National Macaroon Day, May 31st

National Macaroon Day

Unfortunately for Edgy, the last day of the Month O' Edgy is National Macaroon Day.

Mmm. Macaroons.

My Bucket's Got A Hole In It Day, Water a Flower Day, May 30th

My Bucket's Got A Hole In It Day

When I was a little girl, and I was the favorite granddaughter, (because I was the only granddaughter until I was 12 years old) I used to go on road trips with my grandpa and his wife. Often, he would start to sing a song, like "There Is A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea" or "Froggie Went A Courtin'" or "There's a Hole in the Bucket". I adored it when he sang, but his wife would always stop him before he reached the end of the song. Because of her interference, I had no idea that these songs were as long as they are. Kinda cool to look and see that there are a kagillion verses.

Anyway, that's just what I thought of first when I saw that today is My Bucket's Got A Hole In It Day. But, after further investigation this day has its own song: My Bucket's Got A Hole In It Day. My guess is that it is a country song because the singer is "waiting for a woman" and "can't buy no beer."

Water a Flower Day

And when is it easier to water a flower than when you have a hole in your bucket?

Memorial Day, May 29th

Memorial Day 2006

I had decided not to post about Memorial Day, because all of my attempts were coming out a bit anti-war, which I felt was not the best way to honor those who have given their lives for and served this country. According to this site we have lost 1,264,826 Americans in war up to the Persian Gulf War. Since the War on Terror, we have lost 2,708 more casualties, according to the Washington Post.

To me, Memorial Day is more than a much needed day off, (55 hours is too much work in one week for Ms. Absent, so please forgive any lack of finesse with this post, I'm still recovering) Memorial Day is a time to ponder about the freedoms that have been won and the lives lost in the fight for the "self-evident rights ...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. " (Declaration of Independence) I believe that this nation was founded on something good, I believe that we will continue to be good as long as we hold ourselves and our leaders to those ideals.

"How To" Tip for the Day, May 27th

How To Confuse the People You Play Football With

Step 1

The football is thrown to you, while you are playing catch, and you throw it back with a perfect spiral with your right hand.

Step 2

The football is handed off to you during the "game" and as part of a flea-flicker pass you throw it to the quarterback with your left hand.

Step 3

The next time you get the ball you will be completely confused about which hand is supposed to throw it, so confused you get sacked, but you can walk it off by saying that you lost the ball in the low cloud cover.

People might not believe you, but, really, it's less embarrassing and takes less time to explain than "I had to stop to think about which hand to use."

(Left-handed people aren't usually this handedly challenged, it's uniquely me, and I place all the blame on my first-grade teacher who taught me that "right is the hand you write with.")

Also, I declare it to be French Toast Weekend. At this site you can find over 100 recipes for french toast: Carmel Pecan French Toast, Creme Brulee French Toast, 12 different recipes for Stuffed French Toast. Umm, ummm, umm, Yum!

Not Forgetting That It Is the Month O' Edgy

If you are looking for a way to continue the celebration of Month O' Edgy listen to this broadcast of The 9 Beet Stretch. The 9 Beet Stretch is a recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's ninth symphony stretched to 24 hours. This has been streaming continuously on the internet since the Day O' Edgy 2005. Apparently, the Day O' Edgy is the anniversary of the premeire of Beethoven's 9th Symphony in Vienna in 1824.

Take a moment and ponder the weirdness, but don't listen too long, Edgy has not endorsed this form of celebration for Month O' Edgy. But, maybe he will be happy that my 200th post is about him.

National Tap Dance Day, May 25th

I wish that I was really cultured and could tell you about the finer points of tap dancing. The truth of the matter is, I don't really get tap dancing. I think that people who can move their feet that quickly and in a set rhythm are very talented, and should be admired. But, I would never really attend a tap dance concert, for two reasons: one, I doubt that I would ever have a hankering to see tap dance that much, and two, I am pretty sure that I would leave with a headache. Why inflict oneself with a headache? Tap dance is too happy. As I have said before, I prefer my dance performances to be dark, edgy, melancholy, and full of angst, and maybe that is a character flaw, but it's not in the top five of my character flaws, so it probably isn't going to get changed in the next year... or probably ever.

But, to celebrate today, I need to get over myself and ponder the wonders of penguins tap dancing.

Right Now, It's Happening Right Now

There is a major network filming in Provo, RIGHT NOW. And only one newspaper cared enough about a story with a postive spin to report on it.

The Salt Lake Tribune

HGTV in Provo to film work on Maeser School

PROVO - The Maeser School is in the spotlight again, but this time it has nothing to do with an old handwritten deed. Crews from cable home-and-garden giant HGTV will be at the historic school site today and Thursday to film restoration work on the building. It will be presented during a future public-service announcement. HGTV's Restore America initiative also is dishing out $50,000 to the Provo Housing Authority to assist the school's conversion into a low-income apartment complex for seniors. "It's a total delight and pleasure," said Doug Carlson, Provo Housing Authority director. "We were selected in a highly competitive grant-application process." Built in 1898, Maeser School is one of only 12 sites chosen for HGTV's Restore America initiative. Carlson said more than 100 applications were made for the grant. The historic Provo grade school recently made headlines when an old deed surfaced that threatens to put a hiccup in plans for the site. The deed maintains that an acre on the site must be kept as a child's playground - or be returned to the heir. Officials and attorneys still are sorting out what role the deed will play. - Todd Hollingshead

When Extreme Makeover Home Edition came to Bountiful, Utah, it was all over the news. That just helped one family. According to the Provo City Housing Authority's website, this project helps 31 low-income seniors, and 12 moderate-income families. I bet if Ty came, there would be cameras and reporters all over the place.

