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- August 14, 2025
- National Financial Awareness Day 2025
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Early on I was a financial idiot. While I am not yet a financial genius I do fare far better than I once did. I no longer immerse myself in lines of credit which may prove impossible to pay down as I did while teaching college. It's a sad notion to think that the credit card companies go out of their way to over extend you and even sadder to note how quickly so many of us will bite.
The notion of debt relief is fraught with pitfalls. I have been told by multiple financial advisors that this is an adverse solution and so I avoided it entirely.
Didn't need a debt management plan. I knew how much I owed and who it went to and why. That needed to be good enough. Settling the debt through some company struck me as being a large blemish on the credit report. Debt consolidation was viable, but I still needed to stand on my own two feet. After all, I got into the mess so it was up to me to get out of it. Bankruptcy was out because I'm not my youngest brother nor did I want to present the impression that I am the unscrupulous immoral anus he is.
So I sucked it up and paid things down myself. Doubling up on payments was the best approach for me personally. It became a game of seeing just how much more principal I could pay than interest each month. Luckily I was making bank. It meant less caviar. Less alcohol. Less carousing. I paid down massive credit card debt in about 6 years or so.
Today is National Financial Awareness Day.
It is a reminder that knowledge is power and being out of debt is freedom. It is likely a "student" level observance because many of them are just as stupid as I was in the financial arena. Where you are and where you're going is relevant to each and every one of us with big plans.
Now that I'm in retirement I need to avoid those stupid moves which drained my resources early on. My late stepfather took me aside and gave me a stern talking to regarding just where I was headed — and this was at the end of the ordeal. Whether you're a student or an old codger like me you need to exercise a certain awareness about finances and steer clear of those pitfalls into which I fell so many times during a younger day.
Happy National Financial Awareness Day to you !
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- August 13, 2025
- Birthday of Alfred Hitchcock 2025
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Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899 and he passed on April 29, 1980.
He was a Brit film director and is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema.
During his 60 year career he directed over 50 feature films.
Many of these are still widely watched and studied today.
He became known as the "Master of Suspense" and did many interviews where he shared the background and techniques of his art.
He earned 46 Academy Award nominations that included six wins but none were the award for Best Director.
He was nominated five times.
Alfred Hitchcock was knighted in December 1979, a scant four months prior to his death on April 29, 1980.
I recall him visiting the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) when I was a child.
I also remember "The Birds" and the suspense and fright it made me feel.
His was a long, fruitful life and he remains a favorite director of mine to this day.
2025 would have been his 126th year.
Rest in peace.
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- August 12, 2025
- Middle Child Day 2025
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When I was working for the State-Record Company on Shop Road I had a coworker the late Barbara Merritt. She once asked me if I was "the oldest" or "the only" and I thought I had been tagged for some perception of behavioral trait which had escaped me.
Now I was one to get along with most everyone and I can say that there were no hard feelings on my part. My good friend the late Dennis Walsh who also worked with us assured me she had no ill will toward me at all when I poked around for any occult underlying meaning. Suffice it to say I ended up thinking it was all pretty interesting given the fact that she actually "hit the nail on the head" in that I was "the oldest".
So I had 3 siblings who were younger than I. My sister was next. Then two brothers. My "middle child" brother is Jim.
It is said that his birth order allowed him to develop some critical skills that helped him become a successful adult. I suppose I perceive his most critical skill was a need to hook up with some homely barfly woman because it was easier to pursue than those marks I chose for myself. I suppose in the end he was far less particular and that has led to his success with all these many women he has married.
Middle children are said to have personality traits shaped by their position which include adaptability, strong negotiation skills, and increased empathy. This may sometimes be perceived as a disadvantage but it is actually forms some of their strengths such as independence, resilience, and peace making. These interpersonal skills can be valuable in various aspects of life, from getting along with others to career paths.
Today is Middle Child Day. It is observed since 1986 to honor that in-between child in the family, regardless of how stupid he or she may be otherwise. Empathy, diplomacy, and flexibility ... these are all characteristics of Jimmy. So if you engage homely barflies with whom to "marry down" or for companionship, and you are diplomatic in general and flexible in your acceptance of all the riff raff floating around — you too might be a middle child.
