To celebrate the opening of the new Goldsmiths store in Princesshay Exeter we are offering one lucky Devon Life reader the chance to win an elegant Wrapped in Love pendant and earrings set worth £1,000. The new luxury jewellery store will be opening its doors on Friday 13 May offering customers first class service and the finest selection of jewellery and watches with brands including Breitling, TAG Heuer, Oris and Movado.
Source: Win A £1,000 jewellery prize – Competitions – Devon Life
There are so many things so many of us take for granted on an everyday basis that millions of people in the world are forced to live without, such as electricity and medical care. There are also many extremely simple and basic things that might not even come to mind when thinking about how lucky we are to live where we do because we have never, ever had to do without them. Shoes are one of them.
Try. Just for a second, try to imagine doing virtually any of the things you do on an everyday basis without shoes. How many sharp little stones and even pieces of glass would you likely get stuck in your feet during a short walk to the store or to work? How would you ever kick a ball without bending your toes painfully backwards? And how much more at risk would your feet be of becoming infected when the millions of bacteria the ground is covered with got into even a tiny cut or over-scratched mosquito bite? In other words, life without shoes is much less comfortable and much more dangerous, yet it is estimated that around 300 million people in the world today are so impoverished that they cannot afford shoes. One Day Without Shoes Day was created to help people who have never known such extreme poverty put themselves in the proverbial shoes of those who are forced to go without every day, raise awareness about the problem and money to combat it.
The History of One Day Without Shoes Day
One Day Without Shoes Day was created by the Californian company Toms Shoes to encourage people to pay more attention to the numerous problems a lack of shoes can cause in the lives of impoverished children. It all started when Blake Mycoskie, the owner of Toms Shoes, visited Argentina in 2006 and noticed that many of the children were running through the streets barefooted. Soon, he discovered that a lack of shoes was a wider problem in Argentina as well as other developing countries and he decided that he wanted to use his shoe company to help them, especially because the lack of shoes often had a serious impact on those childrens’ lives by discouraging them from attending school and making it much easier for them to contract various infections. Mycoskie then came up with the “one for one” business model, meaning that for every pair of shoes his company sold, it would provide a new pair of shoes free of charge to the shoeless youth of Argentina and other developing countries. The first 10,000 pairs of free shoes were distributed in to Argentinian children in October 2006.
How to Celebrate One Day Without Shoes Day
The best way to celebrate this day is to make the decision to go without shoes for a day just so you can see for yourself how much a few pieces of leather and rubber can change a life for the better. You could also convince a few friends or family members to do the same—the more people become aware of the problem, the better. Of course, you could also make a point of purchasing a pair of shoes from Toms so another pair can be donated to an impoverished child somewhere. If you don’t need another pair of shoes, you can go through your closet in search of both shoes and clothes you don’t wear anymore that are still in good condition and then donate them directly to organizations devoted to helping clothe the less fortunate. Any little thing you do can help!
Everyone has pulled an all-nighter at least once in their lives—some for fun, like singing songs around a campfire, others for something not so fun, like finishing homework due the next day or working a late shift. For one day of the year, you can stay up in unison as hundreds of people across the world celebrate Stay Up All Night Night! This is a chance to let loose and make some exciting plans with your friends, or just see where the night takes you. Whatever happens, the rule is simple: no sleep till morning! So why not challenge yourself and see how long you can stay awake before nodding off, or why not have your friends stay over and place a bet on who will fall asleep first? As long as you don’t have anything important to do the next day, go for it!
The History of Stay Up All Night Night
Staying up all night is definitely no new concept. People like medical professionals have been staying up all night to do their jobs for hundreds of years, with countless people’s lives depending on whether they would have their wits about them at 3 a.m. Today, tens of other jobs require work to be done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the United States, an estimated 26% of the population works nights, so it is quite probable that you know someone who does this. What you may not know, however, is just how many risks working nights poses to your health, from sleep disturbances to obesity, from fatigue to depression, and from cardiovascular disease to fertility problems, to name but a few. And can you imagine just how hard it could be to concentrate on performing a complex medical procedure in the middle of the night? Stay Up All Night Night was created to help those of use who don’t have to stay up all night to do our jobs understand how much effort actually goes into that.
