By Morf Morford
Tacoma Daily Index
Looking back on a month is interesting, but looking forward is almost certainly more useful.
Besides the convolutions of the stock market, the ever-decreasing gossip-mongering of our political season and the seemingly relentless pull of COVID-19 across our headlines, here are a few more things you can expect from the month of March.
Looking at the standard office calendar, you’d never guess it, but March is packed with holidays – just not the big-name variety.
Besides being the month of the equinox – and the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern Hemisphere, March was named after Mars, the Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. His month Martius was historically the beginning of the season for warfare.
Besides war, March gives us an excuse to commemorate and celebrate these cultural markers;
Irish-American Heritage Month
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Music in our Schools Month
National Athletic Training Month
National Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
National Celery Month
National Frozen Food Month
National Kidney Month
National Nutrition Month
National Professional Social Work Month
National Reading Awareness Month
Celebrate World Sleep Day
Don’t forget to celebrate World Sleep Day on March 13 (our first Friday the 13th in 2020 – the next one is in November). You might not notice it, but it is estimated that sleep deprivation costs the US over $400 billion a year with Japan losing $138 billion, Germany $60 billion, the UK $50 billion, and Canada $21 billion.
Speaking of sleep deprivation, we lose an hour of sleep when we spring forward and change our clocks by an hour on March 8th.
Nerds, take note – March 14 is National Pi Day (3/14).
March 15 is National Everything You Think is Wrong Day. It is also National Kansas Day. Which ever one you celebrate, do so responsibly.
March 16 is National Artichoke Hearts Day, National Freedom of Information Day and, of course, National Panda Day.
March 17, besides being St. Patrick’s Day, is 3-D Day (third day of the third full week of the third month).
Besides being equinox, March 20 is also World Storytelling Day. Celebrate accordingly.
March 22 is National Bavarian Crepes Day.
March 28 is National Something on a Stick Day and National Weed Appreciation Day.
March 30 is National Pencil Day. And March 31 is National Crayon Day