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- August 11, 2025
- Hip Hop Day 2025
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My interest in hip hop is not very deep. There are innumerable hip hop artists whose forced lyrics and lack of melody into whose head I'd like to pop a cap. Suffice it to say there are a few hip hop artists whose music I'd actually buy. DJ Shadow is one of these.
Joshua Paul Davis was born June 29, 1972 in San Jose, California. This was a year prior to my graduation from high school. His stage name is DJ Shadow. He is an American DJ and record producer.
I have enjoyed his music since Endtroducing..... which was his debut album in 1996.
His style incorporates layered production with numerous samples and he is known in some circles as the man who "revolutionized hip-hop".
Today is Hip-Hop Day.
It is observed each August 11 in the United States.
Hip-hop has progressed by and large to a musical genre from it's rather ethnic beginnings ...
Anyway, if you can tolerate it today is the day to celebrate hip hop as a true musical style.
If you're like me with a lower tolerance you can always go out and shoot a few hip hop artists for sweet revenge.
Happy Hip Hop Day.
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- August 10, 2025
- Update Your BIO Day 2025
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A bio is a biography or brief biographical profile of a person.
It exists to provide information which may or may not be desirable in some publication or document.
I have an "about" page on my blog. It's the closest thing to a bio I have because I try not to toot my own horn. I let my resume do that and it too is another bio like document I sometimes provide to others. If you receive it you are in the process of evaluating any relevant business prospects we may have in common.
Today is Update Your Bio Day.
It is observed each August 10 annually and is supposedly to provide that impetus to assess and update any biographical pieces you intend to utilize prior to sending something "less than current" out to anyone anywhere.
Seeing how I do little in the way of job hunting anymore there is really no need for me to be propagating a lot of drivel about how great I am.
I've seen bio pieces and business cards in particular where some dumbass calls himself "visionary" as though his weakling intellect could support the claim. If all you gain are other stupid people as business partners that simply couldn't be farther from the truth.
I think that the self righteous person such as this should decide exactly how significant a biographical update is to their state of being and act from that spot.
Regardless, if you need to update things for yourself I think you should go for it.
I believe in proactive handling of such matters but my last update replaced a piece which was well over 15 years old.
I supposes it's just not so significant to me as it was in an earlier place and time. The workplace can make you brazen. It can also make you not fully understood, recognized, or valued. If this is what you seek I highly recommend the incorporated municipality.
Happy Update Your Bio Day to you.
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- August 9, 2025
- National Book Lovers Day 2025
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My mother is a bibliophile. She loves her books. One day she was despairing over the storage of her many volumes fearing that they might get tossed by someone such as myself.
I took her issue to heart and brought her my book case which I was about to take to the Goodwill to get it out of my way. Now all of her books are neatly stacked on the book case in her office.
My personal need for books has diminished over time. When you embark on a career of subject matter expertise you must expect to do a lot of reading. More than you might imagine otherwise. I was fairly naive regarding the reading required to sink various concepts into my thick skull during that process and was quite a bit surprised to find just how much reading it actually ended up taking.
I have personally gorged on technical books during my career to the point that I mostly read ebooks online and web sites containing information pertinent to my existence. I opt for more light reading these days than the massive amounts I once undertook.
Today is National Book Lovers Day.
It happens each August 9 annually.
Book provide information, entertainment, and escape from the drudgery which is life in general. People who read are typically better spoken than those who do not.
Book Lovers are the salt of the earth. Books are manifestations of the earth itself. Happy National Book Lovers Day.
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- August 8, 2025
- National Dollar Day 2025
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When I was a kid it was a thrilling thing for me to find myself in possession of a dollar bill.
Yes, the one dollar silver certificate was sometimes a hallmark of my existence.
Not to appear the materialistic weasel I likely am, it was a coveted positively thrilling occurrence for that young chap such that I was.
Nowadays, I'm not quite so thrilled at the one dollar federal reserve note bill but the dollar remains a fond interlude in my early childhood memories.
Today is National Dollar Day.
