Life is like a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs. Sometimes it’s a little scary and intimidating, yet it’s oh-so exciting. It’s late summer and today is National Roller Coaster Day. Let’s not let this beautiful day go by without giving recognition to one of the great, summertime thrills. Gather the family. Text your friends. On this August 16 holiday, let’s go to the closest amusement park and ride a roller coaster or two. The more loops and vertical drops, the better! 

You’ll find people young and old riding roller coasters. You’re never too old to ride a roller coaster. This author had an aunt who rode them with joy well into her 80s! For some people, riding roller coasters is like a cult following. It becomes addicting. These thrill seekers travel the country, intent on experiencing every roller coaster they can find.

Several inventors created versions of the roller coaster or made notable improvements to existing designs. Among the notable inventions: The first known roller coaster was created in the 15th century Russia. It was made of a wooden car and was push-started down icy hills. In 1872, J.G. Taylor received a patent for an inclined railway. It was the first known roller coaster on rails. A few years late, in 1878, an Inclined Plane Roller Coaster was patented by Richard Knudsen.  On June 16, 1884, Coney Island, NY opened one of America’s first roller coasters. Designed and built by LaMarcus Thompson, it was known as a switchback railway. It costs a nickel to ride and traveled at 6 miles per hour. On August 16, 1898, Edwin Prescott patented the vertical loop roller coaster. Since these early days, roller coasters have only gotten faster and wilder.

Those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer continue, at least for a little while longer. Soon, vacations will be over, the weather will cool down, and the kids will go back to school. For now, there’s still time to savor these last weeks of summer as Relaxation Day is here. On this August 15 holiday, the expectation is that we kick back and do nothing. Ahhhh! What a great day it’s going to be.

The stresses, the hustle, and bustle seemingly consume us, every day of the year. Even Sundays are no longer days of rest and relaxation. There never seems to be a day to just kick back and relax. For those of us with a hectic lifestyle, Relaxation Day is a day to look forward to. It provides a break from the madness of your busy work and personal schedule. Today is the day to enjoy either doing absolutely nothing or partaking in your favorite relaxation activity.

Avoiding stressful activities today is the rule. For example, if golf is your favorite hobby, yet it can cause you to stress, then make plans to play golf another day. Spending the day in a hammock is a far more appropriate activity.

Today’s Motto: Love simply, laugh often, and wine a lot.

One of summer’s special treats is raspberries.  Today is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day. This August 1 holiday is perfect for raspberry lovers.

Raspberries are one of the gems of summer. Sweet and tasty, it is loved by millions of people (and birds, too!) With the arrival of ripe berries, it is time to make and enjoy some of your favorite dessert treats. High on the list for raspberry lovers, is raspberry cream pie.

Make this a super raspberry day. Go out and pick your own berries. Then, make a raspberry cream pie. Better still, make one for you and another to give away to a family member, a neighbor, or a friend. Then, dig in and eat a piece of pie…Yummmm!

Radio stations air the big news. Today is National Radio Day. This August 20 holiday celebrates a great invention and communications medium. Radio waves transmit music, commentary, sports games, and news to literally everyone in the world. Radios pay a vital role in keeping us informed.

The invention of the radio dates back to the late 1800s. Several inventors played a role in creating this important medium. A number of inventions and discoveries were required to make the radio a reality. This includes both transmission and reception methods and technology. The radio partially evolved from the telegraph and the telephone. The wireless telegraph directly contributed to its invention.

Celebrating National Radio Day is easy listening. Simply tune into your favorite radio stations(s). You could also give your local radio personalities a little recognition.

On your mark. Get Set. Go! Race Your Mouse Day is today. So, rev up your mouse, and let the race begin on this August 28 holiday. Of all the crazy and inane things to do, this is certainly one of them. But, if participating in this a holiday puts a smile on your face, then don’t miss the opportunity to have a little fun on a hot summer day.

But, wait a second… what kind of mouse are we talking about? Is it the computer mouse, and we’re supposed to race it around the mouse pad? We believe this holiday is about your computer mouse. However, if you just happen to have a pet mouse, set up a maze and put a piece of cheese at one end. Then, see how quickly your pet mouse can fine it.

Well, the folks at Wellcat.com, who created this day, want you to run the pointer around the icons on your screen. They suggest you do so while waiting for “whatever it is you’re waiting for to come up on the screen”.

Let the race begin………… Happy Race Your Mouse Day!!

Today is Professional Public Speakers Day. This August 7 holiday recognizes the importance of those who stand up in front of us and share their knowledge and insight on an endless range of topics.

To be a speaker requires a very special and unique skill set. As soon as a speaker walks up to the dais, turns on the microphone, and opens his mouth, that unique set of skills becomes clearly apparent.  Often a person has what it takes to talk in public, or is the expert in their field, but not both.

