I remember hosting an art party (people just came to paint/sculpt/etc). The Chinese person there was teaching Chinese calligraphy. I’ll never forget how badly she was yelling at my other friend for not having perfect strokes in the first 5 minutes. 
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Sorry, missed World Lion Day.
This is the closest I ever got to a lion in the wild (keep in mind this was taken on my phone, without zoom!):
Also, GOLDEN HOUR FOR THE WIN!
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Those cubs are the best! What a very cool sighting.
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Good morning! 
It is Thursday, 12 August 2021
(W32 | D224 | 142 rem)
Today is: 
Vinyl Record Day
Vinyl Record Day is organized by (you guessed it) the Vinyl Record Day Company – a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing the preserving vinyl music, its culture, art, and sound.
Whilst you could dust off some old vinyl records, you may be surprised to find many modern artists producing music in vinyl format to provide a richer, more immersive experience.
Vinyl Record Day celebrates the good old way of playing our favorite tracks! In recent years, vinyl has undergone a bit of a renaissance. As CD sales fall, more people are embracing the vintage vinyl, offering a unique playing experience and becoming a statement piece in any home. Whether you have a collection of vinyl or you’ve never heard music played on one before, Vinyl Record Day gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy music in a classic form. It’s a day that is about listening to all types of music on vinyl records.
If you are lucky enough to have a vinyl record player and a collection of vinyl records, you should make sure you give them a little bit of extra TLC on this day!
There are a number of things that you can do to protect your vinyl records and make sure they last as long as possible. This includes cleaning your records before you play them, cleaning the stylus, keeping the vinyl itself clean and storing your records correctly. A little bit of love and care can go a very long way when it comes to protecting valuable vintage classics like vinyl records.
Before we can delve deeper into the history of Vinyl Record Day, we first need to understand the history of the vinyl. Vinyl records are also known as gramophone records and phonograph records. This is a method for storing music that involves the use of a flat disc that has a modulated spiral and inscribed groove. The groove tends to begin near the periphery, ending close to the disc’s center. In the beginning, shellac was typically used to make these discs. However, polyvinyl chloride became the most popular choice throughout the ‘40s, and this is how the name vinyl came about. Once we reached the mid-2000s, though, it did not really matter what material was used; records were simply called vinyl or vinyl records.
You may be wondering when this journey started. Well, it was a long time ago! Back in 1857, the phonautograph was patented by Leon Scott. This used a stylus and vibrating diaphragm so that sound waves could be graphically recorded as tracings on sheets of paper. This was not for the intention of playing them back at the time, though. It was purely for visual analysis. In fact, it was not until 2008 that phonautograms of speech and singing that were made by Scott in the 1860s were played back as sound!
The phonograph was then invented by Thomas Edison in 1877. What made this different to the phonautograph was the fact that it could actually record sound and reproduce it. Although the names are very similar, there is no evidence that Edison’s creation was based on Scott’s in any way.
So, now that you know more about vinyl records, what about the day itself? We have Gary Freiberg of Los Osos, California, to thank for Vinyl Record Day. He chose the date to commemorate the day the phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison in 1877.
On Vinyl Record Day, Gary encourages everyone to remember the good things in life and to look back on fond memories, especially vinyl records. When you think of it from this perspective, you see how it is a day that we can all enjoy, no matter whether you are a big music fan or not.
Make it a Thursday worth recording! Hey Mr DJ put a record on, I wanna dance with my baby! 
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I still remember trying to DJ scratch a record on my parents’ old record player. Didn’t work as I expected 
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It is Friday, 13 August 2021
(W32 | D225 | 141 rem)
Today is: International Lefthanders Day
From scissors to knives, from can openers to cork screws, Left Handers (also sometimes called Southpaws) can be the brunt of jokes all year long due to their unique hand dominance.
But this is the day to ignore all of that and bring awareness to all of those right handed folks around the globe in celebration of Left Handers Day. After all, as the old saying goes– right handed people operate on the left side of the brain, which means that left handed people are functioning on the right side. Therefore, only left handed people are in their right mind!
Celebrating its first year of existence in 1976, the Lefthanders International organization helped raise awareness to the myriad of difficulties that can be faced by people who are left handed.
Being accused of witchcraft in the 1600s for just using one hand more than the other, was only the beginning! Since only 10 percent of the population is left handed, various items made especially for those who are left-handed are typically more expensive than their right handed counterparts.
Objects such as scissors, knives and even school desks can see a mark up of almost 75% more for left handed individuals! Even sports fanatics will pay out the nose, as golf clubs sometimes see as much as a 200% increase depending on their brand.
But even though it can be difficult and, admittedly, a bit more expensive, those left handers in the world are certainly unique and interesting people. And this is the perfect day to celebrate them!
Celebrating Left Handers Day is a fun and simple way to acknowledge the unique position of those whose dominant hand is their left. Try celebrating in these ways:
Brag About Being Left Handed
For those who are left handed, today is the day to celebrate and enjoy! Wear a left-handers t-shirt or make a proud post on social media. Embrace this special quality and show that pride in being left handed!