Escargot Day, May 24th

"Mon dessin ne representait pas un chapeau. Il representait un serpent boa qui digerait un elephant." (Antoine de Saint Exupery)

I can't believe that it is only Tuesday night. Theoretically, I have already worked enough time this week for it to be early Thursday morning. And it has been the worst kind of work. The kind where I have to wait around for people to ask me to do things. I hate that. I hate it because it can be so stressfully unproductive. When 4pm rolls around and I haven't taken a lunch (for the second day in a row) and I start wishing that I would have known at 10am (when I had a two hour stretch without anything to do) that I would have had the time then to eat, so I could have taken an early lunch... Well, I think it's just wrong to wish that I could go back in time six hours so I can eat by myself, in my car, with the radio playing loudly, to drown out the endless sound of office that is now permanently ringing in my ears.

At times like this I wish I was a snail. Not a snail farm snail, mind you, just a harmless little spineless garden snail with a simple mind and my house on my back. No worries. As it turns out, snails are quite developed little creatures. They even have discriminate tastes. I think that I could like the life of a snail. I wouldn't have to worry about turning 35 without having reproduced if I were a snail. If I were a snail, I might have as many as 300,000 babies by now. Imagine, 300,000 little absent-minded snails wandering around the world. If I had 300,000 babies, I wouldn't have to worry about "and guest" invitations.

Stupid snails.

I guess the French have it right. We should eat snails, (stupid creatures that don't have to worry about social norms) and in mass quantities. We should eat so many snails that we look like we have swallowed elephants. Mucho, mucho snails. Here are some recipies... you can make your own.

Happy Escargot Day!

Lucky Penny Day, May 23rd

It's Lucky Penny Day! Lucky is the person who watches their pennies well. Some people believe that there is only a specific amount of luck in the universe. This luck is transferred from people who are careless to people who are careful. Those who drop their pennies, are of the careless sort, therefore with their dropped pennies, they loose their luck. The person who picks up the pennies, finds the luck.

Of course, this theory could just be a keen observation of how different personalities react to the world around them. Someone, who is not careful with their pennies might also be a bit careless in other aspects of their life, and it might seem that they always have a bit of bad luck hanging about them. Someone who is careful with things, even as small as pennies, pays attention to many details, and can juggle the complicated things that life throws at them, and it may seem that they are more "lucky."

Check out this site to learn about pennies that you can trade in for thousands of dollars. It will have you looking through your change bowl. Then check out this article to see the three rare pennies that are in circulation since April this year.

If you want to have some easy chemistry class type fun with your pennies check out this site. It will teach you how to shine them up, or verdigris them, or copper plate your nails. Not your fingernails, by the way.

So, as you go out to look for your lucky penny today, remember, "found pennies come from heaven".

Reading is Fun Week: Funny Friday, May 19th

On Funny Friday, of Reading is Fun Week, the Reading is Fundamental people recommend that we make our own comic book characters.

I am not going to participate in this. I think that all the good comic book characters have already been drawn. (See the Cinematical Seven: X-Meta: An Outsider's Guide to Symbolism in Superhero Cinema)

I guess I could just be feeling a little bit insecure about my artistic ability, or complete lack thereof. Once when I was a teenager, a retired high school art teacher sat me down with an oil set and a canvas. She said that she was positive that I was a budding artist, that I must be overflowing with raw, untrained artistic ability, because I was so musical, and um, I can't remember the other reasons why she thought I would be artistic. (The truth is, my musical talents are not what most would call talents. My musical ability is just basic ability born of mild interest, and a desire not to hurt my piano teacher's feelings by quitting. Anyway, Edgy is a much better piano player than I am, and the only place that I will sing a solo is in my car, with the windows rolled up and the radio playing louder than I am singing, so no-one will have to accidentally hear my voice.) Regardless, it seems silly to believe that someone is artistic based on minimal musical ability.

Yeah, well, after one afternoon with a paint brush, she never asked me back. It scarred me for life. I still feel like I failed her for some reason. Like it was my fault that there wasn't some artistic talent hidden deep down inside of me just waiting for her to temper and harness it into this writhing pulse of creative dexterity.

If I never try to draw a comic book character, I will never fail at it.

Well, today marks the middle of Calveras County Fair and Frog Jumping Jubilee, a tradition started by Mark Twain with his short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Maybe, to celebrate Funny Friday I need to go buy a frog.

