Hallowhen?

As part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Bush administration made one of it's wisest decisions of either term (the list of wise decisions of the Bush administration is a short list, but I digress). Beginning in 2007, the end of daylight saving time was pushed back one week, from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November. The big deal? It allowed another hour of daylight for trick or treat. An extra hour of sunlight means it's a bit warmer for trick or treat. It's also one less hour of kids daring between parked cars. Now, it's time to complete the task started in 2005.

source: morgueFile

Consider The Source.

The observance of Halloween has a long history. Here in the western world there is a tie to All Saints Day (November 1) with All Hallows Eve (Halloween, October 31) being the night before All Saints Day.  The modern practice of kids running around the neighborhood collecting a month's worth of sugar fix or college kids dressed in "costumes" that hide nothing is not a celebration of saints or the hallowed. I'm not against kids and candy or college kids and body paint; to each their own. It's time to change the date of the modern celebration of Halloween. Why not the last
Saturday/Sunday/weekend in October?

The Calendar Can Be Changed.

Some of the most sacred days on our calendar are not fixed to a date. Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving do not have a fixed date. For most of my life Veterans Day was celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11.  Washington's Birthday has morphed into Presidents Day, celebrated on the third Monday in February. So why do we have young children out after dark on a school night merely to collect candy?

Disclaimer.

By no means do I espouse changing the day or celebration of All Saints Day and the accompanying All Hallows Eve for those that celebrate All Saints Day. As for the rest of us, move Halloween to the weekend.

Uncle Sam Wants You.

to BUY AMERICAN!

I received a chain email over the weekend, urging me to buy American from August 1-August 31. The email cites a Diane Sawyer special report  about the economic benefits of buying American made products. The email specifically targets Wal-Mart and China. The email also suggests that that if 200 million Americans declined to purchase merely $20 of goods made in China, that single joint activity would reverse a billion dollar trade imbalance. The email concludes asking for a commitment to celebrate Made in America from August 1- September 1, specifically seeking out American made options for routine purchases. I think it's an idea worth improving, don't you?

START NOW.

Some ground rules: No more targets or bogeymen. China isn't inherently evil, neither are any of the Super Big Box Marts. The fact is our economy is struggling and it is both simple and patriotic to seek out products that provide the biggest bang for the buck to the US economy. The job you save could be your neighbor's...or your own.

HONOR THE AMERICAN WORKER.

The first Labor Day celebration was held in Boston in 1878. Labor Day was rushed through Congress in 1894 to begin the healing after the violent Pullman strike. Although there hasn't been recent violence today's economy is certainly painful for many. America faces an ongoing trade imbalance and budget deficit. You or I can't fix it ourselves but working together we can help close the gap.  Is there a better way to honor the American worker than buying American?

BUY AMERICAN!

Labor Day is celebrated annually the 1st Monday in September. This year Labor Day will be September 5, roughly 5 weeks from today. For the next 5 weeks pick 1 staple and find a way to substitute an American made product. Starting in September find 1 purchase a month to exchange for a product made in America. Pass the idea to your friends. Sit back and imagine how much nicer Labor Day, 2012 can be with a small change in awareness and buying behavior.

SHARE THE WEALTH.

Don't do this quietly. Tell your friends and neighbors. Post your product exchanges as a comment or via "Crowdsourcing A Good Life" either on the site or Facebook page. Have an entrepreneurial spirit? Contact me via FB, Twitter or LinkedIn and let's set up a Facebook site together. We can make a difference, all it takes is action.

Summer Solstice.

Today is the 1st day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Officially it's the Summer Solstice. Many say this is the longest day of the year and they're all wrong. Days are 24 hours along (approx) every day of the year. The Summer Solstice is the day with the more daylight than any other day of the year. Today there will be 15 hours, 16 minutes and 28 seconds of daylight. That's 2 more seconds of daylight than yesterday or tomorrow. It may not sound like much but those 2 seconds become more than 2 seconds and add up quickly. By December those 15 hours 16 minutes 28 seconds of daylight will become 9 hours 5 minutes 10seconds of daylight. 6+ hours of less daylight is significant.

It's been great this month going outside after 8 PM with the sky still light.  July 4th fireworks will wait until after 9 PM to make sure the sky is completely dark.  Soon enough, though the sky will be dark at 7:30 PM, 7 PM and even earlier.  So no matter how grand the Summer Solstice may be it has a melancholy lining. It's a warning that the daylight party is coming to an end.  There is still lots of really really good. Evening barbeques,
backyard firepits and glorious late summer/early fall afternoons. Still, the Summer Solstice warns us that soon enough the cold winter nights will be here. Don't overlook a minute of those long summer days.

I know that I have already reached my Summer Solstice. Whether I'm between July 4th and Labor Day or between Labor Day and Halloween is unknown. I hope I'm not yet close to Thanksgiving or Christmas. I still have too much left to accomplish, too much left I want to experience. For me the Summer Solstice is a reminder reminder to cherish every day. It's important I make every day count. Not only must I recognize each ray of sunshine, I must seek out those rays of sunshine. Whether I like it or not Winter will find me. Winter is always a bit easier with great summer memories.