What Month Were YOU Born In?

Celebrating August, The Month Without A Holiday

January brings us New Year's, renewed hope and Dr. King's birthday along with his dream for equality and justice.

February means love with Valentine's Day and patriotic fidelity with the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington.

March winds breeze in with the wearin' of the green on St. Patrick's Day, zeppoles on St. Joseph's Day and the first day of spring.

April usually brings us Easter, Passover and Arbor Day with its faithful tree planting.

May means Mother's Day and the unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day as we remember those who gave it all so that we might be free.

June has Father's Day, Flag Day, the end of the school year, graduations and the honest-to-goodness start of summer.

July is America's month and that means Independence Day.

September is Labor Day and back-to-school. October is Halloween. November is Thanksgiving and December is Christmas.

And August?

Well, August is sort of the forgotten month.

Stuck somewhere between the 4th of July (everyone's favorite summer holiday) and the nondescript Labor Day, August often gets lost in the shuffle.

It's the month that the year barely recognizes -- the month that time forgot.

If you haven't taken your vacation by the middle of August you may be out of luck since many people have already booked the last two weeks of August in the hopes of squeezing all they can out of summer's last full month. If you're working every day in August, (especially in the city) things may seem quite lonely and even barren

And August is also a long month with some of the hottest weather imaginable (like right now) which can make August afternoons seem interminably long, even while summer appears to fly by in a wink. And don't forget those wild August thunderstorms.

Poor August. 

It apparently has nothing very appealing to distinguish it. Or so it seems.

But August is a wonderful month -- a month that simply does not get enough attention and is wrongly unheralded.

Here are ten reasons to love August:

1) It's actually a relief that the month has no holidays -- no special days that you need worry about. So, in August every day is special and every day belongs to you.

2) Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. August invites you to linger. Indeed, the summer heat of August compels you to linger. Stretch out, gaze, daydream - do whatever you want!

3) Fresh sweet corn, tomatoes and peaches. All are at their peak in August and all are wonderful -- especially here in Joizee!

4) Julius Caesar. The great Roman emperor extended our summer by adding two days to August in 753 BC. Now, August has 31 wonderful days!

5) The Perseids, a spectacular meteor shower which will light up the August sky this year on August 12 and 13. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky in the northern hemisphere.

6) The ocean water temperature which warms in August and becomes about as inviting as it's gonna be all summer. Wonderful!

7) Go Topless Day on August 23. What? You didn't know about this? It's about as frivolous a commemoration as you can imagine.

8) The fearless lion and the sun. Most August birthdays are blessed to be part of the most regal sign of the zodiac, Leo. Those born under Leo take the Lion as their mascot and rule as natural born leaders. Their planet is the sun.

9) Red, yellow and orange. The incandescent colors of August. Check out all the fresh produce!

10) Augustus, the founder of the Roman empire who ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. The reign of Augustus initiated an era of peace known as Pax Romana. Were it not for Augustus, August would still be known as Sextilis, it's original name. Hey, we told you this was a sexy month. Enjoy!

The CRAZIEST New Year's Eve Drops Ever!

 

The Times Square Ball Drop is a New Year's Eve tradition -- a dumb tradition, but still a tradition. And we'll say this much for it: they've managed to turn it into a dazzling spectacle with a sparkling new ball this year that will shoot out reflected light in all directions.
But did you know that many other cities have their own midnight "drops" on New Year's Eve? 

They typically don't attract New York sized crowds of course, but each drop has its own personality and its own curious appeal.
Here is a list of some of the most unusual "drops" around the country:

Raleigh, N. C. - Acorn drop
Carlisle, PA - Car (KABOOM!)
Miami - Orange
Kennet Square, PA - Mushroom
Atlanta, GA - Peach
Bethlehem PA - Peeps (yes, those funny marshmallow chicks)
Marion, Ohio - Popcorn
Harrisburg, PA. - Strawberry

Orlando, FL. - Orange

Winter haven, FL. - Lego brick

Indianapolis, IN - Indy car (CRASH!)

Eastport, ME - Sardine

Frederick, MD - Giant key

Princess Anne, MD - Stuffed muskrat (WTF?)

