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July 4

Happy 4th!!

and Happy Birthday to
Leaves of Grass

And as to me,
I know nothing else
but miracles.

~ Walt Whitman

His collection of poetry
was published this day in 1855.

It’s Independence Day over on a calendar of a month full of Smiley Silliness, but I’m guessing you already knew that. But did you know that July 4th is also Be Invisible Day? I think that one has something to do with today’s also being the anniversary of the patent of the Xray tube in 1933.

Today we say happy birthday to Malia Obama (1998). It’s been a delight to watch her growing up. A fine young lady, yes.

It is also the birthday of Abigail Van Buren (1918), better known as Dear Abby. Of course it is also the birthday of her twin Ann.

Additionally, it’s Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk Day and Caesar Salad Day. It might just work here in my town–it’s bloody hot! A lunch of fried egg sandwich and a caesar salad sounds good to me! Especially since I get my eggs from a dear friend’s son so I know the chickens have led a happy life. If fact the last time I was at their house, there was a chicken snuggling on a sweater on the dining table.

July 3

Stay Out of the
Sun Day

Constant kindness can accomplish much.
As the sun makes ice melt,
kindness causes misunderstanding,
mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

~ Albert Schweitzer

And appropriately for those of us who are burning up in sunny Northern California this week, it’s Air Conditioning Appreciation Day. We hardly ever need AC here!

Happy Day of the Child! Every day, in every heart, this is one to celebrate!! Here are some great kids I met in the Philippines on my trip with Operation Smile.

Green Beans and Garlic Smiley

Feel free to pick from Eat Beans Day or Eat Chocolate Day. Or perhaps, since chocolate is a bean . . .

Today we say happy birthday to Audra McDonald (1970), thrilling audiences everywhere! What a voice!

It’s also Compliment Your Mirror Day and the start of Pleasure Week over on a calendar of a month full of Smiley Silliness. here’s to deciding that looking in the mirror is a pleasure! Check out the newly posted JULY calendar and all the Smileys and holidays you’ll find only there.

July 2
Have a Cold
Brewsky Day

The average American walks about 900 miles a year and drinks an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles per gallon.

It’s also Take a Nap at Work Day. Drink enough beer and that’ll be easy. And what with it also being Leave Work Early Week and the 4th of July on Monday, the first week of July is shaping up to be a doozy. Or should that be a snoozey?

Additionally, It’s Freedom from Fear of Public Speaking Day. Ha! As if a silly holiday could eliminate one of people’s biggest fears (beer’d work better). I just keep on doing it and it has become easier! When I did my TED Talk it was my first time as a public speaker, ever (no one asked if I had experience, so I didn’t volunteer the info that I did not.). I was so nervous, coupled with the clicker not working and my slides not loading, oy vey! But I gave the commencement address at San Francisco State a month ago and actually enjoyed myself. I channelled my inner Obama. That is to say, every few words I paused. It worked amazingly well. My sweet mom suggests I write to the President and tell him thanks.

For today’s birthdays we have the struggling Lindsay Lohan (1986) and the great leader of the Civil Rights struggle Medgar Evers (1925). Just about as different as could be. Maybe. Maybe not. We are all humans, all fighting struggles. Maybe they, maybe we, are more similar than the surface impressions allow us to know. 

Today marks the beginning of the last half of the year. We are half way to 2017. 2016’s been a rough one for me–I’m hoping 2017 will be better. And besides just hoping, I’m going to do everything I can to make it so!

What else is remarkable about July 2nd? I forget (and not just because of the beer). No, really; July 2nd is I Forgot Day.

July 1

Gingersnap Cookie Day

I loved old black and white movies,
especially the Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers musicals.
I loved everything about them –
the songs, the music,
the romance and the spectacle.
They were real class
and I knew that I wanted to be
in that world.

~Sharon Stone

Not quite a quote about gingersnaps, but Ginger Rogers was as close as I could get. I stumbled upon this quote while I was searching, and musical geek that I am, I just had to use it for today. I love all the old Fred and Ginger movies, especially this one. I know I’m not alone. ~ Ruth, the Smiley Lady.

Be sure to tell a joke today for International Joke Day! Aim for a really dumb joke; they may get the moans but they also are the ones that get remembered!

Strawberry Ice Cream Smiley

It’s Invent an Ice Cream Flavor Day. I’m pretty content with good old vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. Although I did once try out BBQ sauce over vanilla like a sundae…not so good. But how you gonna know without trying?

It’s also Pocket Watch Day over on a calendar of a month full of Smiley Silliness. Today the new JULY calendar went up. Check it out. It’s all different Smileys and holidays over there.

Happy birthday to the Sony Walk-Man. Remember when they were the coolest of the cool? Now they seem so old fashioned. Ha! Introduced this day in 1979. Additionally, on this day in 1952, Silly Putty was introduced. Who remembers Silly Putty? Did you every press it onto the comic page and make a print? If you did, you’re at least as old as I am.

Other birthdays for this day, human birthdays that is: Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd (1952), Deborah Harry (1945), and the amazing Olympian Carl Lewis (1961) who won a total of 9 gold medals, in 4 different Olympics!

February 29
Leap Day!

Don’t be afraid to leap.
Being cautious, taking tiny steps,
will never get you over a big hurdle.
And there’s cool stuff
on the other side of that hurdle.
I promise.
~ Ruth Kaiser, the Smiley Lady.

Sorry the photo isn’t a Smiley. But I sure felt lucky when this young dancer surprised me with a leap at the ocean’s edge last week.

Over on our calendar of a Month of Smiley Silliness it’s Compliment Your Underling Day. Always a good idea. Everybody can use a verbal boost from time to time.

Today we say happy birthday to soap star Antonio Sabato (1972) and fire walking, pep talking Tony Robbins (1960).

Ever wonder how you can remember if a year is going to have a February 29th? Here’s the way to always know: Presidential elections in the USA always fall on a Leap Year. It used to also be true that the Olympics fell on Leap years. That was back when the summer and winter games were both played in the same year.