On This Day – May 5th … Strange Holidays
Bike To School Day
Cartoonist Day
National Hoagie Day
Cinco De Mayo
National Astronaut Day
National Silence The Shame Day
Okay here is a quick breakdown on a couple of these: Astronaut Day celebrates what else but astronauts. Soviet Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth. Alan Shepard became the first American to fly into space. And John Glenn would become the first American to orbit the Earth --- Hoagie Day: This big sandwich is known by several names: hoagie, sub, submarine, or a hero. Hoagies are a regular on most diets in America. People eat them for lunch, dinner, and even as a late night snack. It's a quick meal or people on the go. The popularity of the Hoagie sub is due to the diversity and variety of its contents. It can be hot or cold, luncheon meat or meatballs, and will contain no cheese, or a variety of different cheeses. Then, the fun begins as you pile on any number and combinations of extras.
Now, to the task at hand.
Bike To School Day
Today is the perfect time to ride your bike to school. The sunny spring weather is perfect for a ride. Biking is relaxing. Biking is fun. And biking is a healthy exercise. The League of American Bicyclists and schools around the country work together encourage students to skip the bus ride, and bike to school for both exercise and for fun. In today's digital electronic world, most kids in America can use the exercise and time away from the I-pads and cell phones. Encouraging today's youth to ride a bike, can lead to a lifelong addiction to cycling. And that's a good addiction. It also leads to healthier adults.
The first Bike to School Day was held in 2012 with approximately 1,000 schools participating. It has quickly grown, and now thousands of schools take part in this. In addition to promoting health and exercise through biking, the promoters are also seeking to assure safe baking routes to and from schools.
Cartoonist Day
Cartoons brighten up, and lighten up our lives. So it is only fitting that we have a day like today to celebrate past, present, and future cartoonists. We are all indebted to them for making or lives happier and more light-hearted.
From Sponge Bob SquarePants to Bart Simpson and Mickey Mouse, cartoons make us smile. They make us feel good. Most cartoons are intended to be funny. Others are designed for an almost endless number of reasons. Some cartoons are designed to send a message of some kind. On occasion, they can be serious, political, instructional, or promotional. Of the many types of cartoons, absent are cartoons that are sad or sorrowful. That would run counter to the reason cartoons exist.
Cartoon characters can be found in practically any and all media. They are in newspaper and magazine comic strips, or the "Funny Papers". Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey, Betty Boop and so many more cartoon characters got their start in printed media. Comic books abound with cartoon characters. Cartoon characters have been on both daytime and nighttime television since the days of the black and white TV. Cartoon characters grace the big screen, too. Disney's Mickey Mouse first appeared in the movie "Steamboat Willie" on November 18, 1928. More recent examples include Shrek, Aladdin, Nemo, and Dora the Explorer. Cartoon characters are used everywhere in advertising, too. Characters like the Trix Bunny and Captain Crunch adorn many cereal boxes. A well-recognized gecko and duck, each sells insurance on television.
The first cartoon character wasn't Steamboat Willy or Mickey Mouse. In 1895, Richard F. Outcault introduced the "Yellow Kid". He appeared in publisher Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, running from 1895 to 1898. This bald kid in a yellow nightshirt later ran in William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal.
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It's already tomorrow in Australia."—Charles M. Schulz
Cinco De Mayo
On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. This single military battle signified defeat of a European colonial power, and a victory for the Mexican people. This single battle was the roots of Cinco de Mayo.
Cinco de Mayo is not the celebration of Mexican Independence which is celebrated on September 16th.
What Cinco de Mayo has come to be, is much more than one battle in the colonial history of Mexico. Rather, it has come to signify Hispanic and Mexican pride and a time to celebrate the rich culture.
Today, this holiday is celebrated by Mexicans, and especially the Hispanic community in the U.S. It is a time of song, dance, partying, and in general a time to be proud to be of Hispanic descent.
"Never let fear of striking out get in your way."—Babe Ruth
National Silence The Shame Day
Today brings an opportunity to continue the conversation about mental health and wellness and erase the stigma associated with mental illness.
Mental illness, like any other health concern, is diagnosed at different stages. It may have fewer symptoms from time to time and/or impact on our daily functioning. It is also important to know that mental illness is treatable, and recovery is possible.
Unlike other areas of our health care, many people don’t have an affordable or accessible routine plan of care for mental health challenges. Individuals who may have access often suffer in silence due to the stigma of being diagnosed.
More Strange Holidays Coming!