As this project lurched through its prototype and research phases, we were asked, “What about when you’re sick? How will you continue to achieve the level of celebratory greatness which you will have established?” We may have embellished the laudatory tone of the question, but the point is valid. Today, as a stomach ailment (Was it the lox? It may have been the lox) derailed us from our lives, it felt appropriate somehow. Why? Well…
National Nothing Day
When one is slain by the snarling forces of upset-tummydom, the act of engaging in a whole heap of nothing comes remarkably easy. We called off any and all unnecessary activity, even that of going to work. We moved as little as possible, which served the dual purpose of diminishing our symptoms and allowing us to catch up on The Good Place. National Nothing Day was, in no uncertain terms, a success.
Our one regret is that this day didn’t show up a little later in the year, when the notion of a break from this madness of an unending party might have appeared as a respite. A genuine day off.
Except it wasn’t. I (Marty) still had an article to write and publish. We still had a video to shoot, edit and post. And while we excelled at achieving absolute minimalism throughout the day (even shirking our shoveling duties, because it’s still -30 and fuck that), there were other celebrations in which to engage. Such as…
National Fig Newton Day
It took more effort to whittle the appetite to consume Fig Newtons than did the actual consumption. Fortunately, by mid-afternoon I was feeling well enough to contemplate a snack, and the Newtons held their own. I was a fan of these as a kid, but hadn’t sampled one since elementary school. Jodie, not so much. She never saw the appeal, and yesterday’s morsel did little to sway her passions.
Sometimes the forces of what some call fate can lead us into a celestial guffaw. As our innards battled back whatever was ailing them, we were steered toward the fig. In the 1800s, figs and biscuits were both seen as an aid to digestion issues. When Philadelphia baker Charles Roser concocted a machine to squirt fig-paste into a pastry dough, the game was changed. This was back in 1891, before the age when pre-fab cookie treats were bursting off store shelves.
The biscuits were named Newtons in honour of Newton, Massachusetts, a town near Cambridge where the F.A. Kennedy Steam Bakery is located. Newton, MA is also known for being a one-time home to a bevy of talent: Matt Damon, Jonathan Katz, Amy Poehler, Christopher Lloyd, Matt LeBlanc, Jack Lemmon, Louis C.K. and John Krasinski to name a few. Must be something in the figs.
National Quinoa Day
Where was quinoa when we were growing up? And what the hell is quinoa, anyway? It’s a grain, but it’s a grain without gluten. It is born of a flowering plant, but it is not a vegetable. It is packed with protein, so while it’s obviously not meat, it can serve as a great meat substitute. It can be bland and flavourless, or if made properly it can carry a main course. And if you purchase a pre-made quinoa salad from the grocery store, you can enjoy it for dinner and still hold true to the spirit of National Nothing Day.
As for quinoa’s conspicuous absence from our childhood meal-plans, the stuff simply didn’t exist in North America until it was introduced to the San Luis Valley in Colorado back in 1983. If you’re looking for the ideal climate for spurting this crop from the ground, Puget Sound in Washington is roughly on par with the region in Chile where quinoa was born. 2013 was the International Year of Quinoa. I’m sorry we missed that. And if you’re looking to keep kosher, or to find a hearty alternative to the leavened grains that are forbidden during Passover, look to the quinoa. This stuff is fantastic.
Unless you make it wrong. Then the weird texture may overtake your experience.
Appreciate A Dragon Day
Hard to do this one with a real dragon, so we simply paired this with our nightly video and talked it over. Jodie’s dragon of choice was Smaug, and she shared a delightfully kooky tale about how she imagined Bilbo Baggins to be her childhood friend. I had no such contact with dragons as a kid, and I have remained tremendously neutral on the subject.
As for dragons we’ve encountered, apart from the Komodo dragons we’ve seen at various zoos and the actual-fire-breathing replica that used to hang from the ceiling of our local multiplex (that thing was pretty bad-ass), that’s about it. They are fine, noble pretend creatures, and we hope to encounter one in celebration of Chinese New Year next weekend. Who knows? I may meet my favourite dragon after all.
Home Safety & Security Week
This is a good thing to check in on. We checked out our locks, tested our home security system, sent our fleet of vicious attack dogs on a training mission, inspected all weaponry stashed around the house (including grenade launcher, katana and a good sharpening of the throwing stars), ensured the electric eels and piranhas in the moat were good and hungry, stocked up the panic room with fresh supplies (mostly our uneaten Fig Newtons), gave the emergency satellite phone a test to make sure it still had a direct line to the White House Situation Room, and we gave our guards up in the turrets a raise in their daily stipend.
Home safety and security isn’t a joke (though clearly jokes can be made about the subject if one so chooses). If your windows don’t have working locks, you’ll need to look into it. And if your fridge doesn’t have fresh lox, don’t eat stale ones on a bagel, lest you suffer a most unpleasant day or two as a result.
Anniversary of Prohibition
On this date in 1919 (well, yesterday’s date), the 18th Amendment was approved by the 36th state, which meant it was officially part of the constitution. According to this poorly-conceived amendment, America was to go dry one year later, which it did on this date in 1920. So yesterday we honoured the poor men and women of America who had to risk arrest by slipping into speak-easies for those dark 13 years in the nation’s history.
Or was it so dark? Everyone roars about those ‘20s – perhaps pushing alcohol underground was what set off the cultural revolution that included jazz, the Charleston, and (though we can probably attribute this more to women gaining the vote around the same time) a powerful feminine freedom. When the Depression hit, screeching the fun to a halt, it made sense to start the wheels in motion to legalize the stuff again. People were becoming incredibly wealthy from prohibition, and none of it was legitimate business. Not a sound economic policy when a real industry could take over instead.
Yesterday we stayed dry in solidarity. Today… not so much.
Today I’m feeling back on the top of my health game, once again alive and unfortunately well enough to go to work. Jodie was hit a bit harder, so she may not take part in all the fun today.
- National Bootleggers Day. The bootleggers were among those making big bucks during Prohibition. Today we celebrate them with a bit of home-made hooch – probably much better than the bathtub sludge that got a lot of folks through those years.
- National Hot Buttered Rum Day. Another recipe I’ve never tried before. But all three of those words just sing euphonic tones in my ears, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this, even if Jodie isn’t up for it.
- International Fetish Day. There are some bizarre fetishes out there, and more still yet to be uncovered. We will incorporate this into tonight’s video. Don’t worry – we’ll be talking, not acting them out.
- Patras Carnival. This isn’t just a carnival, it’s a celebration that runs right through to the first Monday of Lent. We can’t be there to celebrate in person, but I’ll be dining on some delicious Greek food as a tribute.
celebrate366.com 