Delirium lurks like a panther around my mental corners some days. The frantic sack-race we clamber through each day to pile these celebrations into some sort of coherent order can wear us down, especially when that pesky other-life-stuff steps in and sounds its frail bleat. Yesterday was one such day. We also face a precarious timeline for completing the 3,000 piece jigsaw puzzle on our dining room table before our children return home for a visit. Next week. Oi vey. Let’s get right to the meat of yesterday’s madness, shall we?
Global Garbage Man Day / Waste & Recycling Workers Week
This is the tenth such day to grace its presence in the world, having been launched back in 2011 by a man named John D. Arwood, who may or may not be a garbage man himself. Actually, he is one, and so was his father. But he’s not a guy who just snagged a city job for the sweet pension (and of course, the chicks). John is passionate about this work because he recognizes just how important it is. Our society could not function without these individuals. Have you ever seen footage of New York City during a garbage strike?
Garbage collectors – I hesitate to call them all ‘garbage men’, as I’m sure there are women in this field – have a brutal job. It’s all lifting and contorting in potentially unhealthy ways, and you have to contend with stabby things sticking out of bags, with angry people in bathrobes, shaking their fists because you didn’t pick up their 1976 console television they left on their curb the week before, and with a bevy of unpredictable smells.
And the end result of their work is a livable, workable city. Our trash and recycle collectors do a bang-up job keeping our neighbourhood flowing. So for this day, Jodie and I decided we’d find a way to get some gift cards out to our collectors. Unfortunately we’ll be a week late, as they stopped by to collect on Tuesday morning. I suppose had we been thinking ahead we’d have been ready for this and done it early, but sometimes we fumble the ball. The best we can do is recover it and advance it. If you know a garbage collector, give them some love. They do what most of us won’t or can’t, and they do it well.
National Eat Your Vegetables Day
We literally had a day to encourage us to eat vegetables one day ago. I even dug up some interesting little veggie trivia facts on Monday for that celebration. If you’d like to learn more about veggies, please feel free to scroll on down to yesterday’s piece. If you’d like to know how we spent this celebration… we ate more vegetables.
People are supposed to eat something like 13 or 19 servings of vegetables a day. Maybe that’s a bit excessive; maybe I’m being over-cautious. Maybe I should be eating that many servings every day, if only to counteract all the dessert celebrations we indulge in. I should point out that today can also be considered a vegetable-related day, as it’s Paul McCartney’s birthday, and he has said that his birthday wish for this year was for people to become vegetarians.
Well, we won’t be doing that, Sir Paul. But we’ve been eating vegetables and will continue to do so, even if the calendar isn’t making us. But give up bacon and all that other meaty goodness? I’m afraid it’s not likely. Happy birthday though. And to everyone else, eat your vegetables.
World Crocodile Day
Many people – the world’s crocodile enthusiasts – joyously celebrated World Croc Day yesterday, but for me the most interesting party came in the form of a touching tribute by 16-year-old Robert Irwin for his dad, Steve.
We grew up watching Steve Irwin and his wife Terri perform ridiculously dangerous interactions with the most vicious creatures on the planet. And he did it with such calm and such inherent charm, we couldn’t look away. It was as though it were perfectly natural and normal for a man to indicate the third-most-venomous snake in the world, then to pick it up to show us its angry hiss in a close-up.
“Dad brought these misunderstood animals to the world and showed everyone just how amazing they truly are. His passion for these modern-day dinosaurs is what inspires us to continue his message of the importance of this keystone species.” Robert then plugs his dad’s research, his croc rescue project, and his own work in the croc field. It’s somewhat comforting to know that these animals still have an Irwin looking out for them. Three actually, since this is still the family business.
For this day and every day going forward we encourage people to keep supporting this research and doing what they can to keep these animals alive. For most of us that will simply mean supporting with our time, money and attention whatever the Irwins put out into the world next. It’s a sadder world with Steve gone, but a far better one for his family still being in it – especially for this little corner of the animal kingdom.
That’s it! No apple strudel yesterday and no cherry tarts. We’re trying to keep our svelte figures here, and the desserts are getting out of hand. Besides, we’ve still got fudge. And now we’ve got this to deal with:
- National Go Fishing Day. Unfortunately this is a day of work. Perhaps we’ll play a game of fish, the card game, in the evening.
- National Splurge Day. On a day so perfectly timed between paydays, this might be tricky. But we’ll find a way to treat ourselves today, and discuss why that’s important.
- National Sushi Day. Perhaps we’ll splurge on some sushi.
- National Dump The Pump Day. This day suggests we should not use our cars and instead use public transportation to get around. Normally I would, if I was travelling to the office. But I’ll be staying at home. Buses are germ hives right now, so this one is not practical.
- International Panic Day. Good. I was thinking of doing this anyway.
- Recess At Work Day. Yay!
celebrate366.com 