Reading is Fun Week: Thrilling Thursday, May 18th

As we continue to celebrate Reading is Fun Week, we must acknowledge "Thrilling Thursday." If you are like me, too many nights have been spent as the hours wax and wane reading "just one more chapter," or "just until this plot line is resolved." As I have entered the working world, I have found myself disadvantaged in relation to my fellow coworkers who do not come into work with dark circles under their eyes, and hair in a ponytail from trying to get the last chapter finished before showering and doing the minimally necessary requirements to be socially presentable for employment. Yes, as I have stated before, I am a nerd. Some people attend work with hangovers from partying too much; other people have reading hangovers.

According to the Reading is Fundamental people, we should play the game "Meet Me at the Library" on "Thrilling Thursday. I however would like to introduce you to my most favorite thrillers that you will find if you meet me in my library.

Barbara G. Mertz, PhD aka Barbara Michaels & Elizabeth Peters

This is my favorite author to pick up when I want to read and not have to worry about what I am reading. I know that I won't be grossed out by anything overly violent, and I will not have to concentrate too much on character development, because most of her characters are strong independent women, or not-so-strong-women who discover strength by the end of the novel. Yeah, she is mystery-chick-lit, and I am ashamed of myself for promoting non-literature, but this women has set herself apart by writing mysteries with fun setting and good back story which contained a large dollop of romantic comedy.

Barbara, (I'm just going to call her Barbara. I've been reading for years. We're tight.) has a PhD in Egyptology, and it shows through in her writing. When she doesn't write about Egypt, her topics are well researched, and interesting to read just for the quick-fic-info. Her mysteries that are set in Egypt are always chock full of history, social issues, archeology, and other fun knowledge-o-ramma.

In her words the reasons for writing under three names are under the recommendation of her editorial staff, and thus:

The ostensible reason for using pseudonyms is that readers need to distinguish the various types of books written by a single author; Mertz writes nonfiction on archaeology, Michaels writes thrillers, many with a supernatural element, and Peters focuses on mystery suspense. I find the various names a horrible nuisance, but apparently readers do see a difference between the productions of these personae. (Barbara Mertz, also known as Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels, in her own words)

My favorite "Barbara Michaels" book is Houses of Stone, and my favorite "Elizabeth Peters" book is The Camelot Caper. My favorite series that Barbara has written is the Vicky Bliss series, of five books. I would not recommend getting on the Amelia Peabody runaway train. That is a series that just needs to stop. I stopped reading at book ten of the nineteen book series. No woman, no family, needs their lives documented in that much detail. Everyone starts doing the same things, the characters cannot act beyond their cliches when there are ten or so books of set patterns of behavior behind them. It's just wrong.

My other "thriller" reading recommendation is the Trixie Belden series. These were the books that I read over and over from age 10 to age... okay I still occasionally pick one up. Trixie Belden is a teen girl sleuth, much like Nancy Drew, or Veronica Mars. (I actually don't know anything about Veronica Mars, I just have been told by lots of people that I would really like the show and that I should watch it, so someday I will, this is just a nod to them.) Only, Trixie Belden solves her mysteries in jeans and tennis shoes, not pumps and a pencil skirt, Trixie does not drive a car, she has to get rides from her mom or in her brother's jalopy, and she babysits. I identified with her as a teenager. Also, she has blond curly hair, and I wanted that... still want that.

And now I feel like I need to redeem myself by provide other reading recommendations from Absent's library that are not formulaic and predictable, because I am neurotic enough to worry that some reader might disengage themselves after realizing that I enjoy pulp fiction. (Please don't go!)

Nonfiction

We, Robert A. Johnson
The Frog Prince, Stephen Mitchell
Answer to Job, C.G. Jung
The Heart Is a Little to the Left, Essays on Public Morality, William Sloan Coffin
Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, Lois P. Frankel
Eats Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
Parallel Myths, J.F. Bierlein

Fiction

The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
Metamorphoses, Ovid
The Once and Future King, T.H. White
Just So Stories, Rudyard Kipling
Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis
Persuasion, Jane Austen
The Blue Castle, L.M. Montgomery
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle
The Giver, Lois Lowry
Summerland, Michael Chabon
The Rose Daughter, Robin McKinley
Holes, Louis Sachar
A Long Way from Chicago, Richard Peck
A Year Down Yonder, Richard Peck
Stargirl, Spinelli
Freak the Mighty, Rodman Philbrick
Frindle, Andrew Clements

And of course, the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga.

Get Caught Reading Month, Reading is Fun Week May 15th-21st

The American Association of Publishers promotes the nation-wide campaign to "Get Caught Reading." Lots of cool people have supported this campaign, like Batman, Alicia Keys, Derek Jeter, Larry and Bob, Donald Duck (even without pants), Abraham Lincoln, and the Olsen Twins. (See the celebrity "Get Caught Reading" posters)

I also support this campaign, even though there is not a celebrity poster saying that Absent-minded Secretary got caught reading. Absent is not a celebrity. In fact, we could call Absent an anti-celebrity. Just this week (and we are only two days into this week) she has been called "a boil on my ass," "that secretary-assistant-type-person," "SHE" and "the girl with the New York attitude." My favorite is the last one since it came from a real New Yorker with a real Brooklyn accent, but I don't think that she meant it as a compliment.

