Cans n' Clocks

            In honor of the second week of this project, here’s a surprise: I celebrated not one, but TWO holidays this time. A festive double whammy, in the form of Beer Can Appreciation Day.

A can factory in 1963. They've been around for a while.

            It may seem like a pointless holiday, but beer cans have played a key role in today’s economy. Beer cans don't just magically appear, you know. In fact, it takes a lot of work to produce them en masse. Machines can’t do all of the work (most of it, yes, but not all), and lots of new jobs are created to make up for this deficit. People are hired to oversee production of cans, obtain materials for the cans, deliver the cans, create new designs, and even pull some lever to fill the cans with the eponymous beer. Believe it or not, the beer can industry is responsible for thousands of livelihoods, and, for that, it deserves recognition. (This video paints a good picture of how the cans are made how they're made).

            

            Beer Can Appreciation Day, though, did not take over the week, for Thursday was Punch the Clock Day! Now, this holiday can be taken in one of two ways:

            1) “Punching the clock,” as in putting in hours at work and clocking in and out. This holiday probably originated as a sneaky way of making employees work hard for at least one day a year.

            2) Literally punching a clock. This is the more creative and thus much more fun aspect of the day. I may or may not have visited a grandfather clock and celebrated in this manner.

I definitely punched a clock.

         

    You can go with either one, but I think the day is really a combination of these two interpretations. You need both, a little yin and a little yang, in life to balance things out. It’s fun to goof off and punch those clocks in your life (alarm clocks, especially), but it’s also important to work hard at your given tasks. Despite my detour, I actually accomplished a lot (chemistry and biology assignments, done) and it felt good to have been so productive. Hard work (or at least its end product) is fun, and sometimes we all need to realize that. Just look at a beer can; it took a lot of labor to get to where it is, but I’m sure the manufacturers enjoy the end product.

Penguin Awareness

Every day of the year is special. There's only one January 20, 2011, and, even though it isn't as mainstream as holidays like Christmas, it should still be celebrated as Penguin Awareness Day.

Yes, January 20 is the one day each year, if there ever was one, that humans should set aside their differences and take note of penguins and their role in society. Penguins actually appear a lot in human cultures, and they deserve recognition for their efforts. Without penguins, the Pittsburgh men’s ice hockey team would not have an iconic mascot. Without penguins, Madagascar would not be a funny movie. Without penguins, ostriches would be the laughingstock of the bird community for not being able to fly.

            So, in honor of penguins and their vast contributions to society, I chose to suit up, penguin-style. I wore my tuxedo for most of the day, only changing so I could wear another penguin-themed shirt. I think I got a few people into the spirit of the holiday.

          
       But Penguin Awareness Day isn’t just about commemorating penguins, it also involves learning about them. A great movie for this purpose (which I actually watched) is “March of the Penguins.” It details the long journey that emperor penguins in Antarctica make in order to mate. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it definitely takes a lot more work for penguins than it does for people to have a baby. Also, if the prospect of a gripping penguin tale isn’t incentive enough, Morgan Freeman is the narrator.

            So please, remember to take time next January 20^th to remember the penguins in your life. Out of the 18 known species of penguins, four are endangered because of oil spills and global warming ("Penguins"). One thing you can to do help is donate to the World Wildlife Fund by “adopting” an emperor penguin. This funds the organization in its attempts to preserve Antarctica by cleaning spills and preventing climate change. 

 Enjoy some holiday-appropriate penguin-related links!

-Adopt a Penguin

-March of the Penguins Trailer

-The Madagascar Penguins

"Penguins." Defenders of Wildlife. Jan. 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/penguin.php>.

Howdy

Right now I'm in the process of setting up this blog, so this is a test post. Keep your eyes open for a post on Thursday or Friday, then! (Spoiler: Thursday is Penguin Awareness Day)