ENTERTAINMENT BUZZ
Society by the numbers: May 2017
By Joe Mack
May Day, May Day!
Hundreds of movable observances
dot the May calendar, but none of
them get shouted more loudly in
times of distress than May Day
(May 1).
Traditionally celebrated by towns
and villages around the world as a
festival of flora and fertility, the “May
Day” slogan and giving of small
seasonal baskets have largely given
way to other surrounding similar
holidays like Easter and Memorial
Day. Still, it’s worth noting that
May Day is payday for most of us,
therefore, let the good times roll.
Star Wars Day?
I don’t care who you are – if you
don’t smile or squirm when someone
says “May the fourth be with you”
on May 4, you ought to be strapped
down to a theater chair and forced
to watch every second of every
film the “Star Wars” franchise has
released until you let out a Death
Star-sized Chewbacca laugh!
While any sort of holiday remains
unofficial, the light pun is a rallying
cry for “Star Wars” fans around the
globe; many fans hold gatherings
and screenings of the films in full
regalia. You can also score deals on
SW schwag and catch runs of the
saga on various cable networks. See
provider for details.
Cinco de Mayo
On May 5, 1862, the Mexican
Army posted a defeat over double
the amount of French fighters at
the Battle of Puebla, and ever
since, people across North America
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celebrate the day with parades
and plentiful Mexican cuisine. Some
major cities even shut down entire
streets, roll out the food trucks and
cerveza carts, and pump la musica
for a fiesta. And today, while the
Mexican government is at odds with
its neighbor to the north, we’d like
to remember their previous victories
with a hearty salud!
Mother’s Day
May 14 is the day to honor the
most important woman in your life
– the one who brought you into this
mess – your mother!
Be sure to call, send a card, take
her to (or make) lunch or dinner on
that second Sunday. Don’t have a
mom? Adopt one!
Armed Forces Day
May 20 marks Armed Forces Day
here in the United States. We boast
the finest military on planet Earth,
and whenever there’s a chance to
get out and show our appreciation
for those who defend our freedom,
jump on it, soldier!
Parades will fill many communities,
especially where military bases
and installations exist. Where they
don’t, perhaps take an opportunity
www.thecurrentbuzz.net
to thank the men and women in
uniform. If you can afford it, maybe
pick up their tab when they least
expect it (hint: this is good to do
anytime, anywhere).
Happy Birthday!
Calendar master extraordinaire
Elly Ann Patterson (5/1); songwriter
Susan Herndon and bassist Dan
Redmond (5/2); songwriter Amanda
Cunningham and guitarist Bart
Taylor (5/4), sound engineer
Arlie Stiles and brewmaster Eric
Marshall (5/5); musician Dylan
Layton and percussionist Jeff
Porter (5/8), songwriter Sherman
Connelly (5/13); songwriter Katie
Butts, songwriter Gene Collier,
and musician Jacob Flint (5/16);
musician Jon Knudson (5/17); Kristin
Ruyle (5/20); beer enthusiast Javi
Cervantes (5/22); musician Sarah
Barker Huhn and Curt’s List founder
Curt Fillmore (5/25); mandolinist
Wayne Gottstine (5/27); media
mogul Chris Reid, songwriter Chloe
Johns and musician Red Polston
(5/28); drummer Giovanni “Nooch”
Carnuccio and guitarist Bobby
Hogshooter (5/29); and blues guitar
badboy Dustin Pittsley (5/30).