Moving on, this week is Reading is Fun Week. This week is brought to us by Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. This organization encourages us to celebrate by making "each day a little wacky and a lot of fun." Wednesday is "Wacky Wednesday," and RIF, Inc. has scheduled Mad Libs. Click here for an online version of Mad Libs.

Anyway, I think that it's time to go home so that I can get caught reading, because reading is fun.

Or, so that I can watch House.

I might read something.

Maybe a blog.

Does that count?

What if it is a blog where Books are King?

Wear Purple For Peace Day, May 16th

Wear Purple For Peace Day

Get out your purple... show your true colors. Forget about those Zuit Suit Riots. Wear purple for peace!

Curses...

Foiled again.

Chocolate Chip Day, May 15th

C is for cookie... and Chocolate Chip is the best (except for when I am in a Ginger Snap mood).

I am a nerd. I love to read about where things come from and why we have them. My mom always told me that broccoli was a modern American invention, but just now I found out that isn't true. According to this website, Thomas Jefferson grew broccoli in his garden. This timeline states that broccoli wasn't introduced to the United States until 1928, (I assume they mean widely introduced) seven years after Wonderbread. Which just seems wrong if broccoli had been around all that time.

But, I digress. It's Chocolate Chip Day, and I should be talking about the origins of the Chocolate Chip. So what makes chocolate chips different from pieces of chocolate candy bar? Chocolate chips have less cocoa butter than other forms of chocolate. Less cocoa butter helps them maintain their shape and texture while in the oven. (The Joy of Baking)

The most famous of all chocolate chip brands are Nestle Toll House. Nestle Toll House Chocolate Morsels are named so because of Ruth Wakefield, who with her husband, owned a lodge called the Toll House Inn. She made a batch of cookies, called Butter Drop Do, and added the pieces of a Nestle Chocolate Bar with the hopes that the chocolate would melt into the dough of the cookie. It didn't, but she was happy with the results none the less, and soon the news of the new cookie spread back to Nestle, who in 1939 began offering pre-packaged chocolate chips for people to use in their recipes.

Many people have different ideas about how to make a good thing like a chocolate chip cookie even better. There are urban legends about $250 recipes, people who just have magic when it comes to cookie making, and others who recommend melting the butter, or putting a scoop of sour cream into the dough. I, however, personally advocate pouring in the vanilla until it smells good (about a tablespoon or so) and only using Pure Vanilla Extract, and adding a teaspoon of water, and if the dough is too crumbly, adding an egg white.

I also recommend stoneware baking sheets, but not everyone likes them for cookies. In fact, Martha Stewart doesn't even list stoneware among her baking sheet recommendations.

Also, we wouldn't have Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream without the chocolate chip. Yeah for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream!

(I am inches away from getting a cat today. I even have him picked out.)

Limerick Day, May 12th

Limerick Day

Yeah! It's Limerick Day!

Actually, I've never been a big fan of limericks. Mostly because I was annoyed when first line would end with the same word as the last line, like this limerick:

There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, "It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!"

Yes, beard does rhyme with beard. Brilliant!

That sort of lingual laziness just doesn't captivate my interest. But, according to this site, limericks simply are poems with five lines and an aabba rhyme scheme, kinda like the beginning of a sonnet. If I just think of a limerick as just the beginning of a sonnet... it gives me a whole new perspective of this art form. I will just try to come up with the rest of the sonnet in my head. (Or, probably not. But, I can pretend that I am that creative.)

This site has mathematical limericks. Yeah, you know you want to read a limerick about pi. Okay, here it is:

If inside a circle a line
Hits the center and goes spine to spine
And the line's length is "d"
the circumference will be
d times 3.14159 (Mathematical Limericks)

Or, this site that puts movie reviews into limericks and haikus. Bad movies get limericks. Here is the review for "AI"

At best, this movie was creepy,
but mostly it made me sleepy.
Part of an appalling new trend
of flicks with no end
leaving the audience needing to peepee! (Dimspace Poetic Movie Reviews)

Have a happy Limerick Day!

0

My desktop weather provider says this:

Weather for Provo, UT
0°F
Clear
Wind: SW at 5 mph
Humidity: 0% Thu

0°F !!!!!

Okay, I know that I haven't been outside since 7am, and it was a bit chilly then, and I don't have any windows near my desk because my desk is in a freaking hallway, so theoretically, there could have been a freak snow storm since everyone but me went home an hour ago, but really, can May weather be so cruel?

0°F !!!!!!

Eat What You Want Day, Twilight Zone Day, Rat Day (May 10th) May 11th

Eat What You Want Day

Eat What You Want Day is a copyrighted holiday. So if you celebrate it, please remember to reference Wellcat Holidays & Herbs, a company who has copyrighted many different holidays. I think that I might partake of some sushi today, even if I can't find any fellow partakers. I am feeling in a sushi mood. Yum! And then maybe something gooey for dessert.

Twilight Zone Day

Check out this site for Twilight Zone Day. Actually, it's a pretty lame site, but I am tired and want to go to bed. But I do think that Twilight Zone was a pretty good T.V. show. When I watched it as a kid I would hide behind my parents couch during the scary parts. Now when I watch scary movies, I hide behind my hands, pillows, and blankets. Yep, I'm a grown-up.

