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Good morning! 
It is Saturday, 22 May 2021
(W20 | D142 | 223 rem)
Today is: 
Sherlock Holmes Day 
World-renowned detective. Most portrayed character in history. Icon. Who are we speaking of? Why, Sherlock Holmes, of course! Any self-respecting amateur detective would guess that!
The ultimate detective archetype, the character of Sherlock Holmes has been a hero to millions since his creation well over a century ago. So can all agree he more than deserves his very own day? Of course, elementary my dear Watson!
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, was born on 22 May, which is why today is the day dedicated to celebrating his most famous character.
Doyle said the character was originally inspired by Joseph Bell, a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for whom Doyle had worked as an assistant. Like Holmes, Bell was famous for his ability to draw broad conclusions from minute observations.
Francis âTankyâ Smith, a policeman and master of disguise who was Leicesterâs first private detective, is also thought to have influenced the character.
Doyleâs first Sherlock Holmes story first appeared in print in 1887 and continued to be published for the next forty years, until shortly before the authorâs death. During this time, the detective had countless adventures, usually accompanied by his loyal friend and assistant, Dr. Watson.
With there being so very many different versions of the iconic character, the ways of celebrating this day are virtually unlimited. If you enjoy reading and have somehow never read these wonderful stories (gasp!) it is high time you did.
If youâve already read them or feel like giving your eyes a bit of a break, how about watching one of the many shows or movies made about Holmes? There are many!
Here are 10 interesting tidbits about the greatest detective who never lived.
Sherlock Wasnât Always Sherlock
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dreamed up his detective, his name was originally âSherrinford.â Eventually, though, Doyle changed the name to âSherlock,â which was also the name of a famous cricket player (Doyle was a huge fan of cricket and even played himself).
Dr. Watson Wasnât Always Dr. Watson
When Doyle came up with the idea of Sherlockâs assistant, Watson, his name was actually Ormond Sacker, which appears in early drafts of the stories.
In The Novels, Sherlock Never Wore That Famous Cap
The cap we most associate with Sherlock is the deerstalker, but in Doyleâs works, he never wears it. The image of the detective in the famous cap actually came from illustrations that appeared with the short stories in Strand magazine in the late 1800s. Artist Sidney Paget drew Sherlock in the cap and those illustrations stayed in the minds of readers: to this day, thatâs how fans envision the character.
Sherlock Never Said, âElementary, My Dear Watsonâ In Doyleâs Stories
Although itâs the most quoted line attributed to the detective, Sherlock never actually said it. He did say, âElementaryâ several times and âMy dear Watsonâ at other times, but the full phrase never actually appeared until 1915 when P.G. Wodehouse wrote it in Psmith, Journalist.
The First Sherlock Holmes Movie Premiered In 1900
The first movie adaptation of the character happened at the turn of the century with a film that only lasted 30 seconds, Sherlock Holmes Baffled. Not much else is known about this movie, not even the name of the actor who portrayed the detective.
The First Sherlock Holmes Novel Flopped
Doyleâs first novel about Sherlock was A Study in Scarlet, written in 1887. That novel got rejected by many publishers, although it eventually appeared in Beetonâs Christmas Annual, which still didnât sell well.
Oscar Wilde Is The Reason There Was A Second Novel
A Study in Scarlet, though, did have one fan: editor Joseph Stoddart from Lippincottâs Monthly Magazine. At a dinner party hosted by Wilde, Stoddart pushed Doyle to write a second novel about the detective for his magazine, which became The Sign of the Four.
Sherlock Holmes Is Not The Most-Filmed Fictional Character
Although Sherlock is the most-filmed human character of all time and has appeared in more than 226 movies, the most-filmed fictional character award goes to the non-human Dracula for 239 appearances on film.
Mycroft Only Appeared In Two Sherlock Holmes Stories
Fans of the BBCâs Sherlock series are very familiar with Mycroft, the famous detectiveâs brother. But in the original tales, Mycroft was really not that important: he only appeared in two storie, The Greek Interpreter and The Bruce-Partington Plans. He does briefly get mentioned in two others, though.
