April 13th, we have an opportunity to break a trend that has been occurring around the country by joining National Make Lunch Count Day.
According to a recent study commissioned by TGI Fridays, the majority of U.S. workers suffer from “FOLO” – otherwise known as a “Fear of Lunching Out.” Many workers eat lunch at their desk at least twice a week (73%) while one-third have lunch at their desk every day of the week. Don’t fear lunching out any longer!
Taking a break from the workday improves productivity. That includes taking a lunch break. Leaving the office or even your desk for 20-30 minutes to refuel also reinvigorates your creative juices. Our brains and bodies need the daily break. When you return, you’ll be refreshed and ready for new ideas and approaches to whatever your job throws your way.
The observance is here to remedy FOLO and help American workers increase their creativity and productivity.
National Scrabble Day April 13th recognizes a game played around the world. Originally named Lexiko and then Criss-Cross Words, Alfred Mosher Butts eventually settled on the name Scrabble. The amateur artist and unemployed architect developed the word game in the midst of the depression. Still, it wasn’t until 1948, a final name change and a trademark that Butts finally began to produce the game.
Scrabble is played with two to four players who score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15 x 15 grid.
In the United States, the name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. Scrabble is sold in 121 countries with 29 different language versions. Worldwide, over One hundred and fifty million sets have been sold with sets being found in nearly one-third of American homes.
- 1984 – Scrabble became a daytime game show on NBC
- 2004 – Scrabble was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame
- Some cities sponsor Scrabble tournaments on the weekend closest to National Scrabble Day
- The word “scrabble” means to “grope frantically.”
April 14th, National Dolphin Day recognizes the social and intelligent mammals of the water.
Dolphins are cetacean mammals that are related to whales and porpoises. They range in size from 4 feet to up to 30 feet; dolphins are among almost forty species in 17 genera. Found worldwide, they prefer the shallower seas of the continental shelves.
As carnivores, their diet consists of mostly fish and squid.
- Male dolphin – bull
- Female dolphin – cow
- Young dolphin – calf
- Group of dolphins – school or pod
Social, Swift, and Intelligent
Dolphins are known to have acute eyesight both in and out of the water. They also have a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin. Since they additionally have such acute hearing, they can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can. Dolphins are also capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.
Living in pods of up to a dozen dolphins, they are highly social animals. Pods do merge in areas where there is an abundance of food, forming superpods. These pods may exceed 1,000 dolphins. Dolphins can, and do, establish strong bonds within their pods. Even when one is injured or ill, they will stay, helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed.
You will see the dolphins frequently leaping above the water’s surface. They do this for various reasons; when traveling, jumping saves them energy as there is less friction while in the air. Their leaps even have a name called porpoising. Some other explanations for leaping include orientation, social display, fighting, non-verbal communication, entertainment and attempting to dislodge parasites.
The United States National Marine Mammal Foundation conducted a study revealing that dolphins, like humans, develop a natural form of type 2 diabetes. This discovery may lead to a better understanding of the disease and new treatments for both humans and dolphins.
National Reach as High as You Can Day on April 14th encourages us to evaluate our goals and do our best to reach them.
We can define “reach” in many ways. Search Guinness World Records for highest reach and Guinness gives us 322 results. We can reach for our dreams or our goals. Reach for the stars or the sky. We can even reach for the balloon floating away from us much like the one that carried the “Wizard of Oz” away from Dorothy.
Of course, records can be set for the oldest or the youngest to reach a particular location, age, height or status.
While this day may not be about setting records, it is certainly about reaching high; higher than we think we can. We often become complacent. National Reach as High as You Can Day is just a reminder on the calendar not to let your dreams go adrift. Reach for them. Reach as high as you can!
Congressional Art Competition
AMARILLO, TX — The Office of Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13) is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition. All high school students in Texas’ 13th Congressional District are invited to participate in the contest. The winner’s artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.
To enter the contest please submit original artwork and the required entry form to Rep. Jackson’s Amarillo or Wichita Falls office by Friday, April 23, 2021 at 5:00PM CT. Submissions can be mailed or dropped off in person during the hours of 9:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday through Friday.