It is observed annually on August 8 in the United States. It makes note of the monetary system in the US. We do not know the specifics of the origin of the day.
This observance marks an important event in the history of the country when the US monetary system was established in 1786.
During the idiot Biden administration there was a lot of talk of central bank and digital currency where they were out to exert undue control on the tax payer. I kept wondering how the homeless and destitute would get by with a debit card. I know individuals who have never stepped foot in a bank in their lives. Sometimes the government can bat around stupid notions from the sick minds of democrats. Let us hope they never see another election win ever.
They are out to rule the nation and hopefully will all be killed before that happens.
Anyway I hope the dollar is here to stay and happy National Dollar Day to you tax payers out there. The rest of you can go back and leech off your own countries or move in with some stupid woke democrat.
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- August 7, 2025
- National Sea Serpent Day 2025
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When I was a kid in Virginia Beach, Virginia I was a big fan of Beany and Cecil.
Beany was a kid on a boat called the 'Leaking Lena' which was owned by his uncle Captain Horatio Huffenpuff.
They had various adventures and were typically comical characters more than anything else.
Today is National Sea Serpent Day.
A sea serpent is said to be mythological and legendary. Cryptozoologists believe that sea serpents are plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, or other Mesozoic marine reptiles which could conceivably not have gone extinct. The long neck accounts for the serpentine references. The Kraken was a similar beast mentioned by the Vikings.
The sea serpent is an aquatic beast that resembles a gigantic snake.
The day is observed each August 7 and I have personally seen evidence for their real world existence.
Unlike Cecil, the sea serpents represented by this day are portrayed as dangerous monsters that eat horses, livestock, and unlucky people. The shock and awe of spotting one of these real life monsters just might scare the crap out of you. There was a sighting by a ship called the HMS Daedalus whereby the crew reported witnessing a 60-foot-long creature poking its maned head and torso out of the water. The accounts vary but the thought of these things still frightens me personally.
So happy National Sea Serpent Day and try not to become lunch.
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- August 6, 2025
- Hiroshima bombing today in 1945
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This is not a proud historical event as far as I am concerned.
On this day in 1945 the United States dropped "Little Boy" the atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan because they declined to cease hostilities in pursuit of imperial domination.
The city had a population of approximately 350,000 prior to the attack.
It is said that 70,000 to 140,000 died either directly or as the results of from it's impact.
There were long-term health effects from radiation and resulted in destruction of a large part of the city. Wide spread supposition indicates that this act was a primary factor in the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II.
Sometimes it's better to stop what your doing before the consequences mount to this level. In the final consideration of this horrible consequence I am left to wonder what is left for the people who survived the horrors of nuclear attack.
I have a number of friends who are Japanese none of whom appear overtly hostile. They are typically ubane and much more polite than the red neck cohort from which I arose in Salley, SC.
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- August 5, 2025
- National Underwear Day 2025
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I wear tidy whities.
I would wear boxers but they can't wrangle my package satisfactorily and I sometimes end up on display at the most inopportune moments.
It really doesn't matter what kind of underwear you don in this day and age.
I have a number of friends who prefer to go 'commando' and just omit the underwear altogether.
I'm afraid that the textile underlayment is a bit more important to me personally.
Be all of this as it may today is National Underwear Day.
It goes down each August fifth and promotes the wearing of undergarments in the name of comfort and utility.
My mom was one to admonish me to ensure I was in clean underwear in case I ended up unconscious on a hospital gurney somewhere.
Underwear is that clothing closest to the body and it protects us from sweat, excessive cold, and chafing caused by outer layer clothing rubbing against those soft areas beneath.
Another strong point for wearing underwear relates to support issues and body shaping — although I must admit this has never been a personal concern.
So regardless of what you wear — today is the day to recognize the lowly underwear many of us don as another layer in the uniform of the day.
See Also:
National Underwear Day 2024
Boxer Shorts Day 2022
National Underwear Day 2022
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- August 4, 2025
- International Clouded Leopard Day 2025
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The Clouded Leopard is a mid sized wild cat. It has a distinctive clouded pattern of dark blotches on its coat. It is native to Southeast Asia.
