Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

We are coming under an increasing onslaught of annual ‘Day of Whatever' events.
Readers of this column will already be well acquainted with ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day'.

The latest in the bombardment of dedicated days is ‘Global Hand Washing Day' on October 15, which we doubt many of you filthy pirates will be observing.
It's designed to instil the hand washing habit early in young children and there's even a Wiggles song to encourage it. Researchers believe it could prevent a lot of diarrhoea. Here at RR, we're hoping the end of the local body elections tomorrow will have a similar result, at least of the verbal type. (Full coverage, as it happens, only on SunLive.co.nz)
Meanwhile, we are already deep in the throes of Breast Cancer days and have battled our way through Daffodil Day.
So amongst the many sensible and well-deserving days, which of course you all should enthusiastically support – we've done some exhaustive research to bring you some of the less mainstream observations which may take your interest. Here's just a few:

16 January
Appreciate a Dragon Day (When is Helen Clark's birthday?)
22 January
Answer your Cat's Questions Day
26 January
Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day
31 January
National Gorilla Suit Day
7 February
Wave all your Fingers at your Neighbours Day (Don't try this in Arataki)
8 February
Laugh and Get Rich Day
13 February
Blame Someone Else Day
16 February
Gonad Games Day
18 February
Dr Seuss Appreciation Day (A day, you say? Why not in May?)
21 February Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
3 March
What if Cats and Dogs had Opposable Thumbs? Day
14 March
International Fanny Pack Day (possibly only funny in the UK)
20 March
Snowman Burning Day (how does that work?)
22 March
International Pillow Fight Night
31 March
Post Something on the Web and See If Anyone Believes It Day
4 April
International Day of Mine Awareness
(that should be a blast. And if you're not aware of that, you probably should know about… April 28 - National Day of Mourning.)
11 April
International 'Louie Louie” Day
15 April
Take a Wild Guess Day
20-26 April
Cowboy Poetry Week
23 April
Talk like Shakespeare Day
24 April
National Hairball
Awareness Day
26 April
Hug an Australian Day
1 May
No Pants Day
(We will not be responsible for any arrests)
3 May
Lumpy Rug Day
3 May
National Two Different Coloured Shoes Day
4 May
Respect for Chickens Day
9 May
Stay up All Night Day
9 May
Lost Sock Memorial Day
13 May
Root Canal Appreciation Day
14 May
National Chicken Dance Day
20 May
International Day of Dishwashing Liquids
22 May
National Wig Out Day
5 June
Flaunt It Day (should be rescheduled for Southern Hemisphere summer)
19 June
World Sauntering Day
22 June
Stupid Guy Thing Day
26 June
Ugly Dog Day
29 June
Please Take my Children to Work Day

There's a problem with Midwives' Day, which is in May. We are sure it should re-scheduled for Labour Weekend.

Next week, we bring you more from the second half of the year; starting of course, with Second Half of the Year Day on July 1.
Till then, we'll be washing our hands of this nonsense.