Author: Lisa Mungovan

No air traffic controller was necessary, for a gathering of aircraft in Texas. Richard DeFreece set a world record, for folding the most functional paper airplanes, in one hour. Averaging 4-per-minute, he folded 250 planes out of sheets of paper. All were tested for airworthiness in order to qualify for the record.

Today is Extraterrestrial Culture Day. Do you think there’s life on other planets? Read a book, like “The Alien Next Door,” or watch a movie, like “ET.” Then build a make-believe spaceship in your living room, or have everyone imagine a new planet, and draw their own alien species.

Do you have flannel sheets? Flannel is soft and warm, so snuggle into your bed for Flannel Day. You might also have flannel pjs, or a plaid flannel shirt. Don’t forget your teddy bear, because it’s also Teddy Day. End your day with a treat, to celebrate Cream Cheese Brownie Day.

Today we celebrate Umbrella Day. The umbrella, or bumbershoot, has been around for over 4000 years, but the Chinese were the first, to waterproof paper parasols. Folding umbrellas didn’t show up until 1969. There’s an umbrella shop in London, called James Smith and Sons, that opened in 1830. After 196 years, they must be umbrella experts!

The Winter Olympics kicked off this weekend, in Italy. More than 3,500 athletes from 95 countries will be competing for 195 medals. Some of the events include downhill skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, hockey, and figure skating. Ski mountaineering, or Skimo, is a new event, combining climbing up and skiing down mountains.

Have you ever read “Everyone Poops,” by Taro Gomi? It’s true. Celebrate Poop Day, by learning exciting facts about excrement. Wombats have cube-shaped poop, sloths only poop once a week, and the sand on some beaches, is actually parrotfish poop. Turkey vultures poop on their own legs to keep cool. Please don’t copy them.

Pizza is awesome. You can keep it simple, a crust with tomato and cheese, or you can put 30 toppings on it! Yay! It’s Pizza Day! It’s also Read In the Bathtub Day. After you eat your favorite pizza, relax in the bath with your favorite book. Just don’t drop it in the water!

Today is Clean Out Your Computer Day. Find an online tutorial, to show you how to clean the grime off the mouse, the dust off the cooling fan, and the crumbs off the keyboard. Once it’s physically clean, start cleaning out unnecessary files. You’ll be surprised, at how much faster a clean computer runs!

Today is Chocolate Day, and also Toothache Day. Is it a coincidence? Or is it a reminder, that eating sweets without cleaning your teeth afterwards, could give you cavities? Schedule a visit with your dentist, then reward yourself with a chocolate taste test. Sample everything from creamy milk chocolate, to extra dark chocolate.

Tardigrades are amazing microscopic creatures. Also called water bears or moss piglets, they can survive in the cold vacuum of space, volcanoes, or deep underwater trenches. They can withstand radiation blasts or live for decades without food or water. Scientists discovered, they’ve transitioned from water to land environments twice, and continue to adapt.