Holiday List - December 2015

December 2015

1 - Basketball Day

2 - Giving Tuesday / National Mutt Day

3 - National Roof Over Your Head Day

4 - National Cookie Day

5 - Annual Day of the Ninja

6 - Mitten Tree Day

7 - National Cotton Candy Day

8 - Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day

9 - Weary Willie Day

10 - Dewey Decimal System Day

11 - National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

12 - National 12-hour Fresh Breath Day

13 - National Cocoa Day

14 - Monkey Day

15 - Cat Herders Day

16 - National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

17 - Wright Brothers' Day

18 - Underdog Day

19 - Oatmeal Muffin Day

20 - Games Day

21 - Crossword Puzzle Day

22 - National Haiku Poetry Day

23 - Festivus

24 - National Egg Nog Day

25 - Christmas

26 - National Whiner's Day

27 - Visit the Zoo Day

28 - Card Playing Day

29 - Tick Tock Day

30 - Bicarbonate of Soda Day

31 - Make Up Your Mind

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. As I've said before, I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

Holiday List - November 2015

November 2015

1 - Give Up Your Shoulds Day

2 - Cookie Monster Day

3 - Sandwich Day

4 - Use Your Common Sense Day

5 - National Men Make Dinner Day

6 - National Nachos Day / Saxophone Day

7 - Sausage and Kraut Day

8 - Abet and Aid Punsters Day

9 - Cook Something Bold & Pungent Day

10 - Area Code Day

11 - Veteran's Day

12 - World Architecture Day

13 - World Kindness Day

14 - National Pickle Day

15 - National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

16 - Button Day

17 - Homemade Bread Day

18 - Push-Button Phone Day

19 - Have a Bad Day Day / World Toilet Day / Great AmericanSmokeout Day

20 - Name Your PC Day

21 - World Hello Day

22 - Mother Goose Day

23 - National Cashew Day

24 - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

25 - International Hat Day

26 - Thanksgiving / National Cake Day

27 - You're Welcomegiving Day

28 - National Day of Giving

29 - Electronic Greetings Day

30 - Stay Home Because You're Well Day / Nat'l Meth Awareness

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. As I've said before, I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

Why I Wear Pink in October

In case there is anyone still out there who doesn't know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's a pretty big deal, really. EVERYONE wants in on the PINK. We have Pink Out Nights during our Friday Night Lights. Firefighters & police officers all over the place are wearing pink t-shirts. There's the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Susan G. Komen organization. You can buy pink ribbons, pink headbands, pink necklaces, pink t-shirts, pink koozies and pink license plates. Heck, even the NFL gets in on it with their players wearing pink cleats. And yes, I wear pink in October. 

Some of you may be asking yourselves, "Does she wear teal in September for ovarian cancer, or blue in March for colorectal cancer, or white in November for lung cancer?" No. I do not specifically wear those colors for those cancers. Should I? Maybe. Probably. Yes. But for now, I don't. But I'll tell you why I do wear pink in October. 

It's about women and cancer. I am a woman and I hate cancer. Cancer is a hateful and horrible and indiscriminate disease. Cancer doesn't care who you are, where you're from, what you do for a living, whether you're married or not, how many children you do or don't have, or whether you prefer Dr Pepper or Coca-Cola. Oh, and cancer really doesn't have an opinion on whether to attack a woman's ovaries, her cervix, her lungs, her brain, her bones or her breasts. The moment a woman hears "you have cancer," where the cancer has taken up residence in her body isn't much the issue. The "where" will become important, because some cancers are more receptive to treatment than others. But what does that have to do with why I wear pink in October? 

I wear pink in October to Save the Boobies! Why the boobies and not the ovaries? Well, because boobies are glamorous. They're fascinating and alluring. We can see them. They're right there in front of everything. Everybody knows about boobies. Ovaries? Do you even know where they are? Of course you do. That was a joke. Really, though, in the wide world of things anatomical, ovaries aren't just right out there for us to think about. Seldom do people talk about saving the ovaries. Save the Boobies - that's where it's at. 

I wear pink in October to remind women to get a mammogram. And, if you give a mom a mammogram, she's gonna get all kinds of other tests. (Not just moms, of course, it just sounded more fun that way.) Because a trip to the doctor to get the order for a mammogram is more than just that. Usually, that annual doctor visit is an exam to check for cervical cancer. It's a time to talk about those weird things that have been going on in the past few months in one's "lady-life" that could lead to a test for ovarian cancer. It's a really good time to ask about that spot on the back that's been itchy and changing colors and maybe get a biopsy to check for melanoma. Early detection is the key to cancer survival, so Save the Boobies can Save a Life. That's why I wear pink in October. 

