Mar 10

It’s Mary O’Day!

Even though the day is really for Mario, I like to think of it as MaryO day.  Since I’m Scottish, how about MaryO’Day?

So, I bring you the new holiday…

Mar 04

March Forth/Fourth

 

Today would probably have been a better day for the Music Man post since it’s about marching forth on March Fourth.

 

 

In honor of dedicated musicians and performers of many diverse styles and backgrounds, Marching Music Day celebrates all varieties of the art forms bringing us “music on the move.”

For centuries, the beat of a drum has kept military units moving in unison. From the training field to the battlefield, the football stadium to the Broadway stage, small gyms, auditoriums and grand arena spectacles, fifers, pipers, buglers, drum corps, marching bands, parade groups, drill teams and color guards bring music to life to the delight of millions of performers and spectators.

 

The military roots of the drum corps have evolved into an art form which moves us during somber memorials and thrills us with their ability to perform delightful music while executing intricate routines with exact precision. Drill squads, marching bands, drum lines, and drum corps name but a few of the many styles of marching music which have developed over the years, engaging hundreds of thousands of performers of all ages, abilities and experience levels.

 

 

We see marching music in schools, military units, community celebrations and local auxiliaries. The music is as varied as the ensembles themselves. Instruments may be limited to brass in some settings or may include woodwinds and electric guitars in others. Dance teams, baton twirlers and color guards perform to soundtracks ranging from traditional, standard marches to rock and roll, jazz, contemporary and electronic dance music.

 

 

And marching music keeps changing! Spectacular string bands incorporate their own unique sound and elaborate costuming. Technology has brought about the production of lighter, electronic and digital instruments making it possible for musicians to march with violins, cellos, basses and synthesizers to entertain crowds in unique and creative new ways.

 

 

Today, March 4 (“March Forth”) is also National Grammar Day. In past years, the National Grammar Day organization promoted the annual date as follows: “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”

 

 

 

Mar 04

It’s Grammar Day!

grammar-day

 

National Grammar Day is observed across the United States each year on March 4th.

According to Global Language Monitor, the estimated number of words in the English language is 1,025,109.  There is some controversy to that number, but it’s safe to say it is over a million.

Language is something to celebrate.  Some people might suggest that grammar is a set of rules for language, but really it is a system for understanding a language; how the words are structured.   Understanding the system and the structure helps us to better understand the language, and can help us to learn new languages.

There are some hard and fast rules in grammar, though.  Even some of those come up for debate from time to time.  Have you ever heard of the Oxford comma?

 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Do your best to use proper grammar and use #NationalGrammarDay to post on social media.

 

HISTORY

Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, designated National Grammar Day in 2008.

As the National Grammar Day website states, “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”

For more information and ideas on ways to celebrate National Grammar Day, visit the website at: http://nationalgrammarday.com/

 

Mar 02

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss!

drSeussBirthdayGreeting

My Little Free Library has a *few* Dr Seuss books in it

Meanwhile…

Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, where I also grew up and went to High School.

The Springfield Library Quadrangle has been home to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden since 2002.

seuss-memorial2 seuss-memorial

Feb 18

Presidents’ Day / Washington’s Birthday

Today is President’s Day, a combo of holidays for George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays, making a new Monday holiday.

These days people don’t seem to celebrate much except for having car and furniture sales.

When I was a kid, we lived in a small town (Pawcatuck, CT and Westerly, RI are sister towns, virtually interchangeable with each other).

Our combined town celebrated George’s birthday with cherry pies.

All the kids went around to the stores, and even bars!, and collected Table Talk pies.

I would come home with piles of the pies – which I loved and is still my favorite today.

As far as I remember, no one did anything for Abe’s birthday 🙁

I have mentioned this quirky event to several others and nobody has heard of giving away cherry pies like this on any holiday.

But everyone I’ve asked wishes that it still happened!

Feb 04

Happy Chinese New Year!

Our wonderful daughter-in-law is Chinese, so we are celebrating, too.

This is the Year of the Pig. 

The Pig (豬) is the twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. 

According to the myths, the Pig was the last to arrive when the Jade Emperor called for the great meeting. Other sources said that Buddha called for a great meeting when he was about to leave the Earth. The Pig came in last.

Legend has it that just as the emperor was about to call it a day, an oink and squeal was heard from a little Pig. The term “lazy Pig” is due here as the Pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast then fell asleep. After the nap, the Pig continued the race and was named the 12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle.]

Other sources say that given his very stout form, he was just too slow a swimmer, and thus he could not do anything against the other animals.

Feb 04

Sean Connery

This video just came up on my Facebook feed this morning but I hadn’t seen it before.  Even though Washington is misspelled, this is still a fantastic performance for Sean Connery in 1999.

Sean Connery was honored at the Kennedy Center for lifetime achievements. The music consists of the Washington Pipe Band, Alasdair Fraser, Davidson School of Scottish Dance, Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis.

Feb 02

Groundhog Day!

Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd, each year in the United States and Canada.

For a nice welcomed break during the winter, on this day the groundhog awakens from his nap and goes outside to see if he can see his shadow. It is believed by many that if the groundhog sees his shadow that there will then be six more weeks of winter. If this is so, he then heads back into his den and goes back to sleep. If he is not able to see his shadow, the groundhog remains outside and, supposedly, spring is just around the corner.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has been chosen as the site for the annual Groundhog day event. Thousands of people come to the town of Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day for this day of celebration.

Although already a well known day, Groundhog Day received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney, PA.

Jan 27

“Happy Anniversary, 2019!

Another anniversary rolls around, the 46th, to be exact.  

I always like to check out this picture of our wedding expenses.  We have it framed and sitting on our mantle.

Tom paid $50.26 (blood tests and wedding ring!) and my costs (I made my own dress) were $29.25.

We were lucky.  My dad was the minister at the Barre (MA) Congregational Church so he didn’t charge us to perform the service.  The women of the church provided the reception in the parsonage.  My mom chipped in the flowers.

Well worth the cost!

Barre Congregational Church

Our honeymoon was in upstate New York so Tom could look for a job.  My only memories of that trip were the snow coming in under the door of our motel and Tom not getting a job.

After that, we drove back to Boston where we rented the bottom floor of my mother-in-law’s house.  In Dorchester, many of the homes were triple deckers and families could have one, two or three floors.

This isn’t where we lived, but a very similar look to her house.

We got all moved in and painted everything (we decided to paint my sewing room a cheery yellow.  The walls just sucked in the yellow paint and we had to use many, many coats). So, Tom got a job in Washington, DC.

So, we packed up and found a small apartment in Alexandria, VA.

That apartment was so small…when my parents came to visit, they slept on cots in the living room with their feet under my newly-acquired piano.

Then we moved to Holmes Run Parkway (also in Alexandria), Silver Spring, MD, Wilmington, DE, and finally settled in Fairfax, VA.

Six years ago to celebrate our anniversary, Tom had a heart attack.  I wrote a lot about that here: https://maryomedical.com/2017/01/27/giving-thanks-day-3/

I am hoping for a nice, quiet day today!

Jan 25

Tonight is Burns Night!

 

Burns Night commemorates the life of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born on January 25, 1759.

 

 

The day also celebrates Burns’ contribution to Scottish culture. Burns’ best-known work is “Auld Lang Syne”.

We were at the Edinburgh Tattoo for this performance but I didn’t take this video.

 

 

Haggis, neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes) are traditionally eaten in Scotland on Burns Night with a dessert of cranachan.

 

 

Bringing in the haggis and addressing it (of course)

 

 

I have never had haggis and intend never to have any!  Not even haggis-flavored potato chips or pizza.

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