Anthony J. Madonia & Associates, Ltd.

National Hug a Bear Day is today. Everyone needs a hug, even teddy bears. The “bear” in “Hug a Bear Day” actually refers to Teddy bears. “Teddy” bears are named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, who served from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt’s association with bears is based on a famous story from November 1902 when he spared the life of one during a hunting expedition. This story was featured as a cartoon in the Washington Post, which inspired two New York City store owners to create the first “Teddy” bear toy.
These days Hug a Bear Day isn’t as much an acknowledgement of not shooting bears as it is promoting the benefits of hugging - there's a reason they are called cuddly toys.

You are not advised to go out and embrace real bears on this day; it will be exceedingly risky and might not end well.

Monday: Fresh Start

Daylight Savings Time Ends Today. It’s time to grab that extra hour of sleep this weekend! More specifically, at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 5, we’ll set our clocks back one hour as daylight saving time comes to a close.

Hope you had a great October -- now on to November

Happy Anniversary to AJM&A! It's our 28th Anniversary. We celebrated with a bowling party and balloons at the office. Hooray for us!

May your Day be filled with Treats not Tricks! Happy Halloween 2023
Halloween or Hallowe'en is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs, and all the faithful departed. (Wikipedia)

Monday Fresh Start

We all have that cranky co-worker in the office who is always in a bad mood. Take today (October 27) as the day to have some fun with said co-worker's attitude by celebrating Cranky Co-Workers Day, and join them. Stop saying thank you and join the cranky crowd (but just for one day please). Today is the day to celebrate the crankiness in all of us. Or just realize that we all have these stressful and cranky days and we can help each other through them. Click the link for a cranky "how to" list.
https://worksmartlivesmart.com/cranky-co-worker-day-october/

Owwwwwwooooo - it's Howl At The Moon Day (And Night) This holiday encourages people to imitate an animal that’s known for howling at the moon: the wolf. It’s a holiday for the welfare of these majestic creatures who are the literal symbols that mankind has used to describe the wild for thousands of years. Due to human hunting and the alteration of their environment due to climate change, the populations of wolves had been diminishing. So it’s a good idea to observe this holiday on October 26th and give these animals the love and support they deserve. Created by author Johnny DePalma in 2009, he hopes everyone howls tonight! https://conta.cc/495AUrf,

Yes I am howling at the moon. Why aren't you? It's national howl at the moon day! Do wolves really howl at the moon or is it just what we are taught as young children? We explore a little bit more about the wolf.

Estate and Gift Tax Exclusions Set to Soar with Inflation
Start preparing now. Changes from 2022 to 2023 promise an upward trend, fueled by inflation adjustments. Individuals should note these modifications to avoid unexpected tax consequences.

Estate and Gift Tax Exclusions Set to Soar With Inflation Wish to optimize your asset transfers and safeguard your family's financial future? Consulting with experienced tax lawyers is essential.

Well, this is something you don't often see...a coven of Witches on stand-up paddleboards. Across the country people are donning witch attire and paddleboarding in groups for fun and excitement. Known as Witch Paddles, these events are big in Colorado, Oregon and California but gaining popularity everywhere. These witches wield paddles not broomsticks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=B4PjmsspbiE

What? It Can't be... today is CHUCKY, THE NOTORIOUS KILLER DOLL DAY. Known from the creepy horror flick staple of the 1980s, Charles Lee Ray, Chucky's full name, comes from three real-life and notorious killers. For those who aren't Chucky fans, you have a pass. All others, get your popcorn and beverages of choice and hit play! Some who celebrate, dress up as Chucky. Those who collect Chucky merchandise add to their collection. Others, take a thrill in learning new behind-the-scene facts or reading up on Chucky fan pages.

Don’t Let Legal Terms Scare You! Legalese Can Be Scary! Here are 10 key terms that can help de-mystify legal forms and issues. https://madonia.com/dont-let-legal-terms-scare-you/

Bat week starts today 10/24-31 and surprise, Batweek is all about bats! There are so many different ways to help bats and they are all important. These actions can help protect bats living in our backyards and in our communities. Use this annual celebration timed with Halloween to teach kids about the important role bats play in nature. Happy Bat Week!

