OCTOBER 2: NATIONAL NAME YOUR CAR DAY
National Name Your Car Day encourages a special commitment to your wheels. It’s time to give your trusty automobile what it really needs: a name. Name Your Car Day is yet another demonstration of that love thang we Americans have with our rides. Although it might sound a bit, well, crazy, studies reveal that when we name inanimate objects, like our cars (which are, after all, rather animated), we assign almost human-like attributes that make us feel more in control. Name your little red corvette (or clunky little Chevrolet Spark), “Swifty,” and see what happens.
Admittedly, naming your car isn’t something universally done. This holiday aims to correct that. Now a bit of advice. When naming your car, make sure you consider its personality, your personality, and the color of the car. And don’t forget to refer to your license plate. If numbers or letters on your license plate form the initials of a particular name, use that. A further example: If your license plate contains the letters HRY, “Harry” would be a natural. If the license plate contains the letters EVL, consider Evil Ed or Evelyn. Keep these hints in mind and you will more than likely have a perfect name. (And your car will like it, too.) Make a day of the naming. Take Swifty or Harry or Katie or whomsoever out for a spin, a nice wash and shine. After all, you spend all that time together and take such good care of each other, isn’t it time for a name?
Name Your Car Day was created in 1990 by St. Louis television feature reporter John Pertzborn. The day honors his 1954 blue-and-white Buick that “shakes, rattles, and rolls.” The car’s name? What else: Elvis. Twenty-five percent of people have a name for their car, and the most popular name given to it is "Baby” (which we personally feel is an insult to your car, but then nobody asked us). There have also been many famous cars with names, such as Herbie from the Love Bug, General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard, Bandit from Smokey and the Bandit, and Lightning McQueen from Cars.
OCTOBER 3: BUTTERFLY AND HUMMINGBIRD DAY
Two small but beautiful and colorful flying creatures share the spotlight on Butterfly and Hummingbird Day. It may seem odd to honor them together, but, besides being attractive, they’re both great flower pollinators.
There are about 20,000 species of butterflies, some sources say 17,500; others, as many 24,000. There are about 750 species in the US, where the white cabbage butterfly is the most prevalent. The life cycle of a butterfly begins with eggs laid on leaves, which hatch into larvae — known as caterpillars — that eat those leaves and flowers, and grow in size, shedding their skin many times. Next phase: pupa — or chrysalis, from which they finally emerging as butterflies.
Out of the cocoon, butterflies pump fluid into the veins of their wings to expand them, then rest for a few hours before taking flight for the first time. Cold-blooded, chilly air affects butterflies’ ability to function. Below 55 degrees, their body temperature may drop too low to enable flight. Like many of us, they may warm by shivering or by lounging in the sun. Between 82 and 100 degrees is their best range.
Butterfly wings have thousands of scales that reflect light, giving them color. Underneath those scales, their wings are actually transparent. Some butterflies fold their wings in to help camouflage themselves from predators. Others have bright colors so that some predators, aware that many bright-colored insects are toxic, will avoid them, even though they’re not actually poisonous.
Butterflies generally have short lives. Most only living for 2 – 4 weeks, during which they mainly eat and mate. Not an altogether bad life. Some butterflies only live a few days, while some that migrate — like Monarchs and Morning Cloaks — may live about 9 months. Monarchs may travel over 2,500 miles to find warmth during the colder months.
Hummingbirds — from the family Trochilidae — are birds from the Americas. They are the smallest of bird species. Most hummingbirds measure 7.5 – 13 cm (3” – 5”) in length. The smallest of the species is the bee hummingbird (native to Cuba), measuring 5 cm (about 2”) and weighing less than 2.0 g (0.07 oz). There are about 325 species of hummingbirds, but only 8 of them regularly breed in the US. Like butterflies, hummingbirds may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles to migrate, which means that up to 2 dozen species can be found in the US at various times. Most hummingbird species come from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. There are no hummingbirds outside of the Western Hemisphere. Many species can breed together, which creates hybrid species.
Each hummingbird species makes a different humming sound because the wings of each species beats at a different rate. Generally, a hummingbird's wings beat somewhere between 50 and 200 times a second. Wings aren't the only things that beat quickly when it comes to hummingbirds: their hearts beat more than 1,200 times a minute. They also take a breath about 250 times a minute, and that number is even higher when they are flying. Their lifespan ranges from 3 to 12 years and is contingent on factors such as their species, habitat, and vulnerability to predators.
Hummingbirds eat a variety of insects: in flight, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and gnats, or aphids on leaves and spiders in their webs. They drink nectar from flowers, but can also be enticed by sugar water in a feeder, so their beauty can be enjoyed up close.
Hummingbirds have such small feet that they can't walk or hop properly. Their feet are mainly used for preening. However, their small feet also allow them to fly quicker — up to 30 miles per hour when going forward, and up to 60 miles per hour when diving.