Clouded Leopards are primarily arboreal, and spend much of their time in the trees. They are highly skilled climbers and can ascend and descend head first without difficulty. They lead a solitary lifestyle and are considered vulnerable due to threats like hunting and habitat loss.
Today is International Clouded Leopard Day.
It happens each August 4 annually since 2018 under the auspices of Lauren Amos and Dan Kemp as well as Howlett’s Wild Animal Park. It is obsered in the name of awareness of this, one of the most beautiful and endangered species of animals in an effort to improve their numbers both in captivity and in the wild. So if you ever see one of these beautiful animals you are a lucky person indeed.
Happy International Clouded Leopard Day and I hope the day becomes one of your days.
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- August 3, 2025
- Psychic Day 2025
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I have been impressed by a number of psychics. Some others ... not so much.
There is a distinct difference between reality and charlatan imposters who would present themselves as something they are not.
Today is Psychic Day.
It goes down on the first Sunday of August annually and celebrates psychics all over.
The psychic skeched is one Debbie Creagh from Bangkok, Thailand. My personal experience does not cross international boundaries.
Now then, this being said — what about those "less than psychic" interlopers of whom there are many occupying storefronts and touting abilities available for a fee.
I personally have no need for psychic readings via the phone, at home, or at psychic fairs.
My own empathic abilities preclude being taken to the cleaners by some fake touting that which they can't do.
What began as a publicity stunt has blossomed into a calling for those who hear and those who see and those who know without being told.
My mother once had a reading by the late Rev Mary Green on Fish Hatchery Road in West Columbia SC while I was on active duty in the Navy. She told mom what I was up to and aspects of my existence I had not shared with her in such vivid detail that I was astonished. I certainly was not accustomed to having my facts disclosed beyond my ability to control them as she did.
Only problem is the discernment required to know who is real and who is not. I for one have my own ideas regarding the validity of psychic ability and I don't force these on anyone. You have to decide for yourself what you think.
The debunkers are also part of the problem. Many of them go where they are not knowledgeable and this in turn clouds the issue to a large degree. Is is real or is it memorex ?
Happy Psychic Day and I hope your choice is the right one.
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- August 2, 2025
- National Coloring Book Day 2025
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As a child I loved coloring books.
The ravages of growing up in a hostile world caused me to lose the attraction and as a young adult I no longer took coloriing books for being serious endeavor.
I had a friend who carried them around with her and would coerce others to color pages in them.
I noticed that the other people did much more detail oriented and better jobs than I did and it was a personal embarassment.
I always had envisioned myself as "artistic" up to that point.
So those inclinations have past — along with she — who was a good friend until one fateful day when we parted company.
Oh, the humanity !
Today is National Coloring Book Day.
It is held each second of August and is a vehicle for the proposition that coloring books and coloring in general promote wellness and relaxation.
There is even a lively market for adult coloring books, though I will never view them as something I would covet.
So if you are so inclined it is said to be highly therapeutic to color but watch out for those would-be psychologists who would affix labels to everything you do.
I have no designs on being a great artist anymore.
This is partially due to coloring books and that waste of time I view them as being.
However, I do not rule the world and if you like you should color to your hearts content.
Happy National Coloring Book Day to you.
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- August 1, 2025
- National Wellness Month 2025
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Wellness is the possession of and pursuit of health and the absence of illness.
It consists of mental, physical, and emotional well being.
Every August, National Wellness Month encourages individuals to make self-care a priority, build healthy routines, and support their mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Whether you’re focusing on hydration, movement, mindfulness, or simply slowing down, this month is your reminder to put yourself first.
National Wellness Month is held under the auspices of Live Love Spa since 2018. A month to take inventory of your health state and be self aware.
There are health "experts" as well as health "enthusiasts".
There is a frank difference such that you should note those differences between them.
Enthusiasm does not necessarily equate with expertise as some people appear to feel.
Wellness esssentials may include medications, supplements, and/or devices. It goes beyond to steress reduction and eating well.
So if you're so inclined place yourself on a month long wellness challenge.
Try to evaluate where you are, where you are going and just what state you find yourself in.
Here's to your wellness.
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