First, you have to have the ability, and shall we say the nerve, to speak in public. All too many people have everything else needed to be a good speaker. To many, the thought of talking in public in front of a group is nothing short of terrifying. For some people public speaking comes naturally, while others have an inbred fear that takes tremendous willpower and practice to overcome. Some people never get over the fear, and refuse to speak in public.

A speaker also needs to be knowledgeable about the topic to be discussed. Better still, they are often experts in their fields. For speakers who allow a Q&A after the talk, the depth of this knowledge and expertise is essential and is clearly on display.

Participating in this day is quite easy. Simply attend a seminar or an event with a speaker. Make sure to give a heartfelt applause after the speech. Another way to mark this day is to speak publicly yourself. Not quite ready to speak in public? Take a course in public speaking. You’ll be glad you did!

Most, if not all of our U.S. Presidents have had a sense of humor. It’s almost a job requirement in order to survive the stress and pressures of the office. and the campaign trail. Look back at any president and you’ll find plenty of jokes to amuse the constituents. Many people believe this August 11 holiday is a day to make jokes about the president. Actually, National Presidential Joke Day is for our presidents to make jokes. On this day in 1984, President Ronald Reagan made a doozie.

On August 11, 1984, just before his regular Saturday radio address, President Ronald Reagan was doing a voice test with the microphone. He thought the microphone and the feed were not live. He joked into the microphone: “My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes.” To his surprise, he was speaking to a live feed!

This incident led to the creation of Presidential Joke Day. However, we do not think American presidents will make it a habit to perform jokes on, or to, the American public on this day, or any other.

The Perseid meteor shower occurs annually in mid-August. It is a free stellar show that avid space enthusiasts can’t miss. 

There it is in black and white, in all of its fiery glory. Whatever you do, do not blink! If you do, you will miss the meteor, as it flames across the night sky. It’s absolutely amazing what a little piece of dust can do when it enters the earth’s atmosphere traveling at 160,000 miles per hour. Meteors are seen as the Earth passes through the orbit trail of a comet. As the comet streaks through the heavens, it sheds dust and small debris. When this debris enters the earth’s orbit, friction from the upper atmosphere burns up the meteorite, resulting in a streak of light quickly blazing across the night sky. The brightness and longevity of the light is a function of the size of the meteor, how near it is to you (don’t worry, it’s thousands of miles away), and how dark the evening is?

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the brightest, most numerous, and long-lasting of all the meteor showers. Best of all, it occurs each year in August, at a time when the viewing weather is warm, and most days and nights are cloudless. Many people are on vacation in August, allowing them to stay up all night to enjoy the show. The number of meteors you see is dependent upon how dark of a location you watch from, and the number of expected meteors. This number can vary significantly from just a few to a hundred per hour. On a good, moonless night, 60 – 100 meteors per hour are likely.

Some people say the month of August is one big party. Everyone seems to be on vacation. The days are hot and dry. The warm evening weather is spectacular, a perfect evening for Neighbor Night. On this August 17 holiday, make plans to enjoy a pleasant evening with your neighbors. You just might enjoy it so much, that you schedule a Neighbor Night every few months. That’s exactly what happened in our neighborhood.

Having good neighbors is an important ingredient to a happy and fun-filled life. They are worth their weight in gold. We often don’t realize how important good neighbors can be. But like any relationship, you’ve got to nurture friendships with your neighbors. This neighborly get-together is the absolutely perfect way to party heartily with them. If you already have good neighbors, Neighbor Night will reinforce and grow the friendship. If you don’t know your neighbors, use this day to get to know them. Chances are, you’ll be glad you did. If you don’t get along with a neighbor, break the ice and be the first to hold Neighbor Night in your “hood. It will be fantastic, to turn an adversary into a friend. On this warm summer evening, you’re going to just love your neighbors… we do!

Tonight’s Slogan: What happens at Neighbor Night, stays at Neighbor Night.

This day is going to the dogs. It’s National Dog Day, an August 26 holiday. There are two goals for today. First, to honor dogs, and to rescue them from homelessness and abuse. This is an opportunity for us to recognize and appreciate the value and importance of dogs in our lives.

This day is intended to appreciate dogs for all that they do for us. In addition to giving love and companionship, dogs help us out in countless ways. They are watchdogs for our safety. They lead the blind. Dogs aid in search and rescue, and they seek out bombs and drugs. A dog can even be a “wingman” for a single guy. Take a cute-looking dog on a walk and he attracts the ladies. 

The second goal of National Dog Day is to rescue dogs in need. On occasion, dogs need us to save them from homelessness and abuse. The goal of the National Dog Day Foundation is to rescue 10,000 dogs a year. Lend a hand to help a dog in need today, or any day.

The motto for today is: “Saving 10,000 Dogs – One Day at a Time”.