Ever wonder who came up with certain phrases we tend to use in our everyday lives? Here are a few.

To coin a phrase means to invent a new saying or idiomatic expression that is new or unique. However, the term to coin a phrase is most often used today in a sarcastic or ironic fashion, in order to acknowledge when someone has used a hackneyed phrase or a cliché.

The first use of the word coin as a verb occurred during the 1300′s, referring to the process of stamping metal coins with a die. The verb coin then evolved into describing other things that were newly made, and by the 1500′s the term to coin a word came into being. Shakespeare wrote in his play Coriolanus, produced in 1607: “So shall my Lungs Coine words till their decay.” The expression to coin a phrase didn’t appear until the mid-1800′s, and seems to have been an invention of American English.

24/7: It lists its first reference to 24/7 as from US magazine Sports Illustrated in 1983.

The man to use it was basketball player Jerry Reynolds and he was talking about his jump shot. This is when a player releases the ball in mid-air and Reynolds said his was “good 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year”.

Off with his head (Richard III) -Green-Eyed Monster (Othello) – Love is Blind (The Merchant of Venice) – The game is afoot (Henry V) – Wild Goose chase (Romeo and Juliet) - Seen better days (As you like it) – Good riddance (Troilus and Cressida() – Lie low (Much Ado About Nothing). You may have guess by the plays in parentheses, the coiner is none other than William Shakespeare. He also coined another 56 phrases that are randomly said to this day.

On a bit of a different note, the word “hello”.

What do you say when you pick up the phone?

You say “hello,” of course.

What do you say when someone introduces a friend, a relative, anybody at all?

You say “hello.”

Hello has to have been the standard English language greeting since English people began greeting, no?

The Oxford English Dictionary says the first published use of “hello” goes back only to 1827. And it wasn’t mainly a greeting back then. Ammon says people in the 1830′s said hello to attract attention (“Hello, what do you think you’re doing?”), or to express surprise (“Hello, what have we here?”). Hello didn’t become “hi” until the telephone arrived.

The dictionary says it was Thomas Edison who put hello into common usage. He urged the people who used his phone to say “hello” when answering. His rival, Alexander Graham Bell, thought the better word was “ahoy.”

“Ahoy,” it turns out, had been around longer — at least 100 years longer — than hello. It too was a greeting, albeit a nautical one, derived from the Dutch “hoi,” meaning “hello.” Bell felt so strongly about “ahoy” he used it for the rest of his life.

And so, by the way, does the entirely fictional “Monty” Burns, evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant on The Simpsons. If you watch the program, you may have noticed that Mr. Burns regularly answers his phone “Ahoy-hoy,” a coinage the Urban Dictionary says is properly used “to greet or get the attention of small sloop-rigged coasting ship.” Mr. Burns, apparently, wasn’t told.

Why did hello succeed? Aamon points to the telephone book. The first phone books included authoritative How To sections on their first pages and “hello” was frequently the officially sanctioned greeting.

In fact, the first phone book ever published, by the District Telephone Company of New Haven, Connecticut, in 1878 (with 50 subscribers listed) told users to begin their conversations with “a firm and cheery ‘hulloa.’” (I’m guessing the “a” is silent.)

Whatever the reason, hello pushed past ahoy and never looked back. The same cannot be said of the phonebook’s recommended Way To End A Phone Conversation. The phonebook recommended: “That is all.”

Monday's child is fair of face.

Tuesday's child is full of grace.

Wednesday's child is full of woe.

Thursday's child has far to go.

Friday's child is loving and giving.

Saturday's child works hard for his living.

And the child that is born on the Sabbath day,

is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

I was born on a Tuesday. Supposedly, I am very gracious, agreeable, refined, and polite in manner or behavior. And in truth, I do my best to be, but I am far from perfect but this isn't about how riled up I get or how down I can get (after all, I am human).

