), Horse Protection Day, Peanut Lovers Day, Pig Day, Plan a Solo Vacation Day, Retire but Not Retired Day, Share a Smile Day, Compliment Day, Sock Monkey Day, Days of the Seals, Self-Injury Awareness Day, Holy Experiment Day,
• (Sun) Banana Cream Pie Day, Daughters’ and Sons’ Day, Pyramid Day, Old Stuff Day, Dr. Seuss Day, Book Day, Silly Putty Day, Babysitter Safety Day, Cat-in-the-Hat Day, Frozen Food Day

This past week was very difficult, but at least I made it to Friday. The project is finished, and I made progress in terms of packing.

Over the past few weeks, I haven’t written or visited others, as I prefer to do. I thought cutting back to three posts per week would help more than it did. With that in mind, common sense tells me that I have to step away from blogging even more until after the move. Knowing that I will have a difficult time doing that, I will soon temporarily fade into the abyss …BUT … I hope to put together some timed short posts to keep you entertained during my absence.

Earlier this week we learned of the passing of actor Harold Ramis – and to me, this fun song from one of his movies is perfect to send everyone into the weekend. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.