Contestants are encouraged to thoroughly review the competition’s rules and regulations on Rep. Jackson’s website. Additional questions should be directed to Rep. Jackson’s Amarillo or Wichita Falls office.
Artwork must be two-dimensional and original in concept, design, and execution. Artwork must be no heavier than 15 pounds and no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. The winner will need to frame their artwork before it is sent to the U.S. Capitol and the piece must still meet weight and size regulations.
Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
- Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed)
- Collages: must be two-dimensional
- Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
- Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
- Computer-generated art
- Photographs
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7 Star Therapeutic Riding Center Fundraiser Non-Profit:
7 Star Therapeutic Riding Center is having a Beef Raffle.
Four Quarters of All-Natural Grass-Fed Black Angus Beef.
Four Individual Winners.
Tickets are $10 for one $50 for six or $100 for 14!
Enter to win at https://go.rallyup.com/7starhorsetherapy2
Or Text 7-Star-Beef to 855-202-2100 for a link to buy entries.
Drawing will be April 30th Live on Facebook at 6:00
https://www.facebook.com/7StarHorseTherapy.org
All funds go to support our organization and help provide equine therapy to people in our community.
We are also having an Open House event: April 24th at 6:00 PM
Hamburgers and Hotdogs to be served. Please RSVP to 806-355-4773
4753 s FM 1258 (Pullman Rd)
The Open House will include information for volunteering and an explanation and demonstration of our Therapeutic Riding program and our Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy program.
Thank you
Michelle L. Green
Interim Executive Director
7 Star Therapeutic Riding Center
806-355-4773
Mike Mahon Art art@mmahon.com Amarillo, TX “Mastering the Texas Landscape Workshop” April 15-17, 2021.
This workshop will focus on how to take control of your landscape reference photos and create a strong design with impact. You will see how Mike uses his computer to edit images and create a powerful painting from several source photos. Once the image is established, you will see how to translate it to an effective painting accomplished with control and spontaneity. Mike will lead you through at least 2 complete paint-alongs, step-by-step, start to finish.
Description
April 15-17, 2021 – (Times TBD but likely 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day with lunch break)
Mastering the Texas Landscape – Painting with Control & Spontaneity
Cost: $375 for non-members, $350 for members – $100 workshop deposit to reserve spot
Preliminary Videos
Prior to the workshops, each participant will receive links to introductory videos to Mike’s teaching principles which will be expanded on during the workshop
Background
Mike has been a professional artist for 49 years and has been teaching painting workshops for the last 19 years. He has won many awards for his work including many best-of-shows and has taught and exhibited in various museums in Texas and California. His work is recognized for its strong sense of design and dynamic and painterly use of color and value. He is the inventor of the unique pastel handling system, Mike Mahon’s Pastel Porter™.
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Local Photographic Art Show
Local artists displaying their amazing art work!
The Photographic Art Show is March 1st – April 30th, 10 AM – 6 PM (Monday – Friday) Saturdays: 10 AM – 3 pm AT Against the Wall. 4310 S Western #B 806-359-9255
Informational Meetings Set
for Building Safety Department Software
AMARILLO – The City of Amarillo Building Safety Department has scheduled a series of public/informational meetings for new computer software.
Meetings begin Tuesday (April 6) and are scheduled as follows:
- Tuesday (April 6), 6 p.m., Simms Municipal Building Room 203, 808 S. Buchanan St.
- Wednesday (April 7), 3 p.m., Simms Municipal Building Room 203, 808 S. Buchanan St.
- Tuesday (April 13), 3 p.m., Simms Municipal Building Room 203, 808 S. Buchanan St.
- Wednesday (April 14), 6 p.m., Simms Municipal Building Room 203, 808 S. Buchanan St.
The new software will improve services provided by Building Safety such as permitting, plan submittal, professional licensing and inspection scheduling. In addition, there will be the convenience of online and electronic payment, a citizen self-serve portal and access to permit history.
The new software program begins April 26.
The informational meetings will educate contractors and citizens on the new software and will provide customers the opportunity to learn the benefits of the new software. Attendees can ask questions and learn how to set up an account in the new software.
For more information, call the City of Amarillo Building Safety Department at (806) 378-3041.
Also for more information, contact City of Amarillo Communications Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov.
Thanks,
Dave