Every Day Is Special: March 2015

March 31 – International Hug a Medievalist Day

Posted on March 31, 2015

What, you may ask, is a medievalist? And do I really want to hug one?

Medievalists are people who study medieval times – medieval art and architecture, perhaps, or literature, or history, or all of the above. Some medievalists don't just study the life and times of Europe's Middle Ages, they also enjoy taking part in reenactments, wearing period costumes, creating paintings or stories set in either realistic or fantasy-flavored medieval times, and watching or reading others' fiction.

Oh! And, yes, if you know a medievalist, you definitely do want to hug him or her today, and maybe other days as well!

Just hope that they are not holding a sword as you do so!

The articles over at Medievalists.Net discuss such things as kidnappings in 13th-Century Aragon, Vikings and their filed-down teeth, and top 10 strangest deaths in the Middle Ages.

Sarah Laseke, a scholar of medieval literature, invented the day in 2011. She wanted to draw attention to medievalists and to the time period they so enjoy learning about.

Medieval fun can be had in a more gritty and realistic flavor or a more magical flavor.

And don't forget the romanticized version of medieval times!

Be a medievalist for the day! Check out some of these great kids' resources, or Mr. Donn's links.

Then, give yourself a hug!

Also on this date:

Transfer Day on U.S. Virgin Islands

Author/ editor Andrew Lang's birthday

Freedom Day in Malta

Cesar Chavez Day

Chemist Robert Bunsen's birthday

Education and Sharing Day

Plan ahead:

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March 30 – The Grass Is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence Day

Posted on March 30, 2015

It seems to me that this is an odd concept for a special day!

“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is an old saying that means that we often think that others people's lives are happier, simpler, better, but that's because we only see the outside of their houses or their for-company parlors, their public behavior, and their “this is what I share with others” Facebook status updates...and all of that paints a rosy picture. But, the saying hints, if we were actually over there, on the other side of the fence, we would see the problems. The weeds in the grass, the dirt and cobwebs in the house, the tempers and aches and downs and doubts in the life.

So...what does “The grass is always browner on the other side of the fence” mean?

That the speaker is luckier than everyone else? Happier? Richer? More loved? Better in some way?

Apparently, the day is set aside to urge us to be grateful for what we have, and of course, that's a good thing. I just think that the turn-around on the saying doesn't work very well!

So...go forth and be grateful!

And turn maxims upside-down and inside-out!

It can help people really think about things if you take a familiar saying and give it a different twist. Be inspired by these examples and come up with a few of your own...

Also on this date:

Seward's Day

IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad's birthday

Shouter Baptist Liberation Day in Trinidad and Tobago

Anniversary of the invention of the pencil-eraser

Artist Francisco Goya's birthday

Artist Vincent Van Gogh's birthday

Anniversary of the purchase of Alaska

Plan ahead:

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March 29 – Boganda Day in Central African Republic

Posted on March 29, 2015

Barthelemy Boganda wasn't born in the Central African Republic. As a matter of fact, if he hadn't been born, there might not BE a Central African Republic!

Born in 1910 in a part of Africa that was administered by France, Boganda was part of a family of subsistence farmers, which means that they only grew enough food and other items for the family and had not extra crops to sell to others. However, Boganda was adopted and educated by some Catholic missionaries. He ended up being ordained the first Catholic priest from that part of Africa (which was called Obuangui-Chari).

In 1946, after World War II, Boganda went into politics, and he became the first Oubanguian elected to the French National Assembly. He fought against racism and also against the colonial government of his land. And, back at home, he started a grassroots movement among his people to oppose French colonialism.

He left the priesthood, married, and continued to work for equality and civil rights for black people. In 1958, the French government began to consider granting independence to most of its African colonies. Boganda met with the French Prime Minister and hammered out an agreement to create an independent Central African Republic.

Boganda didn't live to see his dream become reality!

Boganda was ruling the newly-autonomous territory as its first Prime Minister, helping to write a new constitution, which was adopted in February of 1959. On this date in 1959, just a month later and just before legislative elections, Boganda boarded a plane to fly from across the almost-independent nation—but his aircraft exploded in the air, killing all passengers and crew.

Boganda designed the flag for

the nation he didn't live to see.

This is the first postage stamp

of the new nation.

Many people thought—then and now—that the plane was sabotaged, and one newspaper in Europe reported that experts had found traces of explosive in the plane's wreckage. But no commission was ever formed to investigate the mysterious explosion, and we still don't know what happened

Needless to say, the people of the new nation were shocked. There was a huge outpouring of grief. The Central African Republic did achieve formal independence from France in August of 1960, but Boganda wasn't able to lead the new nation, as he had hoped, or even see it.

Also on this date:

Anniversary of the “British Invasion” of Russia

National Mom & Pop Business Owners' Day

Ecologist Charles Elton's birthday

Memorial Day in Madagascar

Anniversary of the day the Niagara Falls stopped falling

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

March 28 – Something on a Stick Day

Posted on March 28, 2015

Sometimes I think, “Well, now I've heard EVERYTHING!”

Then a new day dawns, and I hear something else that makes me think, “Okay, I guess I was wrong yesterday, because NOW I've heard everything!!!”

But I suppose there are endless wacky ideas that people will come up with, including endless wacky holidays that people actually do celebrate!

And today it's Something on a Stick Day!

The idea is, get a stick (a lot of people apparently use popsicle sticks), put something on it, and send the photo in to the Something on a Stick website I linked to above. And, guys, you have to check out the gallery! I personally love the stick on a stick!

Of course, a lot of celebration of the day could focus on foods on a stick. Fruity icy treats and creamy frozen treats often come on sticks, of course! There are all those shish-kabobs of juicy meats or savory veggies on the grill...yum! And skewers of fresh, chilled fruit are a great desert – unless you want to go to the trouble to make toasted marshmallows, which of course are a hotter form of delicious! You can eat lollipops, frozen bananas, corn dogs...Hey! A lot of food comes on a stick!