Rat Day

Lets start a tradition, and make cake on rat day, for FoxyJ!

Three Bad Things About Living Alone

1. Four days of Pumpkin Bread and two days of tuna noodle casserole. Enough said.

2. I don't have anyone to rant to at the end of my work day. On particularly frustrating days that means that some of my friends get phone calls where, after quickly meeting the initial politenesses, I enter into a five minute rage about the stupidity of... things, where my unfortunate victim can only make an occasional agreement grunt. Sorry all.

3. I feel no shame when I cry freely when Hurley's girlfriend Libby dies, but secretly I am crying because I just want Hurley for myself. How can any girl resist the mystique of Say Anything-type wooing? I am so pathetic. House is a much better T.V. crush. Go back to House, Absent. It's only been 24 hours since you have seen him. You can't be so shallow to be over him so easily. You must continue to long for his silver tongue.

But then tomorrow, my dear friends Will and Grace, and my pretend co-workers at The Office. Sigh. I hate being addicted to T.V.

4. I know that I have been known to walk, talk, and even make phone calls in my sleep, but lately I have been doing yoga poses in my sleep. Not good. I need to find a way to get out of the habit of waking up in blind, stabbing pain because I have twisted my body up like a curly fry. Or I need to get creative with my stories. "Yes, yes, I did stub my toe." Or, "You are right, my back hurts a bit... I'm not sure why, it's definitely not because I woke up at four a.m. in extreme pain with my left foot under my right ribcage, because that would be weird."

It's hopeless, isn't it. I'm going to be the crazy cat lady soon.

Lost Sock Memorial Day, Childhood Depression Awareness Day, May 9th

Lost Sock Memorial Day

To honor your lost socks, you can watch The Lost Sock:A ten part drama in eleven episodes . . .set in the coastal town, resort and port of Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK . That is, you can watch the first seven episodes, if you have time that you want to devote to that. I only made it through two.

Childhood Depression Awareness Day

This is a project more near and dear to my heart. Please wear a green ribbon today.

"On May 9, ask a child or teen "What's the Matter?" — the theme for the CDAD observance. Proudly wear a green ribbon to draw attention to childhood depression." (Childhood Depression Awareness Day)

No Socks Day, Have A Coke Day, May 8th

No Socks Day

If you have an opportunity to run your toes in the sand today, please do it without socks. It's No Socks Day.

Have A Coke Day

And what perfect day to have a Coke, when you are running your toes in the sand. Diet Coke with Lime, or Vanilla, or my favorite mix, Diet Coke and half Root Beer.

Just imagine, all of your friends at the beach with you, and all of your little toes bare in the sand and your fingers holding a Coke. Every phalange occupied.

I miss the beach.

Paste Up Day, National Roast Leg of Lamb Day, Scale Day, Edgy Killer Bunny Day, May 7th

Paste Up Day

According to this site, Paste Up Day "honors people who paste up newspapers, magazines, books, and other printed materials."

National Roast Leg of Lamb Day

I am not sure what I would do with a Lamb's Leg if someone gave one to me. It's definitely not a piece of meat that I long for, or that I can cook by just opening up my spice drawer, like chicken. So, if you are like me and lamb is foreign territory, but you still want to celebrate National Roast Leg of Lamb Day, start here. That pretty well explains how to choose, season and roast a Leg of Lamb. Poor lamb.

Scale Day

Can I share how un-right I think it is that the day after No Diet Day, we have Scale Day? Just plain wrong.

Edgy Killer Bunny Day

Without Edgy-dear, there would not be an Almanac; blogging would have been a passing fancy that would have just lasted about five minutes and no-one would have ever even known that I had blogged, other than the boy who helped me set up the blog, which wasn't Edgy, and that boy doesn't even read my blog anymore. (I think. He has at least stopped commenting.)

Anyway, Edgy is wonderful because he thinks of me enough to make online articles into PDF files so that I can keep electronic copies of them. He makes me drink water. He makes me think about applying for jobs that I deserve. He picks me up when I crash my car. He waits until I am ready to go to the emegency room after the accident, and sits in the emergency room with me, never once reminding me that if I had not ignored his suggestion to go to the emergency room immediately after the car accident we would be home by now. He is happy for me when I get kisses. He calls people ninnys when they are being stupid and I complain about them to him.

Edgy is my BFF (male version). Every one of the most important people in my life I can remember the first time that we met, and the same is true with Edgy. We were being loud and obnoxious in Sunday School. So loud and obnoxious that the boy I was crushing on at the time asked me if I had fun flirting with my new boyfriend. (Which I will forever claim means the boy was jealous, no matter what he denies. He had a tone.)

After we met, there was one Sunday I had a bad day with my Multiple Sclerosis and I asked Edgy for some help, and gave a brief explanation of why I needed it. Usually when I tell people that I have M.S. they flinch, they look away, they look disappointed or somehow repelled. There is a traceable sort of rejection in their eyes, even if it's just fear of the unknown. It is a negative reaction that I have to brace myself for. It wasn't there in Edgy's eyes. He immediately hugged me. That's when I realized that he was one of the best, most wonderful people in the world.