Traverse City, MI - Cherry

Niagara Falls, NY - Gibson guitar (TwangTwang)

Elmore, OH - Sausage

Lebanon, PA. - Lebanon Bologna

Hilton Head Island, SC - Golf ball

Folly Beach, SC - Flip flops

Fredericksburg, VA - Pear

New Orleans, LA - Fleur-de-lis

Bartlesville, OK - Olive (Do they drop it into a giant martini?)

Nashville, TN - Musical note

Plymouth, WS - Cheese wedge

Flagstaff, AZ - Pine cone

Boise, ID - Giant Potato 

Las Cruces, NM - Chile pepper 🌶

Prescott, AZ - Boot

Temecula, CA - Bunch of grapes

And my two personal favorites:

Mechanicsburg, PA.. - Wrench (Whoa - Watch out when that wrench drops!)
Dillsburg, PA.. - Pickle (Beats me why anyone would celebrate a "pickle drop" -- or droop.)

Groundhog Day. And strawberry, car, wrench, mushroom and pickle drops. The Mummers. Something about Pennsylvania seems to attract unusual, faux-folk customs.

The Absolute Folly Of New Years Eve And Day

I suspect that for a long time, most of us have pretty much hated New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

But perhaps we couldn't exactly figure out why.

Now, we finally get it: They're downright innocuous.

Here then, in no particular order are the Ten Big Reason why the New Year's "holiday" is dumb, dumb, dumb:

1) There is absolutely no significant historical meaning to the day.
2) How many bowl games can you watch, anyway?
3) The day celebrates not the beginning of anything but rather the end -- the end of the joyous holiday season.
4) The Tournament of Roses Parade and other New Year's spectacles are all pretty much the same year-after-year. 
5) You know it's true: Nobody keeps New Year's resolutions.
6) Celebrating the passing of time is like celebrating the inexorable march to your own death.
7) After Christmas, no other holiday on the immediate horizon can compete.
8) By January 1 you're completely stuffed and don't even wanna look at food. You're facing the grueling regimen of a diet.
9) All you have to look forward to are the two bleakest months of the year: January and February (and March ain't much better).
10) It'll take you weeks to get used to writing 2026 and you may still be thinking 2025 even in April.
The bottom line: New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar BUT with one important exception and that is Philadelphia's annual Mummer's Parade, a marvelous spectacle quite unlike anything anywhere else. All hail the Mummers!

A Blessed New Year To All!

 

The Irrelevance Of New Years Eve And Day

We've never really been great fans of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. But for a long time we couldn't figure out why. 

Now, we finally get it: They're downright innocuous. 

Here then, in no particular order are the Ten Big Reason why the New Year's "holiday" is dumb, dumb, dumb: 

1) There is absolutely no significant historical meaning to the day. 

2) How many bowl games can you watch, anyway? 

3) The day celebrates not the beginning of anything but rather the end -- the end of the joyous holiday season. 

4) The Tournament of Roses Parade and other New Year's spectacles are all pretty much the same year-after-year, except for the Mummers parade which we do honestly enjoy and thank goodness for that! 

5) You know it's true: Nobody keeps New Year's resolutions. 

6) Celebrating the passing of time is like celebrating the inexorable march to your own death. 

7) After Christmas, no other holiday on the immediate horizon can compete. 

8) By January 1 you're completely stuffed and don't even wanna look at food. You're facing the grueling regimen of a diet. 

9) All you have to look forward to are the two bleakest months of the year: January and February (and March ain't much better). 

10) It'll take you weeks to get used to writing or typing 2025 and you may still be thinking 2024 even in April. The bottom line: New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar.

August: The Forgotten (Though Splendid) Month!

 

August is sort of the forgotten month.
Stuck somewhere between the 4th of July (everyone's favorite summer holiday) and the nondescript Labor Day, August often gets lost in the shuffle.

It's the month that the year barely recognizes -- the month that time forgot.

If you haven't taken your vacation by the middle of August you may be out of luck since many people have already booked the last two weeks of August in the hopes of squeezing all they can out of summer's last full month. If you're working every day in August, (especially in the city) things may seem quite lonely and even barren, not to mention mucky.

And August is also a long month with some of the hottest weather imaginable (like recently) which can make August afternoons seem interminably long, even while summer appears to fly by in a wink. And don't forget those wild August thunderstorms and the remnants of hurricanes and tropical storms which we are now experiencing.

Poor August. 

It apparently has nothing very appealing to distinguish it. Or so it seems.

But August is a wonderful month -- a month that simply does not get enough attention and is wrongly unheralded.

