Category Archives: National Days

Happy International Men’s Day!

Posted on by
Reply

On behalf of all of us, male or female, who have loved and sometimes lost our beloved grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers, cousins, sons, friends, neighbors, mentors, bosses, pastors and innumerable service members – Cheers to all of you men, whatever color, creed, nationality, religion or other defining characteristic may be yours!

And, thank you for all you have been and are and will ever be to the rest of us!

Meanwhile, have a look and a read at the VitaCup Coffee website for an interesting and historical record of the celebration that is well deserved.

After all, a good man is like a good cup of coffee: strong, invigorating, a source of comfort and energy all at once, a pleasure to begin and end the day with – a wonderfully-made image of God!

Celebrate Food, but Remember the Hungry

Posted on by
Reply

Most every day in April is a “National” day celebration of some type of food – snacks, main courses, or deserts – whether consumed everywhere in the nation, or specialties of one or another region in the God-blessed USA.

Take a look at the list below. Consider including in your day’s meal a dish being celebrated that day. Or, try something for the first time just because it has its own special day. Of course, if the day’s choice happens to be something you simply cannot deal with, fuhgeddaboudit!

  • April 1st was National Sourdough Bread Day
  • April 2nd was National Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Day
  • April 3rd – National Chocolate Mousse Day
  • April 4th – National Cordon Bleu Day
  • April 6 is National Caramel Popcorn Day
  • April 11 – National Cheese Fondue Day
  • April 12 – National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
  • April 16 – National Eggs Benedict Day
  • April 19 – National Banana Day
  • April 22 – National Jelly Bean Day
  • April 24 – National Pig in a Blanket Day
  • April 26 – National Pretzel Day
  • April 27 – National Prime Rib Day
  • April 28 – National Blueberry Pie Day
  • April 30 – National Oatmeal Cookie Day

 

Finally, give serious consideration to contributing to your local food bank, and/or to making donations to reputable national or international hunger relief organizations. Statistics point to one of eight people in the United States are struggling with hunger.

Four below are examples – no endorsements intended, of hunger relief organizations rated high in accountability and transparency by Charity Navigator.

  • Feed the Hungry, Inc. – rated 96 / 100 for accountability and transparency – spends 98.6% on programs;
  • Food for the Poor – rated 97 / 100 for accountability and transparency – spends 95.8% on programs;
  • Feed the Children – rated 96 / 100 for accountability and transparency – spends 90.3% on programs.
  • Feeding America – rated 97 /100 for accountability and transparency – spends 98.5% on programs.

 

Photos in public domain except pigs-in-a-blanket:
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/daxiang/19023485/ stef yau]

 

March is National Reading Month

Posted on by
Reply

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.  

So said Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka “Dr. Seuss,” children’s book author and illustrator of numerous favorite stories such as “The Cat in the Hat,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Born on March 2, 1904, Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991 yet his legacy lives on through his stories and characters. Seussville.com offers kids of all ages an interactive and fun experience, while also providing resources for teachers and parents.

Suessville home page

Reading is not what it used to be

Reading enhances the lives of everyone at any age, yet how we read has changed dramatically in the past several decades.

Kevin Kelly writing for Smithsonian.com in August 2010 said, lamenting to some degree, that we have changed our reading from books and newspapers to screens on all types of devices – screens on computers and laptops and tablets and smartphones.

He said reading screens encourages utilitarian thinking rather than contemplation that comes from reading books. Kelly predicted that before too long:

Screens will be the first place we’ll look for answers, for friends, for news, for meaning, for our sense of who we are and who we can be.

New ways of reading

Statistics on sales of books-in-print show periods of rise and decline. Meanwhile, technology opened the door to new formats online, the following among them:

Goodreads:  Claims to be the largest online site for readers and book recommendations. Members can catalog their books, share their lists with “friends” drawn from their social media contacts.

LibraryThing:   Members catalog up to 200 books free or upgrade membership for $10 year or $25 life. Early Reviewer and Member Giveaway programs available upon meeting minimum requirements, and more.

Kobo: Access eBooks, magazines for any device at affordable prices.

Bookbub: Access discounted and free eBooks to download to any device under limited time offers.

Overdrive:  Borrow eBooks, audio books from reader’s local library with a valid library card from the particular library.

Audio and talking books…

National Library Service of the Library of Congress serves the needs of the blind and certain other residents of the United States through

…a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail.

Anyone may join audio book club services such as the examples below:

Audible.com:  Membership offers first book free during free trial, then $14.95 per month, and 30% discount on future books.

Audiobooks.com:  – Membership with first book free during free trial, then $14.95 per month for one book; also apps for iOS and Android devices.

Coming in 2017

National Reading Month

CC License

 

Reading books the old-fashioned (and still really satisfying) way, or by reading eBooks on a device, or listening to audio-talking books, please take time to mark January 23, 2017 on your calendar because it is National Reading Day!

 

Free-Audio-Book-Image1