No, this is about numbers. I celebrated a birthday Thursday, my 74th. Today, I saw a challenge by coldfront, and it made me think as he has many numbers in his post relating to his birthday as well as other days, hours, minutes and seconds that he will use wisely to make changes in his life, but again, this isn't about his decisions. But what I did was interesting and here are the results I found.

Days alive: 27, 092 (as of today.)

Months alive: 888 (as of now)

Weeks alive: 3,861.4 (as of today)

Hours alive: 648,554 (as of right now)

Minutes alive: 38,913,180 (as of right now)

Seconds alive: 2,335,484,000 (as of right now)

Of course by the time I post and y6ou read this all the above numbers will have change4d somewhat for the one fact in life we cannot stop, change or alter is time. It goes on whether we want it to stop or not.

9 days from now: Halloween (as of right now)

15 days from now: Time is set back one hour: November 7th)

33 days until Thanksgiving (as of right now)

63 days until Christmas (as of right now)

70 days before we roll into 2022 (as of right now)

During all this, there will be wars going on, families struggling, Covid running its course, students frantic with studies, parents worried about their children. Families will gather round during the holidays, open gifts and be thankful. Winter will be harsh, the homeless will still be homeless, but the holidays seems to bring a brief respite, though ever brief.

Time: the single entity that changes the course of events for all of us.

We have all had a "first"in our life. Our first baby steps, first word spoken, first girl or boyfriend, first job, and so forth. But there are certain "firsts" that could be considered different from the norm, or unheard of because of its time. Herein, is a sampling of those firsts.

**********

Susanna Madora Salter (née Kinsey; March 2, 1860 – March 17, 1961) was an American politician and activist. She served as mayor of Argonia, Kansas, becoming the first woman elected as mayor in the United States and one of the first women to serve in any political office in the U.S.

At Sing Sing Prison, Ossining, New York, U.S. Martha M. Place (September 18, 1849 – March 20, 1899) was an American murderer and the first woman to die in the electric chair. She was executed on March 20, 1899, at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for the murder of her stepdaughter Ida Place.

On May 3, 1946, Willie Francis survived an attempt at execution by the electric chair. The portable electric chair, known as "Gruesome Gertie," was found to have been improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

The first possible appearance of a stunt-double was Frank Hanaway in The Great Train Robbery, shot in 1903 in Milltown, New Jersey. The first auditable paid stunt was in the 1908 film The Count of Monte Cristo, with $5 paid by the director to the acrobat who had to jump 200 feet upside down from an open breezeway/balcony into the sea, or more well known as the La Jolla coast, near San Diego.

Helen Gibson (born Rose August Wegner; August 27, 1892 – October 10, 1977) was an American film actress, vaudeville performer, radio performer, film producer, trick rider, and rodeo performer; and is considered to be the first American professional stunt woman.

Whatever happened

to neighbor helping neighbor?

Friends helping friends?

Sounds of curious children,

air filled with holiday music,

laughter abounds in preparation

of a most special day,

for some.

Others, who cannot give,

who cannot afford basic luxuries;

are called homeless,

confined,

lonely; the alone.

Others have family,

and surrounded by friends,

enthralled by a lover of constant substance;

while many others fall short

these simple happenings,

and glad tidings become a chore.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly;

as others sleep under bridges and back alleys,

confined, restricted, to a life empty and alone.

That is truly alone.

Once holidays vaporize from sight,

things will become what they were;

unknown.

It is only now we think of it,

and quietly repent for a little while.

Afterward,

it becomes out of sight, out of mind.

That is sad.

National Mud Pack Day

Hot Mulled Cider Day

National Love People Day

What a way to end this year long endeavor. A facial, a warm/hot cup of cider and giving people some love. Yes, this is the final installment to perhaps the strangest thing I have done. For those of you who are interested, I will put the link for this book at the final installment at the bottom of this post if you care to save it to your bookmarks for future reference regarding the holidays.

If you are wondering why I end it here … I started this October first of last year. So this journey has come to an end and I thank each person who has stopped by to read or just to leave an L & R. Roughly, over 5,000 likes, and reposts during this and an untold number of comments. This has been a grand adventure!

