01 August 2014

Friday Follies...
Welcome to the merry month of AUGUST...(supposedly the most "boring" month on the calendar).
I will attempt to dispel THAT myth in just a bit, but first, what's the weather doing?
Well, it's another carbon copy of the last few days...but it WILL be a tad warmer outside, with temps climbing to around EIGHTY degrees.
Going to have lots of sunshine, a mild breeze and perhaps (here we go again) a CHANCE of a shower later today or maybe tonight.
Hey, that's what THEY'RE saying...not me.
So, let's get this month started in style with a cup of your favorite morning beverage, and we'll see what's been going on...
*** First out of the laundry chute is my claim that the month of AUGUST is indeed an important month...and NOT just because my birthday falls into the mix in 3 weeks...lol.
Let's look at the WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August
Okay, in the southern hemisphere, this month is equivalent to NOVEMBER...(why did I need to know that?)
And the month was originally named SEXFIL (Latin, naturally meaning 6th month), because the Roman 10-month calendar was amended along the way.
There's a bit more to it, but let's get to the GOOD stuff...
-- Notable events in August include:
Pakistan Independence Day - 14 Aug 1947
India Independence Day - 15 Aug 1947
And the Irish LOVED to fight battles during this month...such as the Battle of Atheny (1316), Knockdoe (1504), Curlew Pass (1599), Dungan's Hill (1647), Castlebar (1796), and the Battle of Bogside (1969)
-- Here's some MONTH-LONG events of note:
Edinburgh Festival
National Immunizartion Awareness Month
National Psoriasis Awareness month (stop yer scratching)
National Water Quality Month
National Back-to-School Month (USA)
And parents are SO happy.
National GOAT CHEESE Month (USA) Got FETA?
American Adventures month (every day is an adventure where we love)
Audio Appreciation Month (boomcars need not apply)
Black Business Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Childrens' Vision and Learning month
Get Ready For Kindergarten month
Milk, cookies and naps...(and liberal indoctrination?)
Happiness Happens Month (love to see how THIS one is celebrated)
Neurosurgery Outreach month
Panini Month
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
What Will Be Your Legacy month
...And a personal favorite of mine...WIN WITH CIVILITY MONTH.
No losers found here.
--Here's some week-long events
First week of August - World Breastfeeding Month (guys...BEHAVE yourselves and eyes front)
First FULL week - Sturgis Motorcycle event
Middle week of August (not to be confused with Middle EARTH) - The Perseid Meteor showers
--Other events include:
First weekend of August - TWINS DAYS
13th - National Lefthanders day
29th - International Day against Nuclear Tests
30th - International Day of the Disappeared (exactly what you think it is...people, and not your eyeglasses or TV remote)
--The BIRTHSTONE is (either) Peridot OR Sardonyx (not to be confused with Dr. Sardonicus...lol)
--The BIRTHFLOWER is gladiolus OR poppy (and not "Papi")
A single-malt scotch will get your far...
--The zodiac sign...well that's easy...LEO (the lion)...hear us roar.
Now, as I did LAST year, I plan to mention some of the events that take place for EACH day of this "so-called" boring month, to show everyone as to ALL the stuff that went on and never gets the good press.
I hope you find all of this enjoyable as well as enlightening...I know I have in the past.
*** Today is the birthday of one WILLIAM CLARK of Lewis and Clark fame (1770).
Other people of note who share (or have shared) birthdays today are:
Francis Scott Key (1779)
Herman Melville (1819)
Dom DeLuise and his alter-ego Captain Chaos.
Dom DeLuise (1933)
Yves St. Laurent (1936)
-- And I do believe that TODAY marks the 26th YEAR of Rush Limbaugh being on the radio with his EIB (Excellence In Broadcasting) Network.
Nice job, Rush...keep it goin'!
Congrats!
*** Last back to the Library of Congress today...yes, this month will see me another year OLDER...and hopefully another year WISER.
(It's always better to be a WISE-ass than a DUMB-ass ANY day, right?)
And, every year, around this time, I always get a little pensive...hearkening back to ALL those years that came before this one.
Now, I don't recall much about those first two or three...too busy learning to walk, talk, and use the toilet, rather than my diaper...twas a time of challenge, that's for sure...LOL.
But subsequent years brought about SO much love from two of the best parents a boy (and later man) could ever hope to have
Things were not always a bed of roses, either....there WERE rules, very often NON-negotiable, and there were CONSEQUENCES for breaking whatever the rules were.
Conversely, there were REWARDS for keeping one's nose clean, being a good person and doing the right things.
And many times, the rewards were not measured in MONETARY or even TANGIBLE items.
Much of it was all the FACETS of my person that were created, nurtured, polished and fine-tuned to allow ME to make better decisions than many of my contemporaries...or even those younger than I.
THAT is the kind of thing you don;t wait around all year to celebrate on ONE day...it's like the gift that keeps ON giving.
I guess that is another part of what you learn to appreciate each year that your birthday rolls around, hmm?
Now, go have yourselves a great weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone today, and above all...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

4 comments:

CWMartin said...

Dude, posting a picture or two of Dom DeLouise DIRECTLY after announcing Herman Melville's birthday- are you being a Moby Dick?

Bob G. said...

Chris:
THAT...was never the intent, my friend.

You should know me better than that...lol.
It's just the way the dates fell into place.

Besides, I WISH I was half the cook that Dom used to be.
(and I do miss his acting)

Thanks for stopping by to comment.

Have a good weekend and stay safe up there.

Slamdunk said...

Three weeks until your birthday? Yahoo Bob!

I like the idea of "what will be your legacy month" and wish that more people would consider that for a moment instead of being wrapped up in their selfish crime committing existence.

I'll stop preaching now.

I hope your weekend was a good one.

Bob G. said...

Salmdunk:
Yeah - three weeks until..."cake".
Cake is good.

You got me thinking...wonder what my legacy would be...got a couple weeks to mull that one over, hmm?

And you go right ahead and preach...not a single thing wrong with that.

Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Stay safe out there.