AUGUST 21: POETS DAY
This day is dedicated to the crafters of poetry: Poets. Poetry “uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language.” Its meanings go beyond prose. And its forms are many (including sonnets, limericks, and haikus), as are its types (such as narrative, epic, and lyric). Over the course of literary history, poets have used different styles, resulting in a history of poets as diverse as the literature they have written.
“What is Poetry?” has been a question vexing philosophers forever. Aristotle wrote a book — aptly named Poetics — trying to define it. The history of poetry is lengthy, traceable in written form as far back as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, written in Akkadian, during the late 2nd millennium BC, to celebrate and memorialize the great deeds and attributes of a king and a culture. In ancient Rome, professional poets were sponsored by wealthy patrons in Ancient Rome. Patrons of poetry continued on through the Renaissance period. At the same time, troubadours were travelling poets.
Poets have written in all languages. Even in the long-ago, poets did other things besides write poetry. William Shakespeare also “worked in theater,” both as writer and actor. Shakespeare, of course, is one of the best-known poets. Worldwide, his work serves as the foundation for academic study of poetry in colleges and secondary education, alike. The Victorians loved him so much, they coined a word for their admiration: Bardolotry. But it took a while for his rise to poetry fame. It took hundreds of years after his death in 1616, for Shakespeare to become the legend known today. Such is the plight of a poet.
The poem by a poet is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language. It includes sound symbolism, phonaesthetics (look it up), and meter. For the poet, a poem is a form of communication that expresses ideas in the literal sense, bringing out the meanings deeper rather than giving the mere definition of the words. Poet’s Day is a form of tribute or honor to the world’s most creative personalities who write poems.
AUGUST 22: NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY
National Tooth Fairy Day is a reminder for kids, young and old, to relive the fun of visits from the Tooth Fairy when a newly lost tooth was exchanged for a fun surprise under their pillow in the morning! The origin of fairies dates back to 13th-century England when they were described for the first time by Gervase of Tilbury. The tradition of a child receiving a gift for a lost tooth can be traced back to medieval Europe. In a collection of writings called The Eddas about the Norse and Northern European traditions, there is a reference to a “tand fe,” which directly translates to “tooth fee.” As part of this tradition, children would receive a small fee from their parents when they lost their first tooth. This is because teeth were a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Some Viking warriors would even wear a string of teeth as a necklace during battle to protect them.
In many cultures around the world, various traditions around the tooth fairy are celebrated! The tooth fairy herself (or himself — the verdict is still out) has been around since at least the Middle Ages. Europe, Russia, some parts of Asia (especially China), and North America have certain traditions that revolve around the concept of a tooth fairy: a child loses a tooth, leaves it under his or her pillow that night, then a special creature stealthily exchanges it for a coin or a treat during the night. That creature is sometimes a small animal such as a mouse, rabbit, cat or dog; sometimes a mythical creature akin to a fairy.
The closest counterpart of the modern Tooth Fairy came in the form of an 18th-century French fairytale “La Bonne Petite Souris” (“The Little Good Mouse”). The first written American record only reaches back to a 1908 Chicago Tribune article. Author Lillian Brown provided parents with a magical suggestion for getting their children to have their loose milk teeth pulled: Tell them the Tooth Fairy would leave 5 cents under their pillows for every tooth lost. In 1927, an eight-page script for a children’s play titled “The Tooth Fairy” was written by Esther Watkins Arnold. The play became widely popular; schools enactments spread it far and wide. Since then, the Tooth Fairy has become a global phenomenon, reportedly paying visits to children in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
In the US, over the years, the tooth fairy’s largesse has varied. In 1942, columnist Bob Balfe wrote in the Palm Beach Post that the fairy gave his children War Stamps to put in their books, popular during a time when the war effort was a motivating factor. Today, the average payout ranges from $3 to $4. However, if a tooth falls out during the night, with no time to break a large bill, the amount could climb higher.
AUGUST 23: HUG YOUR SWEETHEART DAY
Hug Your Sweetheart Day is for wrapping your arms around that special person in your life — your sweetheart — and showing your love for them with a hug. Hugging has been around for millennia and is practiced by almost every culture as a way to connect with others without using language. The word “hug” seems to have come from “hugga,” an Old Norse word meaning “to comfort.” “Hug” was first used around 1610 to describe a wrestling hold. It began being used for its current meaning in the 1650s.