So here I go for the final time!

National Mud Pack Day

National Mud Pack Day is today. Slop on that mud facial. Ladies, this is your day. Guys, you can get a mud pack facial, too. Just don’t let your buddies know that you did.

Mud packs were once the rage for facial treatments. It is still popular. But the mud in facials has been replaced with a variety of other ingredients. It is supposed to keep the skin young, soft, and supple. Does it work? Girls who use it, swear by it.

A mud pack is a quick treatment for bee stings. Use it, if needed, when you are out on a hike, or until you can get to a place to be treated for bee and wasp stings.

Celebrate today with a mud pack. Guys, make this a special day by buying a gift certificate for a facial for your special lady. Make sure to tell her it’s not that she needs it. Rather, it’s because it is comforting, and will make her feel good.

“Beauty is not just physical. It’s about what you stand for

and how you live your life.”—Halle Berry

Hot Mulled Cider Day

Hot Mulled Cider Day warms our homes with the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple.

Fall welcomes toasty mugs of mulled cider to wrap our chilled hands around. Such a cozy way to spend an evening, sipping a tart, spiced beverage on a chilly evening while gazing at trees ablaze in crimson, gold, and orange. It is the perfect time to celebrate this holiday and enjoy this delightful drink.

Mulled cider is a traditional fall and winter drink made by heating cider to almost boiling and adding cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg, cloves, and other spices and then simmering it. Just the scent of it steeping on the stove will warm the home and lift the spirits of everyone in it. It is also a remi9nder the holidays are upon us.

National Love People Day

Can’t we all just get along?

Love People Day asks us to lift others up through the profound power of unconditional love.

The human condition is a limiting and varying thing. How and when and where we get to use it is vaguely and oddly defined. What is certain is a rollercoaster-filled life of celebrations and trials. National Love People Day tasks us to understand that unconditional love requires a dedication most human beings aren’t given. But, when we wholeheartedly love our neighbors with steadfast devotion, the world is a better place. It is the practical application of “love your neighbor as yourself.”

The word “unconditional” on its own is quite profound. Look at its synonyms:

Wholehearted, unqualified, unreserved, unlimited, unrestricted, unmitigated, unquestioning, complete, total, entire, full, absolute, unequivocal.

Those words are dedicated, solid, and unwavering from their commitment to something.

There are no boundaries or limitations with the word “unconditional.”

Add the word love, and the power of the phrase multiplies. So, offer kindness and care to the people who are around you and to those who surround your life with goodness.

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear,

too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice,

but for those who love, time is eternity.—Henry Van Dyke

No More Strange Holidays Coming!

The Link: https://old.theprose.com/book/2899/strange-holidays

National One Hit Wonder Day

National Lobster Day

National Ghost Hunting Day

National Comic Books Day

National Singles Day

International Rabbit Day

Math Storytelling Day

… and I was so used to getting to love the short lists. That’s what I get for hoping. Okay already, enough chatter. I’m on it, but before I do, after today, the countdown begins before this ends.

On September 30th when I post the final one, I will place a link in it so if you care to save it to your favorites to look back on you can do so. If you are new to this, wondering why I end it September 30th and not December 31st, it is because I started this October 1st.

National Comic Books Day

Comic books are great reading. They either tell an ongoing story, provide humor, or offer intrigue and suspense. In all comic books, good eventually prevails over evil. So, comic books always make us feel good.

Comic books have great value as a collector’s item. Don’t ever throw away those old comic books. Down the road, the series you are collecting today, may be worth its weight in gold a few years from now.

Here are three confirmed examples:

Action Comics #1 (first printing 1938 – Superman) – Value $3.25 million

Detective Comics #27 (first printing 1939 - Batman) - Value $1.1 million

Amazing Fantasy #15 (first printing 1962 – Spider-Man) – Value $1.1 million

Some stores are rumored to offer free comic books on this day. (If you hear of a store offering free comic books, let me know.)