OCTOBER 4: RANDOM ACTS OF POETRY DAY
Random Acts of Poetry Day, on the 1st Wednesday in October, encourages outbursts of poetry. The day for poets and poet wannabes spreads random poetry through art, the written word, and voice. It seems that since the beginning of time, people throughout the world have been expressing themselves through poetry. Known for its distinctive style and rhythm, this genre of literature offers a great way to express feelings and ideas.
Generally, the first poems we encounter are like nursery rhymes: stanzas full of rhyming words. As we grow up, we encounter other, different kinds of poems. Some of the most popular include: sonnets, haiku, limericks, ballads, epitaphs, odes, and free verse. Along with the different types of poems, there are three main types of poetry, including narrative, dramatic, and lyrical.
Even if you aren’t into poetry, you have probably heard the names of some of the most famous poets in history: William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Sylvia Plath. Modern-day poets include Sam Sax, Eve Ewing, Andrew Feld, Jane Hirshfield, and Sharon Olds.
It’s believed that poetry is the oldest form of literature in the world. Reading and writing poetry have several benefits. Doing so helps with developmental learning, helps improve ideas, and can be emotionally cathartic. It also helps people not only understand the significance of words, but also their concept of the world. And it can also help improve a person’s understanding of their fellow man and instill them with empathy. All great reasons for everyone to show this day the respect it deserves.
But who invented this holiday? That is one of the great unknowns. All we know for sure is that it was created sometime in 2014 or 2015. It just appeared on the Internet one day and people started to observe it.
OCTOBER 5: GLOBAL JAMES BOND DAY
Global James Bond Day celebrates the Bond franchise. It is held on the anniversary of the date on which the first Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in London in 1962. Based on the book by Ian Fleming, the film Dr. No stars Sean Connery as James Bond, an impeccably-dressed, tuxedo-tailored agent of the British Secret Intelligence Service.
First celebrated in 2012, to mark the 50th anniversary of the franchise, Global James Bond Day was filled with events being held around the globe. The Museum of Modern Art, for example, hosted a film retrospective, while the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences hosted “Music of Bond Night.” There was an auction of Bond memorabilia in the United Kingdom, with the proceeds going to UNICEF. Radio stations played Bond theme songs, and Adele's “Skyfall” — recorded for the upcoming Bond film of the same name — was released.
Fleming wrote a number of books featuring Bond that became part of the Bond film series. The first, Casino Royale, was released in 1953, and Dr. No hit the shelves in 1958. Fleming's books were adapted to the screen by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and the series continued following Fleming's death in 1964, with new stories being written by others. James Bond became one of the most successful movie franchises of all time.
James Bond, Agent 007, started out as a Cold War-era operative but was modernized in the 21st century to confront new global realities. He is known for using the latest gadgets, drinking vodka martinis, dressing stylishly, gambling, living a solitary existence, and womanizing, all while bringing international criminals to justice. Bond has been portrayed by a number of actors besides Connery, including Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnam, and Daniel Craig.
Some cool James Bond facts:
Ian Fleming wrote about the character in 1952 as he began his journey from being a bachelor to being a married man.
The name James Bond comes from the cover of Fleming’s birdwatching book called Birds of the West Indies by James Bond. Yes, the name James Bond is the name of an ornithologist.
James Bond originally carried a 0.25 caliber Beretta pistol in early novels. It was eventually changed to a PPK.
Ian Fleming originally didn’t like the idea of Sean Connery playing Bond.
OCTOBER 6: NATIONAL NOODLE DAY
Noodles have been around for over 4,000 years. The term “noodle” has become a catch-all for all things pasta, spaghetti, macaroni and ramen. Popular the world over, noodles range in shape from flat, to round, to twisted, to sheets, to tubes, and many more. Eating noodles is the easiest way to forklift as many delicious carbs as possible into your mouth, making them a national favorite, no matter what the nation.
Noodles are made by rolling unleavened dough out and cutting into a variety of shapes. While long, flat noodles seem to be the most common, they come in several forms, names, and textures. Found in regions all over the world, noodles are made from a variety of flours. In Asian cuisine, root vegetables, such as yams and potatoes, beans, rice, wheat, and buckwheat are all found in a wide assortment of noodles. Europeans make most of their pasta from durum or semolina flour, though potato noodles are enjoyed as well. In China, you have chefs that pull the thinnest of noodles called la mian; meanwhile in Italy, you have broad flat paste layered with bolognese and béchamel sauce, better known as lasagna. And both are noodles! And, of course, each kind of noodle pairs differently with sauces and meals.
In 2002, archaeologists along the Yellow River in China found an earthenware bowl containing some 4,000-year-old — well-preserved — noodles. The oldest historical mention of noodles appears in a dictionary from the third century AD in China. The earliest noodles, were shaped into little bits, formed from bread dough, and thrown into a wok of boiling water.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when and where noodles came from given that they relied on the innovation of home cooks. In Turkey and across central Asia, a dumpling dish evolved into manti, tiny tortellini-like dumplings. However, some researchers theorize that Genghis Kahn and his empire that spanned from east Asia to central Europe contributed to the spreading of dumplings. Thus, both the Italians and the Chinese lay claim to inventing the noodle. Regardless of where noodles originated one of the most alluring things about them is their variety.