Dr. Watson Doesnât Narrate All Of Sherlockâs Stories
Although many readers assume that Watson narrates all the Holmes stories, there are four that Doyle told from a different point of view. Two stories occur in the third person, while Doyle wrote the other two from Holmesâ own perspective.
Itâs an elementary deduction - you can have a most excellent Saturday today! 
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This show was my first introduction to Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Hound!
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It is Sunday, 23 May 2021
(W20 | D143 | 222 rem)
Today is: World Turtle Day 
World Turtle Day celebrates these noble reptiles and their place in the world and encourages people to take action to help protect both the common pet turtle and the ever endangered sea turtle.
The day is dedicated to celebrating and protecting both turtles and tortoises. First created in 1990 by American Tortoise Rescue, World Turtle Day recognizes that some species of our hard (and soft!) shelled friends are suffering and almost on the edge of extinction due to environmental hazards, issues with hunting and harvesting of their eggs.
American Tortoise Rescue was created by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, a married pair of animal activists who had a particular passion for tortoises. We all have to have something that drives us in this life, and for these two it was bonding over animal rightâs activist work. Donât think these two are just closet hippies with an overwhelming adoration for all things shelled and scaly.
Susan is deeply involved with television arts & sciences and the public relations society of America while being a partner in Tellem Grody Public Relations Incorporated. They organize charity collections and works around the world to help protect these amazing critters, and created Turtle Day to get everyone involved and spread awareness of the shrinking habitat and declining numbers of these sensitive creatures.
So what is the difference between turtles and tortoises? Although they are both reptiles, the main difference between the two is that turtles live in the water at least some of the time, while tortoises live on the land. Because they live in the water, turtles have streamlined and mostly flat shells, while tortoises often have larger and more domed ones.
Our tortoise friends can also live longer than their reptilian cousins. Tortoises can live over 300 years, although their average lifespan can go up to around 150 years. Turtles live up until the age of 40, although one record-breaking turtle almost lived to the age of 90!
Does anyone have a pet tortoise or a pet turtle? If you do have your own tortoise or turtle, why not show it some appreciation on its very own special day? Why not buy your turtle a new rock for its terrarium, or build its very own private basking beach if they donât have one yet. Why not give their tank an early spring deep clean to make sure theyâre lounging in the best possible environment for them.
Studies show that tortoises can respond to the sound of their ownerâs voice (might be because you feed them, or they love you, itâs hard to tell). Why not treat them to some of their favorite broccoli, or even give them a good soak when needed to keep them living their best life.
If youâre not near a turtle or tortoise hub, keeping your nearby beaches clean is equally important for local wildlife and their ecosystem. Keeping your local sandy summer spot free from plastic bags or water bottles will keep the surrounding sea and land life happy. Donât live near a beach?
Plastic can endanger your local wildlife even in an urban environment, and animals from foxes to fish can get caught up in plastic. Why not do a local recycling drive or clear out in your local park as a big thank you to our two, four, and no-legged friends.
Theyâre an amazing creature, with certain varieties making great pets and others helping to preserve the ecosystem in the waters they live in. Of course, if you live where snapping turtles haunt the waters, itâs probably a good idea that people know how to avoid them, where to find them, and how not to lose a toe! Happy Turtle Day!
Now grab shell, gimme some fin, and have a totally awesome Sunday dudes!!
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Turtle strategy in Age of Empires!
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It is Monday, 24 May 2021
(W21 | D144 | 221 rem)
Today is: International Tiara Day 
International Tiara Day is celebrated on May 24th each year, appropriately on the birthday of Queen Victoria.
Since so many girls and women, and some men too, admire tiaras but there are very few events to which one can appropriately wear one, International Tiara Day was created. It is a day when everyone who wishes can wear a tiara for a day and feel like royalty. After all YOU are special!
You are royalty, each and every one of you, and you deserve to feel like it. No matter what walk of life you come from or what your background is, you definitely deserve to feel like a member of full-fledged nobility, at least for one day of the year.
International Tiara Day is brought to you to remind you that you donât need an excuse (though now you have one) to sport a sparkly tiara for the day and go out on the town. This Tiara Day, let your inner princess shine!