Appreciate a Left Handed Person
Those who aren’t left handed can contact those friends and family members who are left handed and give them a congratulatory hug for the struggles they have faced in their lifetimes! Tell them how interesting they are and how much they are appreciated for their contributions to the world. Take them to lunch or coffee and offer to try eating with the opposite hand to see what it’s like.
Try “Walking a Mile In Their Shoes”
Okay, well maybe their shoes would be the same. But how about their scissors, or knives or guitars or computer mouse? Take some time to feel the pain of a left hander living in a right handed world by sharing in their difficulties. This can be done easily enough by asking them to borrow their left handed scissors and then using them with the right hand! Just the discomfort alone tends to be enough to bring people around to understanding.
In addition, learning to throw a ball or write on a desk designed for a right handed person is difficult for a Southpaw, so why not swap the table on them and sit them at a left handed student desk to write some things down with their right hand?
Introduce individuals to the inherent difficulties of using a left handed paring knife in their right hand. Or show them how coffee mugs are made with the picture and writing so one would have to use the cup in the right hand in order to make use of it as it was intended. Take a look at a computer mouse–which is intended for a right handed person–and see how difficult it becomes without knowing how to swap it to the left handed mode.
MEW lefties, raise your hands and be counted!
Curb your triskaidekaphobia, go find your favourite lefty and give the lovable witch some left-hand love! Happy Friday! 
Know More:
http://www.lefthandersday.com/
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I am left handed, and using scissors suck, also very difficult to find left handed scissors. I also actually use my mouse with my right hand and not my left, my grade 1 teacher actually tried to get me to use my left hand on the mouse, but because I had been playing games before then in a family full of right handers, I was already used to using my right hand, interestingly, my sister-in-law who is also left handed cannot use the mouse in her right hand and only in her left.
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I found that extremely interesting and insightful, thank you for sharing. 
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Left hander representing!
I’m also a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to favouring a hand. Write left handed, prefer cutting with my right. In sports I use a combination. When I played volleyball I served with my left and spiked with my right. Cricket: Bowl and throw = left, bat = right. Golf = right. I also use the mouse in my right.
Like most left handers I am a genius though 
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I feel it necessary to point out that aside from US born players, right-handed ice hockey players play with left-handed sticks (and vice versa).
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It is Saturday, 14 August 2021
(W32 | D226 | 139 rem)
Today is: Tattoo Removal Day
A day of pained winces and fresh starts, Tattoo Removal Day laments the inks of the past and celebrates a cleaner look.
Ever immediately regretted a tattoo that you thought would be an excellent idea at the time? Or perhaps you got caught up in the hype and made a reckless decision on Tattoo Day. Whatever your woe, Tattoo Removal Day is here to say that mistakes need not be permanent.
In part, Tattoo Removal Day rose directly in response to Tattoo Day. With thousands of people unceremoniously inking themselves up came an annual uptick of regret. It’s no coincidence that Tattoo Removal Day tends to happen not too long after Tattoo Day.
In fact, Tattoo Removal Day has been traditionally celebrated one month, or thirty whole days after Tattoo Day since that’s the first day that you’re allowed to remove a tattoo after it has been applied.
More significantly, Tattoo Removal Day is also positioned exactly six months before next Valentine’s Day, addressing one of the most common causes of wanting a tattoo removed: heartbreak. With jilted lovers and newly independent solo adventurers also comes a host of tattoos that are suddenly a reminder that we don’t want rather than a celebration of enduring love.
Tattoo Removal Day is recognized on August 14 because it is six months prior to Valentine’s Day, which is typically how long it takes to remove an unwanted name tattoo. Most medium, black ink script tattoos, like an ex-partner’s name, can start laser tattoo removal treatment on August 14 and be completely removed by Valentine’s Day.
However, the day grew to be more than a tongue-in-cheek response to another marked day of the calendar. It also came to draw awareness of the millions of people with unwanted ink that there are, indeed, ways to remove it as well as practitioners who can do it safely.
There are plenty of people regretting a tattoo and still not enough people realise that there are providers who can do it for them. As such, spreading awareness of a safe, healthy method done by a licensed professional can prevent people from taking those efforts into their own hands.
Tattoo Removal Day is the perfect opportunity for individuals to finally remove their unwanted ink and for laser tattoo removal providers to offer special promotions. Laser tattoo removal can also be celebrated by patients that have already removed an unwanted tattoo by posting their before and after photos.
So, anyone carrying ink around that they now regret getting? Or just a tattoo that you no longer feel comfortable having? Anyone ever had something removed already? Share your tales of tattoo remorse with the us on this cold and bleak Saturday.
Know More:
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It is Sunday, 15 August 2021
(W32 | D227 | 138 rem)
Today is: Lemon Meringue Pie Day
Lemons just seem to be refreshing and delightful, no matter what kind of creative things are made with them–lemonade, lemon vinaigrette, lemon drizzle cake or lemon sorbet ice cream. It’s so easy to use lemons in all sorts of delicious culinary explorations to make life just a bit more interesting.
