February 02, 2022

🤩 OMG, do you know what TODAY is?!? 🦔

IT'S WEDNESDAY!!!

Happy National Ukulele Day! I love ukuleles (aka mini guitars) for the same reason I love broccoli (aka mini trees) — holding either one makes me feel like a freaking GIANT.

Today is also National Tater Tot Day! Mmm...crispy, crunchy, golden brown cylinders of starchy delight, how I love thee!

Speaking of delightful brown things, today is also National Brown Dog Day! I mean, I love dogs of every color, but sure — give the brown ones their day!

And National Hedgehog Day! Tiny! Adorable! Spiky! Hypoallergenic! What's not to love?!

It's also National Girls And Women In Sports Day! I love doing research for these days because I learn so much; I have of course been aware of the WNBA for 25ish years and the National Women's Soccer League for the last decade, but there's also the Premier Hockey Federation for women's ice hockey, Women's Flat Track Derby Association, and Women's Professional Fastpitch (2022 is the inaugural season)!

I sure hope there'll be a WPF franchise in the Los Angeles area so I can drag Boredwalk co-founder Meredith to it kicking & screaming this summer under the guise of supporting women's professional sports. (I really just want to watch people hit balls with sticks and run around without dealing with Dodger Stadium traffic. She will HATE it, but I will distract her with soft pretzels and cotton candy.)

Whew, that's an impressive slate of observances, February 2nd — good on ya!

I feel like I'm forgetting something else about today, though...what could it be...hmmm...

Ugh, I hate when this happens. This is gonna drive me crazy for the rest of the day. What on earth could I possibly be forgetting about February 2nd?!

...

...

...oh. Right. The prognosticating rodent. *sigh*

Here's a prediction for you:

Groundhog Day GIF - There is no way this winter is ever going to end

At least not the Winter of Discontent that takes residence in my psyche year-round, like an Air B&B guest that complains *constantly* about the accommodations yet refuses to leave.

*****

Alright! Before we move on to the amusing links, let's celebrate a few February 2nd birthdays!

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, aka the National League, founded this day in 1876! Sure, they may make us all suffer through pitcher at-bats, but any port in a baseball-less winter, amirite?

• Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic James Joyce, born this day in 1882! Really, James? A literary critic? YOU?! Methinks people residing in incoherent stream-of-consciousness glass houses should not be throwing stones, but sure, why not.

• Feather-haired fox Farrah Fawcett, born this day in 1947! (The letter F loves Farrah.) Ms Fawcett was a fashion model and star of the hit crime drama series Charlie's Angels in the 1970s, as well as big-screen roles in Logan's Run, Saturn 3, and Cannonball Run.

• Actor, comedian, musician, and singer Brent Spiner, born this day in 1949! (This one goes out to former Boredwalk production specialist Charlynn, who will NEVER be a former Trekkie.) Mr. Spiner's professional career is inextricably linked to his iconic role as 2nd Officer/Chief Operations Officer of the Federation starship USS Enterprise-D (and later Enterprise-E) on Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent Star Trek films and the recent Picard spinoff. I hope his celebration is full of human emotions!

• Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, born this day in 1977! The 3-time Grammy Award winner has amassed a catalog of over 145 songs and sold over 80 million copies of her albums during her career, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all-time. Whenever, wherever — this she-wolf knows how to produce a hit single!

Now on to some amusing links!

1. Boomers got you down? Upgrade to GenX!

Since I live in TikTok now, it only seems fitting to kick off this week's link roundup with this amusing PSA from comedy person Chris Biggs!

2. Creative crafty cosplay? Intriguing! Tell me more!

Crafty cosplayer Shay decided to make a chain mail dress out of pennies and document the process, because it is 2022 and that is a thing that people do. What a world!

3. Here's ten and a half minutes of foxes playing in snow, because you deserve to experience 630 seconds of unbridled joy today!

SaveAFox, the largest fox rescue organization in the US, has a YouTube channel FULL of foxiness for you to enjoy!

4. Comedian Peet Guercio speaks truth to GPS power.

As with most Google products, the eagerness with which Google Maps offers superfluous information makes one wonder WTF is going on in dev meetings at Google HQ.

5. Other comedian Alex Falcone is a criminal mastermind trapped in an amusing allergy-prone yukster's body.

This talent for hiding harmless tchotchkes inside everyday objects seems like a lot of wasted potential, but I am here for the LOLs.

OK! Hopefully these little diversions helped to brighten your day! We'll be back here in your inbox on Friday with more entertainment and Boredwalk news! Until then...

Peace, love, and six more weeks of...whatever all this is,

Matt