And Another Thing

One more hint to those who want to order floral gifts for big holidays: Order Early.

If you order to have your offering delivered the day before, it does two things. One, you don't have to worry and wonder if your sweetheart's delivery will be on time along with the over one thousand others on the big day. Two, s/he will know that this wasn't a last minute thing, you were planning ahead. That is points, people.

Think about it. You have flowers or candy or cupcakes or whatever delivered a day before. You come home the night before with a small gift. Then, on the big day, you still go out for dinner and all the trimmings. You have just let this person know you are not just waiting for someone to slap you upside the head and tell you to get with it, the big day is tomorrow. You are plotting and planning and putting thought into a buildup. It goes a long way, baby.

So please consider, next time you want a gift of flowers or whatever delivered for a major holiday, having it arrive the day before.

Trust me, i'm not so rushed, the florist isn't so rushed, and the recipient has an extra day to enjoy the goodies. A win for all!


Today is:

Bird Mating Season begins -- according to legend, in honor of St. Valentine

Extraterrestrial Culture Day -- New Mexico, US (day for New Mexicans to honor all past, present, and future extraterrestrial visitors)

Feast of Vali -- Norse Calendar (archer god, a celebration of family; date approximate)

Ferris Wheel Day -- birthday of G.W.G. Ferris, Jr.

Fjortende Februar -- Denmark (Danish lovers send each other snowdrop flowers.)

International Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day

International Quirkyalone Day -- a day to value your individuality, whether you are partnered or not

League of Women Voter's Day -- US

Library Lovers Day -- for those whose favorite companion is a great book

National Call In Single Day -- what a lot of men who feel pressured to be romantic on this day wish they could do, i'm sure!

National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day

National Have-a-Heart Day -- to create awareness of the impact of our food choices on the environment, world hunger, animal welfare and human health—especially heart health

National Organ Donor Day -- US, but no matter where you live, consider leaving instructions about this to your loved ones

National Sports Day -- Qatar

Race Relations Day

Rafik Hairi Memorial Day -- Lebanon

Read to Your Child Day -- to start their love of learning early

Sts. Cyril & Methodius' Day (Patrons of Czechoslovakia, Europe, the Slavs)

Trifon Zarezan -- Bulgaria (Viticulturists' Day; a day to celebrate wine)

Valentine's Day



Anniversaries Today:

Oregon becomes the 33rd US state, 1859
Arizona becomes the 48th US state, 1912



Birthdays Today:

Drew Bledsoe, 1972
Meg Tilly, 1960
Gregory Hines, 1946
Carl Bernstein, 1944
Michael Bloomberg, 1942
Florence Henderson, 1934
Vic Morrow, 1932
Hugh Downs, 1921
Mel Allen, 1913
Jimmy Hoffa, 1913
Jack Benny, 1894
George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., 1859
Frederick Douglass, 1817


Today in History:

The annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg make the first known mention of Lithuania, 1009
Approximately 2,000 Jews are burned to death by mobs or forcibly removed from the city of Strasbourg, 1349
Roman Catholic emperor Leopold I chases the Jews out of Vienna, 1670
The United States Flag is formally recognized by a foreign naval vessel for the first time, when French Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte rendered a nine gun salute to USS Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, 1778
James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii, 1779
John Jervis and Horatio Nelson lead the British Royal Navy to victory over a Spanish fleet in action near Gibraltar, 1797
The apple parer is patented by Moses Coats of Downington, Pennsylvania, 1803
US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall declares that any act of the US Congress that conflicts with the Constitution is void, 1803
The original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is formed in Kirtland, Ohio, 1835
In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes the first serving President of the United States to have his photograph taken, 1849
A.G. Bell and Elisha Gray both apply for a patent for a telephone; Bell first by only 2 hours, and is ruled the rightful inventor, 1876
The first trainload of California grown fruit, oranges, leaves L.A. for the east,1889
Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections, 1899
The Soviet Union adopts the Gregorian calendar, 1918
The League of Women Voters is founded in Chicago, Illinois, 1920
The Bank of England is nationalized, 1946
ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled, 1946
The Knesset (Israeli parliament) convenes for the first time, 1949
Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized at the University of California, 1961
The first of 24 satellites of the Global Positioning System are placed into orbit, 1989