As a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life, I fight the fight and put forth the effort to raise money to fund research to find a cure for all cancers. I share information with those who have all cancers about services that can make their lives a little easier. I help to educate others about ways to protect themselves from certain cancers. I am an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I don't discriminate in my fight against cancer - I'm against all cancers. I hate cancer. That's why I wear pink in October. 

If you haven't had one this year, schedule your annual exam today, and wear pink in October. 

Much love and lots of PINK,
~ME:)

P.S. - If you also hate cancer, and you'd like to make a donation towards cancer research, education, advocacy and services, click <here> to check out my Relay For Life website. 

Holiday List - August 2015

August 2015

1 - National Mustard Day
2 - National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
3 - National Watermelon Day
4 - National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
5 - National Underwear Day
6 - National Root Beer Float Day
7 - Homemade Pie Day
8 - National Bowling Day
9 - National Polka Day
10 - National Duran Duran Appreciation
11 - Play in the Sand Day
12 - Vinyl Record Day
13 - International Lefthander's Day
14 - National Creamsicle Day
15 - World Honey Bee Day
16 - National Tell a Joke Day
17 - National Thrift Shop
18 - Bad Poetry Day
19 - Potato Day
20 - National Radio Day
21 - Hug Your Boss Day
22 - International Tongue Twister Day
23 - Go Topless Day
24 - National Waffle Iron Day
25 - National Whiskey Sour Day
26 - National Cherry Popsicle Day
27 - Banana Lovers Day
28 - World Daffodil Day
29 - Lemon Juice Day
30 - National Toasted Marshmallow Day
31 - National Trail Mix Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. As I've said before, I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

I Wish I Could Paint

I wish I could paint. If I could, I would paint a scene I saw a few weeks ago when I was out for a morning run. 

It was early in the morning, but the sun had come up over the horizon before I left the house, so there wasn't a brilliantly colored sunrise like I've seen before. The sky this day was mostly just blue. Azure really, with maybe some cornflower. I've always been fond of cornflower. There was a little bit of pink near the ground, but not much. The sun has risen too high to have much pink left. And, there were clouds. Not many clouds, but just enough of those big, fluffy, cumulus clouds to hide the sun. And, because the sun was hiding behind them, the clouds were dark, but the edges of the clouds were lit - like they were highlighted all the way around. There were rays of sunshine fanning out of the top of the biggest, fluffiest cloud as far out as I could see. I love it when I can see the sun rays. 

So, I was heading back home, and passed the neighbors' house. Those neighbors a few houses down, in the brick house that's up on the low hill. It's a single-story house that is kind of an orange-y red colored brick. I'm guessing it was built in the 70s, because, well, it just looks 70s-ish. It's a wide house with two gables - one on each end - with a porch in the middle. The porch is trimmed in that decorative wrought iron that was once popular. The iron is painted white. In the driveway, they have an older model black Ford pickup truck with a camper shell on the back.

At their fence line, they have the Confederate flag on a pole. The flag was a new one that day, with the reds and blues and stars and bars contrasting against that morning sky. Oh, but they go through plenty of those flags. It seems like they get a new one every year. They usually wait to replace one until the sun has faded it almost beyond recognition, and the wind has waved it and waved it and torn it completely to shreds. They'll lower the old one down the pole, and replace it with a bright shiny new one. Once, the new one had a picture of Hank Williams, Jr. on it. I don't know if they have a ceremony when they remove the old one and replace it with the new one, but I think I hope they do.

These are the same neighbors who have those little, white, scruffy looking terriers that run out to the road when I run by. They aren't fluffy white, but sort of dingy, grey-white. And they're older dogs, so if a white dog can be old-age-grey, that's what they are, old-age-grey. Those dogs ran out just to the edge of the yard, just like they do every single time I go by there. They scampered back and forth along the road, and barked at me with little scratchy, hoarse yips and arfs. I think maybe they're smokers. 

Anyway, as I got to the beginning edge of their yard, I saw the neighbor walking across the glistening, dew-covered grass. She's an older woman, mid to late sixties, I'm guessing. She moved slowly, but with purpose, and a surprisingly straight back. Below her straw farmer hat, I could see her white, shoulder-length hair and a red bandana she had tied around her neck. She had on a white, sleeveless shirt. I think it was a t-shirt, but maybe it was a button-up shirt. I couldn't really tell for sure, but I could tell that it showed off  her dark, sun-kissed brown arms. She's Native American, I think, and she works outside a lot. Her shorts were khaki and knee length, and she was wearing black rubber boots. I guess her legs are nearly as brown as her arms, but they probably don't get as much sun. In her right hand, she carried a garden hoe. She was heading to the watermelon patch next door. Her morning chore was to get that patch weeded before it got too hot. 