How to Celebrate Stay Up All Night Night
The best way to celebrate this night is to stay up all night. Of course, you don’t have to make a point of trying to work through the night, as it could be difficult for a person who doesn’t do this on an everyday basis to focus properly. It’s enough that you try to stay awake all through the night, whatever you may be doing. So, are you up for a challenge? Great! Have some friends come over and do something to keep you all awake. You can stay up and cook or bake, play your favorite card game, go out on the town, or watch movies (horror movies maybe more effective at keeping people awake!). Basically, you can do anything you want, although consuming alcohol could be very counterproductive, as it tends to make people sleepy. If you want to make things more interesting, maybe every person coming over to spend the night can put up a certain sum of money, with the person staying awake the longest getting to take the jackpot? Whatever you decide to do, this night is almost certain to be an eye-opener to everyone who thinks that staying awake all night when everyone you know is asleep is just as easy as staying awake during daylight hours.
Water is essential to human life. In fact, it is essential to all of the forms of life known to humankind in general, as there are no known species that can survive without it. Though marine biologists are unsure just how many kinds of creatures reside in our planet’s 5 oceans, it is estimated that about one-quarter of all of the Earth’s species do. Not to mention how very important the oceans are to our civilization—for thousands of years, braving their waters has been one of the bravest feats a human being could accomplish, one that often led to amazing discoveries and the general increase of our knowledge of the planet we inhabit. For all of these reasons and many, many more, Mother Ocean Day is a long-overdue celebration of our oceans in all of their majesty and peril.
The History of Mother Ocean Day
Mother Ocean Day is relatively a new celebration, as it was introduced for the first time in 2013. It is a concept thought up by the South Florida Kayak Fishing Club that has since sought the approval of the City of Miami to declare this a day official. The point, of course, is to take a day to celebrate the beauty and wonder of the ocean, and it is no surprise that inhabitants of Florida were the ones to come forward with this idea, as Florida is famous for particularly gorgeous white sand beaches and clear, aquamarine waters.
How to Celebrate Mother Ocean Day
There are many things people can do on Mother Ocean Day, what’s important is to pay homage to this incredible force of nature and enjoy what it has to offer to the full. Taking to the waves, whether this be on a boat or a surfboard, is one way to enjoy the day. Snorkeling and diving are both unforgettable ways to get to know the ocean better by taking a look at some of the plants, fish and other creatures living in it. If you prefer to stay on dry land, a picnic on the beach enjoying the calm, soothing sound of the waves could be the perfect way for you to appreciate the ocean. Just remember to clean up afterwards! And for those who wish to celebrate the day from the comfort of their own home, eating a meal made from foods of the ocean, such as fish and shellfish, could be a deliciously appropriate way to go about observing this occasion. For example, have you ever tried langoustines? Langoustines are an excellent alternative to lobsters, as they are much cheaper, but have a similar flavor some chefs even find superior to lobster because of its delicate sweetness. They are also surprisingly easy to prepare—all you really need is some salty water to briefly boil them, and some garlic butter to brush over them. If you love your barbecue, langoustines can also be barbecued and then dipped in a simple dijon mustard sauce. Originally, langoustines were eaten in Europe, but they have recently become popular in North America as well, so if you have never tried them, this day is the perfect time!
However, regardless of whether it’s Mother Ocean Day or not, we should always respect the oceans and the beaches leading into them by never polluting them in any way, so future generations can enjoy them as much as we do today.
Imagine being bothered by sunlight, being covered in a rash, suffering fatigue, mouth sores, kidney and joint problems, as well as experiencing substantial hair loss and the swelling of lymph nodes. Sounds awful, doesn’t it? World Lupus Day was created to help us understand that this seemingly random grab bag of symptoms is actually a debilitating, chronic autoimmune disease suffered by approximately 5 million people worldwide, with 1.5 million of them living in the United States alone. In short, lupus causes the immune system to become overactive, creating antibodies that attack healthy tissue causing pain, inflammation and damage in a given part of the body. Although lupus can be fatal, there is currently no known cure. Sadly, a large majority of people have little to no idea about lupus, often confusing it with arthritis, a much less serious disease. Many people have no idea lupus even exists until they themselves or somebody they know is diagnosed with it. This is the problem World Lupus Day was created to combat.
The History of World Lupus Day
World Lupus Day was created by Lupus Canada in 2004 to raise awareness of this little-known disease that can have devastating effects on sufferers and their families. It was organised by lupus organisations from thirteen countries, who called for their governments to increase funding for research, provide better patient services, increase epidemiological data and raise awareness. Ever since then, the day has been observed in an increasing amount of countries all over the world. A high profile supporter of World Lupus Day is musician and philanthropist Julian Lennon, who is a Global Ambassador. Other celebrities who have made sizable contributions to the Lupus Association of America are Daniel Radcliffe, Lady Gaga and Ian Harding.
