f/k/a . . .

Part I:  Regular readers of this weblog know just how hard I struggle to avoid taking

cheap shots at the legal profession or otherwise annoying my valued audience. 

Nonetheless, time and again, I am drawn into temptation by search engine queries

that send visitors to this weblog.  Today, alas, my curiosity got the better of me, and

one link led to another, until — well, until this post happened.

 

An unknown querist came to f/k/a today, after Googling national hug a lawyer day>.  

This site had the #14 result, due to this post, where I stated that ”I was particularly

inspired to go hug a lawyer” by a lugubrious Public Relations radio spot from NYSBA,

entitled “The Rule of Law.”  The query immediately made me wonder whether there

might actually be a Hug a Lawyer Day (and, if so, just who sponsored it).

 

Here’s what I learned:

• 
  
  
  

  Google was not able to locate a Hug a Lawyer Day, despite

  
  

  the existence of Hug Your Cat Day.
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  However, “Hug-a-Lawyer Day” was #9 in David Letterman’s 

  
  

  “Top 10 Legal Holidays in Hell” (August 2, 1991).
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  Less surprising, April 12 has been designated “Vote Lawyers

  
  

  Out of Office Day” (see Important Dates to Remember)
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  Somewhat suspicious (can you say A-T-L-A) is the celebration

  
  

  on August 31st of Love Litigating Lawyers Day.  However, that

  
  

  day must be shared with a number of other celebrations, including

  
  

  National Box Car Day, Trail Mix Day, Eat Outside Day and Mutt’s Day.

• 
  
  Update (March 26, 2005):  July 14 is Shark Awareness Day.

We apologize, if you came here after listening to a podcast,

hoping to find out about Mug a Lawyer Day.  Please ask

your friendly podcaster to enunciate better.

  Because we once wrote a post questioning the grassrootedness of a rally on

behalf of litigators in Madison County, Illionois; and because we discovered the

existence of Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, I have scrupulously attempted to 

ascertain if there were any “Lawyer Appreciation Days” being celebrated in the

USA.  Our results:

• 
  
  
  

  Lawyer Appreciation Day was #8 on Christian & Scot’s Top Ten

  
  

  Rejected Ideas for a Holiday list.
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  Humorix predicted that — after lawyers sue to have calendar

  
  

  equality for February (30 days instead of 28) — the new Leap

  
  

  Day (Feb. 31) will be designated “Lawyer Appreciation Day.”
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  Mike Veeck (author of Fun is Good: How To Create Joy And Passion

  
  

  In Your Workplace And Career) created a Lawyer Appreciation

  
  

  Day for baseball (all attorneys pay double)
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  The law office of I. Ben Chasinbucks, of WhipCash Game fame, closes

  
  

  for National Lawyer Appreciation Day– apparently a floating holiday.
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  One site lists the following non-lawyer Appreciation Days:
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Squirrel Appreciation Day (Jan. 21)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Bubble Wrap Appreciatin Day (Jan 28)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Armenian Appreciation Day (April 3)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    National Hair Stylist Appreciation Day (April 30)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Cow Appreciation Day (July 18)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Elephant Appreciation Day (Sept. 20)
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Sunday School Teacher Day (Oct. 20)

I know these findings will hurt the feelings of many of my brothers and sisters at

the Bar.  But, I’m rushing to get this post up before the end of today, March 23,

because — no kidding — today is Make Your Own Holiday Day.  So, go ahead,

lawyers.  Just for today, put your own interests first.  Start that parade, we’ll whip

up a crowd and be right over.  Honest.

so quickly they join
the human devils…
fireflies

a long night–
the devil in my heart
torments me

blooming mountain–
come out and play
devil in me!

 

Part II.   Those search engines have gotten us into trouble before.  We just updated   

our Inadvertent Searchee page, for the first time in 2005, and you’ll see that sickos

have landed at this website looking for Mellow Yellow, farting contests, naked

cheerleaders, Scarlet Pimpernels and more.  How are we ever going to uphold our

reputation?

 

 

ain’t a devil
ain’t a saint…
just a sea slug

the day is devilishly
long!
long!

 

 

all haiku by ISSA 

(translated by David G. Lanoue):