We have a winner!!! Jeff Milne, who stopped by the office a few weeks ago to share his cute baby with us, was rewarded by the candy contest gods with the winning guess. The actual exact number of pieces of candy in the container is 𝟏𝟑𝟕𝟒-his guess was 1350-making him the closest without going over. We had some great guesses from 213 to 10,000. Hope you had fun with it and now move on to yummier candy!

Today is National Get Smart About Credit Day, part of the Get Smart About Credit (G.S.A.C.) program. Bankers volunteer to help guide young people towards better credit habits. Financial education isn’t just about credit cards, loans and paying for college. It encompasses budgeting, understanding a credit report, identity protection and more. This knowledge is critical to the success of young people.
https://conta.cc/45zMpUL

Oh no-it's National Hagfish Day! It's a day to celebrate the exotic, unusual, some might say ugly (we prefer beauty-challenged) ocean animals. WhaleTimes created Hagfish Day (in 2009) to celebrate the beauty of ugly. Hagfish are the perfect example. It is believed that the repugnant and slightly revolting animals like hagfish make great role models for highlighting conservation concerns for ALL marine animals. https://wildlifeflorida.org/happy-national-hagfish-day/

Today is National Mashed Potato Day. Spud lovers in the United States look forward this holiday every year. It's an opportunity for them to indulge in even more of their favorite dishes. We all need some comfort food these days, so think of celebrating with some mashed potatoes. How NOT to celebrate:

Spuds take center stage at Minnesota town's Potato Days Morning Rundown: Gaza hospital blast causes 'carnage,' Rep. Jim Jordan tries again for speaker, and what hitting snooze does for sleep

Grab a fork people-it's National Pasta Day! If you needed a reason to indulge in some noodles and sauce, here you go...it's a national holiday. Pasta is one of the world’s most favorite foods! Spaghetti, lasagna, rotini, tortellini – there are over 600 known pasta shapes. It’s delicious, it’s nutritious, it’s versatile. It can be enjoyed as a main course, or as a side dish. Top it with your favorite sauce and Mangiamo – let’s eat!
Find deals for pasta celebrating-https://conta.cc/3Fj8Wus

It's Winning Time at the Candy Corn Contest -Candy container holds 156 oz. and measures 8.46 inches wide on its base and 7.79 inches high. OVER 6 POUNDS OF CANDY!!!! Submit your entry today-contest ends Friday Oct 20 and winner will be announced. Candy container PLUS an Amazon gift card.

Candy Countdown | Anthony J. Madonia & Associates, Ltd It's a candy countdown at Anthony J. Madonia & Associates. Test yourself or make a wild guess at the amount of candy corn in the jar.

Do you love your boss? We do! Happy Bosses Day to all the good ones out there. For the not so good ones...there are some hilarious memes to post. https://www.memesmonkey.com/topic/happy+boss+day

It’s Friday the 13th! How did this infamous superstition even begin? Why exactly is this day often associated with good or bad luck? https://conta.cc/3QaQ9I3
A Friday the 13th can occur one to three times each year. In many countries around the world, this date is considered unlucky and tied to misfortunate events. Do you suffer from Friggatriskaidekaphobia, the fear of Friday 13th? You're not the only one. It’s one of the most pervasive superstitions in Western culture, alongside crossing a black cat or walking under a ladder.

OCTOBER 12 is the day to celebrate National Savings Day. A holiday we created to help you feel more confident with your finances. Savings can head off financial crises. Most people have good intentions when it comes to money. They try to be careful when buying things and look for ways to save a few dollars here and a few dollars there, believing that will put them on the right path for financial security. Use today as a reminder to review your savings and look at ways you can improve your savings.
https://conta.cc/3FcuIjG

We have a winner! Bear 128 Grazer topped 32 Chunk to become Fat Bear Week 2023 champion. This is 128 Grazer's first win, though she has been a familiar presence for years on the Brooks River at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Grazer was voted this year’s fattest bear on 10/10 in the online competition run by Explore.org and Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve.
Grazer is known as a protective mother and a gutsy, beautiful blonde. Girl Power!
https://explore.org/fat-bear-week

Today is National It's My Party Day! Who needs a reason to plan a party? Use today to celebrate whatever you want with a party. Gather friends and family to help recognize the day or turn on some music and have a dance party by yourself. Either way, be sure your party soundtrack includes musician Lesley Gore's hit "It's My Party." It helps set the stage for your celebration. Whether you keep it small and simple or big and bold, celebrate National It's My Party Day with as much fun and enthusiasm that you can muster. Extra points for party hats! !

