Hairstyle Appreciation Day!

You know how when you ask some women what their favorite body part is and they always say their hair and you think to yourself…Well that’s kind of a cop out…
A cop out it is NOT, today!  Today is Hairstyle Appreciation Day!

Yes, that’s right every hairstyle needs to be appreciated today.  No matter if you like it or not.  Learn to embrace the odd, the colorful, the retro, the disco, the…whatever it may be.

Hair doesn’t just keep our heads warm.  Friends, it is much more than that, and you are well aware of it.  A hairstyle is a way of letting people know more about who we are.  Individuality stems from whichever hairstyle we choose.  Just like our favorite color, favorite book, or favorite movie, a hairstyle can let people know if we’re wild, punky, chic, classic, etc.

Let’s look at some trendy hairstyles that have graced our societies:

Starting with the 50s:

Believe it or not, but a popular hairstyle in the 50s was called the poodle cut.  Now, I’ve never seen a poodle before and said to myself…Wow, I really wish I had hair like that…but apparently the women in the 50s did.  To each their own, I guess…

This poodle cut was teased and curled to “attractively” shape the face.  Many who sported the poodle look were considered extremely fashionable and not worried about splurging on the perfect do.

Moving on to the 60s:

The popular style of this era was called the beehive.  Yes, I know…another fabulous name.  I mean, why wouldn’t you want to make your hair look like the cone shape of a beehive we all know and love?  Yeah, you would want to…don’t be ashamed.

My mother herself actually sported this hairdo.  Pretty sure she’s going to kill me when she reads that, but psh it’s Hairstyle Appreciation Day.  I’m appreciating the trendiness of the beehive hairstyle!

Gah!  A modern beehive!  Could the beehive be making a come back??  Well if you would like to try out the beehive, I’m including a how-to lesson for creating this masterpiece:

Disco it on down to the 70s:

The Afro is probably the most notable hairdo to come out of the 70s.  Similar to the beehive in a way, the fro is more of a complete circular shape rather than a cone.  The great thing about this hairstyle is that it isn’t gender specific.  Both men and women appreciated this do!

I personally think the young, non-creepy, Michael Jackson pulled this look off the best though!

I Love the 80s:

Ok, people.  The birth of quite possible the BEST hairstyle EVER occurred during the fabulous years of the 1980s.  Yes you guessed it!

THE MULLET!!!!!!!!

“The business in the front and party in the back” mullet.  Oh my heart is just so full of joy for this hairdo.  It has provided endless amounts of entertainment for everyone out there.  Even those who proudly wear it don’t take it seriously.  If you’re really really lucky, you’ll be able to see one of these mullet’s in its natural habitat…A NASCAR RACE!

The 90s up until now have proven to be pretty boring in the hairstyle department compared to these amazing looks.  We’re all about straight hair now. Blah.

Anyway, dear readers, I hope that you will enjoy this Hair Appreciation Day!  Go buy some temporary hair dye today.  Try a new shade that you’ve been dying to experiment with!  Good luck!  And remember, trends usually re-circulate, so don’t go knockin’ the mullet too much…you might find yourself sporting the look someday!

Best Holiday Wishes!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day, readers!  Now today is one of those holidays that warrants a serious post from me rather than my trademark silly one.  Today actually is a very important holiday that can be an eye-opener for many of us out there.

Some might consider this whole idea of Going Green to be some sort of fad that re-circulates into our society every 30 or so years, but becoming more eco-friendly is much much more than a trend.  The only way to truly understand the impact that our wastefulness and disastrous behavior has on the earth is by throwing out some fun facts courtesy of http://www.ecocycle.com.

•    There are more roads in our National Forests than the entire U.S. Interstate Highway system.

•    Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months.

•    If we recycled all of the newspapers printed in the U.S. on a typical Sunday, we would save 550,000 trees–or about 26 million trees per year.

•    Recycling creates 6 times as many jobs as landfilling.

-Now this should definitely be in President Obama’s plan for kick starting the   economy…

•    Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to operate a TV for 3 hours.

Disney has chosen to celebrate this Earth Day by creating their own National Geographic-esque documentary that follows 3 animal families in their natural habitats.  After watching this trailer, you will definitely want to know more about what you can do to help preserve the beauty of our world!

Now I know some of these facts seem like staggering hurdles to overcome, but there are definitely some small things YOU can do to help restore the earth!

