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Obscure Holiday Calendar: FebruaryA Celebration of Education: Noteworthy Observances Worth Studying
While many (OK, most) observations are simply fun to know, there are some that are genuinely worth learning about. These are the ones designed to keep us healthier, safer and just plain smarter, as well as to make sure we remember some amazing people whose contributions to science and the arts changed our lives completely and forever.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. And during the month of lovers American Heart Month doesn’t miss a beat in raising awareness of its warning signs and suggesting ways on how to live healthier and longer. It’s also meant as a day to pay tribute to medical professionals and volunteers for their efforts in preventing, researching and treating this disease. Red ribbons on hospital staff, red caps for newborns and free screenings are just a few of the heartfelt promotions established by the American Heart Association.
In the internet’s infancy, our greatest fear was a Nigerian prince seeking help in freeing up his royal fortune. Today, we’re faced with ID theft, online predators and a host of other dangers. On February 5th, 2004, Safer Internet Day began in Europe but has quickly grown globally to include awareness campaigns and valuable information on how to safeguard your business, home and family from scams, spam and scary cyberstuff.
Speaking of safety in the home, when the AC goes or the washer’s spewing suds, you feel pretty smart if you’re covered with a solid home warranty. Equally smart were the folks at 2/10 Home Buyers Warranty Group out of Aurora, Colorado when they declared February 10th as National Home Warranty Day, backing it up with a major social media blitz. At Covalent, we’re helping our home warranty client spread the word that a little protection can bring a lot of peace of mind.
On the seventh of February in 1863, chemist John Newlands published the first Periodic Table which included 56 elements. Today we’re up to 118, and scientists around the world hope you’ll spend National Periodic Table Day celebrating the stuff elementary to our existence. If you can name them all, you’re golden. Or, at the very least, Germanium.
When Ronald Reagan proclaimed February 11th as National Inventors’ Day, he did so because it was also the birthday of Thomas Edison, one of our country’s most cherished inventors. It’s an ideal day to fondly remember and learn more about those inspired visionaries and geniuses who generously brought us life-altering creations such as light, flight, microwaves and bubble wrap.
Long before you could google it, you had to library it. And you can thank the Wisconsin Library Association for establishing Library Lovers’ Month, and making our love of reading and learning official. This month take the kids, rent a DVD or volunteer your time. Dewey would be proud.
Wrapping up February observances for the erudite is National Haiku Writing Month.
Developed in the mid 1600s, Haiku is the Japanese art of abbreviated poetry that consists of three lines, with five syllables for the first and third lines, seven for the second. That being said,
For the shortest month
Write just one haiku a day
And be done with it.