In 2005 a special event was created to coincide with Barbara Bellissimoâs Seasons of Success - an event that would encourage people everywhere to embrace their inner beauty and wear a tiara. Every person deserves to feel special and adored, and after the success of this event it was decided that it would become an annual event each year. It just so happens to also fall on Queen Victoriaâs Birthday!
Women especially are all too often called vain or self-centered when they take a little time to do the things that make them happy. The whole time theyâre being told they have to be perfect, if they strive to achieve it theyâre told that theyâre fake and need to try to be humble. Tiara Day encourages you to throw all that to the side, charge into the world and be proud of who you are, and wear your tiara loud and proud!
One thing thatâs emphasized is that the Tiara in question doesnât need to be a literal tiara, it can just as easily be your own sense of self-worth and pride shining forth as you donât let anyone walk on you the whole day. Whatever it is, embrace what makes you feel proud, strong, and queenly and flaunt it to the world!
What better way to make a Monday more pleasant than by wearing your tiara to work? Rock on with your regal and royal self, your Highness!
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It is Tuesday, 25 May 2021
(W21 | D145 | 220 rem)
Today is: Towel Day
DONâT PANIC!! Today is Towel Day - be prepared and everything will be fine.
A tribute to Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhikerâs Guide To The Galaxy, Towel Day sees fans of the author and the book carrying towels with them to work, to school and as part of their daily activities.
The most important thing that you need to remember in order to celebrate is DONâT PANIC. No matter what the day throws at you, draw comfort from the knowledge that youâre armed with your trusty towel.
Whether youâre a fan of high-tech, circuitry-enhanced towels with more features, bells and whistles than a supercomputer, or if your towel of preference is a simple, old-fashioned fabric hug, all that matters is that your towel never leaves your side.
The Towel Day commemoration was first held 25 May 2001, two weeks after Adamsâ death on 11 May of that year.
The importance of the towel was introduced in The Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy original radio series in 1978. The follow-up book explained the importance of towels in The Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy universe in Chapter 3, using much of the same wording as the original radio series:
A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.
Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you canât see it, it canât see you â daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.
More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have âlost.â What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
Hence a phrase that has passed into hitchhiking slang, as in âHey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? Thereâs a frood who really knows where his towel is.â (Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.)
â Douglas Adams, The Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy
Be safe, carry a towel, donât panic, and have an totally awesome Towel Day Tuesday!
If you havenât yet, you really should. Read them now!
Know more:
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Ironically I have a towel in the car thanks to it being my bounce day
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That is utterly EPIC!!
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It is Wednesday, 26 May 2021
(W21 | D146 | 219 rem)
Today is: World Dracula Day 
Every May 26th, lovers of literature and vampires alike gather to celebrate the most famous vampire of all â Dracula.
World Dracula Day commemorates the original publication date of Bram Stokerâs Dracula on 26 May, 1897.
Though received well enough by Victorian readers, Stoker did not make much money from it. In 1922, F. W. Murnauâs unauthorized adaptation of the story was released in theaters under the title Nosferatu. Stokerâs widow sued, which renewed interest in the novel.
Widow Stoker subsequently licensed the story to playwright Hamilton Deane. In 1924, this stage adaptation toured England for several years. In 1927, it was revised for Broadway. Bela Lugosi played the title role. In 1931, the play became a movie produced by Universal Studios. Bela Lugosi again played the title role. It was highly successful.
Vampires, or at least the concept and legends, have existed for centuries. Bram Stoker based Dracula on a real live person though â not just a legend.
Prince Vlad III of Wallachia (Romania) was the muse behindâs Stokerâs masterpiece. Vlad earned the nickname âVlad the Impalerâ for the many ways he tortured his opponents and betrayers with impaling being his favorite method.
Stokerâs Dracula attempts to move from Transylvania and finally arrives in a small fishing village named Whitby, England.
To this day, Whitby in northern England hosts multiple events to celebrate Dracula including the famous castle in ruins that is lit up during certain seasons.
Watch a vampire movie or two, or binge a vampire series, as you pay homage to World Dracula Day.
