Make February Fun

After all the hoopla of December and the holidays, January gets us back into a regular pattern of school, work, and ordinary activities.  Then we hit February.  Okay, its got groundhog day which is a silly event, President’s Day which not everyone gets a free day from the office, Super Bowl, and, of course, Black History month.  Even though it only has 28 days (except Leap Year like 2024), it can seem eons long with the gray skies of winter and unpredictable weather.

There are actually some other more trivial observances that are published for the month.  Although the date may have already passed, who’s to say you can’t play around with the suggestions anyway?

• February 6 was Pay a Compliment Day. Couple of pointers.  Be sincere about what you say and look the individual in the eye.  If you are on the receiving end, don’t diminish your achievement or appearance, or whatever is being recognized.   Smile and say thank you and leave it at that. If it is work oriented and it was truly a collaborative effort, then it is appropriate to say “it was a group success”.  If, however, you were responsible for the lion’s share, then “I will be sure to pass it on to the team”.
• February 13 was National Clean Out your Computer Day. That includes cached cookies, old emails (delete those deletes), and any files you don’t need any more.  It can actually make the processor run quicker.
• February 27 celebrates National Retro Day. Long ago in a time that seems far, far away, telephones had dials, Pluto was a planet, and you consulted a road map to find your way somewhere.  Watch a retro tv show and see how many things you spot that are no longer in use or applicable in our current times. A police procedural will talk about blood types and not DNA and few married women will have careers.  Calling an ambulance meant you were merely being transported to the hospital but there were no paramedics or treatments en route. When you start comparing prices to today (gasoline in the early 1960s was $0.25), be sure to look at minimum wages and average salaries as well.
• February 28 is National Science Day. When we think of scientists it is often those in a lab working on experiments.  Check out the vast array of opportunities like an agronomist, cartographer (map maker), engineering, meteorology, sports medicine, robotics, or zoologist.
• Food is not forgotten. The 19^th is National Chocolate Mint Day and the 23^rd is National Banana Bread Day.

Native Americans would often name the phases of the moon not just to distinguish them but as a reminder of what can happen during that time.  The February full moon was on Sunday, February 5, and has various titles like

• Snow Moon, due to generally heavy snowfalls.
• Eagle Moon (Cree or Nêhiyawak, part of the First Nations),
• Racoon Moon (Dakota, known as Bdewakantunwan (Mdewakanton), Wahpetunwan (Wahpeton), Wahpekute, and Sissitunwan, that form the Oceti Ŝakowiŋ (the Seven Council Fires, sometimes referred to erroneously as the Sioux)
• Hungry Moon (Cherokee), because food was so scarce at this time of the year.

What name would you give to the moon in February?