I wish I could take credit.
I wish Yellow Pig Day originated at the House of Shine. I wish it was the day all swine rose up and finally decided to join our Rayvolution. I wish pigs carried signs that read, "Swine Shine!"
But alas, the House of Shine had nothing to do with the creation of this holiday - coming our way on Saturday, July 17. According to my research:
"The holiday dates back to the 1960s when two math students at Princeton were given an assignment to analyze the properties of the number 17. Thinking about the number 17 for so long drove them a bit nuts, (as you can imagine), so they came up with the idea of a mythical yellow pig. Oh yeah, and this yellow pig happened to have seventeen toes, seventeen teeth, seventeen eyelashes, etc. Now mathematicians in colleges and universities everywhere celebrate Yellow Pig Day by eating Yellow Pig Cake and singing Yellow Pig Carols (seriously, we couldn't make this stuff up)."
It is suggested by Professor Kelly, creator of the holiday, that we let our imaginations run (hog) wild and come up with our own ideas for how to celebrate this holiday. He suggests hosting a parade or eating cake.
Despite my aversion to numbers, Matthew, Jack, and I decided the "yellow" nature of this holiday made it SHINE enough to warrant our attention. It was, after all, another opportunity to use my pig cookie cutter - compliments of Fancy Flours Baking Supplies. Loyal followers might remember that the last time I attempted the pig, it was to celebrate National Pencil Day (March 30). The post was titled, A Bunch of Slop - which should give you some insight into how things went. To re-live the pain, click here.
I don't know that this batch is much better than the last, but we had fun. We put 17 polka dots on them, made swirls for 17 seconds, and packaged up 17 cookies to give all the math-lovin-people we know. Which is one. My friend, Julie.
Turns out though that the number seventeen is kind of an interesting number and maybe even worth celebrating. I won't presume you care, but if you are a numbers-geek click here. You'll love it.
Here's what I love. I love that people love to celebrate so much that they will create an entire holiday around the number seventeen. You know what that tells me? It tells me people are just looking for reasons to spread shine.
Now there is something I can rally around. Spreading Shine.
Speaking of spreading shine, we are coming up on August and it is time to decide what our next cause for celebration will be. The month is full of fun holidays, but none more deserving than August 7, Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day. That is another holiday I wish I could take credit for. Darn it.
Vote below for which cookie cutter you think I should have to bake, decorate, and package (preposterously) and then visit us in the Community Forum labeled, Today's Post to tell us what kind of celebration you will be working up for Yellow Pig Day.
Shining off until tomorrow...
I spotted this graffiti the other day at a local park. Here's my take on it.
The message is a cop out.
It's easy to show up in the dark of night and to spray some cynical message implying our country is in such disrepair that we have regressed close to 1,600 years.
The Dark Ages were not what I studied in college, but still I seem to remember it being a term used to describe the absence of written records more than it was describing the demise of an entire society.
Either way, it's a cop out. If you are the cowardly author of that graffiti then you strike first making some ridiculous proclamation about the world around you being dark and dank and depressing. You make a proclamation and, in one fell swoop, absolve yourself from being part of the solution.
We've seen it a million times.
"Don't blame me, I voted for..."
"Education isn't what it used to be..."
"Management doesn't get it..."
Negativity is an excuse to be complacent. If you position yourself on the side of the other guy (or in this case, a different and seemingly more prosperous time) then you get the luxury of sitting back and watching others try to make things better. It's not your problem. You, after all, saw the writing on the wall. You knew better. In fact, you are so much smarter, you (and your graffiti) have been trying to warn us all along.
Here's my message back to whoever the sad and disenfranchised person is who spray painted his (or her) message at my local park:
Shine Dammit!
Stop conceding that these are the Dark Ages and do something about it. Save the time, money, and energy you spent on your graffiti and make a contribution that will help Power the Planet with Shine. According to you, there is plenty to choose from.
Use today's Community Forum (turned graffiti board) to tell me what you think.
Shining off until tomorrow...
For weeks I have been pondering why I think Mr. Softee shines.
Those who tuned in for Friday's video heard the story about my six year old son. Matthew figured out that rather than wait in anticipation of a visit from the ice cream man, he could simply request the his business card and then call the ice cream man on demand. While true that I love Matthew's fearlessness, it is not the idea of on-demand ice cream that makes Mr. Softee shine.
And, certainly Mr. Softee doesn't shine because of his $3.00 Cherry Chill or his $2.00 soft serve ice cream cone.
No, what makes the ice cream man shine is his music.
The sound of Mr. Softee rounding the corner of any neighborhood, regardless of city or state is universal. If you know not of what I speak, click here immediately.
Not only is the sound of Mr. Softee universal, it is universally loved. This simple jingle conjurs up positive memories for virtually everyone who grew up hearing it.
Here's one more thing. People might universally love the jingle for Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper, but those jingles don't hunt you down.
Not so much with Mr. Softee. Inside, outside, blocks - even miles - away, kids have have radar that lets them know when Mr. Softee is anywhere within a four mile radius. There is no hiding it. You can try closing all the doors and windows, distracting them by turning up the radio, or enticing them with cartoons. There ain't nothin' that's going to cut through those high pitched bells Mr. Softee's got going on. Nothin'.
Yeah, Mr. Softee and his musical ploy shines.
Mr. Softee shines because his music masterfully demonstrates how to Create (Principle #2) a following.
Mr. Softee shines because he Realizes the Impact of Little Things (Principle #5). Richard invested a small fortune in our backyard pool, but it' Mr. Softee's music and the promise of a $2.00 treat that really gets our kids really excited.
Mr. Softee shines because he is Relentlessly Passionate (Principle #8). Passionate about ice cream and relentless about selling it to kids - even when mom and dad are cringing at the sound of his bells.
But, most of all, Mr. Softee shines because he Spreads Shine (Principle #10). His truck - music, ice cream, sprinkles, and all - is like sunshine on wheels.
Happy National Ice Cream Month!
Shining off until tomorrow...