But along those lines of naming things made with lemony goodness comes one of the favorites: Lemon Meringue Pie Day! Lemon meringue pie is probably one of the most famous of lemon desserts. And it’s really no wonder, considering that it has a deliciously crispy golden crust, a tangy custard center and a fluffy meringue topping. Yum!
In fact, lemon meringue pie is one of the most popular pies in Great Britain as well as America. It sits alongside other delicious classics such as apple, pumpkin and pecan pies. So for people who have never tasted or made a lemon meringue pie, or those who just feel like an excuse to enjoy its sweet tanginess, celebrate Lemon Meringue Pie with the world today!
A brief peek into culinary history reveals that lemon flavored custards, puddings and pies have been enjoyed since at least Medieval times. But the art of the actual meringue that goes on top of this delicious pie seems to have been perfected in the 17th century in France.
Even after that, the two were not actually combined together in this ideal union until lemon meringue pie was lovingly created sometime around the 19th-century.
Exactly who made this pie for the first time is debatable, but some people believe that the pie originated in Victorian England, where it was sometimes known as Lemon Chester Pudding. In fact, Lemon Chester Pudding is considered to be one of the desserts that introduced many people the world over to the beauty British desserts in general.
Other people tend to attribute the creation of the Lemon Meringue Pie to a Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, the proprietress of a pastry shop in Philadelphia who also ran the first cooking school in America. Although the idea for a fluffy topping made from sweetened and flavored egg whites goes back a couple hundred years prior to this, the concept of adding meringue to the top of a lemon custard pie was a decidedly 19th century invention.
The first mention of Lemon Meringue Pie in a cookbook was in 1869 but often, during that time, these custard pies were also referred to as “lemon cream pie”.
For those who like to cook or are up for a little challenge, try making it in the kitchen at home! (And share the pics and recipe you use to The Baking Pan please.)
The lemon custard is not particularly difficult to make, with the most important ingredient being grated lemon zest. And the trick to making a good meringue is using well-beaten egg whites. Checkout the couple of local recipes linked below for some guidance if you need. And as always, if you do, show off the results of your efforts please!
A delicious, thick slice of lemon meringue pie on Sunday? Don’t mind if I do.
Know More:
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Ah, dammit. I had Lemon Meringue yesterday.
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That’s close enough to count - it was probably today somewhere on the planet at the time 
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Curse you.
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It is Monday, 16 August 2021
(W33 | D228 | 137 rem)
Today is: World Bratwurst Day
A little “@z1oc hype!” today in celebration of his recent move to Germany…
While it’s certain that we’ve all had our share of sausages in our day, particularly that low-born sheath of processed meat known as the frankfurter, not everyone has had the pleasure of enjoying a bratwurst. Bratwurst is typically made from pork, but can, in fact, be made from any meat, and World Bratwurst Day celebrates every variety you can conceive of.
Bratwurst is a sausage that is heavily spiced, and it tends to be enjoyed either on its own with a side of sauerkraut or in a roll with mustard.
The word ‘bratwurst’ comes from two German words. The word sausage is ‘wurst’ and then ‘braten’ means to fry. Pretty self-explanatory, right?
Bratwursts have been around since the 14th century. These sausages are typically made from beef, veal, or pork. These sausages are so popular that there have even been festivals created in their honor, and most people like to wash bratwursts down with a cold beer.
You may assume that a bratwurst and a sausage are both the same things, but that is not the case. A Bratwurst is a specific kind of fresh link sausage, which is made with veal or pork. However, sausage simply refers to ground meat being prepared in a certain way. Some people also assume that bratwursts and hot dogs are the same. Hot dog casing is a lot thinner than the casings that are utilized for bratwurst and other types of fresh link sausages.
Very traditional recipes for bratwurst call on the use of both eggs and cream in their preparation. However, it is important to note that different regions in Germany have different recipes. Bratwurst even differs in some regions of the United States as well, for example, in Wisconsin, Sheboygan-style bratwursts are very popular.
Sausage is quite ancient, going back as far as 228AD according to archaeological evidence, but the noble Bratwurst has only been around since 1313. Every region has a different variety of bratwurst to call its own, with over 40 varieties coming from within the country of Germany.
Throughout Germany Bratwurst are perceived as more of a snack food than a main dish, though they can often be found served in the latter capacity at pubs, usually with sauerkraut or potato salad and a dense rye bread or pretzel. New York City may have hot dog vendors, but Germany has Bratwurst carts!
The varieties that come from Franconia date back to the first bratwursts, and are usually heavily laden with marjoram as a seasoning. These bratwursts tend to be large and filled with coarsely ground meat which lends them an overall juicier texture and flavor. While those from the city of Corburg only use salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest.
World Bratwurst Day celebrates all these and the hundreds of other varieties available, and encourages us to explore the culinary world of the Brat and see what our taste buds can find!
So @z1oc, your mission today, should you choose to accept it, is to find and enjoy a genuine German bratwurst in Germany on our behalf. Help make our Monday a little tastier.
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Mission accepted
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Mission Impossible theme plays. Hype intensifies! He’s going in folks!
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No store was making it close by so I ended up doing it my self almost forgot to take a picture ><
mission complete
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That looks like the wurst!
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