Here’s how some local folks plan to spend Feb. 29
(From The State Newspaper, Columbia, SC.)
(The photo above appears in the printed paper. It was taken by my friend and mentor Stephen Chesley last summer while I was painting out the rest of my heat-active paints on a long roll of white Kraft paper.)
(Below...the article!)
It comes around only every four years — a 29th day in the month of February. We’re not scientists here at "Weekend"; all we know is that it has something to do with keeping the calendar in sync with the Earth’s revolution around the sun, which takes (approximately) 365¼ days. So if there wasn’t a leap day, the calendar would gain a day on the season every four years — or 25 days every century. Before long, we’d be celebrating Christmas in the summer. And July 4th in the winter. Just like Australia.
Whoa.
We asked some local folks what they’re doing with their extra day this year — or what advice they have for you. Here’s what they told us:
Tara Bridges, 25, dietitian for cardiac rehab at Palmetto Health Heart Hospital:
“I would tell my patients how their hearts should beat extra strong this year because they get an extra day of exercise in.”
Darius Rucker, 41, frontman for Hootie and The Blowfish
“I’m just hanging with the kids. That’s the one thing I do with my extra days. That’s one thing you realize after being on the road — that you’re gone for so long. So that’s what I do with my extra days.”
Kevin Wyatt, 50, owner of Vino 100 in Sparkleberry Crossing in Northeast Richland:
“Drink a glass of wine — the extra day of aging will make it taste so-o-o much better!”
Wyatt said he also plans to hug his daughters, because leap year gives him, as the country and western song “I’m A Lucky Man” says, “one more day to be my kids’ dad!”
Emile DeFelice, 40, local pastured hog farmer, former candidate for commission of S.C. Department of Agriculture and activist for the local farming movement:
“Spend a few minutes this leap year planning an all-local meal, and let children participate if possible. Fresh ham, lamb, greens, milk, tea, grits, rice, eggs and cheese — what an array of food we have!”
Susan Lenz Dingman, 48, Columbia artist who works with fabrics and owner of the Mouse House, a framing gallery:
“A stitch in time saves nine. As an embroiderer, I plan to spend my extra day wisely ... which means never procrastinating but living as fully as I can. I’ll frame a picture, work on http://cyberfyberexhibition.blogspot.com, create art in my studio, have a nice dinner with (husband) Steve, and stitch a little before bed. I won’t waste a minute. No day is ordinary.”
Kevin Bush, 36, actor and new public relations director for Theatre South Carolina at USC:
“Brush up on lines and music in preparation for ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Workshop Theatre. Do research on ‘Mary Jane’ for the upcoming “Reefer Madness: The Musical” at Trustus Theatre. Spread the word about the multiple shows happening that day at USC, from a dance event at the Koger Center to a double dose of Shakespeare. Wish I could be in 20 places at once, so I can see talented friends and colleagues in the plethora of shows happening at Trustus, Workshop, Town etc., etc. Pay attention to the house I keep neglecting while in rehearsal.b Or ... one more day to sleep!”
Radenko Pavlovich, 52, artistic director of the Columbia Classical Ballet:
“On that one day, I’m doing anything but ballet!”
Ed Albritton, 58, co-owner of the used-book retailer Ed’s Editions in West Columbia:
“I think it’s just another day to sell books. We’ll be here, selling books as usual. But if somebody says they saw this in The State paper, we’ll give them 20 percent off for leap day only. It’s just another day, but a little bit extra special.”
Valerie Rowe Jackson, 52,deputy director of public services at Richland County Public Library:
“Because it’s my birthday, I’m allowing my loved ones to celebrate me for the first time in four years!”
Dana Andrews, 23, singer for Everything After and bartender at Headliners:
“Actually, we’ve got another Friday Night Live at Headliners. (The extra day) squeezes in more music. It’s a good thing.”
What about one more day to make money?
“Neither one hurts my feelings.”
Basil Garzia, 59, owner of Rosewood Market and Deli on Rosewood Drive:
Garzia urges folks to use the day to become more sensitive to the environment. Stop by the store all day, and pick up a reusable grocery bag. Bags, which boast the words “I Love Being Used,” will be given away as long as the supply lasts.
Leslie Tetreault, 45, children’s room manager at Richland County Public Library, is using leap day to think about education issues.
“I’ll be missing the Children’s Room story times as I accompany my professor husband to a conference about quality school equity in South Carolina—an issue we should think about every year.”
Staff writers Allison Askins, Jeffrey Day, Natasha Derrick, Mark Layman, Liz Ruiz and Otis R. Taylor Jr. contributed to this story.
4 comments:
Well, I'll hope you had a great day!!!!
Woot, Blossom! GREAT publicity, personally and professionally!~
Well, cool beans. Nice publicity!
Fun article. Your philosophy is the only way you get so much done. I think we might have studied "A stitch in time saves nine" on leap day--we're studiing the revolution right now.
I spent the day with my schedule totally shot. My husband called to tell me that he forgot pants when he went to work. Okay, he was wearing bicycling pants, but the people in his engineering firm were making fun of him. I brought him pants and the family went to the park for lunch.
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