Hugs may actually have a scientific basis for happy feelings. They release a hormone called oxytocin, produced in the pituitary gland, into the bloodstream. This hormone helps lower blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. It also reduces anxiety, improves mood and memory, and increases bonding and closeness. Those who hug often tend to have increased empathy for others. In order for hugs to be beneficial, however, both the huggee and the hugger must trust each other and both want to hug. Otherwise, the opposite effect happens, and cortisol levels rise, causing stress. Bottom line: think before you hug. Even your sweetheart. After that, it’s pretty much up to the two of you . . .
AUGUST 24: PLUTO DEMOTED DAY
For many years, kids in science class used a cute little mnemonic device to remember the names of the solar system’s 9 planets: “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Up Nutty Peanutbutter.” But that mother no longer serves peanutbutter. Why? Because Pluto has been demoted! What’s a mnemonic to do?!
Pluto was the Solar System's 9th planet for 76 years. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ, it was given the name of the ancient Greek ruler of the underworld, Pluto, by an 11-year-old girl named Venetia Burney (Google her, if you like).
In 1992, questions arose around Pluto’s legitimacy as a planet after the discovery of large objects in its region, including one that actually had a larger mass than Pluto itself. Eventually, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) settled on a definition for “planet,” which ultimately excluded Pluto. From that point forward, it has been known as a “dwarf planet.” A dwarf planet is defined as is a celestial body that orbits the sun and has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape but that has not cleared the area around its orbit and is not a moon.
Because Pluto is very far from us — on average about 6 billion kilometers (4 billion miles) —little is known about it. In size, Pluto has a diameter of about 2250 kilometers (1400 miles), or about two-thirds the size of Earth's moon. Pluto's orbit is highly eccentric. Its orbit around the Sun is not perfectly circular. This means that the distance between it and the Sun varies over time. It takes Pluto about 250 Earth years to orbit once around the Sun, and about 6.5 Earth days to make a full rotation around its axis.
Closer to home, Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, entered the fray early on in the 1990s. He — and the Hayden Planetarium — have been in the forefront of the discussion ever since. During a 2009 NPR interview, Tyson stated that other celestial bodies of ice discovered in the outer solar system acted similarly to Pluto because they crossed orbits with other planets. According to Tyson, that's simply nothow a large celestial body considered a planet should behave. The astrophysicist went on to say that Pluto’s demotion as a planet shouldn't be looked at negatively. Instead, Pluto should be considered the first object discovered in an area of the outer solar system known as the Kuiper belt. Interested in hearing more of what deGrasse Tyson has to say about Pluto? Below are three Youtubes featuring short clips of him explaining:
2017 C-Span 2: Book TV (Click here)
2017 Neil DeGrasse Tyson on Stephen Colbert (Click here)
2014 Neil DeGrasse Tyson, “Pluto Is My Favorite Comet” (Click here)
AUGUST 25: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOUNDERS DAY
National Park Service Founders Day recognizes the conservation and preservation efforts of the National Parks System. Whether enjoying scenic trails, open spaces, watersheds, or recreational areas, the National Parks Service provides a natural outdoor resource accessible to every American. Hiking and biking trails entice visitors to explore and offer an outdoor experience like no other.
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act, establishing the National Park Service. As part of the Department of Interior, the National Park Service protects 84 million acres in 400 areas across the 50 American states and territories and the District of Columbia. It’s mission today? “The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.” The service is led by a director who is nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The first national park, Yellowstone, was established in 1872. Congress passed legislation to preserve the land as a public park that would benefit the Americans. This made America the first country in the world to create a public park solely for the benefit of its citizens. This was only the first of many steps the government would take to create and preserve national land, forests, coastal regions, wildlife refuges, and historic sites for posterity.
The National Park Service has 22,000 workers involved in permanent, temporary, and seasonal employment. An additional 340,000 volunteers are also enrolled with the service. These parks welcome almost 300 million visitors every year. When the National Park Service was created, it managed 35 parks and monuments. In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt brought 56 national monuments and military sites into the National Park Service, bringing areas of historical, scenic, and scientific importance together. For a new park to be created, there must be an act of Congress. But, with the Antiquities Act of 1906, the president can proclaim national monuments on lands under federal jurisdiction.