So, you see, Edgy is the source of many, many good things in my life. I am very happy to celebrate a Day O'Edgy, and a Month O'Edgy.

Pilates Day, No Diet Day, National Tourist Appreciation Day, May 6th

Pilates Day

Since it is the Month of Edgy, he will be happy that today is Pilates Day, because it is further evidence that the world is celebrating him. So go out there and get a balanced body right now everyone!

No Diet Day

And to celebrate bodies even more, it's No Diet Day.

National Tourist Appreciation Day

If you live in Utah, and you aren't taking advantage of this, it's not my fault.

National Historic Preservation Week, (or, um, month, that is)

 

National Historic Preservation Week has become so popular, the National Historic Trust has decided to spread it out a month. (According to this press release.) So, I know that during the month of Edgy, we all will want to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month.

So, if you want to know how to celebrate Historic Preservation without actually actually going out and lying in front of a bulldozer, or doing hours of research to find out what is the correct color to paint your 100 year old wall, I will tell you. Today, HGTV's Restore America announced their grant recipients, and as such, the historic sites that will be highlighted in the 2006-2007 season of Restore America.

"HGTV has donated $1 million for the 2006-2007 campaign of HGTV’s Restore America to fund community revitalization grants. More than 100 grant applications were received from nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the country to complete residential projects.

'Since 2003, this campaign has provided $3 million to fund 36 restoration projects across the country and has elevated the importance of preservation through on-air and online efforts,' said HGTV President Judy Girard. 'The work of the National Trust is a natural fit with our goal at HGTV to reflect the rich and varied fabric of American life through our programming. We look forward to continuing to build on the foundation that has been laid and to see this important initiative become part of how America views our homes, neighborhoods, and towns.'" (HGTV Restore America Sites for 2006-2007)

If you live near any of these areas you can walk by one of these projects and see historic preservation in progress. How cool is that! One might be closer to you than you think! HGTV is working with the National Historic Trust to promote these preservation projects, as well as many others around the country.

• Chicago: Historic Pullman Landmark

The Neighborhood Housing Services Redevelopment Corporation will use the $50,000 grant to convert 10461-10463 South Corliss into six affordable housing condominium units. The organization anticipates that this project will serve as a catalyst to spark new interest and investment in the North Pullman community.

• Cleveland: Heritage Lane Historic Homes

The Famicos Foundation was awarded a $75,000 grant to rehabilitate three homes built between 1910 and 1915 in Cleveland's National Glenville neighborhood as part of a larger project to renovate 13 homes in the city’s National Register Historic District.

• Miles City, Mont.: Old Holy Rosary Hospital

The Housing Authority of the City of Miles City will use a $50,000 grant to aid in converting the original hospital building into 21 apartment units which will be made available to low-income families.

• Provo, Utah: Maeser School

The Provo Nonprofit Housing Development Corporation was awarded a $50,000 grant to restore the school for use as 31 apartments for low-income seniors.

• Philadelphia: Winston Commons

Mt. Airy USA was awarded a $50,000 grant to restore four buildings on Germantown Avenue to create a commercial development with six upper-floor residential units.

• Norwich, Conn.: The Wauregan Hotel

The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation will use a $50,000 grant to restore the hotel and create 70 units of affordable housing and four retail storefronts. Once open, the building will also host events in its restored ballroom.

• Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Electric Vehicle Company

Minneapolis-based Artspace Projects, Inc. was awarded a $50,000 grant to restore the old automobile factory and create 60 affordable units for artists to use as residences and studios.

• New Orleans: Holy Cross Recovery Project

The Preservation Alliance of New Orleans received a $100,000 grant to aid in the rebuilding of the Holy Cross District in New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward. Grant funds will be used renovate one house that sustained hurricane damage and reconstruct one house that collapsed during Hurricane Katrina.

• Knoxville, Tenn: Barber Houses

Knox Heritage was awarded a $50,000 grant to restore two homes on Washington Ave. in Knoxville’s Historic Parkridge Neighborhood. The houses, built in 1887 and 1913, were both designed by George Barber, who led one of the top mail-order architectural firms in the country.

• Little Rock, Ark: Hot Springs High School

The ARC Arkansas received a $50,000 grant to restore the high school and auditorium into 32 loft-style apartments. President Bill Clinton graduated from the former school, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Seventy percent of the apartment units will be set aside for low income individuals.

• Austin, Texas: Juniper-Olive District Historic Homes

The Austin Revitalization Authority was granted $50,000 to rehabilitate five homes in the Juniper-Olive District and create affordable housing units. The Juniper-Olive District is located in Austin’s East End, was once home to a vibrant African American community and is an important piece of Austin’s history.
(HGTV Restore America Sites for 2006-2007)



 

Friends

Since I seem to be having a bout of insomnia, I think that I am going to pre-celebrate friends tonight, instead of waiting until the last week of May, National New Friends Old Friends Week. `I really like friends. I was thinking about it a lot today. Last week at the Blog Party I got to meet some new friends, but not as many as I should have. I can be a bit shy and I latch on to people who I at least think will want to talk to me. FoxyJ probably wondered why I was following her around until Edgy got there. Although, I did find S-Boogie's conversation regarding music and cookies delightful, and I met Svoid, uncle of S-Boogie, who I will always consider one of the coolest people I have met, because he told me that I look much younger than 31. What a sweet talker. And he has a goatee. I like goatees.