Here are ten reasons to love August:

1) The month has no holidays -- no special days that you need to worry about. So, in August every day is special and every day belongs to you.

2) Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. August invites you to linger. Indeed, the summer heat of August compels you to linger. Stretch out, gaze, daydream - do whatever you want!

3) Fresh sweet corn, tomatoes and peaches. All are at their peak in August and all are wonderful -- especially here in Joizee!

4) Julius Caesar. The great Roman emperor extended our summer by adding two days to August in 753 BC. Now, August has 31 wonderful days!

5) The Perseids, a spectacular meteor shower which will light up the August sky this year on August 11 and 12. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky in the northern hemisphere.

6) The ocean water temperature which warms in August and becomes about as inviting as it's gonna be all summer. Wonderful!

7) Go Topless Day on August 25. What? You didn't know about this? It's about as frivolous a commemoration as you can imagine.

8) The fearless lion and the sun. Most August birthdays are blessed to be part of the most regal sign of the zodiac, Leo. Those born under Leo take the Lion as their mascot and rule as natural born leaders. Their planet is the sun.

9) Red, yellow and orange. The incandescent colors of August. Check out all the fresh produce!

10) Augustus, the founder of the Roman empire who ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. The reign of Augustus initiated an era of peace known as Pax Romana. Were it not for Augustus, August would still be known as Sextilis, it's original name. Hey, we told you this was a sexy month. Enjoy!

New Years Eve And Day: Dumb And Dumber!

We've always pretty much hated New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

But for a long time we couldn't figure out why.
Now, we finally get it: They're downright innocuous.
Here then, in no particular order are the Ten Big Reason why the New Year's "holiday" is dumb, dumb, dumb:
1) There is absolutely no significant historical meaning to the day.
2) How many bowl games can you watch, anyway?
3) The day celebrates not the beginning of anything but rather the end -- the end of the joyous holiday season.
4) The Tournament of Roses Parade and other New Year's spectacles are all pretty much the same year-after-year.
5) You know it's true: Nobody keeps New Year's resolutions.
6) Celebrating the passing of time is like celebrating the inexorable march to your own death.
7) After Christmas, no other holiday on the immediate horizon can compete.
8) By January 1 you're completely stuffed and don't even wanna look at food. You're facing the grueling regimen of a diet.
9) All you have to look forward to are the two bleakest months of the year: January and February (and March ain't much better).
10) It'll take you weeks to get used to writing 2012 and you may still be thinking 2011 even in April.
The bottom line: New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar.

And Now, Presenting Our New Year's Resolutions . . .

No, you won't guess them because we don't have any. None!
We've never made New Year's resolutions.
And we won't be making one this year either.
Why?
Because they're stupid.
Think about it: A resolution (promise) is a Big Deal. And when you make it with the entire year ahead of you, well -- that's a long haul.
Plus, January and February are just dreadful months and an awful time to have to keep your resolution.
For example, suppose you resolved to watch your diet. What the hell is there to do during the dreary months of January and February except eat? And now you've gone and prevented yourself from eating. How are you gonna enjoy those Super Bowl parties or that Valentine's dinner with your sweetheart? And what about those l-o-n-g winter days when you want a cheesesteak or a pizza? Don't tell me you're gonna deprive yourself.
Suppose you resolve to work out more and get more exercise.
You'll have to run on a treadmill or somesuch. What's more stupid than that? You're indoors, you're runnin, you're sweatin and you ain't goin nowhere. Then you're all perspired and running toward your car in the frigid weather. That's a quick way to get pneumonia. Why would you want to do that?
But people go ahead and make these dumb resolutions anyway.
And 99% of the time these resolutions are not kept.
Remember this: When you make a promise, that promise is gonna weigh on you. It's only gonna make you do the opposite because you're gonna be thinkin about the promise all the time.
"Don't eat."
Whoa -- Did someone say "Eat?" Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat!
Ya see what I mean?
When you make a resolution, you're your own worst enemy. You're fighting yourself.
Here's the one way to approach this year and every year: Don't get too carried away on any front. Try to live fully but moderately. Avoid excess whenever you can.
Yeah, you can go overboard once in awhile but don't make it a habit, OK?
Be sensible. Use your noggin.
Then, you won't have to worry and you won't have to make resolutions.
You'll be fine.
Happy New Year!