Noodles have been with mankind in nearly every culture, making it one of the planets most widely eaten foods. National Noodle Day sits at the beginning of October which is National Pasta Month, filling this month with a variety of flavors and options to fill a hungry belly.
OCTOBER 7: FRUGAL FUN DAY
Every first Saturday of October is International Frugal Fun Day, falling this year on October 7. Do you believe you can have the time of your life without spending big bucks? Frugal Fun Day is the ultimate day for you to have all the fun in the world without breaking the bank. Frugality — to spend money sparingly — is a quality that may be frowned upon for its “cheapness” factor. However, today, where everything is getting more expensive by the minute, being frugal is something to strive for. Frugal Fun Day encourages you to have fun by spending $5 or less on a fun activity. If the activity is free, then even better.
The goal of the day: make people realize that money doesn’t make for a fun time, it is up to YOU to have fun. The first Frugal Fun Day was invented in 1999 by Shel Horowitz, an avid American writer — Boston Globe, LA Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, among other publications — famous for his money-saving tips and tricks. The idea to celebrate a day of frugal fun came to Horowitz through his book The Penny-Pinching Hedonist: How to Live Like Royalty with a Peasant’s Pocketbook. Taking on a more refined approach four years after the publication, Horowitz came up with the idea that spending too much money to have fun is not necessary.
With the right mindset and some easy economical calculations, you too can have fun. First: October’s weather, with its masterpiece of shades of orange, brown, yellow, and red, gives you the opportunity to make the most of the day simply by going for a walk. If you are in the mood for relaxation, you can also take some snacks — cookies, sandwiches, coffee — to keep you nice and toasty. Taking the River Walk is another option (albeit unconventional, given the weather). But if you are not much of an outdoorsy person and your idea of fun is within the four walls of your home, then that’s fine too. Put on a movie or a TV show, or grab a book! Invite friends over and play board games. None of these are your cup of tea? Just do whatever floats your boat and have the time of your life. Just remember not to spend more than 5 bucks!
OCTOBER 8: WORLD OCTOPUS DAY
World Octopus Day celebrates the existence of one of nature’s most iconic sea creatures. Octopi are remarkably intelligent and adaptable. With some Octopus fossils predating the era of dinosaurs, they are known to be older than most creatures currently existing today. And there’s more to this amazing sea creature than a bulbous head and eight legs with suction cups.
Octopi are members of the class Cephalopoda — “head foot” in Greek — while the name “octopus” comes from the Greek word “októpus,” meaning “eight foot.” Octopi are unusual and unique animals. They have 8 arms, which more often than not have suction cups at the bottom. The arms have clusters of neurons in them, allowing different arms to do different tasks at the same time. (Talk about your multi-tasking!) The neuron clusters may be considered brains. Thus, octopi have nine brains, a central one that controls their nervous system and one per arm. But their amazing characteristics don’t stop there. Octopi have not just one, but 3 hearts! Two for moving blood to the gills and the other for pumping blood through the rest of the body. The octopus has no internal skeleton or a protective shell, it squeezes through narrow openings. Lacking any bone structure, an octopus has even been known to escape from a jar with a closed lid.
Octopi are highly intelligent and have been known to perform tasks ranging from opening jars to using tools. They are incredibly flexible, are great at hiding, and can be found in every ocean in the world. In addition, octopi are visually stunning, coming in various colors, a multitude of sizes, and all sorts of shapes. Some live in the very shallow waters of the sea, while others can be found thousands of meters below the surface. Sometimes called the “chameleons of the sea,” octopi are often able to change colors to blend in with their surroundings as a form of protection against predators.
World Octopus Day was started in 2006 by The Octopus News Magazine Online — yes, there is such an e-publication — to celebrate the uniqueness of the octopus. It has been annually observed since then.
Here are some other cool facts about these cephalopods:
300 species of octopuses
500 million neurons in their brains and arms
A rare type of octopus has tentacles that glow in the dark
The largest octopus on record weighed 156 pounds
An octopus can swim nearly 25 miles per hour for short distances
They mainly eat mollusks, crustaceans, and even smaller species of octopus
Some species of octopus lives in every ocean in the world and along every coast of the US
The female octopus lays up to 400,000 eggs
Large octopi only live up to 5 years
One of the most common octopi — aptly named the common octopus — grows to about 12 to 36 inches in length and weighs between 6.6 and 22 pounds. The largest is the giant Pacific octopus, which usually is about 16 feet in length and 110 pounds. The largest of these ever recorded was 30 feet long and 600 pounds. The smallest octopus is the octopus wolfi, which is shorter than an inch and weighs less than a gram.
Octopi — big or small, today we celebrate them all!
And one more note on the octopus, via the poet Ogden Nash:
The Octopus
Tell me, O Octopus, I begs,
Is those things arms, or is they legs?
I marvel at thee, Octopus
If I were thou, I'd call me Us.