I was quite excited to meet Theric, and Lady Steed, and I didn't formally meet Big O, but the little flashes of blond hair bobbing around the yard were adorable. (And though Theric did complain a bit that I didn't stay long enough to talk, I was there for two hours. He just wasn't there when I was there.)

I believe that I met Editorgirl, and Jessica Bennet, and there was another girl who was very nice whose name I have forgotten, and Ambrosia , and Tolkien Boy was there, whom I have met before, but I don't think that he remembers who I am, and that's okay, there were lots of people both times he has met me. I stood next to Cicada who I wanted to tap on the shoulder and tell her that I love reading her blog because she is so funny, but, I felt a little weird about interrupting both of our conversations to do that, so I didn't meet her. There were also four guys that I met, that I kept not being able to connect their real names to their blogs, so I feel stupid that I can't name them here. And if any of them read this, (I don't think they do) I sincerely apologize for my poor proper-name-to-blog-name memory.

So there we are for new friends, and now I must get around to putting new links up on my side bar. And many thanks to Master Fob and FoxyJ for hosting such a wonderful bash.

On to old friends. Thursday, my BFF (girl version) LL came to visit from California. This was the first time that we have been able to see each other since she got married. Five minutes after she got to my apartment, I locked us out of it. Good times. We just wanted to feel like we were in a teen mystery novel, (we are still under negotiations on whether Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden is the better teen detective) and wanted to start of with the right sort of adventurous tone. It was a planned lock-out. I wanted to give the maintenance man $25 to let us back into my apartment. But, we both kept our humors despite the wait and our hunger and the calling of the sushi restaurant... everything eventually worked out. (We didn't have any mysterious strangers listening to our conversation at the restaurant, and there weren't any men dressed in shabby suits who approached us at the store afterwards. Although, we did have a cashier who had gave us a lot of personal information, that may or may not become relevant in the future... we shall see. It depends on whether or not LL's luggage was switched while we were sleeping, or if there was a mysterious package left on her front seat when she left my house the next morning. I haven't hear from her yet...) When we got home we had ice cream with magic shell, and talked forever, and the watched a movie, and then talked some more.

We got to bed about 4am. I didn't have to go to work the next day, but that didn't stop my boss from accidentally calling me at 7am when he put his phone in his pocket. Anyway, I didn't get up after he called. I won't share when we got up, but I ended up talking off poor Miss LL's ears for the rest of the day, and she had stuff that she needed to get done.

I just love friends that you think that you have talked in and out and though every possible topic with, and yet there is still so much more that you can cover. One of the things that makes LL so easy to talk to is what her brother Briam calls her effervescence. LL makes everyone happy who is lucky enough to be with her. But she has a dark but witty side; you can see it here where she guest blogged on Briam's blog.

And the insomnia continues... and so do the friend stories.

As I was on my way home from work today, it was one of those days where you need to listen to your music really loudly and jam out in your car on the way home in order to completely de-stress from the day, I was really rocking out in my car. Way more than usual. But, because I live in Pleasant Grove, I kind of feel that I have this bubble of anonymity around me. I can go to the grocery store in sweats and no make up, because I will not run into anyone I know. Everyone I know lives in Draper, Provo, Spanish Fork, or Bountiful, or Ogden, or Cedar Hills. (Alright, I know I should have just said somewhere else instead of listing all the possibilities, it's 2am, give me a break.)

Anyway, I am completely rocking out in my car driving down Geneva Road, and my phone beeps with a little text message. I look at it. I don't recognize the phone number. I read the message: "I can see you." Umm. Scary! But, not too scary. It would have been much worse if I had been alone in my apartment instead of driving at 50 miles per hour down Geneva Road. I look around, and don't see anyone I know behind me or to the sides of me. So, I figure that I got the message accidentally. Then I got a second one: "Can you see me?" So, I look around again, and I see him. In the truck in front of me is a guy I knew from a BYU Singles Ward that I attended like, 5 years ago. I haven't heard or seen him in years. I did think it was funny that he still had my phone number in his cell. Kinda embarrassing that he saw me car-dancing, but oh, well. It was fun to know that I had a friend on the road, even if my bubble of anonymity seems to have been broken.

Yes, friends, old, new, and even car friends are good. Friends who live near are sometimes the best. They can answer an emergency call in just a few seconds. Everyone needs at least one friend that will always be there for them through thick and thin. I am very lucky to have several.

Even though I really, really like living by myself, I do occasionally miss having generalized companionship, just having someone to talk about my day with when I get home from work, and all that type of stuff. Anyway, I had dinner with some close friends on Sunday, who also happen to be some of my nearest friends, and so my most frequently visited (for me), and I realized how much I love having them so close. But, now they are planning on moving. And I am sad. I am going to miss the availability and accessibility (even if it's just the theoretical nearness) of them when they move. I know that it will be a good move for them, and I support them, and will be happy for them when they find the perfect home. But right now I am going to pout, because I am anticipating seeing less of my dear friends. I will get into a more supportive frame of mind. And helping them move will probably make up for any excessive pouting on my part.

