I’m no longer a New Year’s resolution-making person. I found it depressing to say I would do X (usually to do with diet and exercise) and fail before January was history. This year I’m doing something more fun – declaring a few national days of my own. They are based on a bit of research and a lot of personal concern.

Before I tell you my days, did you ever wonder how national days are created? Not the federal or state holidays, sanctioned by governments. Sometimes a national day is created by a House or Senate resolution, often for a constituent or cause. There are also presidential proclamations. President Reagan was big on declaring days like National Catfish Day?

The main source of creating a day however comes through nationaldaycalendar.com. This website has received over 10,000 national day requests of which they typically take 20 to 25 each year. For example – did you know that today is National Bloody Mary Day and National Hangover Day?

There are two other major national day sources: Days of the Years.com and for foodies Foodimentary.com. On the Days of the Years site for January 1, it’s Ring a Bell Day. Not good for a hangover to be sure. Foodimentary.com lists National Hot Tea, Oatmeal, Baking, and Soup Month for January. They all sounded like the right idea until I saw it is also National Fat Free Living Month.

Here are my “days” and why I want them to be on the calendar.

• National Why the Hell Don’t We Have a Functioning Healthcare System Day? Some of the usual suspects are a distrust in government and/or thinking what I have is better than the unknown. These two are supported by fears of socialism (you mean like the VA, Medicare, etc.) and billions spent on media campaigns to scare the pants off of you. Barriers include gross profits over patient care, drugmakers, insurers, hospitals, and venture capital/private equity companies working together with lobbyists and the US Congress.*

• National Get Off Your High Horse Day. I admit that this one wasn’t on my list until I read an Axios survey of 850 college students who would not associate with someone who voted for the opposing presidential candidate. Go out on a date – 71% Dems wouldn’t have a date with a Republican (who were 31% back at you). Be friends with – 37% Dems vs. 5% Republicans. And Work for – 30% Dems vs. 7% Republicans. (Good luck paying off that student loan kids when you quiz the boss on who they voted for). 

• National Why Can’t We All Get Along Day? We all need to think seriously about what kind of world we want to live in unless we think life on Mars is a viable answer. Since I don’t want fleeing billionaires as neighbors, I’m checking my hate at the door before I leave the house. I’m also trying to eliminate the word from my vocabulary. I suspect that both political parties, MSM, Twitter, Tik Tok, streaming channels, and all of the other forms of communication—making big bucks off us hating each other—are at the center of things.

• National Shower the People You Love with Love Day. I’m taking this song by James Taylor to heart and trying hard to make sure I do this 365 not just one day out of the year.

What days would you like to see on the calendar? As Frasier Crane would say – I’m listening.

Photo credits: Calendar – Maddie Bazzocco, Bloody Mary – Suckerpunch Gourmet, Cup of Tea – Morgan Sessions, Horse & rider – Tim Schmidbauer, Hearts – Kelly Sikkema. 

*If you would like to read more about health care’s rotating villains consider subscribing to The Daily Poster, a subscription site at https://www.dailyposter.com/health-cares-rotating-villain/. Healthcare is a major, well-researched topic on the site.