“Laws are like sausages, you should never watch them being made.”—Otto von Bismarck

International Rabbit Day

International Rabbit Day seeks to protect rabbits as pets and in the wild. Animal rights groups and humane societies are active promoters of this special day. Their objectives are to promote healthy, caring environments for rabbits that are raised as pets, and those living in the wild. They also seek to stop the use of rabbit furs and the use of rabbit on restaurant menus.

World-wide, rabbits are the third most popular pet, behind dogs and cats.

There is really no consensus on the proper date for today. Most sites state a date in the last several days of the month (depending upon the year), almost always on a Saturday or a Sunday. All roads on the net point to the “Rabbit Charity” in the UK, as creators of this day. But their website is no longer up and running. It appears that the majority of sites refer to this day on the fourth Saturday of the month. I would say until the creators are found (if ever), just use the Fourth Saturday of September to celebrate International Rabbit Day.

Celebrate this special with your pet rabbit. Learn a little more about him and how to properly care for his needs. If you don’t have a pet, maybe today is the day to get a pet rabbit.

“The hunger for love is much more difficult

to remove than the hunger for bread.”—Mother Teresa

National Ghost Hunting Day

(Inserting eerie ghost stuff here):

https://youtu.be/f5uUXWNSDO8

National Ghost Hunting Day kicks off an annual international investigation of the paranormal.

Ghost hunting stirs up images of abandoned mansions with murderous histories. For others, ghost hunting involves specters guarding ancient crypts. Centuries-old ghost stories around the world focus on historical records or literature. Science, religion, and academia debate their existence. Even their use by Shakespeare and other playwrights is often considered a continuation of that discussion.

Seeking paranormal activity isn’t limited to crumbling ruins and darkened, forgotten corners of the world. Public places boast eerie tales of spectral voices or haunting mists. For example, both the Tower of London and the White House in Washington, D.C. crackle with the electricity of paranormal activity. The former is thought to be haunted by Ann Boleyn’s ghost. With regards to the White House, the stories are plentiful, too.

Enthusiasts bring attention to historic properties. They also have an interest in preservation. As part of the adventure, sleuths visit Civil War-era towns like Old-Salt Sulphur Springs, Virginia. Others join ghost walks like the one at Rohs Opera House in Kentucky. For train lovers and train-loving ghosts, hop on board in Colorado. There are many historical locations ready for sleuthing and investigation on National Ghost Hunting Day.

Perhaps it’s the anticipation for the novice – someone yet to experience the thrill of witnessing a restless soul making contact for the first time. Lured into their first haunted journey, the novice remembers the first spooky ghost story read by flashlight under the bedsheets. Or perhaps it was an unexplained blur on a snapshot. Sometimes, just the prospect of a spirit lingering nearby piques the investigator’s interest. However, actual sightings are rare and fleeting.

With the increase of novels, movies, and television shows going on the hunt, interest grows. Societies worldwide continue developing methods of proving the existence of ghosts, spirits, and other paranormal activity. Typically, a ghost hunting team attempts to collect evidence they see as supportive of paranormal activity.

Devices such as an EMF meter, digital thermometer, handheld, and static digital video cameras, audio recorders, and computers are all part of a team’s toolbox. However, they also employ traditional techniques like conducting interviews and researching the history of a site.

Of course, skeptics remain. Considered a pseudoscience by most educators, academics, and science writers, ghost hunting leads to noble acts. For example, some ghost hunts launched preservation campaigns. They also preserve the American Folklore Story and integrate known scientific tools for challenging dimensional theories. Thus, with a tremendous sense of discovery and enthusiasm, National Ghost Hunting Day is celebrated.

In light of the fact as September winds down and we start to roll into October and waiting there of course is Halloween. Take a quick peek at this less than four second clip. It's the first animated gif. Boo!

https://www.higgypop.com/news/ghost-jokes/

More Strange Holidays Coming!