1.    Recycle!

–    Recycling is quite possibly the easiest way to help our world.

–    Print on both sides of the paper.

–    If you have children, make recycling a fun task for them to do so that they will carry it on with them after they leave the house.

2.    Buy environmentally friendly light bulbs!

–    These compact fluorescent light bulbs will help you save around $50 on energy bills a year and $20 by not having to replace other light bulbs

–    On average, these bulbs last 5 years

3.    Hang up a clothesline!

–    You can emit up to 90% less CO2 by drying your clothes without the use of a drying machine.

4.    Plant a tree!

–    One tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

–    Trees have been known to slow down the effects of global warming.

I’d say it’s about time that we put as much focus into preserving the beauty of our world as we put into preserving the beauty of ourselves.  Just think that if all of those women in California, and I know this is a HUGE generalization, focused more on the state of the earth as they did on the state of their outward appearance, then the world would be a much better and cleaner place.

Below is a Wordle visual I created that picks out the most frequently used words in Alyx Grayson’s poem “Earth Day 2009.”  Check it out!

Statistics: Average Amount Consumers Spend on Holiday Gifts

Blah Blah Blah Day!

Americans, and I’m only referring to Americans because I am one and know for a fact this is true, say the darndest things sometimes!  Let’s go over some popular American phrases:

1.    You do the math. (never a fan of anything related to math)
2.    It’s not rocket science. (“                                                       ” science)
3.    To be completely honest… (oh ok…well I was assuming you were going to lie to me, so thanks for clearing that up…)
4.    Bad news bears. (great movie, but a necessary phrase it is not)
5.    It’s five o’clock somewhere! (ok this is a true statement, but we alllll know that this is just a phrase people use as an excuse to do what they want.  I may or may not have uttered said phrase once or twice, but that was when I was young and naïve…)

Ladies and Gentlemen, drum roll please for the top American phrase and the reason we are celebrating today, April 17.

6.    BLAH BLAH BLAH!

Yes, that’s right people.  Today is Blah Blah Blah day!  The perfect and most appropriate of all days to use this gem of a phrase!

Blah is the perfect word to use when you are not sure of how you are feeling about a certain topic.  Blah is actually one of those strange words that has no actual meaning, yet it is still quite popular in our society.  When using “blah” in a Google Search, 3.25 million results come up.  That’s a lot of blah.  It’s probably so popular because Americans love to talk, thus including a word in their speech, which has no actual meaning, allows them to increase their rate of verbage.

Blah Blah Blah can be used to express a multitude of emotions:

•    Sadness
“I just got a D- on my Organic Chemistry final.  I’m gonna fail the class.  Blah.”
-from no one in particular, but probably said by many students

•    Anger
“I think people talk too much anyway. Sometimes people are talking to me and in my mind I’m just like “shut up, shut up, shut up…blah blah blah blah blaaaaah.”
-Ellen DeGeneres

•    Disgust
“Oh wow.  I cannot believe Lindsay Lohan is wearing that.  Her skirt is so blahhh!”
-once again, not from anyone in particular, but I can imagine Perez Hilton saying it

•    Apathetic
“I just don’t think I’m that interesting. I don’t think what I have to say is that interesting. To hear me go blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean, who… cares?”
-James Gandolfini

•    Frustration
“Blah! I have 5 papers due for one class in two weeks.  Blah!”
-can be heard by students everywhere

So, dear readers, I urge you to celebrate this great day by using the word BLAH in as many ways as you can.  The person who uses this phrase the most today will win the greatest prize given away in the history of prizes!  Good luck with your blah endeavors!

Best Holiday wishes!

Disclaimer: No prize will actually be given out.  It’s a joke, people.

National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day!

It’s National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day!  Yes, that’s right, today is a day to celebrate that sandwich that is near and dear to many of our hearts.

A survey conducted by the National Peanut Board, and no I’m not making this up, reported that the average child eats 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before graduating high school.

Yum

I don’t know about you, but I definitely partook in the tradition of taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school everyday, in my oh so fancy brown paper bag.  A lunchbox was so not popular at my school.  I secretly did yearn for my own trendy…or actually not so trendy…lunchbox, but that’s beside the point.  I digress.  Eating peanut butter and jelly at school is tradition.  It’s the American way.  It’s required, and if you don’t like PB and J…well then you’re just going to have to get over it and learn to LOVE it…or you could be made fun of.  Your choice.

