Got my 45 On so I Can Rock Out (MHU)

Today is one of the most special Mondays all year. There are a few Mondays that are better than all others, seemingly set apart by those Higher-Ups who understand both the mundane nature of the Monday and the magic of turning a normal day into a holiday.

Today is Memorial Day, one of our beautiful nation's many holidays that is not only nationally supported, but the date constantly sticks to "Monday". Martin Luther King Jr. Day...President's Day...Columbus Day...all days that have no relation to Monday at all, but always end up being celebrated on a Monday. If any of you were doubting my logic for having Monday Holiday Updates, this is proof that I'm not alone in the belief that any day can be improved by becoming a holiday. Especially Mondays.

So, in case you haven't figured it out, this is indeed a MONDAY HOLIDAY UPDATE on our final full week of May!

Today, on Memorial Day, you should really try and put special remembrance towards our servicemen. They give their lives for our country, whether in their death or in their service. Fly your flags, attend parades, go to a cemetery or a local army museum...and remember with pride.


Tomorrow is a different kind of memorial day...it's Sally Ride Day! Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was born 58 years ago tomorrow, and she's definitely worth remembering. Without her and the women like her, all those space movies would have no love-interests, and we wouldn't have a Zenon. OR a Zequel. But seriously, Sally Ride is pretty dang cool and quite gutsy. So I'm glad she has her own day.

Wednesday isn't a memorial day, but it is one with a brave cause. Sunscreen Protection Day, always May 27th, is meant to educate the public about the importance of UV protection. Sunlight is awesome...it can give you Vitamin C, good weather, a nice tan, and a good attitude. But it can also give you cancer. And sunburn. And peeling skin. So the best way to avoid those fates would definitely be to slather some SPF on your skin before taking Sheryl Crow's advice and soaking up the sun. Not just on holidays- everyday. Just today, you're allowed to be snotty about it and nag everyone else into being just as safe as you.

Thursday is Amnesty International Day. Amnesty International is a group of great people who like to alert everyone about peace problems, both domestic and distant. You can thank them for sending you all those donation requests to Darfur over facebook and whatnot. And you SHOULD thank them (mass-forwarding takes time!) today, preferably by taking the time to read through pamphlets, making donations to honorable causes, and becoming active in a human rights case yourself!

In case you didn't get pepped enough about International issues Thursday, or maybe got over-pepped and now want to continue celebrating, Friday is a great holiday for you. It's International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the job every proper Amnesty International kid wants to have when they grow up! The Peacekeepers are a little bit like superheroes; they have to work together for the good of the human race, sometimes even giving their lives in the cause of fighting real evil. In fact I kind of picture the Justice League when I think about them. However, I've been to the UN building and the people who work there do not dress in tight-fitting, brightly-colored costumes as they fight for international truth, justice, and the international way. They really should, though.

Saturday's holiday is really awesome, and definitely the least preachy of all of this week's holidays. It happens to be Water a Flower Day. And Holiday Insight's information for Saturday's holiday is just too amusing for me to not share: " Water a Flower Day is a reminder to water your flowers...all of them. Sure, we know that this day reads Water "a" Flower (singular) Day. It clearly indicates that a flower should be watered. But, in today's world of equal rights and non-discrimination regulations, how can you single out one particular flower to water? Even if you can decide upon a certain flower, wouldn't the rest of your flowers get upset and file a class action lawsuit? So please, for your own sake, water all of your flowers today. " Pure, comedic gold, ladies and gentlemen! And I fully agree, by the way.

Keeping with this week's apparent theme of being preachy about people, being preachy about people's issues, and memorializing other preachy people, this Sunday is World No Tobacco Day. And this is also my favorite holiday this week...because I don't like tobacco one bit. It smells, it ruins your teeth/lungs/life, and it can break your spirit. I am awfully proud to say that this Sunday is an international holiday towards the cause of breaking people from this horrible habit, and extra pleased it's on a Sunday. If you happen to have a lesson on the Word of Wisdom this Sunday, make sure you bring it up!

So perhaps you like the sillier, easier-to-celebrate holidays. I do, too. But it's good to have a week of legitimate holidays for legitimate purposes of memorial and celebration! Besides, next week is ridiculous in holidays. :)

"Soak up the Sun" can be found by Sheryl Crow, and even she intends to put on her SPF 45 to celebrate Wednesday.