holidays a'comin'

 Today is the 5th day of the 6th week, the 8th day of the 2nd month, the 39th day of 2024 [with only 320 shopping days left until Christmas], and:

• Boy Scouts Day
• Fat Thursday
• Giving Hearts Day
• Laugh and Get Rich Day
• National Giving Hearts Day 
• National Iowa Day
• National Kit Flying Day
• National Molasses Bar Day
• National Potato Lover's Day
• Opera Day
• Parinirvana Day [also celebrated on the 15th] 
• Propose Day
• and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 33s of light travel time from Earth

Quote of the day:

~ from Bilbo Baggins, as written by JRR Tolkien in the "Fellowship of the Ring"

I have always like that quote from Bilbo - and I love the very puzzled faces of the hobbits in the movie, accurately reflecting Tolkien's comment that most of them were trying to work it out to see if it came out to be a compliment.  It seems to reflect the wonderful ambivalence of living around other people and just trying to get along.   It definitely reflects the way I feel about the upcoming week!

You see, I have been flooded this week by vendors reminding me about specials for upcoming events via text and email [work and personal] and snail mail.  

First I am told there is a football game on Sunday - do I want to buy snacks for that?  Maybe I am interested in buying souvenirs, like a special Funko pop figure or a tshirt?   I rather resent all the purple since the Ravens aren't playing....

Or maybe I want to see a preview of the commercials that have aired?  I've seen that one with Patrick Stewart posted multiple times now along with a potpourri of older superbowl ads. 

Of mildly more interest to me is the fact Sunday is also the Lunar New Year celebrations.  The Year of the  Dragon seems encourage a lot of red and gold decorations, which seems a bit odd considering this time around the dragon is a green wood dragon.  

And the fact that today is Fat Thursday tells you it is time for Mardi Gras!  Don't I want to buy a new outfit to celebrate?  How about popcorn?  Don't ask me why, but I have gotten a lot of ads for popcorn.  And this I'm going to celebrate by getting my red hair made redder [translation:  it's time for my regular 6 week cut 'n color routine] 

Then there are the Valentine's Day solicitations - don't I want to send flowers?  wreaths?   I've even been getting ads in my work email inbox.  

Don't I want to buy candy?  Or maybe stock up on wine?  How about making a reservation for a fancy meal - or even have a special desert delivered to me?   And when all else fails and you can't think of anything else,  there are always heart shaped pizzas... 

It's an "everyone in the office" for my company, but I really doubt there will be any celebrating.  Maybe I'll walk on the wild side and wear something red or my heart leggings ....

And last but not least, the 14th of February is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  Have I made preparations for special prayers?  Do I want to join a retreat, participate in an online conference? make a special donation?  

And oh by the way, it's a Holy Day of Obligation so here is the mass schedule...

Me?  I'm looking forward to President's day on Monday, the 19th.  Why?  Because we get a long weekend and I absolutely love three day weekends.  The sales adds should start flooding in very soon now

Meanwhile?  It is going to be an interesting week next week.