FINE, THANKS 😾
Happy Answer Your Cat's Questions Day! If only this foster kitten we've been caring for, Grover, would ask us some. We'd be delighted to answer them all to the best of our ability, but she remains steadfast in her choice to only emit intermittent chirps & grumbles.
"How are you, Grover?" - Me
"Fine, thanks!" - this kitten, probably
It's also National Hot Sauce Day, which will come in handy as something Buffalonians can drown their tears in today! Tough break, Bills fans. There's always next year.
Today is also National Polka Dot Day! I was surprised to learn that Minnie Mouse is credited with popularizing the iconic print two years after it first appeared publicly in a Miss America swimsuit pageant. Disney's got those little white 4-fingered gloves in everything, don't they?
Finally, let's end today's random observance run-down on a sweet note: Happy National Blondie Day! I was also surprised to learn that the original recipe for brownies did not call for chocolate, making blondies the original form of the chewy treat! However, this news does make me wonder what its final form will be in the event blondies are some sort of edible Pokémon...
Maybe strawberry, for some sort of Neapolitan baked treat trifecta?
*****
Alright! Let's kick off the week with a few famous January 22nd historical events and notable birthdays and deathdays:
• In 1890 the United Mine Workers of America was founded in Columbus, Ohio
• In 1973 the Supreme Court of the United States delivered its decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, legalizing elective abortion nationwide until it was overturned on June 24th, 2022
• In 1984 the first home computer to popularize the computer mouse and graphical user interface, the Apple Macintosh, was introduced during a Super Bowl XVIII television commercial
• Birthday blondies all around (hot sauce optional) for: English soldier, explorer, and alleged "stupid git" Sir Walter Raleigh (1552), English poet John Donne (1573), Scottish privateer Captain William Kidd (1645), English poet & playwright Lord Byron (1788), chemist & pharmacist Wilbur Scoville of hot sauce heat scale fame (1865), singer-songwriter and soul music icon Sam Cooke (1931), actress Piper Laurie of Carrie (1932), actor Bill Bixby of My Favorite Martian and The Incredible Hulk fame (1934), English actor John Hurt of The Elephant Man, V for Vendetta, and the Harry Potter film franchise fame (1940), English singer-songwriter, music manager, and punk style influencer Malcolm McLaren (1946), singer-songwriter and erstwhile Journey frontman Steve Perry of "Don't Stop Believin'" fame (1949), indie filmmaking legend Jim Jarmusch (1953), actress Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame (1959), Australian singer-songwriter and 80s heartthrob Michael Hutchence of INXS fame (1960), DJ & producer DJ Jazzy Jeff of "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime" fame (1965), actress Diane Lane (1965), celebrity chef Guy Fieri (1968), actor Gabriel Macht of Suits fame (1972), and singer-songwriter & jazz singer Lizz Wright (1980)
• Pour out some hot sauce in memory of: Australian actor & director Heath Ledger (d. 2008), Canadian author & illustrator Margaret Bloy Graham of Harry the Dirty Dog fame (d. 2015), sci-fi & fantasy novelist Ursula K. Le Guin of Earthsea series fame (d. 2018), baseball icon and MLB Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (d. 2021), and Buddhist monk and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh
*****
OK, no new customer Q&A this week, unfortunately! If you're feeling even moderately outgoing and would like to be featured in an upcoming Monday email (and are a customer with some Boredwalk tees, tanks, hoodies, towels, bags, books, or Delve Decks to show off), just reply to this and let us know and we'll send you some fun questions!
We'll be back here in your inbox on Wednesday with some more random holidays to observe, historical tidbits to acknowledge, and fun links to entertaining content! Until next time.
Peace, love, and spicy blondies,
Matt
Leave a comment