Think Spring, Bust Some Bubbles and Be a Curmudgeon.

The Chase’s Calendar of Events always has interesting listings for every day of the year: notable birthdays, anniversaries, special events, remembrances, and more. For this week, there are so many to choose from that I can’t make up my mind, so I’m going to list some of the more interesting and quirky ones.  Yes, there are important listings like the anniversary of the Apollo One Spacecraft Fire on January 27, 1967; and the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945. However, I thought I’d tell you about some interesting, quirky, obscure and funny celebrations. For instance, the last Monday in January is Bubble Wrap ® Appreciation Day. Did you know that Bubble Wrap ® was originally developed as textured wallpaper? That was a flop, but as soon as the inventors realized that it could be used as a cushioning material for packaging delicate items, it took off. It is so popular, there are many videos on YouTube involving Bubble Wrap ® and let’s not forget the iPhone/iPad app! This Monday, SealedAir.com will announce the winner of their video contest which will place him or her into the Bubble Wrap ® Appreciation Day Hall of Fame. Visit http://www.sealedair.com for more information.

Have a seat before reading this next one: also on January 27th is Thomas Crapper Day, the death anniversary of Mr. Thomas Crapper, a plumber who invented the siphon valve mechanism used in flushing toilets, which was an improvement on the flushing toilet patented by Joseph Bramah in 1778.  Aside from revolutionizing the plumbing industry, Mr. Crapper also became a favorite of the British Royal Family in the 1880s, when Prince Edward hired Thomas Crapper as the plumber for Sandringham House, the Royal Family’s private home.  Without Thomas Crapper and Company, we would be inefficiently flushing toilets with stoppers that we replaced at the end of the cycle. Thank you, Thomas Crapper! By the way, one of the nicknames for the toilet did not come from Thomas, so you can stop giggling, now.

Wednesday, January 29th is Curmudgeons Day, celebrated on W.C. Fields Birthday. According to Chase’s, it is “An annual celebration of the crusty, yet insightful, wags who consistently apply the needle of truth to the balloons of hypocrisy and social norms.” There are many ways to celebrate this holiday according to DaysOfTheYear.com: Watch a curmudgeonly movie like Grumpy Old Men; make a curmudgeon laugh; come up with reasons you shouldn’t be grumpy (if/when you’re feeling grumpy.)

And speaking of curmudgeons, Thursday, January 30th is the anniversary of the First Brawl in the U.S. House of Representatives, in 1798. According to Chase’s, “The first brawl to break out on the floor of the US House of Representatives occurred at Philadelphia, PA. The fight was precipitated by an argument between Matthew Lyon of Vermont and Roger Griswold of Connecticut. Lyon spat in Griswold’s face. Although a resolution to expel Lyon was introduced, the measure failed and Lyon maintained his seat.”  I just love interesting factoids from history!

Fun at Work Day is the last Friday in January, this year it is Friday, January 31st. Do something to bring some fun to your workplace. Plan a fun activity for you and your co-workers that brings enthusiasm, releases tension, and builds rapport. This reminds me of the Pike Place Fish Market showcased in the ‘Fish! Philosophy’ books. If you haven’t heard of this fun Seattle icon, check out http://www.charthouse.com.  

If your interested in something fun, but sick of the arctic temperatures and the snow, come and prepare for the spring by participating in our CO-Greene Seed Exchange. Coventry and Greene Public Libraries are now Seed Lending Libraries, whose mission is to be “committed to increasing the capacity of our community to feed itself wholesome food by means of education that fosters community resilience, self-reliance and a culture of sharing.” Over the past 100 years, the knowledge of saving seeds has been somewhat forgotten and what better way to learn about growing and saving your own seeds than to visit our seed exchange workshops. Our Seed Kick-Off was January 23rd and it was fantastic! The next workshop is “From Dirt to Garden Soil” on February 6th in the Coventry Public Library/Town Hall Chambers at 7pm. Stop by the Coventry Public Library or the Greene Library for more information. Think Spring!

I call myself the Library Detective because I can find the answers to any question you can think of, or at least I can point you in the right direction.  To find out more about the quirky and interesting dates mentioned, or Seed Lending Libraries visit your local library; there are more Library Detectives there, too.