Nursing you through the problem of May 7

Today presents a problem. If you're casting about for some pretext to go out for a cold one with the gang from the office, Mondays often pose a problem, at least during the NFL offseason.

The list of single day observances is particularly short today.

Wikipedia tells us today is National Masturbation Day.

Ew.

Somehow I just don't see this as something you want to mention when you try and sidle up to the cute new girl in bookkeeping. If it works out for you, I'm happy for you both.

You'll pardon me, though, if I don't offer to shake hands.

For everyone else, I suggest that today is the second day of National Nurses Week, celebrated every year from May 6 through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.

May 12 is also International Nurses Day -- and, no, that's not just coincidental.

If you are a nurse, or have nurses in the family, or would like to meet nurses, perhaps you can observe both today and Saturday. That's up to you.

If, however, you'd rather wait to celebrate nursing until Flo's birthday -- today marks the beginning of Children's Book Week, billed as "the longest-running literacy initiative in the country." Below you'll see the poster for this year's CBW, designed by children's book illustrator David Wiesner.

Maybe you can make it a quick stop tonight, then hurry home and read your kid Green Eggs and Ham.