I have “middle of the month blues.” The condition is worse in January because I am coming down from all the holiday hurrah.
I have celebrated my birthday which is two weeks after New Year’s Day, and it is winter to boot. The bad part is that newspaper deadlines do not observe holidays, and they could care less about writer’s block. They keep coming as regularly as the light bill. When ideas are thin, I rely on the quirky holiday calendar for inspirations.
The first holiday that caught my eye was National Skeptic Day, but I doubt that anyone celebrates that – sorry, I couldn’t resist.
A holiday that does get a lot of traction is Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day. All those resolutions to exercise more and stop slamming down $5 Grande Mochas with extra chocolate and whipped cream lose their luster after the New Year’s hangover subsides. Speaking of hangovers, whoever came up with the National Measure Your Feet Day on January 23 must have celebrated long and hard after the confetti settled on New Year’s Eve.
One holiday coming up this week that I do embrace is National Handwriting Day. I think it is more important than it sounds. Most people write by tapping keys on a computer. Writing on a keyboard has its advantages. But there is something to be said for watching the words come to life behind a nice fountain pen. Jilda bought me a sleek pen from Levengers which is an online supplier of fine office supplies. I use the fountain pen to write in my daily journal and my day planner. I get a kind of subliminal pleasure from forming words by hand. The smell of ink and paper, along with the physical act of writing seems to engage the right side of my brain. It brings me into the “Now.” I found a word for it online: kinesthesia, which happens when the brain gets feedback from muscles and ligaments about how the body is moving. There is an ongoing debate to omit cursive writing in grammar schools, but for me, it is a valuable skill that helps my thinking.
Other quirky holidays in January include National Kazoo Day, Punch the Clock Day and National Inane Answering Message Day. I have done an inane message or two on our answering machine. One of the call pleasers:
This is Rick and Jilda’s house, and we are indisposed
So leave your name and number, and a message I suppose
We’d really like to talk to you, so wiggle that old tongue
But hang up and leave no message, and we’ll rip out both your lungs.
Our hanger-uppers dropped dramatically when that message played to callers. I took it off when one of my humorless bosses at the phone company called me at home one Saturday.
One holiday that is on my calendar is January 26. That day is Spouse’s Day. It’s not about cards and candy, but a chance to give my spouse a hug and tell her how much I love her and what she means to me.
Life is short. I hope you find something to celebrate every day.
Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His latest book Life Changes is available on Amazon.com. You can contact him via email at rick@homefolkmedia.com.