But, I think that I have nearly written my way out of my insomnia. It's now 3am, and my eyes are heavy. Time for bed, gotta be at work in four and a half hours. Wahoo!!

A Plethora of Days, May 3rd

Wordsmith Day

On Wordsmith Day your can check out Wordsmith.org, or Wordsmyth.net, or Wordsmithshoppe.com (but this one is shut down), or Wordsmithradio.org, or Wordsmith.net, or The Archaeology Wordsmith. There is a plethora possibilities for linguaphiles.

Lumpy Rug Day

Now, I really just don't understand why we have a Lumpy Rug Day. I mean, did someone just look over at the rug that kept on bunching up under their front door and say, "We don't celebrate rugs enough." Or did someone love their Indian Rug sooooo much, they just had to create a celebration? They even have ecards for Lumpy Rug Day.

And there are some people who think that it is Lumpy Egg Day instead of Lumpy Rug Day. I guess that we can individually decide which day touches our souls more, and personally celebrate that day with either a new rug, or scrambled eggs.

National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day

Check here for information about anxiety disorders.


National Meeting Planners Appreciation Day

So, what if you are a Secretary and a Meeting Planner? Do we get to celebrate me again this week?

Paranormal Day

Check out Paranormal News to find out what is going on in the paranormal world on Paranormal Day. Or, just check it out to see how much UFO folklore you have missed out on since X-Files has gone off the air. Oh, how I miss X-Files. Mulder and Scully, they used to light up my Sunday nights with their super-high-beam-always-shining-in-deep-fog-flashlights.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum . There is a lot of good information there, and actually, Holocaust Remembrance Day was last week this year, and I missed it, but we can still remember today.

International Tuba Day

Listen to Tuba music here to celebrate International Tuba Day. If you want more than one option for your Tuba fix, click here. If you want more that two... there is this really cool search engine called Google.

Skittles are good... but, are they that good?

LOCKED IN TRUNK -- A 23-year-old Orem man locked himself in the truck of his car early Saturday while attempting to retrieve some stray Skittles.

The man decided to clean his car at 4:30 a.m. and accidentally knocked away the device that held the trunk open, police said.

He called police from his cell phone, which he had on him while locked in the trunk. Orem police were able to get him out. (Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Public Log May 2, 2006 Daily Herald)

May is .... Month

The month of May is named after Maia, a Greek goddess and mother of Hermes. The Saxons called the month of May "Tri-Milchi" because cows can get milked three time a day during May. (Betcha didn't know that.) Apparently, May is also a very bad month to get married... due to Mary Queen of Scotts' unfortunate history, and the fact that she got married in May. If you want to check out other May folklore (like the superstition that you shouldn't bathe in May) check here and here.

May also is... Get Caught Reading Month, Creative Beginnings Month, Date Your Mate Month, National Barbecue Month, National Bike Month, National Hamburger Month, National Photograph Month, National Recommitment Month, National Salad Month, Older Americans Month, Asian American Awareness Month, Awareness of Medical Orphans Month, Better Hearing and Speech Month, Clean Air Month, Family Wellness Month, Go Fetch! National Food Drive for Homeless Animals Month, Haitian Heritage Month, Heal the Children Month, Healthy Vision Month, International Victorian Homes Month, Light the Night for Sight Month, More Than Just a Pretty Face Month, National Correct Posture Month, Fungal Infection Awareness Month, National Egg Month, National Good Car Keeping Month, National Mental Health Month, National Moving Month, National Salsa Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, National Scholarship Month, National Smile Month, National Revise Your Work Schedule Month, Personal History Month, Prepare to Buy a Home Month, Young Achievers Month, National Family Month, Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month, National Strawberry Month, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, National High Blood Pressure Month, National Arthritis Month

(Did I miss any?)

The Weeks of May

The Weeks of May

May 1st-7th

Eat Dessert First Week, Astronomy Week, Be Kind to Animals Week, Pen Friends International Week, Update Your References Week, National Suicide Awareness Week, National Historic Preservation Week

May 8th-14th

Flexible Work Arrangement Week, Wildflower Week, National Nurses Week, National Family Week, National Hug Holiday Week, National Pet Week, National Postcard Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, Life Coach Recognition Week, National Stuttering Awareness Week, Cover the Uninsured Week

May 15th-21st

Reading is Fun Week, National Transportation Week, Work and Home Moms Week, National Effectiveness Week, National Running and Fitness Week, Dulcimer Week, National Police Week

May 22nd-29th

National Safe Boating Week, National Etiquette Week, National New Friends Old Friends Week, National Backyard Games Week, Emergency Medical Services Week

May 1st

I'm sure that everyone can find a day to celebrate today... Beltane, Executive Coaching Day, Law Day, Library Legislative Day, Loyalty Day, May Day, Melanoma Monday, Mother Goose Day, Save the Rhino Day.