Yes there is a day for that-Today is Wild Animal Road Accident Awareness Day 2023. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of road accidents on animals and advocating for their safety on our roads. This annual event aims to shed light on the dangers animals face while navigating human-dominated environments and promote measures to protect them. Definitely not something we actively think about unless we have been in an accident with wildlife or witnessed one. https://www.arrivealive.mobi/avoiding-animals-on-the-road

World Mental Health Day 2023 is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right.” We all need to improve our knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health. World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. Focus on your mental health and those around you today! Check out Project Healthy minds Guide for Healthy Minds (projecthealthyminds.com) day

It's Candy Contest time! Submit your entry to guess the amount of candy corn and pumpkins in our jar. We made the jar shape tricky and confused the candy corn purists by adding the pumpkins but added an Amazon gift card to sweeten the deal. Take a chance and make a guess! https://madonia.com/candy-countdown/

Now this is funny! The Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards has announced the finalists for 2023. Who knew animals were as bad at selfies as we can be? https://www.comedywildlifephoto.com/
This year’s final shortlist of photographs, videos and portfolio entries present a wonderfully eclectic mix of hilarious wildlife including a kangaroo doing air guitar, dancing horses, an avian family dispute and more. These images have been culled from thousands of entries submitted by professional and amateur photographers to this popular competition from around the world.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards :: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards - Conservation through Competition "Oh No" we hear you crying, its all over red rover for 2023. Well, in a way yes, you can't enter your hilarious images any more, but dont worry, make sure you sign up to our mialing list down below so you can enter them next year for our incredibly exciting 10th Anniversary edition of the competitio...

It's October 5 and officially Be Nice Day! Today people are encouraged to come together and be nice. It’s a no-brainer that we should be nice each and every day but just in case, there’s one special day where we can fully concentrate on kindness towards others. https://conta.cc/3tjJXV6

It's here! Fat Bear week 2023! Fat Bear Week starts today. It is a celebration of success and survival for the brown bears of Katmai National Park. It is a way to celebrate their resilience, adaptability and strength. Bears are matched against each other in a tournament style competition and online visitors can vote on which bear is ultimately crowned the Fat Bear Week 2023 Champion. Check out the competitors and make your picks for ultimate supreme Fat Bear.
https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/fat-bear-week-2023.htm
https://explore.org/fat-bear-week

Fat Bear Week 2023 - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) Fat Bear Week 2023

It's here! It's here! Pumpkin Spice Day 2023: Pumpkin spice reached a milestone in 2023, of course. It's the 20th anniversary of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, and the phenomenon has spread across many consumer product categories, even trash bags! https://conta.cc/3roDjMT

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Join the National Love People Day Campaign on September 30 by showing love in your community. We want to change the face of our nation with LOVE and it starts with you. We would like every community, business, church, and person to join America as we celebrate National LOVE People Day. You do not have to wait for September 30th you can show and share LOVE the week leading up to National LOVE People Day. https://nationallovepeopleday.com/

Oooooooooooo...look out it's National Ghost Hunting Day. This is an intriguing annual observance that brings together paranormal enthusiasts from around the world. It is a day dedicated to exploring the realms of the supernatural and investigating mysterious phenomena that go bump in the night. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, National Ghost Hunting Day offers a unique opportunity to delve into the unknown and unravel the secrets of haunted locations.

It's time to show your appreciation for your neighbors today -it's National Good Neighbor Day. Created in the 1970s as a way to recognize and celebrate the importance of community, it's a great opportunity to show your gratitude for good neighbors. We are thankful for all that our neighbors do, whether it be helping out with chores or just providing an ear when you need someone to talk to. So take some time out of your day to thank your neighbors!