Native American Day

Punctuation Day

Be Brave Day

I see this small grouping as something special. All Native American’s must maintain bravery each and every day that goes by, their history that tells them so.

Native American Day

This day is set aside to honor and celebrate Native Americans, the first Americans to live in the U.S. Still commonly referred to as American Indians, the term "Native Americans" has been used in recent years as a sign of respect and recognition that they were indeed the first indigenous people to populate our great and wonderful nation.

By the time the first explorers and settlers arrived from Europe, Native Americans had populated the entire North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to the northern reaches of Canada.

We encourage you to spend this day, learning about Native Americans, the true original settlers in America.

This special holiday dates back to 1939. California Governor Culbert Olsen dedicated this day as American Indian Day. The state of Nevada soon followed suit. Over the years, the name and the date was changed.

In 1968, then Governor Ronald Reagan made a resolution which was passed in the state Assembly declaring the fourth Friday in September as Native American Day. Nevada also made this an official holiday. Over the years, the popularity of this holiday grew and became popular across the country..

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."—John Lennon

Be Brave Day

National Brave Day is about empowering women. It "honors women who lift each other up, rescue each other and make each other Brave," and exists "to encourage women to keep moving forward and to be Brave." On the day, women with varied life experiences and from different generations come together to support each other with simple gestures. These are sisters, family members, friends, and strangers who have dealt with struggles and tragedy. National BRAVE Day was founded by Sweetlife Women, a women's ministry, in honor of their founder, Kaci Stewart. In creating the day, Sweetlife Women hoped it would be a spark of encouragement to women, and a reminder to them to strengthen each other.

If you are a woman, celebrate the day by lifting up other women and encouraging them to move forward and to be BRAVE. Show your support for them through simple gestures. Some ideas suggested by the creators of the day on how to observe include organizing a movie night for local women, creating a fundraiser for baby showers, organizing a Valentine's Day Tea for single mothers, and editing the resumé of a woman who is seeking a new job.

Do what you can when you can. Both you and the person you help will be better off with the time invested.

Punctuation Day

From the lowly comma to the flamboyant ampersand, today celebrates the punctuation that makes our words legible and gets our point across. “Let’s eat, Grandma!” or “Let’s eat Grandma!” — it’s clear that punctuation saves lives. Though you might not have consciously considered punctuation since elementary school, you likely use it every day. Every year, the creator of the holiday sets a punctuation challenge, and punctuation quizzes and games can be found all over the country.

Minding your p’s and q’s, dotting your t’s, crossing your i’s, and knowing the difference between a colon and a semicolon was not always necessary to communicate. While today we take for granted the little dots, slashes, and spaces that turn a string of unintelligible letters into a compelling story, ancient cultures had to make do without. Since most early languages were purely verbal, punctuation was not necessary.

The earliest-known document featuring punctuation is the Mesha Stele from 900 B.C. The next civilization to start to develop rudimentary punctuation was the Greeks, in 200 B.C. Though they had previously written in ‘scriptura continua,’ or unending strings of text unmarred by punctuation marks, people soon started to adopt the system of punctuation created by Aristophanes of Byzantium. This included a single punctuation mark positioned differently to indicate pauses in speeches.

Though punctuation had already been adopted by the Greeks, it wasn’t until the Bible began to be printed en masse that punctuation spread to other civilizations. Bible printing was widespread between 400 and 800 A.D., and punctuation was necessary so that those who read the text aloud knew where to pause and place emphasis. In the 1400's, a huge shift came with the printing press, which spurred the need for a more unified punctuation system.

While punctuation as a single system hasn’t changed too much since the old days, marks and symbols have gradually gained and lost meaning. One important shift occurred in the late 20th century with the life-changing arrival of computers. Suddenly, symbols like ‘#’ and ‘@’ took on whole new, tech-specific meanings! Additionally, texting and chatting online requires knowledge of a wholly different, somewhat colloquial body of punctuation rules.

Teacher: What's the most important punctuation mark?

Little Johnny: The period?

Teacher: Correct. Can you tell me why?

