Entry bubble An Open Letter to Punxsutawney Phil (THE Groundhog)

By: Colleen | February 04, 2009 | Category: Fun

Dear Mr. Phil from Punxsutawney,phil

I'd like to commend you for all your years of season-predicting service. I often wonder what it must be like to be the most famous groundhog in the world. While it seems that you have a pretty cushy set-up in that den of yours, it has to be a bit unnerving to be yanked from one's cozy bed in the frigid early morning hours of every February 2nd.

While your service record is impressive, I can't help but notice a consistent pattern when reviewing your performance. You tend to always see your shadow and retreat back into your comfortable abode, thus leaving us common-folk with yet another six more weeks of winter.

Perhaps it should be brought to your attention that your anxiety about your shadow has dismal consequences for those of us who must leave our cozy beds EVERY frigid early morning, and not just on the second day of February.

Have you considered counseling? I have a somewhat unreasonable disdain for grocery stores, so I sympathize with your apprehension when confronted with your shadow. However, my fear doesn't have the same consequences as yours - think of all those other who are, quite frankly, dreading another six weeks of winter. Surely something can be done to ease your fears. Our new President has asked us as a nation to help each other. So, on behalf of millions of shivering Americans, please let me know of any way which I can be of service, or aid in your plight. I would never suggest you had adopted this behavior as the easiest means to return to slumber in your hollow. I just want to volunteer to help.

We'll all be rooting for your next February 2nd - you can do it! Don't let the shadow get the best of you!

With respect and optomism for a shorter winter in 2010,

Colleen

 

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: anxiety   colleen   groundhog   groundhog_day   president   punxsutawney   punxsutawney_phil   service   weather   winter  

 

Entry bubble Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

By: Jake | January 21, 2008 | Category: General

Today federal and state governments recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so their offices will be closed (along with banks and some other private enterprises).

Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King's birthday is on January 15th and after much debate nationally, President Ronald Reagan signed a law in 1983 designating the third Monday in January as the official federal holiday. This is consistent with Washington's Birthday, which is February 22nd, but has an official federal holiday on the third Monday of February because of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

In 1994, after Coretta Scott King testified before congress in support of making the King Holiday an official national day of humanitarian service, President Bill Clinton signed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday and Service Act. The Act expanded the mission of the holiday as a day of community service, interracial cooperation and youth anti-violence initiatives.

The Corporation for National and Community Service says participation in the King Day for Service is increasing every year. The MLKDay.gov website has ways for you to get involved with volunteer opportunities all over the country.

So if you have the day off, go and help live out Dr. King's dream.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: community   holidays   jake   jr.   king   luther   martin   service   volunteering  

 

Entry bubble Go West, Young Man!

By: Sam | December 12, 2007 | Category: Travel

Recently, I saw the movie “Into the Wild,” which is a screen adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s acclaimed bestseller. The book tells the true story of Christopher McCandless who, after graduating from college, donates all his money to charity and heads on a journey out West.

When I read the book several years ago, I was not only struck by McCandless’ inner journey but also his outer one through the American West. It’s a part of the country that I haven’t really explored, but the spirit and scenery has always fascinated me. And seeing the breathtaking images of the Pacific Crest Trail and Denali National Park on the big screen only heightened my curiosity and sense of adventure.

If I truly wanted to “go west young man” (or lady in my case), where would I go and what would I want to see? At pueblo.gsa.gov, I found two helpful publications, National Park System Map and Guide and National Trails System Map and Guide. These full-color maps list activities at more than 300 parks, monuments, and historic sites, along with 17 national trails. They’re a great starting point for discovering all that our national parks and trails system have to offer.

Another great resource is USA.gov. Just typing “national parks” in the Search box gave me tons of quick links and images to help make my planning easier. You can find a national park by name, location, topic, or activity. This link is great for someone like me who likes to swim and hike but isn’t so into snow skiing. There’s also a link to National Register Travel Itineraries, which can take a lot of guesswork out of your planning.

Once you’re ready to explore, visit Recreation.gov to make reservations for campgrounds and tours and to buy an annual pass for national parks and federal recreational lands. If you aren’t able to take a trip sometime soon, don’t worry—you can still experience the wonder of our national parks with the National Park Service’s Soundscapes. Make sure to check out this sound clip of a bison in Yellowstone!

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: into   national   park   parks   pueblo.gsa.gov   recreation   service   the   travel   usa.gov   wild