Peanut butter and jelly isn’t just a sandwich, oh no. These three basic ingredients make more than a school lunch treat.  Oh, dear readers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches represent much more than that!

Peanut Butter and Jelly is playing with your friends on the playground.
Peanut Butter and Jelly is thinking cooties really do exist.
Peanut Butter and Jelly is dreaming the impossible.
Peanut Butter and Jelly is a sign of the simpler times in life.
Peanut Butter and Jelly is nostalgia.

Oh childhood

I have this theory that adults who still eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are not just eating them for their delicious-ness, but rather are yearning to feel the same way they did when they would eat them as a child.  Youth is a huge trend in our society today, and the most cost-effective way to reminisce about the “good-ole days of bein a kid” is to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

However, there is good news for you adults out there!  There are some restaurants that provide some pretty fancy PB and Js.  In fact, there is a restaurant in New York City that provides different varieties of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  If you’re in the area, I urge you to check it out! http://www.ilovepeanutbutter.com/sandwichshopmenu.html

I will end this blog post with the infamous, yet annoying, song “It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time.”  Celebrate this glorious holiday by kicking back and enjoying a nice PB and J.  Maybe throw in an old movie that you loved watching as a kid.  Today is the perfect day to act unabashedly youthful.  You have my permission!

Everything You Do Is Right Day!

You know those days when nothing, and I mean absolutely NOTHING, seems to work out for you?  A time when you look up to the sky and exclaim “Why me???” The Curious Case of Benjamin Button depicts a good example of one of these moments, with exceptional film work, I might add…

Well today, dear readers, you won’t have to worry about your forgetful nature or accident-prone qualities. It’s Everything You Do Is Right Day!

Let’s take a look at a video of some of the luckiest people ever. I’m sure all of these events took place on this holiday because they had to be doing everything right to experience such crazy things and be able to walk away from them.

Now here’s a list of a few staple items in our society that were invented just by chance. Everything these people did was clearly right in order for them to invent such amazing things that we often times take for granted:

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies
The owner of the Toll House Inn, was making chocolate cookies but ran out of baker’s chocolate, so she substituted it with broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate because she thought it would melt. It clearly did not melt, thus creating chocolate chip cookies that are now so near and dear to many people’s hearts…and stomachs.
2. Popsicles
An 11 year old left a mixture of powdered soda and water on the porch, which contained a stir stick. That morning he woke up to discover this frozen treat.

3. Microwave
Percy Spencer walked past a radar tube one day and noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket melted.

Since today is a day when you can do no wrong, then I say try to achieve something you’ve always wanted. Do that one thing that you never thought was possible. Go after that one person you never thought you could talk to. Apply for that job that you have always dreamed of. Do something outside of your comfort zone and reap the rewards of your courage! You have absolutely nothing to lose today.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes that might help to inspire you:
“You’ve gotta take some chances. Risk losing it all. Gotta close your eyes and leap because it might just be worth the fall.”

By the way, ignore the “risk losing it all” portion of the quote because that won’t happen to you today. Everything you do is right today, after all!

And now I ask you this…What has been your best day ever? Explain a day in your life when everything you seemed to do was right.

Best holiday wishes!

Fanny Pack Day!

Ever had this happen to you?

“OMG look at that girl!  What is she wearing?  Is that a…no…it can’t be.  Holy crap it is…it’s a fanny pack!  What is she thinking??”

If you’ve said these words, or, dare I say it, had this said about you, then you are in luck, my friend.  Wondering how you could possibly be in luck??  Well, today is perhaps one of the best days of the year for you.  It is Fanny Pack Day!

Ohhh people, get excited! Don’t be ashamed to admit your fanny pack past.  Embrace that fashion faux paus that we all secretly love.  I mean, come on, how can you not love the easy accessibility of a bag fashioned around your waist?  Obviously, many people today don’t have enough time to remove a bag from their shoulder, place it on a table, look inside and remove what they need, thus making fanny packs essential for said people.

The fanny pack was traditionally created to be worn facing the rear, hence the name “fanny pack.”  However, our society clearly considered that to be too dorky, so we turned that fanny pack around and started wearing it in the front to let others know how proud we are to wear it.  Having pride in one’s fanny pack is essential.

Fanny packs were considered trendy in the late 80s, making them a staple to wear to any 80s themed party.  For some strange reason, however, the fanny packs lost their pizzazz and became “unfashionable.”