Little Johnny: I'm not sure, but when my sister missed hers, my mom fainted, my dad had a heart attack , and the next door neighbor shot himself.

More Strange Holidays Coming!

Innergize Day

National Snack Stick Day

Checkers Day/Dogs In Politics Day

Before I get started, do you notice anything oddly interesting about the first word of each strange holiday? Think of it as sort of a riddle … and here I go.

Checkers Day/Dogs In Politics Day

Get out the Checker Board. Today is Checkers Day. So, do you want the red checkers? Or the black ones?

It may surprise you to know that it is also Dogs in Politics Day.

In 1952, Richard M. Nixon was a candidate for Vice-President of the United States, running with Dwight D. Eisenhower. Media speculation centered around an $18,000 campaign contribution, and speculation that Nixon may have used some for his personal use. In a brilliant political maneuver, Nixon took his case to the American people.

On September 23, 1952, Richard Nixon gave a speech that directly addressed and explained the issue. He assured the public that he did not use any of the funds for personal use. Towards the end of the speech, he stated that his daughters had received a dog, which they named "Checkers", as a gift. He said they would keep the dog.

This speech quickly became known as the "Checkers" speech, and went on to be one of the better speeches in American political history.

With "Checkers" the dog included in the speech, this day was sometimes referred to as Dogs in Politics Day.

"Courage is knowing what not to fear."—Plato

Innergize Day

Innergize Day, which is the day after the Autumnal Equinox offers an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate.

Since fall has officially arrived, it’s time to shift gears. The fast pace of summer activities passes by now. Languid autumn days provide tranquil sunsets and peaceful moments. These are the times to focus on your personal well-being. Do things you enjoy that make you feel good about yourself. Let stress and worry fade away for the day.

The day is an excellent time to look inward. Whether you rejuvenate your spiritual connections or develop mindfulness, refocusing your energy can have huge benefits. After trying to cram every activity into a few short months, we sometimes lose focus. Fall allows us to take a deep breath and be more mindful of our bodies, spirits, and the world around us.

Knock, knock

Who’s there?

A little old lady.

A little old lady who?

Hey, you can yodel!

National Snack Stick Day

National Snack Stick Day encourages you to pack your pockets, backpacks, and desk drawers with snack sticks so you can celebrate.

Primarily made with beef or pork, snack sticks harken back to the days when families preserved quantities of beef, pork, and game. Full of family tradition, they made sausage through smoking and aging. Developed generation after generation, the recipes use premium ingredients and an abundance of love.

These little portions of smoked sausage are a convenient source of protein. Take several you with on a hike or throw in your gym bag. Snack sticks satisfy mid-morning hunger pangs and are easily shared after school, after work or anytime. With a variety of flavorful choices, snack sticks please the whole family. From sweet to spicy and everything in between, this savory snack fits a busy lifestyle to perfection.

A customer wennt to a person behind a register and asked,

"Where can I find Polish sausage?"

The clerk asks, "Are you Polish?"

The guy , clearly offended, says, "Yes I am. But let me ask you something. If I had asked for Italian sausage, would you ask me if I was Italian? Or if I had asked for German Bratwurst, would you ask me if I was German? Or if I asked for a kosher hot dog would you ask me if I was Jewish? Or if I had asked for a Taco, would you ask if I was Mexican?

Or if I asked for some Irish whiskey, would you ask if I was Irish?"

The clerk says, "No, I probably wouldn't."

The guy says, "Well then, because I asked for Polish sausage,

why did you ask me if I'm Polish?"

The clerk replied, "Because you're in Home Depot."

More Strange Holidays Coming!

Guys, I started a podcast where I read A Collection of Short Stories... It's free to listen to...

Here's the link!

https://anchor.fm/victoria-bowman0/episodes/Pilot-e17b2fi

Or if you want to listen on Spotify, just type up "Stories with Victoria Bowman" and the cover will almost be the same as my pfp but it will have "Stories with Victoria Bowman" instead of A Collection of Short Stories"