Want series?
- True Blood
- The Vampire Diaries
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Want classic?
- Bram Stokerâs Dracula (1992)
- Interview with the Vampire
- Nosferatu the Vampyre
Want comedy?
- What We Do in the Shadows
- Dark Shadows
- The Vampireâs Assistant
Want gore?
- 30 Days of Night
- Queen of the Damned
- Dracula Untold
Want action?
- Blade
- The Lost Boys
- Underworld
Arguably the most well-known and iconic monsters, Dracula has inspired writers and horror lovers all over the world. Itâs only fitting that there is an entire day dedicated to the Count.
It is Wednesday my Dracula Dudes! 
Get your fangs on, and have a bloody great day!
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âI went to a doctor, all he did was suck blood from my neck. Do not go see Dr. Acula.â
- RIP Mitch
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Want animated series?
Castlevania (Netflix)
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Heck yeah! Watched the first season (back when there was only one), but I think I may revisit this. Very cool series indeed.
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The series has wrapped up with season 4 now, so a good time watch it all.
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I suppose I should of had a âWant games?â bit in there tooâŚ
Want games?
- Castlevania
- Vampyr
- Vampire: The Masquerade
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It is Thursday, 27 May 2021
(W21 | D147 | 218 rem)
Today is: Sunscreen Dayđ§´
As Baz Luhrmann once sang âIf I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.â Itâs sage advice! Years of health campaigns have ensured that we all know that sunscreen is very important. In fact, itâs essential to wear and regularly reapply sunscreen when out in the sun.
Sunscreen defends the skin from damaging ultraviolet rays by forming a protective barrier â used properly, sunscreen can help prevent skin cancer. Exposure to the sun damages the skin and can worsen signs of ageing, so wearing sunscreen will also keep your skin looking younger.
Use Sunscreen Day as a reminder to make sure you are properly protecting yourself from the sun, such as by keeping out of the rays at the hottest time of the day (11 am â 2pm), drinking plenty of liquids and, of course, wearing sunscreen!
One of the first known prevention creams for sunburn was actually created in the 1930s by an Australian man known as Milton Blake. This product was the result of a lot of hard work and dedication. In fact, he spent 12 years experimenting in his kitchen until he was able to come up with a formula that worked. And boy did it work! The creams are still around today.
There have been a lot of advancements since then, of course. Franz Greiter, a chemistry student from Switzerland, was not happy with the sun protection products that were on the market. This was especially the case after he ended up with really bad sunburn after climbing Mount Piz, which is located at the Swiss-Austrian border. Because of this, he embarked on a mission to make sun screen better, and this is how SPF came about. The Piz Buin Glacier Cream was created in 1946.
If you are to protect yourself and use sunscreen correctly, you need to make sure that you understand SPF and star ratings. SPF stands for sun protection factor. This is a measure of the amount of UVB â ultraviolet B radiation â protection that you are going to get from the product in question.
SPFs are rated on a scale of 2 to 50+, with the latter offering the strongest level of protection.
For the amount of UVA â ultraviolet A radiation â protection that sunscreen offers, you are going to need to look at the star rating. The more stars, the better protection. These are two of the most critical factors that you need to consider when you are purchasing sunscreen.
Some of the more common myths about sunscreen that people believe today:
- Myth 1 â I donât need to wear sun screen if it is cold or cloudy. If the sun is in the sky, you need to wear sun screen, and the sun is always in the sky!
- Myth 2 â My sunscreen is SPF 50 so I donât need to wear it as much. It does not matter what SPF is associated with your sunscreen, it is only going to last for around two hours, so you still need to re-apply.
- Myth 3 â I donât need to reapply my sunscreen after swimming because it is waterproof. In fact, there is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen. Water resistant, yes, but waterproof, no!
- Myth 4 â I donât need sun screen because I have dark skin. It may be more difficult to see sun damage on dark skin. However, people with dark skin are just as susceptible to sun burn, so you still need to make sure you wear sun screen.
Stay sun-safe! Wear sunscreen!And have a great Thursday! 
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In winter, okaayâŚ
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The Southern Hemisphere is a myth 
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