TIME TO CELEBRATE
THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF
MARCH 21, 2020
Things are grim right now. It would be different if there was light at the end of this tunnel, except it seems like we can't even find the tunnel. What to do? It's obvious. Celebrate!
In these trying times you may not feel like celebrating is in order. Well, that's because you don't know what day it is. Thanks to our friends at the National Day Calendar (https://nationaldaycalendar.com), there is something to celebrate every single day. Take this week, for example.
Today, March 21, is NATIONAL COMMON COURTESY DAY. What better time to practice respect for others? “This day brings awareness to how important common courtesy is in our lives. Common courtesy can be as simple as saying please and thank you. Kindness and courtesy do go a long way and are noticed by others even if you do not realize it. Not only will the other person appreciate it, but you will feel good about it also.”
Tomorrow, is a Sunday, which is a traditional day of rest. So it's appropriate that it's also NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY. “Strictly speaking, goofing off is the avoidance of work. Stop, take a break, find something different to do. Let any goofy idea pop into your head.” Above all, “try not to look like you are working.”
Goofing off is a nice lead-in to Monday, March 23 – NATIONAL CHIP AND DIP DAY. “People have been dipping their food for centuries. Potato chips are not the only mode of celebrating the day. There are tortilla chips, corn chips, pretzel chips and even popcorn chips to name a few. There are a variety of dips usually made with sour cream, cheeses, salsas, and seasonings. The combinations are endless. Don’t hesitate to mix up your favorite or try something new.” One of my favorites is a baked Chili Dip Atomic Appetizer. Find this an other great recipes at: https://www.michiganskier.com/skier-kitchen.
Maybe your taste buds enjoy sweet more than salty. If so, Tuesday, March 24 will be right up your alley. It's NATIONAL CHOCOLATE COVERED RAISIN DAY and the combo of fruit and candy make this a semi-healthy celebration. “Chocolate covered raisins have been popular with moviegoers for many years.” You may know them as Raisinets and you might be interested to know that one million Raisinets are produced per hour. You may also be delighted to find out that you can make these at home in a crock pot. The directions for Easy Chocolate-Covered Raisins (Crock-Pot) is at:
https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-chocolate-covered-raisins-crock-pot-278661.
After goofing off while consuming chips and dip plus chocolate covered raisins, a bit of exercise might by a good idea. Luckily, Wednesday (March 25) is NATIONAL LITTLE RED WAGON DAY. “This is a day celebrating the power of imagination, as adults and children alike can enjoy time together with a little red wagon. Use National Little Red Wagon Day to encourage kids to get outside, get active and go wherever their imaginations take them.” Pulling a wagon around a driveway or back yard is a good diversion.
All that wagon exercise can make a kidling hungry, so it's a good thing March 26, Thursday, is NATIONAL NOUGAT DAY. “Break open the center of certain candy bars and you will find a nougat center. Varieties of nougat are found in Three Musketeers, Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, Baby Ruth, and others.”
Also on March 26 it's NATIONAL SPINACH DAY. The National Day Calendar does not know who came up with National Spinach Day, but my guess is it was not a kid.
Speaking of kids, next Friday is a good celebration for them. March 27 is NATIONAL SCRIBBLE DAY. What this is actually about is to “inspire children to kindness through art.” When a child scribbles, something almost magical can happen. “Somehow a personality leaps onto the page and with it, encouragement for children to grow and express themselves. Anyone can make scribbles no matter their ability. This means everyone from Grandpa to the smallest family member can join in the day.” Check out http://new.dianealber.com/scribbleday/ for ideas.
This brings our week back full circle to next Saturday, March 28. We can then conclude the week with NATIONAL SOMETHING ON A STICK DAY. This is a food holiday that lets you use your creative talents. There isn’t much that can’t be put on a stick when talking about food. Soup might be that one exception. From cool summer treats like the Popsicle to frozen food staples like the corn dog, food on a stick is one of the world’s great inventions.”
While all the celebrating is going on this week, you may need a break from all the festivities. In keeping with the spirit of the week, gather around the table to discuss a burning issue. Does pineapple belong on a pizza?
For some statistics on this we turn to YouGov. “Twelve percent of Americans who eat pizza say that pineapple is one of their top three favorite pizza toppings. People between 18 and 34 years old (fifteen percent) are more likely to choose pineapple as a favorite topping, in contrast with only nine percent of Americans 55 and older. But 24 percent of pizza-eating Americans feel quite differently and say that pineapple is one of their least favorite toppings.”
That said, pineapple still fares better than a few other toppings. “The most abhorred pizza topping is anchovies, which 49 percent of people say is one of their least favorites.” That's followed by eggplant and artichokes.
What are the most preferred toppings? “The most popular pizza toppings in the USA is pepperoni, with a majority (53 percent) selecting it as one of their top three favorite toppings. Sausage, mushrooms, bacon and mozzarella cheese are other popular choices.”
All this still does not solve the pineapple pizza dilemma. That's for you to decide. It looks like you'll have plenty of time in the coming days to reach a conclusion.
Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.
NOTE: THIS COLUMN WAS NOT PUBLISHED IN THE CADILLAC NEWS ONLINE OR IN PRINT