With such an expanse of land in its jurisdiction and so many people involved in the land's preservation, the National Park Service's original goal of conservation for future generations is still being met. This is celebrated today with National Park Service Founders Day!
AUGUST 26: NATIONAL TOILET PAPER DAY
National Toilet Paper Day recognizes (nay, celebrates!) this essential item. We often overlook this essential item until entering a public restroom and realizing: no toilet paper. Who created National Toilet Paper Day? No one knows, but whoever it was surely deserve a shout-out for dedicating a day to honoring this humble yet important invention.
Over thousands of years of history, there have been many ways to “clean up.” In the early days, people just used their hands. Over time, a wide variety of items came to be used: rocks, leaves, and corn cobs among them. Squatting over a creek was common, with waste washed downstream by the current. From at least 79 AD until the fall of the Roman empire, the Romans cleaned themselves with a tersorium: a sea sponge on a stick, it was simply rinsed off, then left for the next person. Very egalitarian.
Fortunately, progress and invention intervened. Toilet paper was invented in China in 580 AD. It came in sheets and was coarse and expensive. While most of the population couldn’t afford it, in 1391, the emperor’s toilet paper was made in sheets, each specially perfumed. It wasn’t until the 15th century that toilet paper began to be manufactured in China.
During the 18th century, when newspapers and magazines arrived on the scene in the West, they were often read, then re-purposed for the outhouse or Water Closet. The Sears catalog and the Farmer’s Almanac were legendary for ending up for that use.
It wasn’t until 1857 that toilet paper began being sold in the United States of America, at first in loose flat sheets of paper. On December 22, 1871, Seth Wheeler from Albany, NY, received patent #465,588 for the toilet paper roll. By the end of the 19th century, toilet paper began appearing in perforated rolls that made use more convenient, and companies began advertising toilet paper as “splinter free.” Then, in 1930, the Germans invented the perforated rolls we know today. Americans love their toilet paper and use more of it than any other country; the reason might be that some countries prefer a bidet over toilet paper.
For many decades a debate has raged over whether the roll of toilet paper should unfold over the top of the roll or under it. There are many arguments for each direction. Seth Wheeler’s 1871 patent for the toilet paper roll clearly shows diagrams of toilet paper coming off the top of the roll.
But, wait! There are other pictures of Wheeler’s invention where the toilet paper unrolls from underneath.
So, which way is the winner of this debate? You decide.
One final note: When a roll of toilet paper is used up, most people toss the cardboard core out. But that cardboard roll is recyclable! Placing it in the paper recycling bin, or composting it, saves space in landfill.
AUGUST 27: NATIONAL JUST BECAUSE DAY
Today you don’t need a special reason to celebrate. It’s National Just Because Day. Why? Simple: just because. If you want to make spaghetti for breakfast wearing last year’s Halloween costume, more power to you. It’s a day to stop worrying about the whys.
Just Because Day has also become a great way to spread random acts of kindness. Send a thoughtful card to a friend, just because. Give your grandchildren a call, just because. Pick up your neighbor’s cubby-mail and deliver it, just because.
The original version of Just Because Day may be a movable holiday called Because Day, first celebrated on the third Wednesday in May. It was invented in the late fifties or early sixties, by Joseph J. Goodwin of Los Gatos, California. He turned the gift of a transistor radio for his wife into their own family holiday. For the Goodwin’s, it wasn’t so much about a radio as it was about celebrating life, free afternoons, and family. And so, what began as a wholesome family holiday celebrating the beauty of spontaneity, grew into an annual celebration across the US.
As we grow up and assimilate into the world, we tend to fall in line with always doing what is expected of us. And for many people, that might get a little boring. On this very special day, these unspoken rules society has paved before us no longer apply. This day is your golden opportunity to do whatever it is your heart desires. This day is to encourage you to march at the beat of your own drum. Your chance to do something with no rhyme or reason. It’s also a golden opportunity to spread some positivity to others! Pay a tab for the table next to you. Leave a nice note in someone’s cubbie. The possibilities are endless and the only thing holding you back? You!