With Every Good Wish For The Year, Decade Ahead!

The Moment We've Been Waiting For? It's NOW!

Today is the first day of summer.
So the season is still very, very young.
And you thought summer began last month? Phooey!
The whole notion that summer begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day is something that was dreamed up by the media and/or the travel industry. And it's a lie.
Because the calendar (and the seasons themselves) tell a whole different story.
May is often cool and transitional. And so is much of June.
Summer begins at the summer solstice on June 21.
And autumn begins at the autumnal equinox on September 22.
June 21 is the longest day of daylight.
September 22 is a day when the hours of daylight and darkness are about equal. Thus, the equinox.
After September 22, darkness begins to take over and it remains that away until December 21 which is the shortest day of the year in terms of sunlight. Each day after that, we get more sunlight until the vernal equinox in March -- the first day of spring.
That's the cycle of the seasons.
We have many warm, wonderful days ahead of us.
And yes, there may be some gloriously sunny, summer-like days during the first few weeks of June (IF we are lucky). But that doesn't make it summer.
Summer comes in its own time and its own way. Nature has taken care of that.
Don't rush the season -- and don't cut it short.
And, when it's time, do go out and enjoy summer until at least September 22.
And don't let anyone tell you it's over on Labor Day.

OMG! A Totally DRUNKEN Night On CNN?

CNN's Anderson Cooper taking shots while drunk on live TV: "Ah! Gaw! Ah! Aw! It’s like burning your lungs! Aw! [Weird hissing sounds]" pic.twitter.com/5XkM08PReo

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 1, 2019

Anderson Cooper talks about his mom's sex life, says she "hooked up with" Marlon Brando: “She and Carol Matthau both watched the movie and both made a deal they were going to ‘meet up’ … Carol got it first and then set it up for my mom. It was a ‘one night date.” pic.twitter.com/406dGiFUgO

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 1, 2019

CNN reporter Leyla Santiago talks about how wearing "red underwear" is supposedly good for "the love" and then proceeds to ask people what color underwear they are wearing.

She does this right next to a little girl who was standing behind her and watching her the entire time. pic.twitter.com/dmQc161kEw

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 1, 2019

CNN guest Jane Curtin: "My New Year's resolution is to make sure that the Republican Party dies." pic.twitter.com/fHmcpwaFgi

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 1, 2019

Our Fondest Wishes To You Today And Every Day!

Thanks for helping to make 2018 one of the most successful years ever for the Dan Cirucci Blog -- our 12th consecutive year of serving you!

The Absolute Folly Of New Year's Eve, Day

I've always pretty much hated New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. But for a long time I couldn't figure out why. 
Now, I finally get it: They're downright innocuous.  
Here then, in no particular order are the Ten Big Reason why the New Year's "holiday" is dumb, dumb, dumb:

1) There is absolutely no significant historical or religious meaning to the day.

2) How many bowl games can you watch, anyway?

3) The day celebrates not the beginning of anything but rather the end -- the end of the joyous holiday season. 

4) The Tournament of Roses Parade, the Mummers Parade and other New Year's spectacles are all pretty much the same year-after-year.

5) You know it's true: Nobody keeps New Year's resolutions.

6) Celebrating the passing of time is like celebrating the inexorable march to your own death.

7) After Christmas, no other holiday on the immediate horizon can compete.

8) By January 1 you're completely stuffed and don't even wanna look at food. You're facing the grueling regimen of a diet.

9) All you have to look forward to are the two bleakest months of the year: January and February; and March ain't much better.

10) It'll take you weeks to get used to writing 2019 and you may still be thinking 2018 even in April.

The bottom line: New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar.

So, What ARE Our New Year's Resolutions?