How to Celebrate World Lupus Day
Lupus Day is associated with the colour purple, and people can show support by wearing purple clothing or buying special wristbands with the phrase ‘Help Us Solve the Cruel Mystery’. Of course, you can also go to World Lupus Day’s official website and sign an awareness pledge, meaning you pledge to help the plight of those affected by lupus get more attention from the medical community and politicians. There are very simple ways to do this, such as, for example, changing your Facebook profile picture to the World Lupus Day logo. This may not seem like much, but social media has proven time and time again just how much it can do to help the sick. Just take a look at how much money was raised for ALS last year by people the world over dumping buckets of icy water of their heads. And, of course, there is always the possibility to make a donation to the Alliance for Lupus Research. Even if you can’t afford to donate too much, don’t worry! In situations as serious as the situations of those afflicted with lupus, every dollar counts. And if you have a bit more spare time and happen to know of someone in your neighborhood who has lupus, you could make a commitment to help this person every now and then with some of the little chores that are perfectly easy for a healthy person to do, but can be extremely tiring and painful for a person suffering from lupus—even helping this person take out their trash of carry their groceries home. Whatever you decide to do on this day, make sure you help make the lives of those with lupus a little bit better.
Windmills were once a much more common feature of our landscapes; however, modern industry has rendered these historical wind-powered factories mostly redundant. Windmill Dayencourages you to visit your local windmill, get involved in restoration projects, and to try your hand as a miller!
Windmills were once a much more common feature of our landscapes; however, modern industry has rendered these historical wind-powered factories mostly redundant. Windmill Dayencourages you to visit your local windmill, get involved in restoration projects, and to try your hand as a miller!
Observed annually on May 10, it is National Shrimp Day. Americans eat more shrimp than any other seafood, and this is the day to celebrate this delicious seafood.
The word “prawn” is used loosely to describe any large shrimp, sometimes known as “jumbo shrimp.” Some countries use the word “prawn” exclusively for all shrimp.
Preparing the shrimp for consumption usually involves the removal of the head, shell, tail and “sand vein”. There are many ways to cook shrimp. Standard methods of preparation include baking, boiling, broiling, sauteing, frying and grilling. Cooking time is delicate for shrimp, and they are at their best when not overcooked.
A healthy food, shrimp is low in calories and high in levels of omega-3, calcium, iodine, and protein. Shrimp is also known to be considered good for the circulatory system.
Shrimp and other shellfish are among the most common of food allergens.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Celebrate this fantastic food day by making your favorite shrimp dish. Need some ideas? As Bubba Blue from the movie, Forest Gump would say, “Shrimp cocktail, shrimp scampi, fried shrimp, broiled shrimp, spicy shrimp…” Share your favorite shrimp dish using #NationalShrimpDay.
National Lipid Day is observed annually on May 10th. The purpose of the day is to bring awareness to Dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is an abnormal amount of lipids (e.g. cholesterol and/or fat) in the blood. In developed countries, most dyslipidemias are hyperlipidemias; that is, an elevation of lipids in the blood. This is often due to diet and lifestyle. Prolonged elevation of insulin levels can also lead to dyslipidemia. Likewise, increased levels of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) may cause dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia and is the major cause of Cardio Vascular Disease worldwide. Preventative measures including health education, emphasis on the role of physical activity, diet, and timely visits to a doctor all aid in living a healthy life.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Take a walk, educate yourself on preventative measures and inform others. Share this by using #NationalLipidDay on social media.
HISTORY
National Lipid Day was submitted by Kunjan Singh and Sanjay Suri on behalf of Zydus Cadila and proclaimed by the registrar of National Day Calendar in April 2015.
National Clean Up Your Room Day is observed annually on May 10. This is a day parents appreciate much more than do their children.
National Clean Up Your Room Day isn’t just for kids to clean their rooms. It is about picking up, straightening up and cleaning up. It is a day to do some serious spring cleaning and make your surroundings more pleasant. Clean out a cluttered closet and donate or throw away those things you are not using. Help your children make their beds, clean their rooms and eliminate the toys and clothing they have outgrown.
OBSERVE
Spend some time getting your home looking and feeling clean and fresh for summer. Post photos on social media using #CleanUpYourRoomDay.
MICKFLIEG 