Event Calendar

• NATIONAL SCREENWRITERS DAY

• On January 5, when the credits roll on your favorite show or movie, admire the writers on National Screenwriters Day!
• You’ve probably heard of Steven Spielberg, the great director, who is known for Saving Private Ryan, Raiders of The Lost Arc, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
• But do you know that Spielberg didn’t write any of those movies? They were all written by the screenwriter (Robert Rodat, Lawerence Kasdan, and Melissa Mathison respectively).
• Inside the industry, these screenwriters are well known for their ability to crack the story, create great roles for actors, and write memorable dialogue. But there are also writers in living rooms all around the world, tapping away at their keyboards, writing what could be the next breakout movie.
• Listen to what Ryan Reynolds said when he received the award for Best Actor.
• “I’d like to take this chance to thank the screenwriters, not just the ones on “Deadpool”, but everywhere. It is a hugely undervalued asset in Hollywood. They are the architects. They make us look good.”
– Ryan Reynolds accepting the 2016 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor

National Technology Day on January 6th recognizes the way technology changes the world and looks to the future of technology. From the wheel to smartphones, each year the day honors technological achievements made that impact our daily lives.
Imagine the world without technology. In our daily lives, we can’t take a step without coming into contact with a form of it. The world is abuzz with technology.
Outside of the healthcare sector, tech jobs are one of the strongest and fastest-growing divisions. And let’s face it, technology is at the center of most jobs these days. From agriculture, healthcare and fitness to entertainment, food service and security we use technology to keep us organized, connected, healthy and safe.
One area of the tech world that continues to advance and affect our lives is apps (short for applications). With the advent of smartphones, apps are way more than just games or photo editing. If you haven’t made any resolutions yet, resolve to check out these trending apps:
• AXEL – Files move or stream from one device straight to another. No stops along the way and no uploading. Removes the middlemen.
• Circle of 6 – When talking about personal safety, this is a tool you might consider having. It’s designed to quickly and discreetly get help in dangerous situations. By simply tapping twice, pre-written messages are sent to designated recipients, GPS location included.
• Zombies, Run! – Exercise as a game. And zombies. It’s a zombie exercise game. If nothing else motivates you, maybe this will.

National Thank God It’s Monday Day encourages us to celebrate the first Monday of the new year with vigor and energy.
Not only does the observance focus on the first Monday in January, but on every Monday throughout the year. Mondays are often full of new beginnings. New jobs often start on Mondays. Couples usually marry on weekends and a Monday represents the first work week of their new lives together. Many federal holidays take place on Mondays and therefore special occasions frequently take place on Mondays throughout the year.
Besides the scheduled events, many random events occur on a Monday. When Monday repeats between 52 and 53 times out of the year, important things will happen. It’s 1/7th of our life. Blaming Monday for our woes (traffic) doesn’t improve our personal track record in life (being late).
Stop shaming Monday and look at what Monday has to offer.

NATIONAL BOBBLEHEAD DAY
Each year on January 7th, National Bobblehead Day recognizes a day of celebration for all spring-connected head bobbing figurines.
For over 100 years, bobbleheads have been entertaining and fascinating fans and collectors. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, too. Bobbleheads commemorate iconic teams, movies, and cartoon characters. Individually, they represent some of our most exciting athletes or thrilling television and movie characters.
Early bobbleheads, known as bobbers or nodders, developed from Germany. They took root in the United States pop culture in the 1950s and 60s. Bobbleheads resurged in the late 1990s when professional sports teams began using them as promotional items. Today, as both toys and collectibles, bobbleheads continue to amuse and captivate us.

NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY
On January 7th, National Tempura Day encourages us to celebrate with a dish made with a tempura batter. This Japanese fare is made up of either seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried.
Portuguese Jesuit missionaries introduced the recipe for tempura to Japan during the sixteenth century (around 1549). It is believed that Portuguese Jesuit Tokugawa Isyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, loved tempura. Since the Genroku era (September 1688 – March 1704), tempura was traditionally a very popular food eaten at street vendors called ‘yatai.’
Today, chefs all over the world include tempura dishes on their menus. They use a wide variety of different batters and ingredients, including the nontraditional broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus as well as dry fruits. Some meats, usually chicken and cheeses, particularly mozzarella, are known to be served tempura-style in some American restaurants.
For sushi lovers, a more recent variation of tempura sushi provides a new way of enjoying the delicacy. Entire pieces of sushi are dipped in batter and tempura-fried.