No, you won't guess them because we don't have any. None!
We've never made New Year's resolutions.
And we won't be making any this year either.
Why?
Because they're stupid.
Think about it: A resolution (promise) is a Big Deal. And when you make it with the entire year ahead of you, well -- that's a long haul.
Plus, January and February are just dreadful months and an awful time to have to keep your resolution.
For example, suppose you resolved to watch your diet. What the hell is there to do during the dreary months of January and February except eat? And now you've gone and prevented yourself from eating. How are you gonna enjoy those Super Bowl parties or that Valentine's dinner with your sweetheart? And what about those l-o-n-g winter days when you want a cheesesteak or a pizza? Don't tell me you're gonna deprive yourself.
Suppose you resolve to work out more and get more exercise.
You'll have to run on a treadmill or somesuch. What's more stupid than that? You're indoors, you're runnin, you're sweatin and you ain't goin nowhere. Then you're all perspired and running toward your car in the frigid weather. That's a quick way to get pneumonia. Why would you want to do that?
But people go ahead and make these dumb resolutions anyway.
And 99% of the time these resolutions are not kept.
Remember this: When you make a promise, that promise is gonna weigh on you. It's only gonna make you do the opposite because you're gonna be thinkin about the promise all the time.
"Don't eat."
Whoa -- Did someone say "Eat?" Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat!
Ya see what I mean?
When you make a resolution, you're your own worst enemy. You're fighting yourself.
Here's the one way to approach this year and every year: Don't get too carried away on any front. Try to live fully but moderately. Avoid excess whenever you can.
Yeah, you can go overboard once in awhile but don't make it a habit, OK?
Be sensible. Use your noggin.
Then, you won't have to worry and you won't have to make resolutions.
You'll be fine.
Happy New Year!

Our Fondest Wishes To Everyone, Everywhere!

Happy New Year!

You Won't Believe What They Do Tonight!

Here they are -- the top 25 strangest New Year's customs from around the world.

Ten Big Reasons Why It's Totally Innocuous!

I've always pretty much hated New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. But for a long time I couldn't figure out why.
Now, I finally get it: They're downright innocuous.
Here then, in no particular order are the Ten Big Reason why the New Year's "holiday" is dumb, dumb, dumb:

1) There is absolutely no significant historical or religious meaning to the day.

2) How many bowl games can you watch, anyway?

3) The day celebrates not the beginning of anything but rather the end -- the end of the joyous holiday season.

4) The Tournament of Roses Parade, the Mummers Parade and other New Year's spectacles are all pretty much the same year-after-year.

5) You know it's true: Nobody keeps New Year's resolutions.

6) Celebrating the passing of time is like celebrating the inexorable march to your own death.

7) After Christmas, no other holiday on the immediate horizon can compete.

8) By January 1 you're completely stuffed and don't even wanna look at food. You're facing the grueling regimen of a diet.

9) All you have to look forward to are the two bleakest months of the year: January and February (and March ain't much better).

10) It'll take you weeks to get used to writing 2018 and you may still be thinking 2017 even in April.

The bottom line: New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar.

Why THIS Day Is So Significant . . .

Today is the shortest day of the year - the day with the least amount of daylight
Which means it seems like the l-o-n-g-e-s-t day.
Okay, maybe you'd like to live in southern California or Arizona where it's (presumably) warmer. But maybe you're not able to move anytime soon.
And maybe you'd like to head for a tropical island but you can't. Maybe you just can't afford it and/or can't get time off from work.
Plus, the shortest day of the year is the shortest day of the year everywhere.
But anyway, suppose you have to hang around and endure the cold weather.
Here's how to get through the rest of December and the two dreadful months that lie ahead. Remember that starting tomorrow, it's all downhill to summer.
Each day that follows the winter solstice (December 21) will have more daylight. From that standpoint, each day will be a little bit nicer. And each day will have less darkness.
We're about to reach the low point. Soon, we're on the way back up again.
So, even though winter is technically just beginning, winter's demise is already underway.
In other words, the dead of winter is really the beginning of the death of winter.

NO, Leap Day Is NOT Every Four Years! Here's Why

So, that's the way it works, right?
It's every four years, correct?
You know what we're talking about. We're referring to Leap Day, the 29th of February which only appears on the calendar every four years -- like, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016.
But, wait. This is not exactly right.
Because, did you know that there will be no Leap Day (no February 29) in 2100? And there will be none in 2200 or 2300 either. And there wasn't one in 1900 or 1800 or 1700.
That's right! No leap Day during those years, even though they were the fourth year in the cycle.
Why?
Because the Gregorian calendar, established by Pope Gregory calculated that if we had a Leap Day exactly every fourth year, we'd have too many Leap Days and we would get out of sync with the seasons which are, of course, related to the earth, the moon, the sun, etc.
So, on the century years that are not divisible by four, there is no February 29. Which means that Leap Year is every four years and every fourth century year.
Now, most of us will not be around for 2100 so this is not really a pressing concern.
But we just thought you'd like to know. OK?