January 22 wacky and weird celebrations

Answer Your Cat's Questions Day is again brought to you by those fun-loving holiday creators at Wellcat. And actually, a study came out this summer that showed that by learning how to "read" your cat's tail movement, pet owners should be able to communicate with their cats.

Makes me think about the spoiled snowshoe Siamese that lives with my parents. He's very lovable, and I would agree that if you watch, you can tell if Nash is in a playful mood or if he's going to be on the offensive.

Celebration of Life Day has a remarkable story. Learn more about the reason why we should celebrate every day of life by reading Susan Stucki's story.

International Day of Radiant Peace sounds like a wonderful idea. Peace (and a little quiet) remains a wonderful way to relax and unwind. I've always thought that peace - with anything we encounter in the world - begins within, so unless you are at peace with yourself, it can be difficult to make share the love, so to speak. Get an accurate description of this holiday, which is celebrated four times throughout the year.

National Speak Up And Succeed Day promotes positive public speaking. Since 98% of all Americans fear public speaking, this would be the perfect opportunity to confront that fear and share how you feel.

Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day. Now here's a holiday I can relate to! I know I need to lose some weight. Through the years, I've tried the grapefruit diet, which kind of worked, the cabbage soup diet, and Weight Watchers - which did work! But the best way is to eat sensibly. About 10 years ago, I went on a fairly strict diet and lost about 70 pounds in 3 months. I felt good, and I kept it off for about five years. Then, the yo-yo thing hit and life kind of interfered and I gained about 40 of it back. Now I'm on a program and am just watching what I eat and trying to make sensible decisions. That's the best way!

Nude Beach Day. Enough said. Not really, though. When I lived in New York, my neighbor asked me if I wanted to go to the beach with her once, so we drove to Long Island and went to the beach. I didn't realize it was a nude beach until, well, we walked out on the sand. We didn't stay long.

Tu B'shvat celebrates the new year for trees. A great multimedia presentation describing the holiday can be found at aish.com.