labor day

4 09, 2023

Celebrating Labor Day

By |2023-09-02T09:48:26-05:00September 4th, 2023|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Happy Labor Day!

Unlike most U.S. holidays, Labor Day is a strange celebration without rituals, well, except for shopping and barbecuing.

Peter J. McGuire, United Brotherhood of Carpenters founder, and Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, are considered founders of the U.S. Labor Day.

Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal in 1882 and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. Workers agreed and staged a strike to get a day off work on the first Monday in September.

Twelve years later, in 1894, Labor Day became an official federal holiday though the bill did not give everyone a holiday. Only federal employees were authorized the day off by the law.

Over the years, emphasis changed from protests and demands and Labor Day shifted to honoring the labor movement and the social and economic achievements of all American workers.

Though the holiday has no rituals, addresses by union officials, industrialists, government officials, and others do receive coverage in social media, newspapers, and television.

Labor Day mostly signifies a three-day weekend filled with retail sales, an extra day away from work, and the unofficial end of summer.

Unless you work in retail then you’ll have some long working hours. Police, firefighters, nurses, and doctors will also experience heavy workloads because Labor Day is the second most dangerous holiday to drive on U.S. highways.

I’ll not be driving. I’ll be following Douglas Pagels’ advice.

“Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.”

Why not join me? Relax, grab one last hot dog, and slide down your rainbow beam.

28 08, 2023

Labor Day, Yellow School Buses, and School Supply Sales

By |2023-08-25T15:57:21-05:00August 28th, 2023|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Fall Equinox will arrive on September 23, 02:50 A.M. EDT

Labor Day is upon us. The day that signals the time to bid farewell to the carefree days of summer and the return of high school football and fall festivals.

This little poem by Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt says it best.

It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.

Down here where I live, we’re not experiencing or expecting the chill but I’m a former teacher and the return of the yellow buses brings waves of nostalgia. Not because I’m longing to be back in a classroom again, those days are long gone.

To be a teacher again, I’d have to give up too much time and energy I prefer to devote to writing.

But fall also means school supply sales. Necessary stuff for all the munchkins heading off to school and impossible for writers to pass up.

At least this author.

Never mind, I have plenty of pencils, pens, and notebooks. I simply can’t resist. I have to stop to check out all the displays.

Nothing jumpstarts my creativity like a shiny fresh notebook and a sharp new pencil or a bright colored pen.

Plus, who can resist a sale?

How about you? Do Back-to-School sales entice you?

5 09, 2022

Labor Day Thank You

By |2022-09-04T11:52:59-05:00September 5th, 2022|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

It’s Labor Day, I want to acknowledge workers and the work they do.

Those who work in farming, ranching, and trucking, or in factories, warehouses, retail stores, and other labor-intensive jobs are the ones who make our country such a great place to live.

Our backbone.

Medical professionals like doctors, nurses, EMTs, and soldiers serve, day in and day out, with no time off for holidays to protect us.

Because y’all do your job, I can do what I love – write. I have to pause here and give a special nod of awe to fellow writers who work full time and come home to write.

Writing is my job. Because so many workers do their jobs, I’m able to do mine. Specific thank yous to

  1. Teachers, college professors, writing workshop presenters, and conference organizers. Because you did your job, I can read and write!
  2. Thank you, farmers, ranchers, truck drivers, and grocery store employees. You do your job and I can shop in comfort at the local market for my family’s needs and meals.
  3. Thank you to carpenters, electricians, plumbers, designers, and builders who provide a roof over my head, heat, and air conditioning. Doing your job provided a safe, dry place for me to work indoors.

Writing is different from other jobs.

We don’t have to clock in or out. We’re not docked if we’re late or choose not to write one day. It’s a solitary job. For the most part, it’s us and the computer or pen and paper. But without all of you doing your job I can’t do mine.

Thank you!

6 09, 2021

Labor Day

By |2021-09-03T10:58:13-05:00September 6th, 2021|Holidays|1 Comment

Since its origin in 1882, Labor Day has paid tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. In 1894, it became an official federal holiday.

This vintage postcard commemorates that holiday addition.

The day is a well-deserved tribute to all laborers whether their office is a building, a field, a warehouse, a store, a hospital, a patrol car or fire station, or their home. Commitment to their job is what makes our country such a great place to live.

Today I’d like to say a big Thank You.

I’m a writer retired from the traditional workforce. Because you do your job, I can concentrate on mine every day. To writers who work day jobs then write in the evenings, you’re my heroes too.

If you’re among the many workers who have Labor Day off work, kick back and enjoy your free day. Holidays tend to slide by in my world. One day is like the next.Write, write, write.

Because Labor Day also signals the end of summer, I think I may take a break and join the crowd at the grill.

3 09, 2018

Labor Day Rest and Rainbows

By |2018-09-02T06:35:42-05:00September 3rd, 2018|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Today is Labor Day. Unlike most U.S. holidays, it is a strange celebration without rituals, well, except for shopping and barbecuing. Interesting to note that Labor Day is also celebrated in Canada.

Peter J. McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, are considered founders of the U.S. Labor Day. They sought a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.

Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal in the 1882 and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. Workers agreed  and staged a strike to get a day off work on the first Monday in September.

Twelve years later, in 1894, Labor Day became an official federal holiday though the bill did not give everyone a holiday. Only federal employees are authorized the day off by the law.

Over the years, emphasis changed from protests and demands and Labor Day shifted to honoring the labor movement and the social and economic achievements of all American workers.

Though the holiday has no rituals, addresses by union officials, industrialists, government officials, and others do receive coverage in social media, newspapers, and television.

Nowadays Labor Day mostly signifies a three-day weekend filled with retail sales, an extra day away from work, and the unofficial end of summer and hot dog season. A day to laze around the house and watch the kickoff of the NFL season.

It’s a weekend to play and relax unless you work in retail then you’ll have some long working hours. Police, firefighters, nurses, etc. will also experience heavy workloads because Labor Day is the second most dangerous holiday weekend to drive on U.S. highways.

Taking a day for relaxation is a good thing according Douglas Pagels.

"Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow."

If you’re one of those people who works all the time, why not follow Pagels’ advice today. Pick a rainbow color, grab one last hot dog, and slide down your rainbow beam.

2 09, 2013

It’s Labor Day – Celebrate

By |2013-09-02T06:39:28-05:00September 2nd, 2013|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

If you’ve read my blog for long, you know I like to celebrate holidays with facts and vintage cards.

First the facts…

The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885, Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country with parades and speeches.

In 1894, it became an official federal holiday.

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Now the cards…

All celebrate what today is truly about—honoring the workers of American.

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Labor Day doesn’t have speeches and parades so much anymore. Today we think of Labor Day as the end of summer, a day of no labor.

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Work is good, but play is also important. I leave you with this great quote.

quote

Now, pick your rainbow color, grab a hot dog, and SLIDE!

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