I was just to the west of her just as she left her yard. As she turned to go through the gate, the morning sun hit just right so that all I could see was a silhouette of her. There she was, the watermelon farmer-woman - with her sun hat and garden hoe - a darkened shape, a shadow really, stark against the cornflower sky. My memory took a picture of it, and I can still see it today. 

That's the scene I would paint if I could, so I could share it with you. ...I sure wish I could paint. 

Much love and lots of sunshine,
~ME:)

Build me Up Buttercup

Over the past little while, I've been privileged to hang out with some really incredible women. Amazing women. Unbelievable women. I don't mean women I'm fond of, or women I enjoy hanging out with. I'm talking about seriously fantastic women. They are each the kind of woman that I strive to be.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to BE these women. Oh, bless their hearts, they have their own struggles and issues and inconsistencies. We all have our own, and I'll take mine over theirs any day. That's not what I mean at all. What I know about each of these women is that each of them has the ability to make me feel great about myself, and THAT is what it's all about. They don't just make me feel special, they make the other women in their lives feel great about themselves, as well. I want to be the kind of daughter, sister, mother, friend, colleague and associate that makes people feel better about themselves.

Now, when I get together with these ladies, we don't just sit around talking about how pretty and smart and clever we are. (Well, except for my sister and me. We do that - but only because our Daddy told us we are the prettiest and smartest girls he's ever seen. And, if our Daddy said it, it must be true.) No, it's more than that, and I've been doing a lot of thinking about what it is exactly.

I wasn't sure exactly how to determine what it is, so I Googled "how to make others feel better about themselves," just to see if anything stuck out. I came across this list from Happiness Weekly. Turns out, it's a pretty good list, although, for the women I know, I'd rearrange it a little and put Smile at People, Show Genuine Interest and Encourage People When You Can as the top three. And, in that order. These ladies are nearly always smiling, even plenty of times when things are necessarily going their way. They do show an interest in what others are doing. And, they encourage everyone in their lives to do great things.

That list still doesn't really pinpoint what it is that's so great about these ladies. But, I think I've finally figured it out. These ladies rarely say anything negative about anyone else. That's what makes me feel special around them. They are spending their time, thoughts and emotions looking for the good in most people. They aren't trash talking, or putting down, or gossiping about other people they know. And that makes me feel comfortable knowing that they're not saying negative things about me to others. If they're telling me how great their other friends are, and I'm in the same friend category, then I must be great, too!

Unfortunately, I've spent some time with a few people whose main topic of conversation has been the bad parts of other people's lives. In some instances, I've heard terrible stories about people I don't even know! I don't really understand why some people feel the need to tell me about strangers' shortcomings. 

Now, I don't choose to hang out on a regular basis with people who behave this way, so they're clearly not close friends. So, for a while, I thought remaining silent through the conversation would be the way to go. Then, I tried to steer the conversation back to something positive. You know, ask them to tell me more about themselves (most everyone likes to talk about themselves!). But nope, still kept going back to Derogatory City. 

Eventually, I found the opportunity to remove myself from the conversation, but I was left with a bad feeling in my soul. I believe remaining silent was not the right thing to do. I feel like I should have stood up for those poor souls whose dirty laundry was being flown around like kites. And, I suspect I will from now on. 

None of us are perfect, and we all have bad days, and we're all sometimes treated terribly by others. So we'll all slip up and let Negative Nelly take over our thoughts and our tongues. Hopefully, those times are few and far between. I hope you have a group of ladies who can make you feel as extraordinary as my group of ladies makes me feel. And, I really, most importantly, hope that I make YOU feel exceptional, too.

Much love,
~ME:)

Holiday List - July 2015

July 2015

1 - International Joke Day
2 - I Forgot Day / Made in the USA Day
3 - Compliment Your Mirror Day
4 - Independence Day / Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Day
5 - International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
6 - International Kissing Day
7 - Tell the Truth Day
8 - Video Games Day
9 - National Sugar Cookie Day
10 - Pina Colada Day
11 - Cheer Up the Lonely Day / Slurpee Day
12 - Simplicity Day
13 - Gruntled Workers Day
14 - International Nude Day
15 - Gummi Worm Day
16 - Get to Know Your Customers Day
17 - Yellow Pig Day
18 - National Hot Dog Day
19 - National Ice Cream Day
20 - National Lollipop Day
21 - National Junk Food Day
22 - Pied Piper of Hamlin Day
23 - Hot Enough For Ya Day / Gorgeous Grandma Day
24 - Tell an Old Joke Day / National Tequila Day
25 - National Day of the Cowboy
26 - National Coffee Milkshake Day
27 - Take Your Houseplant for a Walk Day / Walk on Stilts Day
28 - National Milk Chocolate Day
29 - National Chicken Wing Day
30 - Paperback Book Day
31 - Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. As I've said before, I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.