You might be surprised to know that fanny packs could be making a comeback.  Ever noticed that some celebrities can be seen sporting their own fanny packs around the town?

Donna Karan, an extremely fashion forward individual, was pictured wearing her fanny pack to some fancy shmancy party.  The Hulk, himself, is also a self proclaimed fanny pack fan.  And, is it just me or do the hand warmers that football players wear strangely resemble fanny packs?

Hulk in Home Depot wearing his manly fanny pack

Donna showing her fanny pack pride

Whatever your feelings are regarding fanny packs, today is a day to celebrate the, at one point, beloved fashionable bag.

Mario Day!

Happy Mario Day, everyone! Many people don’t know that today is a day to celebrate, especially for you Italians out there. Mario day was initially started by video gamers because they noticed that when March 10th is abbreviated (Mar 10) it strangely looks like “Mario.” So, I know that a lot of you out there, mostly males between the ages of 10 and 40, will celebrate this momentous holiday by playing some old school Mario on your Super Nintendo or Play Station.  I, on the other hand, will choose to observe this holiday by paying a special tribute to some of those famous Marios out there who have influenced our society.

1. Mario from Super Mario Brothers

I mean, I might as well talk a little bit about the Mario that this holiday was named after. Mario, the Italian plumber, was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, and first appeared in Donkey Kong in 1981. Mario then moved up in the gaming world and got his own game in which he shared the spot light with his brother Luigi.  Mario can typically be seen fighting Bowser to rescue Princess Peach.

Mario is known as being the most famous video game character ever created. The Mario game series has been the best selling series of all time—over 200 million copies sold. A national survey conducted in 1990 found that Mario was more recognizable than Mickey Mouse.

We, also, do have a lot to owe the creators of the Mario game series for providing us with such great theme music.  If you happen to be living under a rock, then thank God for technology because I can post the song for you right here and change your life forever by opening your eyes to one of the many wonderful tunes Mario has provided us.

2.    Mario Lopez
Some might consider him cheesy and others might think he’s still a heartthrob, but whoever you are, you most likely know who Mario Lopez is.

As much as Mario Lopez tries to escape his past character roles, he  will forever be seen as A.C. Slater from, the classic, Saved By the Bell.   Lopez was born in 1973 and has had a diverse acting career.  From  Slater to hosting to Dancing with the Stars, Lopez has been in the  spotlight since he was a teenager.  Lopez has appeared in numerous  films, however they are not very well-known.

Even though Lopez is definitely considered a D-List celebrity, he has a bangin’ name and one that probably makes him more famous than he should be.  For your entertainment I’ll show you some of Lopez’s best work.  In this gem of a clip you get to see A.C. Slater show off his intimidating dance moves.

3.    Mario Batali
Known for wearing his orange Crocs on his TV show, Mario Batali is a famous chef that appears regularly on the Food Network. 

Batali kicked off his career as a dishwasher while he was in college.  He climbed up the kitchen ladder and became a chef in very little time.  His determination has led to his success and allowed him to star in his own TV Show, Molto Mario, for 7 years.  He now can be seen on the popular series Iron Chef.  Growing up in an Italian family, he is best at preparing traditional Italian cuisine.

So, dear readers, I hope you will enjoy your Mario Day by playing a vintage video game, watching some classic episodes of Saved by the Bell or whipping up a batch of spaghetti and meatballs.

International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

Gather around, pet lovers. Today is a day for you to celebrate with your beloved pooch! Dog biscuits are key for any pet owner. Whether you use them for obedience skills or to teach fun tricks, dog treats are essential. I mean what’s a better bribery tool to use than a dog biscuit? Did your dog run out of the house and won’t listen to you when you tell him/her to “GET BACK IN THE HOUSE“? Whip out that milk bone and your dog will be sure to listen. Does your dog have HORRIBLE breath that you cannot seem to get rid of no matter how many times you awkwardly try to brush his/her teeth? Give your pet a Greenie, which is known for its help with improving bad breath.

So, to celebrate this momentous occassion, do something fun for your pet today. Take your best friend to Bruster’s! Bruster’s is an ice cream shop that gives a free scoop of ice cream topped with a dog biscuit to any pet that comes by. Teach your pet to sit, stay, heal, roll over or whatever else you choose. If you’re really lucky, you might end up with a dog that can do this: