February 2, 2013: Groundhog, a rodent by any other name.

We’re all home, thanks to the weather. Regional Academic Team competition has been delayed until Monday and Tuesday night. At least I got to sleep in this morning instead of getting up at 5 AM to get everything ready. Once again, Deana and I have the best group of kids we could ever hope for and I know that whenever we get to compete you will make us proud.

I am a member of D23, the official Disney Fanatics Organization. It’s called D23 because that is the year the Disney Studios started but, in 1922, on this date, Walt Disney started Laugh-O-Gram in Kansas City. Walt produced one-reel cartoons of six fairy tales all about one minute long. These cartoons were Walt’s first professional foray in the art of animation. Since we’re talking art of animation, visit the Art of Animation resort at Walt Disney World, an animation based resort focusing on: The Lion King, Cars, Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid. I am too smooth for my own good.

At Art of Animation, they have lots of... art.

Today is Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day started as Hedgehog Day in England but when the first settlers arrived they found out there were no hedgehogs in America so, rather than give up a tradition, they morphed the day to Groundhog Day. Hey a rodent is a rodent, right Mick. Listen, no matter if he sees his shadow or not there are at least six more weeks of wishing you were at Walt Disney World.

February 2, 1863, Samuel Langhorne Clemens became Mark Twain for the very first time. A great pen name for a great American writer, I love Huckleberry Finn, it is one of my all-time favorites. As a matter of fact, with all this snow on the ground it might be a good time to read it again. Well just to complicate matters, on February 2^nd, 1870, Mark Twain married Olivia Langdon. Mr. Twain and Mrs. Clemens, Mr. Clemens and Mrs. Twain, oh well, whatever you do, go to Tom Sawyer Island in the Magic Kingdom and have a perfectly splendiferous day.

Are the paintbrushes back yet?

And finally, to fuel my obsession with the hot dogs at Casey’s, on February 2, 1876, Baseball’s National League is formed with teams in: Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati (woo hoo), Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate, get to the far end of Main Street, USA and get a Casey’s hot dog with fries, chili and a Diet Coke so large it would be illegal in New York City. Just thank the Good Lord you’re in Florida.

Remember, your best excuse is always: waiting for your dreams to come true.