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Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category

Positivity Bias

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , , on November 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate today! Even if this isn’t your holiday, I hope you have a moment to remember the good things in your life.

The Right Attitude to Gratitude – The Atlantic

Gratitude is so effective that if you could bottle it, you’d be a billionaire. But as with so many beautiful parts of life, gratitude is not something you can market like a drug or nutritional supplement: It happens to be completely free—but not so easy to attain. Thankfulness requires neither payment nor subscription, just a commitment to stand up against your limbic system, which is lying to you with its negativity bias—saying that this lovely morning is actually pretty annoying, and that everyone is dissing you.

And if you want to learn more about overcoming your all-too human negativity bias, check out the full article. Because while evolution may be good for the species, it’s focused on survival. It doesn’t care if you have a good day.

Unlike me. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

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Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

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Ripple Effects

Posted in Holidays, Other, tagged , , , , on November 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Happy Kindness Day! Not that you should limit kindness to just one day, but a little reminder can be useful. And knowing that people around you are more predisposed to be kind today? 

That’s a good thing, and it’s catching! 

If you’re going to be kind to another human, today is the day to do it!

Some hardhearted souls may even question whether small acts of kindness really matter. Spoiler alert: They do! 

…

“And here’s the beautiful part: When someone receives kindness, they don’t just feel better, they become better.”

The bonus is that a little kindness is good for both the recipient and the giver. Win win!

How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

— William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

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Photo by Daniela Matthies on Unsplash

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Graveyard Poem

Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged , , , , on October 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Live this moment

Feel this day this sun this breath

I loved those things too.

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Photo by Benjamin Griffin on Unsplash

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That Halloween Thing

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , on October 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I recently received an emergency request from a friend for a critical mission: Could I please run over to the old Toys ‘R Us and check for a certain costume for their toddler?

That’s right, I was asked to visit Spirit Halloween.

Sure, I said, no problem. I’ve never been to a Spirit Halloween before, it’s bound to be interesting.

And it was. I’m not a big Halloween person (I believe I’ve mentioned my childhood scars from The Amityville Horror; thanks, Dad! and also thanks for not moving into that house that looked a lot like That House when we were kids). 

My last real costume was a ghost (although I did attend one party as Trinity from The Matrix which was fun; still have the leather trench coat), so it’s been a while since I really celebrated. 

I do remember that there were very definite differences between good candy and not-so-good candy. 

As many of us prepare to do That Halloween Thing, I thought I’d share this highly scientific analysis of candy preferences:

The Ultimate Halloween Candy Power Ranking.

The social contract of Halloween is simple: Provide adequate treats to costumed masses, or be prepared for late-night tricks from those dissatisfied with your offer. To help you avoid that type of vengeance, and to help you make good decisions at the supermarket this weekend, we wanted to figure out what Halloween candy people most prefer. So we devised an experiment: Pit dozens of fun-sized candy varietals against one another, and let the wisdom of the crowd decide which one was best.

Or just buy what you like and share it with the neighborhood. Either way, have fun!

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Photo by Sebbi Strauch on Unsplash

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To Dream As You Will

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , on July 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Happy Fourth of July!

“I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love.”

— W.E.B. DuBois

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Photo by Titus Wincentsen on Unsplash

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This Beautiful Country

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , on July 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Happy Canada Day!

Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.

— Pierre Trudeau

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Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash

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Happy to Be in the North

Posted in Holidays, Science!, tagged , , , on June 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Today the sun will reach its northernmost latitude. It will sit above the Tropic of Cancer, which means that today is the longest day in the northern hemisphere, and the shortest day in the southern hemisphere.

On this Summer Solstice, will you have one longest day or two? – The Weather Network

This marks the start of astronomical summer for the northern hemisphere for this year.

And in parts of Canada, we have a bit of added fun.

The entire country will experience the longest day of the year on Friday the 20th.

However, if you live anywhere from northern and eastern Ontario to the Atlantic coast, Saturday the 21st will be the exact same length as the 20th, down to the second. This includes Timmins, North Bay, Ottawa, and Bainsville in Ontario, plus everywhere to the east — all of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Check out the rest of the article for more on the astronomy of it all, where the name comes from, and what a solargraphy is (pretty, that’s what).

I hope you enjoy the solstice, no matter where you are. And if you (like me) get two, even better!

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Photo by Jacob Amson on Unsplash

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Happy Holiday!

Posted in Holidays, tagged , on June 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Happy Juneteenth, everyone! Today’s holiday marks the day Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger entered Galveston, Texas in 1865 and issued General Order No. 3. In essence, it said “The war’s over, and the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery is the law of the land.” 

I’ve written about the holiday before:

Happy Juneteenth, America!

Our Newest Federal Holiday (and my Confederate great great grandfather)

Freedom for Us All

As Dr. Shane Bolles Wash said, “It immediately changed the game for 250,000 people.”

“You can’t hold a man down without staying down with him.”

― Booker T. Washington

Here’s to freedom, for us all.

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Photo by Todd Trapani on Unsplash

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Things My Father Taught Us

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , , , on June 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Just some of the things my father passed on:

  • be kind
  • listen to others’ opinions, even if you don’t always agree
  • money is a useful thing, but not the most important thing
  • read to your children
  • a warm kitchen makes a home
  • a good chef’s knife is important
  • a good library is critical, and
  • you can always do more than you think you can.

To the man who introduced me to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, good food, good music, and good writing, Happy Father’s Day!

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Photo by Din Djarin on Unsplash

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The Good That Remains

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , on May 26, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Today is Memorial Day in the US, and I’m thinking of those who served and died. I’m thinking of Boalsburg, one of the first homes of Memorial Day celebrations. And I’m thinking of the ways in which we remember those we’ve lost, as sorrow highlights the good that remains. 

Memorial Day by Amos Russel Wells

The Day of Memories!—Remembering what?

The cannon’s roar, the hissing of the shot?

The weary hospital, the prison pen?

The widow’s tears, the groans of stalwart men?

The bitterness of fratricidal strife?

The pangs of death, the sharper pangs of life?

Nay, let us quite forget the whole of these

Upon our sacred Day of Memories.

The Day of Memories!—Remembering what?

The honored dust in every hallowed spot;

The honored names of all our heroes dead;

The glorious land for which they fought and bled;

Our nation’s hopes; the kindly, common good;

The universal bond of brotherhood;

These we remember gladly, all of these,

Upon our sacred Day of Memories.

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Photo by benjamin lehman on Unsplash

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